Vintage Popular Mechanics
Apr 05From a very cool blog that I just learned about, Modern Mechanix, comes this scanned reprint of a story from the January 1938 issue of Popular Science magazine, detailing the production process for Walt Disney’s first animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
It’s easy to take for granted now, of course, but the multiplane camera should stand as one of the all-time most innovative and important achievements in the history of film.
How’s that for a presumptive, blowhard movie geek statement?!
(The entire blog is like that, too–old scanned articles and ads from science magazines. I think Chris is gonna love this.)
Getting Gay With Kids (Nintendo Edition)
Apr 04A very funny Nintendo ad parody has hit the interweb. It’s a MUST SEE.
From the copy:
There’s a chill in the air this crisp autumn night but you’re warm and safe in your living room, relaxing with a glass of fruit juice and a game of Castlevania. Killing vampires goes great with friends, and the closest one you have is here helping you through a tough level. You pause. There are monsters up ahead, and you’re unsure of how to proceed. You turn to ask, and your eyes meet as if for the first time. Perhaps it’s the high from intense side-scrolling action that only the NES can deliver, but time seems to slow around the two of you. You don’t look away. You can’t. There’s something there, something frightening, something exciting in his eyes. It scares you, yet you must have it. Your gaze never breaks, neither does his. There will be magic tonight, but it won’t all be spells and potions in fantasy lands. Tonight, there will be a new adventure.
Nintendo: Now you’re playing with power.
Anatomy Of A Foiler
Apr 03Yes, this is SPOILERY for anyone who has not finished watching the latest season of Galactica. And if you haven’t…what’s taking you so long, godsdammit?!
Speaking of Blades of Glory
Apr 02When Matt commented on seeing Blades of Glory (Matt’s score: One surprising thumbs up) it reminded me of this bit of genius marketing – the PR people for Blades of Glory got Ask A Ninja to come to their press junket day. And the results are spectacular. Particularly considering Ninja holds his own against Will Farrell, who can set lesser comedians on fire apparently. Just by quipping at them.
Local boy (local to me, anyhow) Paul Campbell leaves Battlestar Galactica (via a bullet no less) and moves to Hollywood. And gets a pilot! A meta pilot sitcom. And it’s funny. But that just means execs don’t want it. So they put it up on YouTube. And then they start making YouTube shorts. Meta YouTube shorts. And they’re funny. Now there’s pressure to get the show made. Boy, I hope so. I hate TV right now.
And if you’re looking for a good comedy podcast (which are hard to find), I’d like to recommend I Love Movies with Doug Benson. Doug runs with the Mr. Show circle of comedians, so his guest list is solid.
Actually, it's quite brilliant
Apr 01One of my favorite movies (and definitely my favorite movie adapted from a play) is Sleuth, wherein a young Michael Caine matches wits with an Sir Larry Olivier. It’s definitely a old-school film, set almost entirely inside an English country mansion. And in this neverending season of remakes, someone has decided to update the film. This would normally drive me batty, as remakes rarely match their roots.
However, the remake is going to star Michael Caine and Jude Law. With Jude Law taking Caine’s role, and Sir Michael Caine taking Sir Olivier’s role. And the brilliance is that Jude Law has already re-did Caine in Alfie. Fate doesn’t get more fatey that that, really.
Really, I think it should be a rule – if you’re going to remake a Michael Caine film, you have to use Jude Law. And I’d go see them – Get Carter would have been a far better film, no doubt, with Law instead of Sylvester Stallone. “I am the Law!” No you ain’t!
Let’s fan out and see what we’ve got;
