7 Comments

1. 

   acilius

    /  January 12, 2010

   That’s the neatest thing I’ve ever read about slugs.

2. 

   cymast

    /  January 12, 2010

   Ditto!

3. 

   acilius

    /  January 13, 2010

   Do you remember the 50s sci-fi thriller The Thing? The alien in that one was a vegetable who could walk around. I saw it on TV when I was about 10 or so, the idea that the distinction between plants and animals might not be as clear-cut as we think has been with me ever since.

4. 

   cymast

    /  January 13, 2010

   Are you sure “The Thing” was about a vegetable? I followed your link and I saw the movie described, a couple years ago, and loved it. I don’t remember a vegetable though, more like a monster. The cinematography- filmed in subdued black and white- is so understated that you’re immediately obligated to focus all your attention INTO the movie. In that regard, it’s brilliant.

   I’d always been puzzled as to why scientists were so adamant about planimals not existing (until now). I didn’t see how they couldn’t exist, given the facts we know about the earliest evolution on Earth.

5. 

   acilius

    /  January 13, 2010

   Yes, in one of the lab scenes the scientist (it’s supposed to be a research station, yet for some reason there’s only one scientist) looks up from his microscope and says that the creature is in fact a vegetable. That’s when they realize that it’s something way beyond their experience, that a vegtable could walk around and beat people to death.

6. 

   cymast

    /  January 13, 2010

   Holy crap that almost sounds vaguely familiar and you remember that from when you were 10?? I’m eating my Roasted Vegetables right now! I don’t think I could eat a planimal.

7. 

   acilius

    /  January 13, 2010

   Oh, I’ve seen it several times since then. But that original viewing did make quite an impression.