Archive for the 'Movies & TV' Category

Strong Kids, Frightened Kids

Published on May 19, 2007 in Movies & TV. Closed Tags: , , , , .

[Updated]
How odd. This post was hijacked by spam full of spurious links to various prescription medications. I guess that’s what happens when you let a blog lay fallow for over a year.

It should have been a link to the classic “Strong Kids, Safe Kids”.

Strong Kids Safe Kids

My sister and I were subjected to this edutaining video when we were kids. I think it was borrowed from a dark corner of the public library, while the VCR was rented from the grocery store, which was also a warehouse.

Anyway, I hope that order has been restored to the universe now.

Sanjanakin Skywalker

Published on April 28, 2007 in Movies & TV. 2 Comments

Sanjanakin SkywalkerThe other day somebody pointed out to me that [tag]Sanjaya Malakar[/tag] from [tag]American Idol[/tag] has the same haircut as [tag]Anakin Skywalker[/tag] from [tag]Star Wars: Episode III[/tag]. And as it turns out, it’s totally true.

Now I understand that during his rendition of Bésame Mucho he wasn’t trying to seduce me into the bedroom, he was trying to seduce me to the dark side of the the Force. Hard to see the dark side is.

Continue reading ‘Sanjanakin Skywalker’

Harry Potter got way hotter

Published on January 30, 2007 in Movies & TV. 0 Comments

Harry HotterWith the help of some flattering lighting and a dark and mysterious pubus area, the producers of Equus have managed to make Daniel Radcliffe crazy hot.

You can see the sexy horse mutilator in all his well-lit glory on the Broadway World site.

It looks like all the writers of Harry Potter slash fiction toiling away with their capes, pointy hats, and hand lotions have been vindicated.

[tags]Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter, Equus, Naked, Hot[/tags]

The Thief and the Cobbler Recobbled

Published on January 18, 2007 in Movies & TV. 0 Comments

Tack, The CobblerToday I just stumbled across a pretty remarkable bit of animation called The Thief and the Cobbler. Apparently it was released in some form or another in 1993, but the cut wasn’t very good.

It feels like a Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin movie set against works of art like Gustav Klimt’s the Kiss, or an Escher drawing. The movie includes some great sequences that hearken back to Popeye cartoons like Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp, and Ali Baba’s 40 Thieves. You’ll probably recognize some of the character designs and plot points from Disney’s Aladdin, which this film inspired.

Vincent Price delivers a wonderfully playful performance as an evil Vizier. And though the Thief and the Cobbler are silent, both convey a great deal of character and emotion through their body language and great facial expressions.

The movie is delightfully anachronistic. It recalls a time when animation captured the joy of movement, and payed off on fantastically choreographed physical comedy. If you’re a fan of the very early stuff from Disney, Warner Brothers, and Max Fleischer, you’ll definitely get a kick out of it.

I don’t know if we’ll ever see a completed version of this cut. But thanks to Garrett Gilchrist’s fan restoration, we can all enjoy this remarkable piece of animation history.

Links you might like:

[tags]The Thief and the Cobbler, Richard Williams, YouTube, Animation, Restoration[/tags]

MST3k -> RiffTrax: ROFLMAO

Published on January 17, 2007 in Movies & TV. 0 Comments

We fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000 have been adrift in a sea of doubt and confusion for lo these 10 years. Fret no more me hearties, there be a port in the storm! It’s called RiffTrax, and it’s a pretty cool way of continuing the great humor of MST3k via the magic of the intertubes.

Last night I had the good fortune of seeing Mike, Kevin, and Bill perform RiffTrax live to Ben Affleck’s masterpiece, Daredevil. Was it as funny as MST3k? You bet. I’d say it rivaled some of the best experiments of yesteryear. Daredevil will soon be available for your downloading pleasure.

RiffTrax Darevdevil

Here’s how RiffTrax works: First, you download Mike & the gang’s audio commentary from the internets. Next, you get ahold of a DVD of the movie (Netflix would be pretty convenient). Finally, you sync the movie to the audio file and, viola, DIY MST3K.

You could use an iPod or other portable MP3 player to sync. Or, since most computers have an MP3 and a DVD software installed, you can probably just do it on your desktop. I bet it would be great to have on your laptop during a trip.

Whether you’re a stalwart fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000, or just an afficiando of bad movies, RiffTrax is well worth checking out.

Continue reading ‘MST3k -> RiffTrax: ROFLMAO’

Dr. Frank N Furter Jr. Tears up the Soaps

Published on January 14, 2007 in Movies & TV. 0 Comments

Check out this video on iFilm where a man is forced to confess a very personal secret, For Your Consideration. Is it just me, or does that guy totally sound like Dr. Frank N Furter?

[tags]Rocky Horror Picture Show, Transvestite, Breakdown, Soaps[/tags]

Stinky Pinky

Published on January 10, 2007 in Movies & TV. 0 Comments

Pink NarcissusBetween the vodka spiked formula and the constant diet of Flintstone’s barbiturates, I don’t remember very much of the 1970′s. Perhaps, this if for the best. In 1971, acclaimed writer, director, and photgrapher, Anonymous, graced the world with the indelible Pink Narcissus! Thereby setting the WTF bar for nigh these 40 years.

Pink Naricissus is the timeless story of a young man’s struggle inside of a vulva. I know, I know, we’ve seen it a million times. Boy flushes himself down urinal. Boy becomes slave to the Zoltar machine from Big. Boy puts butterfly on genitals. Bag lady meets boy. Sailor masturbates at bag lady. Boy is violated by local foliage.

Yes, it’s that old chestnut. But I think the film holds up because its message is as true today as it ever was. If a guy is hot, nothing else matters.

And the guy is, in point of fact, hot. This much is true. If you don’t find yourself creeped out by Mr. Anonymous’ opus, you may actually enjoy the proto-Gondry visual stylings. Some of it is genuinely cool.

I’ve heard it said that this is the movie that made Liberace gay. It’s possible that it might do the same to you. If you’re up for that, do check it out.
[tags]Pink Narcissus, James Bidgood, Michel Gondry, Anonymous, Liberace[/tags]

The Beales of Grey Gardens

Published on January 9, 2007 in Movies & TV. 0 Comments

Little EdieFans of the original Grey Gardens have something to dress up in a cape and sing about. The [tag]Criterion Collection[/tag] has released a DVD of unused footage that serves a pseudo-sequel to the original called, The Beales of Grey Gardens.

For those of you that haven’t been introduced to the Edies yet, Grey Gardensis a documentary that records the daily doings of two eccentric relatives of Jackie Kennedy.

The Beales, Big Edie and Little Edie, inhabit the titular [tag]Grey Gardens[/tag], a seaside estate in the Hamptons. Like the ladies themselves, the house is sort of falling apart and infested with raccoons.

Continue reading ‘The Beales of Grey Gardens’

Jesus is Magic

Published on January 2, 2007 in Movies & TV. 0 Comments

Just saw Sarah Silverman’s DVD Jesus is Magic. Sarah is way cute, for a girl.

Her comedy is primarily rooted in hy-larious topics like rape, AIDS, and the holocaust. One of my favorite jokes, “When God gives you AIDS, (and God does give you AIDS by the way)… make lemon-AIDS.” That should give you a sense of how she mashes up the adorable and the horrifying in her routine.

Unlike a lot of shock comedy, Sarah never comes across as angry. Her persona is always sunny and self-absorbed and ready to follow up a horribly racist comment with something even more awful… or with a song.

Yes, a song. The movie includes several musical numbers. The songs are good for the most part, but best of all is the signature visual direction and musical arrangement of Liam Lynch. Liam is way cute, for a boy.

You may remember him from the Sifl & Olly show on MTV, or from that United States of Whatever song a few years ago.

If you’re looking for a regular Liam Lynch fix, he’s doing an excellent video podcast that you can subscribe to on iTunes. The shows are robust, to say the least. You can also pick up Fake Songs where he does spot on interpretations of the likes of Bjork, David Bowie, and the Pixies.

Oh, but back to Sarah… yes. If you like being offended (and I do), you’ll have a great time with her.

Sarah Silverman – Jesus is Magic

[tags]Sarah Silverman, Liam Lynch, Jesus is Magic, Fake Songs, Lemon-AIDS[/tags]