Shapeshifting

In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shapeshifting, or metamorphosis is the ability of an entity to physically transform into another being or form. This is usually achieved through an inherent faculty of a mythological creature, divine intervention, or the use of magic spells or talismans.

The idea of shapeshifting has been present since antiquity and may be common in all cultures. It is present in the oldest forms of totemism and shamanism, as well as the oldest extant literature and epic poems, including works such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Iliad, where the shapeshifting is usually induced by the act of a deity. The idea persisted through the Middle Ages, where the agency causing shapeshifting is usually a sorcerer or witch, and into the modern period. It remains a common trope in modern fantasy, children's literature, and works of popular culture.

The most common form of shapeshifting myths is that of therianthropy, which is the transformation of a human being into an animal or conversely, of an animal into human form. Legends allow for transformations into plants and objects, and the assumption of another human countenance (e.g. fair to ugly).

It's a Mystery (CITV)

It's a Mystery was a networked Children's ITV programme which ran for five series from 1996–2002. It was produced by The Media Merchants Television Company Ltd and Meridian Broadcasting Ltd. In Series five, the show was retitled as Mystery.

Format

It was a programme that educated children by challenging them to solve a mystery. Usually this would involve people telling stories of mysterious occurrences that have happened to them, such as a Man in a Van driving up to a roundabout and seeing his exact duplicate across the roundabout, driving the same vehicle. Other times, the presenter would show unexplained phenomena such as ghosts in the Tower of London or the Loch Ness Monster. The presenter would then offer up possible explanations as to what might have been behind the mystery or if there is even an explanation to give. After each story, it would be given a solved or unsolved designation. At the end of each episode, a riddle would be asked for the audience to solve until the next episode (where the answer would be given).

Mystery (2012 film)

Mystery (浮城謎事) is a 2012 Chinese drama film directed by Lou Ye. This is Lou Ye's seventh film but only the second (with Purple Butterfly in 2003) to have been released in his own country. The story is based on a series of posts under the title of "This Is How I Punish A Cheating Man And His Mistress" (《看我如何收拾贱男与小三》), which has over one million hits. "Mystery is beautiful and violent, both in the emotions it deals with and the scenes that display them. It echoes some of contemporary China's own problems, such as corruption, money, ambiguity and morality," says Brice Pedroletti in his review on The Guardian

The film competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. At the 7th Asian Film Awards the film won the Asian Film Award for Best Film.

Plot

Lu Jie has no idea her husband Yongzhao is leading a double life, until the day she sees him entering a hotel with a young woman. Her world crumbles – and it’s just the beginning.

Cast

Mystery (novel)

Mystery is a 1990 novel by American author Peter Straub, and is the second installment in Straub's loosely connected "Blue Rose Trilogy". The novel falls into the genre of crime fiction, and was preceded by Koko and followed by The Throat. The book was published by Dutton, won the 1993 Bram Stoker Award and was a 1994 WFA nominee

Synopsis

In Mill Walk, a caribbean island mostly inhabited by wealthy American and German expats, during a little boy named Tom Pasmore views an article about a woman named Jeanine Thielman who was murdered and then dumped in a lake. A few years later, in 1957, Tom takes a ride on a milk cart from his palatial home to a slum street called Calle Burleigh. There he hears the crying of an animal and, searching for this animal, finds a teenaged boy slightly older than him named Jerry and his older sister Robyn. When Tom says that he wants to go home, Jerry attacks him. Tom escapes, but is followed by two boys, Robbie and Nappy, who threaten him with knives. They chase Tom into the street, where he is hit by a car and severely injured.

Shape (comics)

Shape is a Marvel comics comic book character created by Mark Gruenwald.

Squadron Supreme

Fictional character biography

The Shape (real name Raleigh Lund) was born in Simak, Lowengard, in the U.S.A. of the alternate Earth of the Squadron Supreme, Earth-712. Although he appears to be an adult male, his emotional and intellectual development is comparable to that of a child (it's likely that he has some kind of mental disability).

Originally, he was a member of the criminal Institute of Evil, the Squadron's arch-foes, although, lacking sincere criminal intent, he was mostly following the lead of team leader Ape-X, who had been his friend "for years and years." After the Institute of Evil lost a battle against the Squadron, all of the Institute's members underwent behavior modification, their criminal records were pardoned, and they all joined the Squadron. Now, as a public crusader and adventurer, Shape helped supervise the manufacturing of force field belts. He also helped his fellow superheroes and babysat for Arcanna Jones' three children, becoming especially close with Drusilla Jones. Eventually the behavior modification was reversed by the Squadron's opponents the Redeemers, but the Shape, having never been a criminal at heart in the first place, still chose to side with the Squadron against Nighthawk and the Redeemers. After the battle, Shape helped get the pregnant Arcanna to the delivery room after she collapsed.

Shape (song)

"Shape" is a song by English girl group Sugababes, released as the fourth and final single from their second studio album, Angels with Dirty Faces (2002). It was composed by Sting, Dominic Miller, and Craig Dodds, who produced the song. The midtempo pop and R&B ballad incorporates a sample of Sting's 1993 recording "Shape of My Heart", whose vocals are featured in the chorus. It received mixed reviews from critics, who were ambivalent towards the sample of "Shape of My Heart".

The single attained moderate success and reached the top twenty on the charts in Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom. The song's music video was directed by Michael Gracey and Pete Commins, and filmed in Sydney, Australia. The video was censored and later re-shot due to its depiction of nudity. It features the Sugababes at a masquerade ball in a mansion. The Sugababes performed "Shape" on GMTV, at the V Festival, and on tour in support of their albums.

Background and composition

"Shape" was written by Sting, Dominic Miller and Craig Dodds, and produced by Dodds under his production name Craigie, for the Sugababes' second studio album, Angels with Dirty Faces (2002). It is a remake of Sting's 1993 recording "Shape of My Heart"; the song's verses were changed, while the chorus that features Sting's vocals was re-recorded. According to Sugababes member Mutya Buena, "He felt he could do better with the chorus, so he came in to re-record it". The song was engineered by Jack Guy, and programmed by Dean Barratt. Additional vocal recording was completed by Ben Georgiades. "Shape" is the album's fourth and final single, and was released in the United Kingdom on 10 March 2003 as a CD single and cassette tape. The B-side is a cover version of English producer Adamski's and English musician Seal's 1990 single "Killer".

Blood (OSI album)

Blood is the third studio album by American progressive rock band OSI, released by InsideOut Music on April 27, 2009 in Europe and May 19, 2009 in North America.

Guitarist Jim Matheos and keyboardist and vocalist Kevin Moore started work on the album in 2008, collaborating by email. Matheos would send Moore a song idea which Moore would edit and send back to Matheos. Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, who performed drums on Office of Strategic Influence and Free, was replaced by Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison on Blood. Matheos played bass guitar on the album, having hired guest musicians to perform bass duties on the first two OSI albums. Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth and Tim Bowness of No-Man wrote lyrics and performed vocals on one track each.

Critical reception of Blood was generally positive. The more atmospheric and ambient tracks were praised; the more metal-oriented tracks received mixed reactions. Moore's lyrics and Harrison's drumming, in particular, were met with acclaim.