Squonk

Guilty Pleasure 8: Dune

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:26:00 +0000

When "Dune" was released at Christmas 1984 I avoided it like the plague. It looked creepy... and it had that new rating, PG-13. I wasn't sure what to make of that. The film was not well received when it was released, in fact Siskel & Ebert declared it the worst film of 1984 on one of their end of the year episodes. I finally checked the film out as an adult, while I agree the film has some major problems, I keep finding myself returning for another look every year or so.

The film is based on Frank Herbert's 1965 sci-fi novel. The book is challenging to say the least. It's a complicated mix of sci-fi, religion and politics that leaves many readers scratching their heads while just as many others cheer it's greatness.

In the director's chair was David Lynch. Yes that David Lynch, the man behind such strange creations as "Blue Velvet," and the TV series "Twin Peaks." But "Dune" was only his third film, following his bizarre debut "Eraserhead" and the more mainstream "The Elephant Man." It was certainly his most ambitious project to date. Lynch took on writing the screenplay as well, anyone who has read the book knows that many would prefer the Chinese water torture over such an assignment. Much of the screenplay works well, while other parts, especially the overuse of our being able to hear the characters thoughts, do not.

My suspicions in 1984 were true, the film is is creepy. Imagine that, a creepy David Lynch film (that's sarcasm by the way). In fact, Lynch takes the creepiest elements of Herbert's book and cranks the creep-factor up to 11. For example, the book's main villain, Barron Harkonnen is one of the most vicious and vile villains I've ever encountered in print. In the film he's much worse, played by Kenneth McMillan as a cackling, slobbering mad man covered in disgusting sores.

Certain elements of the film do work really well. I love the opening of the movie in which Virginia Madsen as Princess Irulan gives us the back story. It echoes the tone of the book in which each chapter begins with a quote from one of Irulan's many writings on the events depicted. Kyle MacLachlin (a Lynch favorite in his first film) is well cast as Paul Atreides, as is future Law & Order girl Alicia Witt as the scariest 8 year old in the universe, Alia. Best of all is the unique costumes and set design which contribute to setting a distinct tone for each of the three "houses" that figure prominently in the story.

Several different versions of the film have popped up over the years. An "extended edition" clocks in at 40 minutes longer than the theatrical cut and thoroughly complicates the already complicated story. Lynch disowned this version of the film which lists "Alan Smithee" as it's director and "Judas Booth" as screenwriter. For that matter, Lynch has pretty much disowned the theatrical version as well. He rarely speaks of the movie and according to Wikipedia he is quoted as having said that he "probably shouldn't have done that picture."

"Dune" is intriguing but flawed and is certainly far from being the worst film of 1984.

Cartoon a Day: Buckaroo Bugs

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:24:00 +0000

Buckaroo Bugs
1944
Directed by Robert Clampett
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol 5

There is no mistaking a Bob Clampett cartoon. Everything is taken to the extreme, and "Buckaroo Bugs" is no exception. In this short, Bugs Bunny is cast as the Masked Marauder who has been stealing carrots from an old west town. To catch him, the locals call in Red Hot Ryder, who could be considered an early version of Yosemite Sam. So, Bugs Bunny is actually the villain.

DVD's are great for viewing Clampett cartoons. Being able to freeze frame the images can give you a real appreciation for the various poses used in the animation. This is perhaps best demonstrated in Red Hot Ryder's horse. He's a minor character in the cartoon, but from an animation standpoint he's the highlight. The character combines modern elements along with qualities of a rubber band like character right out of the early days of animation. This one sequence where Red Hot Ryder and the horse jump off the edge of the Grand Canyon is evidence enough. When the horse realizes what he's done, he actually turns back through himself to turn around. It's brilliant animation!

Animation at it's best when it explores the limits of what the art form is capable of. This cartoon is a great example of that.

Cartoon a Day: El Terrible Toreador

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:37:00 +0000

El Terrible Toreador
1929
Directed by Walt Disney
Available on: Walt Disney Treasures - More Silly Symphonies

Many of the early Silly Symphonies cartoons used different cultures as the inspiration for many of the visuals. Not all of these depictions are what we would now consider politically correct, so they are often regulated to the "from the vault" sections of the Walt Disney Treasures releases. "El Terrible Toreador," however, I think was sent to the vault section because the characters drink beer.

Like most Silly Symphonies, there is not much story here. The gags are pretty simple, though you can see a progression taking place here as the sight gags are not repeated over and over as they are in many early cartoons. A few gags seem quite imaginative for this time period, especially when we think the bull and the toreador are fighting but when the smoke clears we see that they are playing patty cake.

The bullfight arena is a classic setting for golden age cartoons. Almost every major character has been a toreador at some point, so it is interesting to see what is probably one of the earliest examples of a bullfight cartoon.

Cartoon a Day: Mouse in Manhattan

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:30:00 +0000

Mouse in Manhatan
1945
Directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Available on: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 2

"Mouse in Manhattan" is not your typical Tom and Jerry film. First of all, Tom pretty much just makes a cameo. This one is all about Jerry. He decides he's had enough of country life and decides to head off to the big city. Now you'd think some city alley cat just fills in for Tom for the rest of the picture. While some cats do come in to play briefly, this is not a chase film. This film is mainly about the city as seen through Jerry's eyes.

This scenario leads to some absolutely beautiful background art. Several New York City landmarks are portrayed in some very rich and detailed paintings. There are plenty of good gags, but most of the fun of this cartoon just comes in watching Jerry taking the city in.

It's interesting to note some of the differences in Jerry's appearance in this short. Tom and Jerry have gone through many design changes over the years. In this film, Jerry's nose seems to be a bit more round and bulbous and his whiskers seem longer. He also wears a somewhat dumb expression much of the time, which is not your typical Jerry look.

I'm not sure if this film still runs on TV or not. There are a few moments that would keep it off the Cartoon Network rotation, including a blackface gag and one bizarre moment when it could be interpreted that Jerry is looking up the skirts of some of the ladies of New York. Still this is a great cartoon. Oh and I almost forgot to mention the wonderful music! It is obviously inspired by Gershwin (perfect for the New York setting) and compliments the on screen action beat per beat.

Cartoon a Day: Mexican Boarders

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:35:00 +0000

Mexican Boarders
1962
Directed by Friz Freleng & Hawley Pratt
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 4

We've talked before about how Speedy Gonzalez cartoons were left off the Cartoon Network rotation for years, a casualty of political correctness run wild. Yet, it eventually came out that Mexicans didn't see the character as negative, but saw him as a national hero. I sometimes wonder if the true controversial character in the world of Speedy Gonzalez is one who appeared only twice...one of those times is today's cartoon. Tonight we experience the one and only Slowpoke Rodriguez.

In this cartoon, Sylvester has barely any energy left to chase the fastest mouse in all Mexico. But when Speedy's cousin Slowpoke comes for a visit, the putty tat is re-energized. Both Speedy and Sylvester are soon overshadowed by the scene stealing Slowpoke.

This cartoon came close to the end of the golden era of cartoons, yet this is a strong cartoon. Slowpoke is a hilarious character, it's a shame he was only used twice. Some might see him as a Mexican stereotype, but really he's simply the opposite of the leading man...a classic comedic situation. Like the slow wolf from some Droopy cartoons, I love the way Slowpoke moves and minimal amount of animation used to bring him to life.

Cartoon a Day: Slingshot 6 7/8

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Slingshot 6 7/8
1951
Directed by Walter Lantz
Available on: The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection

It's been awhile since we've done a Woody Woodpecker short. This particular one has a few interesting things to note. First there is not dialogue in the movie except for Woody's signature laugh. Second is that there is no director credited for the film. There is the usual "A Walter Lantz Cartune" credit screen. While Wikipedia credits Lantz for directing (based on his own claim), the Internet Movie Database does not. It's hard to know what to believe.

In this short, Woody is in the old west and ends up participating in a shooting contest. The competitors can choose their weapons, so Woody uses a slingshot while his top rival, Buzz Buzzard as an Indian, uses a bow and arrow.

There's nothing wrong with a silent cartoon comedy, but the animation has to really excel. While this short has some good moments, mostly early in the film, many sequences are lacking that extra punch that is needed. Had Buzz and Woody been given some Tex Avery style reaction shots this could've been a much more memorable film.

Cartoon a Day: Blackboard Jumble

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:29:00 +0000

Blackboard Jumble
1957
Directed by Michael Lah
Available on: Tex Avery's Droopy - The Complete Theatrical Collection

Droopy is one of my favorite classic animated characters. So it's really strange that I never saw this cartoon until today. It was not a part of the rotation of Droopy shorts that aired on Chicago television as I was growing up. The only reason I can see for it being pulled from TV is one gag involving a confederate flag. But now, thanks to DVD, not only can we see this short but we can also experience it in it's widescreen form.

This Droopy short actually does not feature Droopy. Rather there are three kid versions of Droopy who terrorize a small schoolhouse. The Wolf, voice by the brilliant Daws Butler, is recruited to be their latest teacher.

The voice and animation of the slow-moving, whistling wolf are a perfect combination. I love his strange posture when he walks. The feet lead as the rest of the body seems to move much slower behind. The wolf is the real star of the short. Even though this is not directed by Tex Avery, his influence is still there. Some would say too much so as several gags are lifted straight out of Avery's "The Three Little Pups," which also features Butler's Wolf character. But even with recycled gags, it's still laugh-out-loud funny

Cartoon a Day: To Beep or Not to Beep

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:43:00 +0000

To Beep or Not to Beep
1963
Directed by Chuck Jones & Maurice Noble
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 3

Today's cartoon is a late entry in the Road Runner series. The plot is the same as any other film in this series...Coyote chases Road Runner...but the film have a very different feel than earlier films in the series.

Many of the early Road Runner shorts depend on a series of very short gags. As the series progressed, director Chuck Jones started to go for longer gags. Whereas many Road Runner gags would last a few seconds at longest, some of the gags in this film last several minutes. And it is with mixed results.

One gage which involves a giant spring seems way too labored and just doesn't flow well. On the other hand, the catapult sequence is skillfully paced and plays more like a series of short gags with a big payoff at the end.

The early Road Runner films are stronger but this is a worthy entry in the series. It is actually the final Road Runner short directed by it's creator, Chuck Jones.

Cartoon a Day: My Favorite Duck

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:04:00 +0000

My Favorite Duck
1942
Directed by Chuck Jones
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 6

Well it's been a crazy summer. There's been a lot of travel and internet problems at home that has made doing "Cartoon a Day" tough. Plus, the fact that I just got lazy. But with it being September 1, here we go again.

"My Favorite Duck" is the first cartoon to team director Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese. That team would produce some of the greatest cartoons of all time. In this short, Porky Pig is on a camping trip where he is annoyed by Daffy Duck who continues to point out that it is not duck season so you can't harm a duck in any way.

Not all of the gags work, but some are classics. The fishing sequence in which Porky ends up floating on the wrong side of the water is very original as is the ending where the film breaks and Daffy has to describe the end of the film to the audience.

From an animation standpoint, the highlight of the film is some of the unique angles used. There is an obsession with low camera angles here like what you might expect to see in a student film. In this film it works well, especially in the final moments of the film when Daffy's plan has backfired on him.

Songs with a Girls' Name in the Title #17

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:33:00 +0000

17. Jolene - Dolly Parton

Waaaaaay back when we looked at Chely Wright's song "Jezebel" (#39) I mentioned that another country lady, Dolly Parton would be putting in an appearance. Well here she is with her classic "Jolene." Whereas Wright's song is about a woman telling a competitor that if she steals her man she's gonna get it, this one is a woman begging Jolene not to steal her man away. Those are some great vocals at work there and some mean guitar work as well.

Songs with a Girls' Name in the Title #18

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:17:00 +0000

18. Cecilia - Simon & Garfunkel

Probably one of the most upbeat songs about being dumped. The unique rhythm, which was supposedly achieved by Paul and Arty slapping their legs while someone else banged on a piano bench, points to the African influence Simon would explore on later albums like "Graceland."

Lessons Learned at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:35:00 +0000

I'm in Cleveland for a Puppet Ministry Summerfest. Since I had a little extra time this morning I decided to visit the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. It was pretty cool, though there were some disappointments...No photo rule!?!?? How un-rock n roll can you get?

The museum houses a lot of classic instruments and memorabilia such as costumes and stage props. One of the things that was interesting to note about so many of the outfits that rock legends wore in concerts, in videos, and on album covers is that they really don't look all that impressive up close. You can see the flaws. You can see that they're made out of the same junk your wardrobe from Wal-Mart is made of.

The Hot Dog you see above hangs in the loby of the Hall of Fame (which is the only area where photos are allowed), it was used in concert by the band Phish. When you look at it from above you can see inside the bun and I noticed that it's made out of some of the same materials I've seen many a puppet prop made out of.

This all got me thinking that we always hear that those of us in children's ministry and puppet ministry can't compete with what the entertainment industry puts out. Why even try, right? Wrong!! Guess what, they work with the same materials we do. Same scrap fabrics, same goofy looking sequins, same spray paint, same chicken wire. The only difference is that folks like Beyonce and Prince are nuts enough to pay millions for it.

Cartoon a Day: Beware of Barnacle Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:24:00 +0000

Beware of Barnacle Bill
1935
Directed by Dave Fleischer
Available on: Popeye the Sailor Vol. 1

It's been so long since I've blogged. Doesn't quite seem right to call it "Cartoon a Day" with a such a long absence. What can I say, life gets crazy sometimes. Well, let's give it another go, shall we.

Today we return with a true classic of the early Popeye series, "Beware of Barnacle Bill," sometimes refereed to simply as "Barnacle Bill the Sailor." In this short, Popeye has come to ask Olive to ask him to marry her, but she tells him that she is in love with Barnacle Bill, played by Bluto.

This film is sort of like a mini opera, with the characters singing the song "Barnacle Bill the Sailor" as a bridge between the fights. The Fleischer studio excelled at producing cartoons where music was the centerpiece and this short is a great example of that. The cartoon is not complex, it's just three characters and it all takes place in one room. However, the way the music and the animation work together is superb.

I've got to say, the final gag involving Popeye is a classic. It seems so out of character for him to be cleaning up the mess that he and Bluto caused, but then when he undoes all that work with one door slam it makes perfect sense.

Jessica Simpson Sings for Tony the Tiger?

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:12:00 +0000

While getting up-to-date on current events this evening I ran across the following interesting headline over at the Fox News website.

Of course, my simple mind pictured Jessica Simpson singing for the Frosted Flakes pitchman (Tony the Tiger), not her boyfriend Tony Romo and Tiger Woods. And of course, what was the famous cereal loving Tiger's review of her vocal talents? "They're Grrrrreeeeaaat!"

Cartoon a Day: Muscle Beach Tom

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:36:00 +0000

Muscle Beach Tom
1956
Directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Available on: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 2

Welcome to the miracle of Cinemascope! You don't run across many widescreen cartoon shorts, but this is one of them. It's a short I saw hundreds of times on TV as a child, but I never realized that was a pan and scan version.

In this short, Jerry is enjoying a day at the beach when Tom, who is trying to impress a young lady cat, interrupts. Jerry does seek his revenge but ends up being a spectator for most of the film as another cat tries to make the moves on Tom's girl and the two end up doing a fine job of beating each other up with little help from the mouse.

This film really makes great use of the widescreen format and it's wonderful to see the beautiful art work in widescreen. This one is not as over-the-top violent as many Tom and Jerry films, but does display some great pacing from Hanna and Barbera. It moves very smoothly from gag to gag and shows just how well they knew these characters. We associate Hanna Barbera with so many other TV characters now, but back at this time they worked Tom and Jerry exclusively and their expertise with the cat and mouse shows in this short.

Cartoon a Day: Tom-ic Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:42:00 +0000

Tom-ic Energy
1965
Directed by Chuck Jones and Maurice Noble
Available on: Tom and Jerry - The Chuck Jones Collection

It might turn out to be a Tom and Jerry week here for Cartoon a Day, since I used some more Father's Day gift card goodness to pick up the recently released "Tom and Jerry - The Chuck Jones Collection" DVD set. The Chuck Jones Tom and Jerry films are going to be interesting to look at. After Warner Brothers got out of the cartoon business, Jones was courted by MGM where he ended up doing a number of projects, including the final 34 Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts. These films represent the final days of the age of animated theatrical short. They are also interesting in that while they are the work of a master, they are generally not considered to be a high point in Jones' career. However, it is interesting to see theatrical animated shorts done in full animation, from a time when animation was heading to a slimmed down television version (being spearheaded, oddly enough, by Tom and Jerry's creators...William Hanna and Joseph Barbera).

The look of these shorts is very different from the Hannah Barbera films. The look of the two main characters changed quite a bit. Jerry had a bigger head and larger eyes. Tom was given thicker eyebrows and longer ears. The color scheme is quite a bit different as well. Plus, the films are widescreen!

This short has the cat and mouse chasing around city streets and rooftops. There are some decent gags, but they just don't quite have the intensity of the HB years. The highlight of the film is when Tom gets caught up in the laundry, ends up dressed in a ladies clothes, and then is mistaken by another cat for a female. The scene is played Pepe le Pew style, complete with Mel Blanc doing the voice of the other cat.

I can remember seeing many of these shorts as a kid, and even then we could tell the difference between the older Tom and Jerry cartoons and these. I can honestly say that my memories back then were that these were not as strong, but it will be fun to revisit them with the eyes of an adult.

Cartoon a Day: The Bowling Alley-Cat

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:05:00 +0000

The Bowling Alley-Cat
1942
Directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Available on: Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 2

With my Father's Day gift card I managed to pick up Volume 2 of the Tom and Jerry DVD sets. So here is one of the shorts on that collection, and early one called "The Bowling Alley-Cat."

This is an early short for the cat and mouse team. The design of Tom is quite a bit different than what we'd come to know. His head seems rounder, eyes a bit larger and he's a bit more scraggly looking.

You can probably figure out the plot from the title, Tom and Jerry try to kill each other in a bowling alley. It is a great location for them as there are lots of new ways of causing injury to each other.

Actually, the film seems somewhat tame for a Tom and Jerry short, until about halfway through...right about the time Tom gets a bowling ball in caught in his mouth and then is creamed in the face by about half a dozen more. It actually goes to show one of this cartoons greatest strengths, it builds. The level of violence/humor keeps ramping up as the short progresses. Hanna and Barbera are patient with their best bits which shows their skill as directors.

Cartoon a Day: A Ham in a Role

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:11:00 +0000

A Ham in a Role
1949
Directed by Robert McKimson
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 6

This marks the first time that a Goofy Gophers cartoon has appeared on "Cartoon a Day." The characters were never major stars in the Looney Tunes universe (they only appeared in nine films) but they can be amusing characters.

In this short, a dog is fed up with acting in cartoons so he heads to his country home to practice Shakespeare in order to pursue more dignified roles. Unfortunately, his home has been taken over by gophers who seek their revenge after being tossed out the window.

The gophers lay right into this dog character without much cause, so it's a little hard to cheer for them. Problem is, the dog is portrayed as pompous, but not mean. So it's the gophers that come off looking nasty. The sequence involving a magnet and a suit of armour toward the end of the film is very funny however.

There was one thing that struck me as I watched this short. Now understand, I'm one of those people that can't stand it when people suggest that certain cartoon characters (or Muppets) have certain...shall we say alternative lifestyles. However, as I watched the interaction of the two gophers, which is the funniest part of the film, I began to have memories of a James Bond film, "Diamonds are Forever." Specifically, the two assassins in that movie, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, who are supposed to be gay. Seeing the two gophers plotting things and then walking off arm in arm reminded me of seeing the James Bond villains walking off hand in hand. I did find a little bit of debate out there on the interwebs about whether the gophers were portrayed with a certain stereotype. I don't think they intentionally were, but I could see where one might think so.

Cartoon a Day: My Little Duckaroo

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:08:00 +0000

My Little Duckaroo
1954
Directed by Chuck Jones (as Charles M. Jones)
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 6

"My Little Duckaroo" features Daffy Duck as a Lone Ranger type hero, with Porky Pig as his sidekick (or "comic relief" as this short calls him). The film has that classic Chuck Jones style to it, but I didn't find this one as out-loud funny as some of Jones' other Daffy shorts.

You may think this sounds silly, but there is a major distraction in this film that kept me from really enjoying the gags. Much of the film takes place inside the hideout of the villain, Nasty Canasta. For some reason, the inside walls are decorated with pages from a book...so you can see words and pictures on the walls. It's an odd choice for background art.

I just couldn't pull my brain away from trying to read the print on the walls. I suppose that shows that I'm easily distracted, but I just couldn't stop looking at those stupid walls. So I guess there's some cool animation here, but bad choices for backgrounds.

Cartoon a Day: Defense Against Invasion

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:42:00 +0000

Defense Against Invasion
1943
Directed by ?
Available on: Walt Disney Treasures - On the Front Lines

Today I felt like watching a Disney wartime educational short. "Defense Against Invasion" seems by it's title like it would be about defending your home from enemy attack, but it's really about vaccination.

Part of the film is live action, with a cast of boys who were probably picked to try and resemble the Our Gang kids visiting a doctors office. Animation kicks in as the doctor explains how vaccination works to fight diseases.

This is an interesting short as the character and scenery design seem somewhat ahead of their time. The modern look of the "factories" inside the body seems more like something out of a 1950's cartoon.

The highlight of this short for me is the animation of the germs. The movements of these black, spider-like creatures reminds me somewhat of cartoonist Gerald Scarfe's contribution to the film "Pink Floyd - The Wall." It's some creepy stuff, especially for a film that, unlike some of the other propaganda shorts, was intended for kids.

Cartoon a Day: Mississippi Hare

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:20:00 +0000

Mississippi Hare
1949
Directed by Chuck Jones (as Charles M. Jones)
Available on: Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 4

I've been away from "Cartoon a Day" for awhile, but let's get back on track with a cartoon that isn't in the TV rotation much anymore, "Mississippi Hare."

The very first scene is the primary reason this cartoon isn't shown much. We begin by seeing workers in a southern cotton field. Bugs' tail is mistaken for some cotton, and he's picked and bailed. He then ends up on a paddle boat where he faces a riverboat gambler called Colonel Shuffle.

Shuffle is pretty much Yosemite Sam. The voice is different, but the look, and certainly his stature, is similar. Part of me thinks that the short would've been even better with Sam as the bad guy, but it's still a great cartoon.

The pacing of this short is one of the most interesting parts. Some of the gags are very quick, while others build and build. The sequence in which Shuffle chases Bugs through the ship and they take turns opening doors for each other has a great payoff when Bugs opens the door of the furnace for the Colonel. But then, it keeps going as the short gambler tries to douse his burning pants with water. Watching Bugs slowly counting out change so that Shuffle can get water from a coin operated cooler as his pants burn is hilarious.

It's a shame that this one is out of the TV rotation. It's pretty tame compared to some.

Tim Burton's "Batman"...20 years ago.

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:50:00 +0000

Do you remember what you were doing 20 years ago this evening? I do. I had a date! I know it probably doesn't seem that big of a deal to you, but you don't realize how rare of an occasion that was. A good friend took pity on me and accompanied me to a late evening showing of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," which I had already seen once. As we exited the theater around 11:00 that evening, we passed by the line that had formed for the midnight showing of the summer of 89's most anticipated movie..."Batman." The June 23rd release date had been stamped on our brains many months before, and now the day was upon us. Part of me wanted to suggest to my date that we just turn around and make the night a double feature, but I ended up waiting for the first showing the next day. My movie pals and I lined up early and we had such a great time. The movie was worth the wait. It's hard to believe it's been 20 years.

With all the excitement, deservedly so, over Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" last year, I fear that many have forgotten what a great movie Burton's "Batman" is. This was only Burton's third feature. With only the bizarre fun of "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" and "Beetlejuice" under his belt, he seemed an odd choice for such a potentially big franchise. But Burton's take on the material was spot on. Jack Nicholson was an inspired choice to play the Joker and Michael Keaton gave the fanboys who whined about his casting a swift batkick to the pants. Mix it with the incredible production design and what is still one of Danny Elfman's best scores, and you've got a classic.

Happy 20th to Tim Burton's "Batman!" You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Sorry for the Blogging Break

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:48:00 +0000

Greetings all. Sorry for the delay in blog posts here. A combination of craziness of work, a wedding trip, and then vacation with spotty internet service in the hotels I was at made it pretty much impossible to blog. But I'm back...hopefully

Songs with a Girls' Name in the Title #19

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:50:00 +0000

19. Rosanna - Toto

Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro was dating a girl by the name of Rosanna. Supposedly she often visited the recording studio and brought the band food. She inspired the band’s leader, David Paich, to write the song that bears her name. That Rosanna was actually actress Rosanna Arquette, and legend has it that she now hates the song.

Songs with a Girls' Name in Title #20

noreply@blogger.com (Squonk) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:45:00 +0000

20. Donna - Richie Valens

So the question always seems to come up when playing Trivial Pursuit…who are the three performers killed in a plane crash on “the day the music died?” Answer: Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and our next artist, Richie Valens. This song is about Valens’ actual girlfriend, Donna Ludwig. Turns out the B-side of this single was a hit for Valens also…”La Bamba.”