2020 Feature 'The Garden'

To break a previously long, boring post of mine down and try to address the issue more accurately:

More story in porn is a great idea, and I would like that, but is it what’s needed to make films like The Garden more viable? I’m not sure. I assume by viability you mean more sales to cover costs and for that you need to consider buyers like me.

I have bought The Garden and think it’s great. I bought it despite the “label” because it is an Agatha film which means it is going to be delivering a certain level of satisfaction. I have bought dozens of her films for this reason but… I always buy with some reluctance; I’m not a fan of overt porn… and it’s that reluctance to buy it that’s a problem if you rely on sales.

My query is whether the porn element is strictly necessary. Is it necessary? Personally, I don’t think so and I have a feeling that if the porn element were toned down a bit, rather than wrapped up in a great story, it would appeal to the more reluctant buyers and a wider audience in general. Cannibal films are like gold dust and cannibal fans are going to seek out cannibal films of every kind. They do, already! I mean we all liked “To Serve Man.” It wasn’t because it wasn’t pornographic that is was a tad disappointing… it was because Agatha’s delightful actresses weren’t on the menu. If The Garden had simply been a straight remake of To Serve Man, with the erotic presence of a scantily clad Jolene Hexx and Agatha on the platter, I would have still bought it. In fact, I would have bought it a lot sooner.

Agatha’s actresses are extremely appealing. The storylines are very appealing. The Wastes and The Garden are a cut above the others and as good as quite a few mainstream movies I’ve seen. My point is, they should be bought by every cannibal aficionado and probably would be if they called out to a more general audience. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t still make the less complex porn movies, as well; it’s just that making super high quality porn may not pay because of reluctant buyer syndrome.

It was a very good point about the balloon maker, it's a very apt example, should've left it up, rumtugger. :D I just didn't have time to reply till later! It is a sad state of dumb-down consumerism, like a lot of shows on network TV especially CBS right now. See the new Twilight Zone, Equalizer, Clarice Starling, Star Trek Discovery, it's all a lot of dumbed down short-cut copypaste TV police procedural/soap types where I can continue to rail about quality, but if people are still watching it, why should they change? I don't know enough inside the boardroom if ratings are falling and losing money or not. Is discouraging to know if this method works which means, art will continue to degrade. Our challenge now is to see if we can continue to inspire while maintaining that essence of aesthetic quality.
 
I appreciate the compliment, though I have to admit I don't always know how to feel when my stories get compliments like that...

I would say that your stuff is certainly better than current day Marvel and DC, though..
And likewise! Thanks for the compliments. I'm not too egotistical to admit when someone's better than me at something, but in fear of sounding arrogant when I say that I've been waiting for some new artist to one-up me, at least in the traditional 2D art sphere, but I'm still waiting. It's as if nobody's doing these classical types of art anymore, they're either retired, getting older, dying out in place of more abstract simplicity. Even Picasso had been classically trained before he went this direction but everyone wants to be Picasso without the training nowadays.

Captain Marvel is a good example there and for more, I don't know what to say when I see these contrasts:
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And to get back at the point, even Agatha's The Garden in all honesty, in terms of story, passion & writing trumps the CBS version of that 2020 Twilight Zone episode & I hope that gets appreciated.
 
oh lord...the low quality of the new art!

Have thick people..have multiple genders..have every race

But do not insult these people by drawing them so poorly! The decline in quality and the laziness of production is sickening.
 
I have to admit, I'm a bit confused by people who are into the fetish but not the porn aspect of it. I suppose it is the peril aspect that is appealing in that case. My frustration is more the opposite, in most cases, which is that the sexual aspect tends to be toned down whenever you usually see it on TV or in movies, and any disappointment I have with Agatha's videos have more to do with the restrictions she has to work under (i.e. no blood, no weapons, etc.). The only reluctance I typically have in making purchases is more a budgeting one as I've never had a lot of money to play with. Other than that, it's a matter of taste, I suppose. I guess I'm a bit of a finicky eater. :giggle:
 
Ok. It's been awhile... long enough that I think I/we can/should talk more about this more. If for no other reason than because I think there are too much gold to mine, too much fruit to leave on the vine, that could inspire more content and discussion.

By now, I'm hoping no one is still waiting to watch it... but if so...

**** SPOILER ALERT ****

I watched it again to refresh my impressions of this episode.

I think there is a lot of potential here to be mined for future content. I feel like there were several elements that demonstrated ideas that would be worth fleshing out as inspiration for future movies all on their own. Overall, I think the concept incorporated several attractive themes that are worth exploring more in future stories. I certainly think the overarching plot has more to offer and I would love to see the Alien overlords return for more stories.

In short, I think there is a lot of great ideas here and they deserve exploring. At least, *I* would like to see more of them any ways.



First, the overall concept of fatalism. The idea that someone is resigned to an inescapable fate is a regular theme in this fetish (and an attractive one IMO). Here, our protagonist begins in denial of their implied fate, to be consumed by an alien race. She rebels against the implication, but ultimately succumbs to it and the twist; she wasn't coerced into it, but chose it out of her own free will.


The dream sequences stood out to me (huzzah nakid Jolene!) as a highlight and not just because of nakid Jolene. The idea of being in a state of conflict between two opposing basic drives inside the mind. I wish we were able to explore this in greater detail in these scenes. Perhaps in a future episode.

This scene reminded me of a classic movie scene in which a woman is abducted in the night by aliens and taking aboard the mothership. While aboard, the aliens induce a hallucination in her mind to pacify her with a positive perception of her surroundings while they "probe" her. However, her subconscious begins to reject the fabrication and dispels the hallucinations to reveal the true horror of her reality.

It's like Galva's conscious side is aware and opposes the alien agenda, but the Kanamits are using her dreams to subconsciously seduce her into accepting them. Or perhaps, Galva is experiencing inner turmoil because some part of her is attracted to the idea of submitting to the Kanamits, and the aliens are exploiting this. Either way, its great.

Then there is the idea of agency over ones surroundings. I think it is disconcerting to feel as if you have no control over ones own fate; that some one or some thing else commands your destiny. To be an idle passenger on this journey of life is unnerving. Galva is clearly confident in her sense of agency, and she goes to sleep thinking she is wise to the Kanamits intentions and has the upper hand, only to wake up onboard the ship to discover that it appears the Kanamits have been in control the entire time. Thus, perhaps, deflating her morale as it bring into question how much control she ever had. 3

The next scenes of Galva being shown the process of what the Kanamits do to humans invoked the feeling what it would be like to foreshadow ones fate in another, as it happens, knowing you are next soon afterwards. Watching her friends meet (meat?) grisly ends. Many stories play on this theme really well. Just the thought of being caught up in something, advancing towards the abyss one step at a time. Obviously, an important influence that affects her ultimate decision that follows soon after.

My favorite scene though, is the last, watching Galva accept her fate. Allowing herself to be converted, before turning over to receive her brand, marking her as chattel for the appetites of the Kanamits. Again, just something about the symbolism of willingly stepping off a precipice into the unknown depths of the abyss. It is so contrary to every natural instinct. We are supposed to be ingrained with an inherent sense for self preservation and to consider circumventing it or watching someone abandon it is so very alien to witness. Plus... huzzah nakid Jolene!


So... overall... The Garden was a great effort and was worth experiencing it. If for no other reason than to stimulate more discussion about the fetish, especially the philosophical elements that sometimes I think are overlooked in the quest for the carnal presentations.

I hope we can do this again... there are so many good stories floating around that I think could be good inspiration for future movies.
 
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Thanks for this. I really wanted to explore some of the deeper feelings that original episode evoked as far as fatalism, shock, distrust, too much trust, perspective, a feeling of inferiority, giving and receiving, etc. The deeper human psychological aspects of this kink interest me the most. More than 'ooo school girl saying eep!' or shit like that. I personally find the young teen shame innocence thing boring as hell, (even though I produce it a lot to please a portion of ppl who love it) and the other, deeper and more overall human psychological aspects to this kink way more interesting. So really focused more on what inspires for this. Maybe it was a little self indulgent but I always wanted to see a sequel to To Serve Man.
 
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As a creative, being self indulgent isn't a bad thing... when it produces something others can also enjoy too. So, indulge all you want if this is what comes from it.

And sure... binding up a nakid girl on a platter is attractive on a purely physical level... but, to be honest, the stories that tend to push more of my buttons all at once are the scenes that convey what's going on inside her head and those around her.
 
I did not think in terms of how much money can this make. So yeah..was self indulgent but also probably disappointed people who love the innocent thing.

My leading lady was not innocent or meek or petite or 18. I wanted her to be a leader and strong. Wanted to depict a strong, capable mid to late 20-somthing who is leading people against what she gives into in the end when she realizes the bigger picture. Strength in letting go because there is no other option. and what is worse? Being a happy, cared for slave? Or free and to toil? She realizes that despite her insight, most are better off this way than trying to go to war with a superior species.

And to bring her to a point of surrender... It is more of a story to me that way than a helpless, vapid damsel.
 
I totally understand the need to supply want is in demand in order to pay the bills. I just think it a loss, to not be able to self indulge and assume things you think are interesting, no one would want, because I personally would love to see more of it.

In fact, I would love to see spin-off stories from The Garden, because I liked the ideas you had. Not wanting to back-seat drive, but I thought a follow-up story of a scenario that maybe revolved around the question of what if Galva (or a totally different character) had accepted the Alien proposal to join them as an emissary of sorts... recruiting more people to willingly submit . On the one had, she knows the truth and is complicit in condoning a fabrication, but on the other hand she knows (or is convinced) it is inevitable to submit to their apatite's as food and feels it is actually a service to her fellow humans to guide them to the easy way out, instead of them learning the truth and being forced into the hard way. She has to wrestle with knowing what she is participating in, but also not ready to accept it herself.
 
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