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G_Bone
Forum Newbie
Joined: August 31 2005
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 25
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Topic: Story of Scenes from a Memory Posted: August 31 2005 at 15:15 |
Hi, I recently bought Dream Theater's Scenes from a Memory (Metropolis
Part 2), incredible album, but I'm not very smart when it comes to
comprehending the meaning of a story, poem, etc. so the whole story of
this thing kind of went by me
1.) The main thing I don't get was the murder, the way I see it one of two things happened:
Julian killed both Edward and Victoria, then placed the letter on them
and made up a story about the crime, how Edward had killed Victoria and
then himself, thus making Julian "The Witness" that was spoken of
earlier. In this case what happened to Julian?
The other possibility I see is that Julian killed Victoria and then
killed himselfk, and the witness that was spoken of was just that, a
witness. In this case what happened to Edward?
With the above, I also thought of the possiblity that the old man at the beginning was either Edward or Julian
2.) Apart from the actual murder, am I understanding it correctly that
the point is that Nicholas is like a reincarnation of Victoria? (since
he speaks so much about the sole carrying on)
3.) Then theres the miracle and the sleeper, what is the significance
of these names. I undestand it relates to the original Metropolis
(whihc I didn't understand the meaning), I was thinking these were
spirits or something, but they are actually just two of the characters
involved in teh murder. Is there any significance in "THe Miracle" and
"The Sleeper"
If someone could explain this to me I'd appreciate it, Thanks
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stripthesoul
Forum Groupie
Joined: August 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 88
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 15:20 |
I've heard that "Scenes From a Memory" is meant to be a retelling of
the myth of Romulus and Remus. Don't know if this is true or not.
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"Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings." --Cheris Kramerae
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MikeEnRegalia
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: April 22 2005
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 21319
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 15:51 |
If you like the album, you should also get Live Scenes from New York (DVD). Listening to the audio commentary is quite entertaining, and together with the videos the story becomes quite easy to follow.
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Ed_The_Dead
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 29 2005
Location: Poland
Status: Offline
Points: 4928
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 16:58 |
G_Bone wrote:
Hi, I recently bought Dream Theater's Scenes from a Memory (Metropolis Part 2), incredible album, but I'm not very smart when it comes to comprehending the meaning of a story, poem, etc. so the whole story of this thing kind of went by me
1.) The main thing I don't get was the murder, the way I see it one of two things happened:
Julian killed both Edward and Victoria, then placed the letter on them and made up a story about the crime, how Edward had killed Victoria and then himself, thus making Julian "The Witness" that was spoken of earlier. In this case what happened to Julian?
The other possibility I see is that Julian killed Victoria and then killed himselfk, and the witness that was spoken of was just that, a witness. In this case what happened to Edward?
With the above, I also thought of the possiblity that the old man at the beginning was either Edward or Julian
2.) Apart from the actual murder, am I understanding it correctly that the point is that Nicholas is like a reincarnation of Victoria? (since he speaks so much about the sole carrying on)
3.) Then theres the miracle and the sleeper, what is the significance of these names. I undestand it relates to the original Metropolis (whihc I didn't understand the meaning), I was thinking these were spirits or something, but they are actually just two of the characters involved in teh murder. Is there any significance in "THe Miracle" and "The Sleeper"
If someone could explain this to me I'd appreciate it, Thanks
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Reffering to numer one... The 1st option of the murder is correct, me thinks...
I dident quite think bout the old man in the story.. thought of him as some sort of backup character... Nicholas is NOT a reincartanion of Victoria... Nicholas is the Reincarnation of The Miracle, THe Killer......
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Syntharachnid
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 05 2005
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 703
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 17:26 |
While we're all inquiring, what's happening at the very end of the album when we suddenly hear the Hypnotheripist say "Open your eyes Nicholas" again? Isn't Nicholas already awake by this time? If so, what's the hypnotheripist doing in Nicholas's house?
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Pseud0
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 31 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 415
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 17:31 |
you fools the hyptherapist is the reincarnation of julian while the
main guy is the reincarnation of edward - hypno guy kills him at the
end to keep the secret
the album is overrated anyway
the story is terrible
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Bryan
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Honorary Collaborator
Joined: April 01 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 3013
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 17:35 |
Pseud0 wrote:
the album is overrated anyway
the story is terrible
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I'd say this pretty much sums it up.
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MikeEnRegalia
Special Collaborator
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Joined: April 22 2005
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 21319
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 17:53 |
Which prog concept album story doesn't suck? Think about it, they're ALL cheesy in some way. They don't have to be brilliant, they're just there to inspire the music. The Human Equation for example ... just look at the song titles. The story is just an excuse for making music about emotions.
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stripthesoul
Forum Groupie
Joined: August 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 88
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 18:05 |
MikeEnRegalia wrote:
Which prog concept album story doesn't suck? Think
about it, they're ALL cheesy in some way. They don't have to be
brilliant, they're just there to inspire the music. The Human Equation
for example ... just look at the song titles. The story is just an
excuse for making music about emotions. |
That's not at all true; plenty of concept albums have good
stories. Shadow Gallery's "Tyranny" and "Room V" have a good
story about corporate power. And don't say Pain of Salvation
stories are cheesy. "Be" is more intellectual than many books
I've read.
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"Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings." --Cheris Kramerae
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MikeEnRegalia
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: April 22 2005
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 21319
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 18:12 |
stripthesoul wrote:
MikeEnRegalia wrote:
Which prog concept album story doesn't suck? Think about it, they're ALL cheesy in some way. They don't have to be brilliant, they're just there to inspire the music. The Human Equation for example ... just look at the song titles. The story is just an excuse for making music about emotions. |
That's not at all true; plenty of concept albums have good stories. Shadow Gallery's "Tyranny" and "Room V" have a good story about corporate power. And don't say Pain of Salvation stories are cheesy. "Be" is more intellectual than many books I've read.
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Of course there are some good stories ... but the stories don't have to be on the same level as those of movies or novels.
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G_Bone
Forum Newbie
Joined: August 31 2005
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 25
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 18:28 |
Ed_The_Dead wrote:
G_Bone wrote:
Hi, I recently bought Dream
Theater's Scenes from a Memory (Metropolis Part 2), incredible album,
but I'm not very smart when it comes to comprehending the meaning of a
story, poem, etc. so the whole story of this thing kind of went by me
1.) The main thing I don't get was the murder, the way I see it one of two things happened:
Julian
killed both Edward and Victoria, then placed the letter on them and
made up a story about the crime, how Edward had killed Victoria and
then himself, thus making Julian "The Witness" that was spoken of
earlier. In this case what happened to Julian?
The other
possibility I see is that Julian killed Victoria and then killed
himselfk, and the witness that was spoken of was just that, a witness.
In this case what happened to Edward?
With the above, I also thought of the possiblity that the old man at the beginning was either Edward or Julian
2.)
Apart from the actual murder, am I understanding it correctly that the
point is that Nicholas is like a reincarnation of Victoria? (since he
speaks so much about the sole carrying on)
3.) Then theres the
miracle and the sleeper, what is the significance of these names. I
undestand it relates to the original Metropolis (whihc I didn't
understand the meaning), I was thinking these were spirits or
something, but they are actually just two of the characters involved in
teh murder. Is there any significance in "THe Miracle" and "The Sleeper"
If someone could explain this to me I'd appreciate it, Thanks
|
Reffering to numer one... The 1st option of the murder is correct, me thinks...
I dident quite think bout the old man in the story.. thought of him
as some sort of backup character... Nicholas is NOT a reincartanion of
Victoria... Nicholas is the Reincarnation of The Miracle, THe
Killer...... |
Thanks, well that was at least the most informative post, but you kind
of contradicted yourself. In the first option I listed had Julian as
the killer, but at the end of your post you said that the Miracle
(Edward) is the killer? I get the main point of the story, its the
small (but major) details that are confusing me
And anyways the story mite not be great, but it kept me thinking
throughout the album (trying to figure it out). I thought it was decent
enough considering the albums for the music and not the story. At least
its not like Green Day trying to make a movie out of the crappy story
of their so called "rock opera"
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Syzygy
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: December 16 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 7003
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 18:37 |
The murder was committed by Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with the lead pipe.
Either that, or the butler did it.
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'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'
Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom
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cobb
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 10 2005
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 1149
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 18:46 |
G_Bone: check out the DVD as mike pointed out. It puts the story into
easily understandable pictures and gives the whole thing more credence.
The combination of story in the lyrics and pictures turns it from
chessy lyrical to art spectacular. You may even be emotional
overwhelmed in some of the scenes as I was, the first time I watched it.
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Snow Dog
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: March 23 2005
Location: Caerdydd
Status: Offline
Points: 32995
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 19:02 |
Ed_The_Dead wrote:
G_Bone wrote:
Hi, I recently bought Dream Theater's Scenes from a Memory (Metropolis Part 2), incredible album, but I'm not very smart when it comes to comprehending the meaning of a story, poem, etc. so the whole story of this thing kind of went by me
1.) The main thing I don't get was the murder, the way I see it one of two things happened:
Julian killed both Edward and Victoria, then placed the letter on them and made up a story about the crime, how Edward had killed Victoria and then himself, thus making Julian "The Witness" that was spoken of earlier. In this case what happened to Julian?
The other possibility I see is that Julian killed Victoria and then killed himselfk, and the witness that was spoken of was just that, a witness. In this case what happened to Edward?
With the above, I also thought of the possiblity that the old man at the beginning was either Edward or Julian
2.) Apart from the actual murder, am I understanding it correctly that the point is that Nicholas is like a reincarnation of Victoria? (since he speaks so much about the sole carrying on)
3.) Then theres the miracle and the sleeper, what is the significance of these names. I undestand it relates to the original Metropolis (whihc I didn't understand the meaning), I was thinking these were spirits or something, but they are actually just two of the characters involved in teh murder. Is there any significance in "THe Miracle" and "The Sleeper"
If someone could explain this to me I'd appreciate it, Thanks
|
Reffering to numer one... The 1st option of the murder is correct, me thinks...
I dident quite think bout the old man in the story.. thought of him as some sort of backup character... Nicholas is NOT a reincartanion of Victoria... Nicholas is the Reincarnation of The Miracle, THe Killer......
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Nicholas is most definitely the reincarnation of Victoria!!!
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G_Bone
Forum Newbie
Joined: August 31 2005
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 25
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Posted: August 31 2005 at 21:31 |
cobb wrote:
G_Bone: check out the DVD as mike pointed out. It puts the story into
easily understandable pictures and gives the whole thing more credence.
The combination of story in the lyrics and pictures turns it from
chessy lyrical to art spectacular. You may even be emotional
overwhelmed in some of the scenes as I was, the first time I watched it.
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ill see if i can get it sometime then
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Tanuki
Forum Newbie
Joined: August 30 2005
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 10
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Posted: September 01 2005 at 05:16 |
the concept was killed with poor execution. it's not worth trying to follow. just enjoy the music
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richeym
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 23 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 148
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Posted: September 01 2005 at 10:48 |
for every Dream Theater question you'll ever have:
http://www.dtfaq.com/
and how can anyone NOT understand the SFAM concept.... it's not exactly highbrow....
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Ed_The_Dead
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 29 2005
Location: Poland
Status: Offline
Points: 4928
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Posted: September 01 2005 at 11:25 |
richeym wrote:
for every Dream Theater question you'll ever have:
http://www.dtfaq.com/
and how can anyone NOT understand the SFAM concept.... it's not exactly highbrow.... |
But its quite complicated... And it would've been far easer if English was my mother laungage
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G_Bone
Forum Newbie
Joined: August 31 2005
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 25
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Posted: September 01 2005 at 15:02 |
http://www.dtfaq.com/question/1032 its all here, trhat halped me a lot
thanks
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BePinkTheater
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 01 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1381
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Posted: September 02 2005 at 00:14 |
Why must everyone be so ignorant.
Actually Im sorry, maybe someone did clear this all up already, but as soon as i saw the post screaming that nicholas isnt the reincarnation of victoria i freaked out and hit post reply to save everyone form the incorectness.
Nicholas( prestent time) is the reincarnation of Victoria( 1928) Victoria and Julian, or the sleeper(1928) are lovers.Julians brother Edward, or the miracle(1928), is in love with Victoria and is spiteful because julian is a reckless person who drinks and gambles and treats victoria poorly. blah blah blah... what actually happened in the murder was ( this is told in finnally free, the true story of the murder) Edward knew that Julian and Victoria aranged a meeting to start seeing eachother again( after they broke up and victoria had sex iwth edward) . Edward, out of jealousy and anger, went and shot them both.....howerer in beyond this life, we are told the story of the murder form the point of veiw of the newspaper artical about it. The article is all flase because Edward was the one who gave the newspaper the facts. What the newspaper says is that julian and victoria got in a fight, and he killed her, and than, in anger wiht himself, killed himself
and then at the end. The Hypno therepist( present) comes in to Nicholas's home and kills him. THis is beacase he is actually the reincarnation of Edward, and he carried on the feud with him.
and to whoever said this album sucks, i really don't like you very much
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I can strangle a canary in a tin can and it would be really original, but that wouldn't save it from sounding like utter sh*t.
-Stone Beard
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