As we (okay, some of us, anyway) prepare for the newest and bestest Star Trek movie eVeR, let us not forget the cheese that helped lead up to this inspiring moment. I remember most of these personally and fondly:
Star_Trek_Monsters
PS - At the time I was actually a little terrified of (or at least creeped-out by) the Gorn from the Arena episode.
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Monday, May 04, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thunderbirds Are Go!
No, not the Seattle Thunderbirds. No, not the Air Force Thunderbirds either! HERE is/are the Thunderbirds I refer to! I just watched an episode for the first time in many years. Oh, the memories! I never knew about the 2004 movie! It completely went under my radar! I LOVE exclamation marks!
Anyway, what fun. Filmed in Videcolor and Supermarionation in the 60's, this is a tv show I used to watch as a kid either in the late 60's or 70's. Today I saw episode 1 for the first time in my life. I saw the newly formed Thunderbird International Rescue team / members dispatched to save the day for the first time. Loved the launch of the aircraft from under the secret movable swimming pool (of course) at the luxurious, remote island location.
Thunderbird International Rescue DID save the day by removing the "Auto-Bomb Explosive Unit" from the landing gear of the revolutionary Fireflash passenger transport aircraft. Remember? It's the one that could fly at mach 6.
I used to watch random episodes but never saw this premier show, nor, I think, episodes 2 or 3 which were also on disc 1.
The occasional insertion of real-world footage and scenery adds an interesting (and hilarious) touch to this show about the team that "answers calls for help from around the world and beyond."
Among other identifiable models (ha! Get it? Models?!) such as Jaguars and General Motors cars, Ford Thunderbirds were used when specific civilian drivers were featured in an episode.
The retro-futuristic episodes include manual typewriters, smoky vehicle exhaust and audio clips of existing (or formerly existing) mechanical equipment and machinery.
There were a number of quotable lines in these first 3 episodes but the last one in episode 3 is the only one I bothered to document:
"These International Rescue boys sure have some great equipment."
Oh, come on...
So, in watching the special features on the DVD, I was made aware of a previous Supermarionation series by the same creator called Stingray. Now I have to check that out as well. I don't remember it specifically but I'm wondering if an episode or 2 will remind me that I've watched it before. I can't wait!
PS - I might have to update my Netflix subscription plan since the library doesn't seem to carry these movies! My queue is filling up fast. Drat!!
Ah, sweet - the King County Library System does have the Thunderbirds, if not the Stingray series. Woo!
Speaking of which...
Anyway, what fun. Filmed in Videcolor and Supermarionation in the 60's, this is a tv show I used to watch as a kid either in the late 60's or 70's. Today I saw episode 1 for the first time in my life. I saw the newly formed Thunderbird International Rescue team / members dispatched to save the day for the first time. Loved the launch of the aircraft from under the secret movable swimming pool (of course) at the luxurious, remote island location.
Thunderbird International Rescue DID save the day by removing the "Auto-Bomb Explosive Unit" from the landing gear of the revolutionary Fireflash passenger transport aircraft. Remember? It's the one that could fly at mach 6.
I used to watch random episodes but never saw this premier show, nor, I think, episodes 2 or 3 which were also on disc 1.
The occasional insertion of real-world footage and scenery adds an interesting (and hilarious) touch to this show about the team that "answers calls for help from around the world and beyond."
Among other identifiable models (ha! Get it? Models?!) such as Jaguars and General Motors cars, Ford Thunderbirds were used when specific civilian drivers were featured in an episode.
The retro-futuristic episodes include manual typewriters, smoky vehicle exhaust and audio clips of existing (or formerly existing) mechanical equipment and machinery.
There were a number of quotable lines in these first 3 episodes but the last one in episode 3 is the only one I bothered to document:
"These International Rescue boys sure have some great equipment."
Oh, come on...
So, in watching the special features on the DVD, I was made aware of a previous Supermarionation series by the same creator called Stingray. Now I have to check that out as well. I don't remember it specifically but I'm wondering if an episode or 2 will remind me that I've watched it before. I can't wait!
PS - I might have to update my Netflix subscription plan since the library doesn't seem to carry these movies! My queue is filling up fast. Drat!!
Ah, sweet - the King County Library System does have the Thunderbirds, if not the Stingray series. Woo!
Speaking of which...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Dragnet (the movie)
I have a distinct memory of watching this movie when it came out in 1987. I went with my friend and former co-worker, Kim. Kim L., aka Kim C., my long lost Oregon friend, please reply to me (Buck) if you ever come across this!
Oh yeah, um, so the Dragnet movie was just on TV and I'd forgotten what a decent production it was. Silly, of course, but good. I even enjoyed the music which included the theme song by the Art of Noise. I hadn't listened to that album for awhile and decided to dig it out. Nice.
But I digress. My main point is a question. There's a great 1-liner (okay, 2-liner?) which was used as a toast in the movie:
May you live as long as you want and not want as long as you live
I was wondering if this quote originated with the movie or was re-purposed for the film. I find a similar quote by Robert Heinlein but it's not the same. Perhaps the line in the movie is simply a variation but I just don't know.
Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise watching the movie again and being reminded of life and friends, etc. before my move up north.
Oh yeah, um, so the Dragnet movie was just on TV and I'd forgotten what a decent production it was. Silly, of course, but good. I even enjoyed the music which included the theme song by the Art of Noise. I hadn't listened to that album for awhile and decided to dig it out. Nice.
But I digress. My main point is a question. There's a great 1-liner (okay, 2-liner?) which was used as a toast in the movie:
May you live as long as you want and not want as long as you live
I was wondering if this quote originated with the movie or was re-purposed for the film. I find a similar quote by Robert Heinlein but it's not the same. Perhaps the line in the movie is simply a variation but I just don't know.
Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise watching the movie again and being reminded of life and friends, etc. before my move up north.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Computing
Are computers super cool? Or are they the most annoying things we've ever encountered? I guess both are correct questions / statements. I'm watching a movie on one monitor and intermittently shopping / buying a couple CD's on the other.
Incidentally, the movie is A Patch of Blue with Sidney Poitier. I'd recommend it as a powerful story told from the perspectives of a black man and (primarily) a blind woman who's lives touch each other in a profound way.
Anyway, oh yeah... computers... handy. This morning I e-mailed my aunt in South Dakota. My dad's oldest sister, she's also the longest surviving sibling. She loved the pictures I shared with her of our recent snow. It would have been much more time-consuming and expensive to mail copies of the pictures. Sharing them via my free photo site was instant and virtually free since we both already pay for internet access. Virtually free. Get it? The internets is a virtual world and the pictures were... okay... right. You get it.
I used to constantly experiment with different hardware and software on whatever computer I had at the moment. Now, I mainly just want it to work. But I'm glad I have the knowledge to replace or repair hardware components myself, saving a bundle in labor costs.
I still like trying different software programs if I think something new might be superior to what I already have. Particularly if it's freeware or open-source, as is over 90% of the software I use. I'm still using Windows as a closed source, expensive, proprietary OS but I haven't paid for anything else. Oh, and I haven't pirated anything either!
I just looked through my installed software and that's really true. It's pretty amazing if you think about it. As I obviously am. Not sure if it's worth a blog entry but you get one anyway. For free.
Incidentally, the movie is A Patch of Blue with Sidney Poitier. I'd recommend it as a powerful story told from the perspectives of a black man and (primarily) a blind woman who's lives touch each other in a profound way.
Anyway, oh yeah... computers... handy. This morning I e-mailed my aunt in South Dakota. My dad's oldest sister, she's also the longest surviving sibling. She loved the pictures I shared with her of our recent snow. It would have been much more time-consuming and expensive to mail copies of the pictures. Sharing them via my free photo site was instant and virtually free since we both already pay for internet access. Virtually free. Get it? The internets is a virtual world and the pictures were... okay... right. You get it.
I used to constantly experiment with different hardware and software on whatever computer I had at the moment. Now, I mainly just want it to work. But I'm glad I have the knowledge to replace or repair hardware components myself, saving a bundle in labor costs.
I still like trying different software programs if I think something new might be superior to what I already have. Particularly if it's freeware or open-source, as is over 90% of the software I use. I'm still using Windows as a closed source, expensive, proprietary OS but I haven't paid for anything else. Oh, and I haven't pirated anything either!
I just looked through my installed software and that's really true. It's pretty amazing if you think about it. As I obviously am. Not sure if it's worth a blog entry but you get one anyway. For free.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Jules Verne, Ray Harryhausen
Recently I mentioned my discovery of the movie animation of Ray Harryhausen. Further, I've been checking out some of his movies that I'd never seen before.
Generally speaking, I like to watch different versions / re-makes of a given movie. I like to see the different styles and ideas of the 2 (or more) movies that were likely made in different decades. I want to know how far the re-make deviated from the original. Too, how much did both movie versions differ from the book, if applicable?
That last question motivated me to read Mysterious Island, by Jules Verne. Sure, I've seen 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That was years ago and I just thought of it as SciFi. I haven't yet read that book.
Well, remembering the Ray Harryhausen movie version of Mysterious Island caused me to become curious about how it related / compared to the book. Either I don't remember the movie very well, or it's just very loosely based on the book. Now I gotta check out the movie while the book is fresh in my mind.
But now I'm intrigued by Jules Verne. I didn't know his science (fiction) was often based on fact, or at least well-educated guesses. I'm impressed by how much he tries to educate his reader while writing about captivating people and places and technology.
As I talk to people about Mr. Verne it becomes plain that he's renowned. I just didn't know it. I probably skipped class that week. Just kidding! I never skipped class more than 1 day at a time. Just kidding! I never skipped class at all. Just kidding! Oh, uh, oops... well, yes, there was that one time...
[ahem] Yes, so definitely give a read to a Jules Verne book or 3. It's proper, old-school English but once you get past that you might be entertained. You'll probably even be educated, just a little.
Generally speaking, I like to watch different versions / re-makes of a given movie. I like to see the different styles and ideas of the 2 (or more) movies that were likely made in different decades. I want to know how far the re-make deviated from the original. Too, how much did both movie versions differ from the book, if applicable?
That last question motivated me to read Mysterious Island, by Jules Verne. Sure, I've seen 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. That was years ago and I just thought of it as SciFi. I haven't yet read that book.
Well, remembering the Ray Harryhausen movie version of Mysterious Island caused me to become curious about how it related / compared to the book. Either I don't remember the movie very well, or it's just very loosely based on the book. Now I gotta check out the movie while the book is fresh in my mind.
But now I'm intrigued by Jules Verne. I didn't know his science (fiction) was often based on fact, or at least well-educated guesses. I'm impressed by how much he tries to educate his reader while writing about captivating people and places and technology.
As I talk to people about Mr. Verne it becomes plain that he's renowned. I just didn't know it. I probably skipped class that week. Just kidding! I never skipped class more than 1 day at a time. Just kidding! I never skipped class at all. Just kidding! Oh, uh, oops... well, yes, there was that one time...
[ahem] Yes, so definitely give a read to a Jules Verne book or 3. It's proper, old-school English but once you get past that you might be entertained. You'll probably even be educated, just a little.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Stop-Animation
I've always loved the work of Ray Harryhausen. I just didn't know it. I remember being mesmerized at a young age by such films as Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans. But I never realized that those movies had a common denominator, Mr. Harryhausen. See, I was never been one to look for a particular director or, in this case, animator. I'll probably discover many film 'series' would be to my liking but I'm not used to thinking that way. This may change!
A week ago I was house-sitting and I had picked up a batch of movies to watch, as usual. One of them was Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. I'd seen it before but not for a long time and I wanted to refresh my memory. Well, this was the first time I'd actually rented any of these movies on DVD. Among the special features was a short biography called The Harryhausen Chronicles, narrated by Leonard Nimoy. I HAD to watch it, though I didn't know how enlightening it would be.
I discovered that all those old movies that I'd grown up with had the same animator. I discovered that there were more movies to be rented that I'd never stumbled across on network television as a child. I discovered that Sinbad, at least in the movie I'd just watched, was portrayed by Patrick Wayne. That would be the son of John Wayne. Who knew that he was the one trying to win Jane Seymour's hand?!
Then again, who knew Racquel Welch starred in One Million Years BC? That's one I have to rent as I've never seen it. Many other names and faces will probably pop up in his films now that I know to look for them. Anyway, I've been enlightened. I look forward to discovering more gems by the Oscar-winning life-long friend of Ray Bradbury.
A week ago I was house-sitting and I had picked up a batch of movies to watch, as usual. One of them was Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. I'd seen it before but not for a long time and I wanted to refresh my memory. Well, this was the first time I'd actually rented any of these movies on DVD. Among the special features was a short biography called The Harryhausen Chronicles, narrated by Leonard Nimoy. I HAD to watch it, though I didn't know how enlightening it would be.
I discovered that all those old movies that I'd grown up with had the same animator. I discovered that there were more movies to be rented that I'd never stumbled across on network television as a child. I discovered that Sinbad, at least in the movie I'd just watched, was portrayed by Patrick Wayne. That would be the son of John Wayne. Who knew that he was the one trying to win Jane Seymour's hand?!
Then again, who knew Racquel Welch starred in One Million Years BC? That's one I have to rent as I've never seen it. Many other names and faces will probably pop up in his films now that I know to look for them. Anyway, I've been enlightened. I look forward to discovering more gems by the Oscar-winning life-long friend of Ray Bradbury.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Edification
Well, I've just been edified. I watched episodes 20 - 24 of The Muppet Show: Season 2 (Disc 4). Guest stars included Petula Clark, Bob Hope, Teresa Brewer, John Cleese and Cloris Leachman. I was not raised on the Muppet Show. I mean, I think it just didn't grab my interest at the time it was originally on TV in the 70's. Now, though, I can see that I should have given it a chance. Entertaining to youngsters, it's also got humor mixed in that I might have missed the first time around. Well, some anyway.
Randomly, I believe I watched a 'Best of' Muppets disc a couple years ago. I know it included Julie Andrews, Elton John and Gene Kelly. My previous roomies (a slightly younger generation) had memories of seeing the show on TV and got me curious about it and I've enjoyed the occasional, random episode(s) that I've seen since. Might have to break down and check out the actual Muppet Movie one of these days. Hmmm...
Randomly, I believe I watched a 'Best of' Muppets disc a couple years ago. I know it included Julie Andrews, Elton John and Gene Kelly. My previous roomies (a slightly younger generation) had memories of seeing the show on TV and got me curious about it and I've enjoyed the occasional, random episode(s) that I've seen since. Might have to break down and check out the actual Muppet Movie one of these days. Hmmm...
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Blade Runner
Man, I never read the book and I'm glad I finally am now:
http://www.philipkdick.com/works_novels_androids.html
I'm learning stuff I didn't get from seeing the movie in the past. Now I'm ready for the re-release this weekend.
http://www.cinerama.com/coming_soon.asp
I've never seen it on the big screen. I can't wait!
http://www.philipkdick.com/works_novels_androids.html
I'm learning stuff I didn't get from seeing the movie in the past. Now I'm ready for the re-release this weekend.
http://www.cinerama.com/coming
I've never seen it on the big screen. I can't wait!
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