One of my all-time favorite movies is Tremors, the 1990 homage to all those giant mutated animal movies of the 1950s such as Them! or The Giant Gila Monster. I still remember watching this movie for the first time, sitting on the floor with my brother and our neighborhood friend Jimmy. We hung out at Jimmy's quite a bit because Jimmy was funny (sometimes unintentionally so), and well, to be honest, because his sister was super-cute. Anyway, I remember being a little nervous about watching it because I was afraid that it would be really scary. I had a hard time sitting through scary movies (I still do), so I was unsure whether or not I would be able to handle it. I know it seems silly now, but if you've never seen Tremors, you might have felt the same way. Luckily for me, while the movie does have a few gotcha moments, it is not really very frightening (with the exception of one scene involving a couple, which I still have to skip when I watch the film).
The movie sets the tone immediately, with the introduction of Val and Earl, the central characters of the film. Played by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, they inject just the right amount of humor into the proceedings, giving it a tongue-in-cheek approach without selling the characters or the story short. There is something about the opening few minutes of the movie that I find very captivating and soothing. Perhaps it is the breathtaking scenery or the funny introduction of these two characters, but whatever it is, it strikes a chord with me.
After the success, however modest, of Tremors, several direct-to-video sequels were made, with somewhat mixed results. I personally don't care much for the 2nd film, subtitled Aftershocks, and I missed the original characters in the 4th one, subtitled The Legend Begins, which was set 100 years before the first film. I did, however, really enjoy the 3rd one, Back to Perfection, despite the absence of both Val and Earl. By this time Burt Gummer (played marvelously by Michael Gross), the survivalist gun nut from the first two films, had become the central character, a trait that would continue with the short lived television series. As you would imagine, the production values suffered for the sequels and the tv show compared to the first film which was released theatrically. But while the acting and the dialog could sometimes be groan inducing, there was definitely something about the characters and the story that kept me engaged.
The production company originally planned to make a 5th Tremors movie, but with the cancellation of the tv show, Universal decided that there simply wasn't enough of a market for such a film. They also currently have no plans to release the tv show on dvd, which ran for only 13 episodes.
Whatever Universal ultimately decides to do with this property, they can never take away the joy that I feel when I watch this movie, or the memory of sitting in Jimmy's living room, a little frightened but ultimately very happy that I had worked up the courage to watch it in the first place.
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Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Bad Reputation
Today I want to discuss two of the greatest, but shortest lived, shows to ever be aired. Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared managed to pack more laughs and brutal honesty about life as a kid and a young adult than probably any other shows that have ever aired. Both shows had the involvement of Judd Apatow, who many know now from his string of comedy hits such as The 40-Year Old Virgin, Superbad, and Knocked Up, which he has either directed, produced, or written. But before these highly successful movies, his brand of honesty and humor found a tough road to hoe on network television.
Freaks and Geeks came first, debuting in the fall of 1999. It centered on the Weir siblings Sam and Lindsey. Sam was younger, and his crowd was the geeks. Lindsey's crowd was the freaks. The show deftly examined just what it means to find your true self within a sea of conformity. Blessed with a gifted cast and brilliant writing, the show ably handled humor, angst, and real drama. It tackled large issues as well as small issues that seemed large to the characters. Of course such a show was destined to be short lived. It lasted a mere 18 episodes before NBC, in its infinite wisdom, pulled the plug.
Here is the intro, followed by a clip.
A little over a year after Freaks was cancelled, Apatow was back with Undeclared. Instead of an hour long show, this one was a half hour sitcom that aired on Fox. While Undeclared focused more on comedy, it still managed honest portrayals of its characters, never resorting to stereotypes. This show centered on the character of Steven Karp, a freshman at the fictional University of North Eastern California. He learns to cohabitate with his various roommates, as well as deal with his affection for Lizzie, the girl who lives across the hall. While several of the cast members were certainly more attractive than the typical college student, I still found the situations to be very true to the life of a college freshman. Just like Freaks and Geeks, it too got the axe prematurely, finishing with only 17 episodes.
Here is a link to one of the funnier parts of the series, followed by a short but hilarious clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzaUga1b2Aw
I hope you'll check out these two great shows.
Transmission out.
Freaks and Geeks came first, debuting in the fall of 1999. It centered on the Weir siblings Sam and Lindsey. Sam was younger, and his crowd was the geeks. Lindsey's crowd was the freaks. The show deftly examined just what it means to find your true self within a sea of conformity. Blessed with a gifted cast and brilliant writing, the show ably handled humor, angst, and real drama. It tackled large issues as well as small issues that seemed large to the characters. Of course such a show was destined to be short lived. It lasted a mere 18 episodes before NBC, in its infinite wisdom, pulled the plug.
Here is the intro, followed by a clip.
A little over a year after Freaks was cancelled, Apatow was back with Undeclared. Instead of an hour long show, this one was a half hour sitcom that aired on Fox. While Undeclared focused more on comedy, it still managed honest portrayals of its characters, never resorting to stereotypes. This show centered on the character of Steven Karp, a freshman at the fictional University of North Eastern California. He learns to cohabitate with his various roommates, as well as deal with his affection for Lizzie, the girl who lives across the hall. While several of the cast members were certainly more attractive than the typical college student, I still found the situations to be very true to the life of a college freshman. Just like Freaks and Geeks, it too got the axe prematurely, finishing with only 17 episodes.
Here is a link to one of the funnier parts of the series, followed by a short but hilarious clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzaUga1b2Aw
I hope you'll check out these two great shows.
Transmission out.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Well Thought-Out Twinkles
Anyone who knows me very well would probably describe me as a musical snob. I am very opinionated when it pertains to music (actually, to movies and tv as well), and find it difficult to refrain from telling people what they should be listening to. As this is my blog, and you are actually reading it, here are a few bands you should really get to know.
The first is Vampire Weekend. They have been described as having a sound similar to Paul Simon's Rhythm of the Saints. I'm not sure about that, but their music is clever and infectious. Here is "A-Punk", from their self-titled debut.
The next band has a sound similar to The Smashing Pumpkins. Silversun Pickups are a great band, particularly is you love fuzzy guitars and spacey sounds. This is "Future Foe Scenarios", from their album Carnavas.
Next we have Fleet Foxes, whose sound is a throwback to 1960s/70s folk music, but with a bit of rock thrown in for good measure. Their music is incredibly complex and mature for a band that just released its first album. This is "Blue Ridge Mountains," from their self-titled debut.
Finally, I'll throw in a band that I admittedly know little about, but there is a song from their most recent album that I just love. The band is Copeland, and the album is You Are My Sunshine. The song is called "The Day I Lost My Voice (The Suitcase Song)," and it is very good. The guest vocalist on the song, Rae Cassidy, is only 15 years old! She is crazy good.
I urge everyone to search a little harder for good music. Unfortunately most radio stations are only interested in playing the same few songs over and over. Programs like Napster are a good way to check out new music, or even youtube, as evidenced by these clips. I used to think that good music just wasn't being created any more, but that's not true. Its just not being played on the radio.
Transmission out.
The first is Vampire Weekend. They have been described as having a sound similar to Paul Simon's Rhythm of the Saints. I'm not sure about that, but their music is clever and infectious. Here is "A-Punk", from their self-titled debut.
The next band has a sound similar to The Smashing Pumpkins. Silversun Pickups are a great band, particularly is you love fuzzy guitars and spacey sounds. This is "Future Foe Scenarios", from their album Carnavas.
Next we have Fleet Foxes, whose sound is a throwback to 1960s/70s folk music, but with a bit of rock thrown in for good measure. Their music is incredibly complex and mature for a band that just released its first album. This is "Blue Ridge Mountains," from their self-titled debut.
Finally, I'll throw in a band that I admittedly know little about, but there is a song from their most recent album that I just love. The band is Copeland, and the album is You Are My Sunshine. The song is called "The Day I Lost My Voice (The Suitcase Song)," and it is very good. The guest vocalist on the song, Rae Cassidy, is only 15 years old! She is crazy good.
I urge everyone to search a little harder for good music. Unfortunately most radio stations are only interested in playing the same few songs over and over. Programs like Napster are a good way to check out new music, or even youtube, as evidenced by these clips. I used to think that good music just wasn't being created any more, but that's not true. Its just not being played on the radio.
Transmission out.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Synchronicity 2
The list of sequels better than their predecessors is quite short. Too often Hollywood is less interested in expanding upon an idea and letting it evolve and breathe, and more consumed with the belief that people simply want the same thing again, just with new packaging. While there is a certain percentage of the population that has, shall we say, less than discerning taste, that is simply no excuse for the mountains of drivel and absolute trash heaped upon movie goers every year. How movies like The Mummy Returns, Pink Panther 2, Indiana Jones 4, or any of the constant stream of Police Academy, Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Streets which glutted cinemas during the 1980s managed to constantly get green lit is beyond comprehension. Within the cesspool of regurgitated movie scripts, however, a few shining examples have crawled out of the mire, proving themselves not only as worthy successors to their predecessors, but as truly superior pieces of work. Three of the most often cited examples of this phenomenon are The Empire Strikes Back, The Godfather 2, and Aliens. While I must confess I have not seen The Godfather 2, I can truly say that both Empire and Aliens deliver on the promises that any good movie, much less sequel, are supposed to fulfill for the audience. The characters do not remain static, they change and evolve as the events of the story dictate, just as real people adjust and grow to face new conflicts. The plots follow out of a natural progression of the stories set up in the previous films, in this case Star Wars and Alien. Events do not occur simply to pad the running time or to show off some state of the art effect. They provide a real sense of weight, posing dilemmas that characters must resolve.
In Empire, there is a particular scene that both reveals much about the character of Luke Skywalker as well as the overall conflict central to the story. The scene is not forced, but is a logical extension of the events that have come before.
By revealing Luke Skywalker's face behind Darth Vader's mask, the filmmakers are not only showing the central conflict of Luke vs Vader, but of the conflict within Luke himself. The scene lets Luke know, as well as the audience, that he has the potential to become the very thing he is fighting against. It's also a good bit of foreshadowing for their real fight at the end of the film, along with perhaps the most shocking twist ending ever seen in a Hollywood movie.
In Aliens, the character of Ripley becomes more developed through the introduction of the young girl Newt, who brings out Ripley's motherly instincts. The story becomes not merely about Ripley surviving another encounter with this alien species, but about the bond between mother and child. This bond is even examined between the alien queen and her offspring. While I could not find a clip of the final fight between Ripley and the alien queen, this cool montage shows the lengths Ripley will go to protect Newt. And while I may not agree with the creator of the clip that it's the greatest movie ever, I do believe that it's the greatest action movie ever. Enjoy.
Transmission out.
In Empire, there is a particular scene that both reveals much about the character of Luke Skywalker as well as the overall conflict central to the story. The scene is not forced, but is a logical extension of the events that have come before.
By revealing Luke Skywalker's face behind Darth Vader's mask, the filmmakers are not only showing the central conflict of Luke vs Vader, but of the conflict within Luke himself. The scene lets Luke know, as well as the audience, that he has the potential to become the very thing he is fighting against. It's also a good bit of foreshadowing for their real fight at the end of the film, along with perhaps the most shocking twist ending ever seen in a Hollywood movie.
In Aliens, the character of Ripley becomes more developed through the introduction of the young girl Newt, who brings out Ripley's motherly instincts. The story becomes not merely about Ripley surviving another encounter with this alien species, but about the bond between mother and child. This bond is even examined between the alien queen and her offspring. While I could not find a clip of the final fight between Ripley and the alien queen, this cool montage shows the lengths Ripley will go to protect Newt. And while I may not agree with the creator of the clip that it's the greatest movie ever, I do believe that it's the greatest action movie ever. Enjoy.
Transmission out.
Monday, January 19, 2009
I'm Sure I Won't Remember As The Life I Love Washes Away
Why is the night so lonely? Is it the feeling of insignificance when gazing up at the vast emptiness of the heavens? Is it the falling away of the day's distractions, leaving you with only the realization of opportunities lost, mistakes compounded, and dreams shattered? Is it the tears upon your cheeks, hidden in the daylight, but now pronounced by the crumbling yellow light above the bathroom mirror? Or is it the sounds you hear in other rooms, that trick you into thinking she is still with you, that your life really isn't a bad dream, before you remember that you are alone? Finally you realize why the night is so lonely. It is dark. It is cold. And it will last the rest of your life.
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Saturday, January 17, 2009
Listen to the Band
A lot of people are familiar with The Monkees, either from their funny 1960s television show, or simply from their great pop songs that play on the radio. Fewer people, however, are aware that they starred in one of the trippiest and best psychedelic films from that era, Head. Not only does it deconstruct many of the elements of the tv show, it managed to showcase the real musical talents of the four members. Musically, it was a bit of a departure from their more pop oriented songs, and they experimented with a lot of different sounds. In fact, my favorite Monkees song is Porpoise Song, the theme to Head.
There has always been a perception that The Monkees were merely actors, and not musicians. This was certainly not the case, as shown in this clip.
Hopefully these clips have piqued your curiosity, and you'll do yourself a favor and check out this great film.
Transmission out.
There has always been a perception that The Monkees were merely actors, and not musicians. This was certainly not the case, as shown in this clip.
Hopefully these clips have piqued your curiosity, and you'll do yourself a favor and check out this great film.
Transmission out.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Life in a Northern Town
Has there ever been a show on televison that could make you feel as warm, or so aware of the human condition, as Northern Exposure? I contend that no show has ever made better use of music than Northern Exposure, particularly with the endings of many of the episodes. The music was very diverse as well, ranging from Irving Berlin to The Pretenders, from Enya to Willie Nelson, from The Talking Heads to Iris Dement. Sit back, watch these clips, and then try to tell me they didn't put a smile on your face.
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Thursday, January 15, 2009
Magnum P.I. Kicks Some Serious Ass
Anyone who knows me well knows how much I love Magnum P.I. I still remember my brother and I watching reruns of it during one particularly great summer. It aired 4 times a day on 3 different channels, so it provided the perfect break from being outside. I was very fond of the show because it reminded me of the few years our family lived in West Germany (My Dad was in the army.) Magnum was one of the few shows we could watch on the Armed Forces Network. Anyway, I still love the show, even though some of the episodes don't hold up as well as others. Yet there are still some episodes that are just as powerful, or funny, as they were back then. One particular episode, called "Did You See the Sunrise This Morning?" was the beginning of the third season. Magnum and his buddies realize that a Russian by the name of Ivan has been knocking off some of their buddies, including Magnum's friend Mac. Ivan had run the POW camp that Magnum and his friends were in during the Vietnam War. Anyway, Magnum finally catches up to Ivan at the end of the two-part episode, and what followed was one of the most shocking and cold blooded endings I've ever seen on network television. Judge for yourself.
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I'm Sorry if I Made You Want to Cry
This may be the saddest song I've ever heard. It's so simple, but so powerful.
I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I guess I'm gonna give up
Oh, I guess I'm gonna give up
It's nearly been a year since he's been gone
And we still sing his goodbye songs
Goodness knows she should move on
But she just can't let him go
No, she just can't let him go
I'm sorry if I made you want to cry
I'm sorry if I made you want to cry
You should know, I never meant to hide
I just hate bringing you down
Oh, I just hate bringing you down
I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I guess I'm gonna give up
Oh, I guess I'm gonna give up
And I dropped my paintbrush in the dirt
Still remember just how much that hurt
I cut my hand and wait for it to work
But I just couldn't bring him back
No, I just couldn't bring him back
I just can't seem to get it right today
Oh, I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I guess I'm gonna give up
Transmission out.
I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I guess I'm gonna give up
Oh, I guess I'm gonna give up
It's nearly been a year since he's been gone
And we still sing his goodbye songs
Goodness knows she should move on
But she just can't let him go
No, she just can't let him go
I'm sorry if I made you want to cry
I'm sorry if I made you want to cry
You should know, I never meant to hide
I just hate bringing you down
Oh, I just hate bringing you down
I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I guess I'm gonna give up
Oh, I guess I'm gonna give up
And I dropped my paintbrush in the dirt
Still remember just how much that hurt
I cut my hand and wait for it to work
But I just couldn't bring him back
No, I just couldn't bring him back
I just can't seem to get it right today
Oh, I just can't seem to get it right today
I just can't seem to get it right today
I guess I'm gonna give up
Transmission out.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Not OK Computer
I can't for the life of me figure out how to put a slide show of my photos from flickr on this blog. To say that computers hate me is like saying Willard Scott occasionally likes to eat. Anyway, I guess I'll post a couple of them in this blog, and then add a link to the rest until I find someone smart enough to help me. I hope you enjoy these. They were taken out at the wildlife management area.
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The Future is Unknown
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to watch Elvis play Jimi Hendrix songs while dressed like a cross between Eddie Munster and Martin Short's character in The Three Amigos? Well, consider your curiosity satisfied once you've witnessed the brilliance of Unknown Hinson. He calls himself a country western troubador, professes to hate rock music (he pronounces it rawk), and refers to women as womerns. His songs are about the seedier elements in society, and they may even be semi-autobiographical. They include lines such as "I can't believe you're pregnant again," and "I make faces when I make love." While his music is admittedly not for all tastes, particularly to those who take him too seriously, there can be no denying that as a live act, he and his band are something to behold. I saw them at The Dame in Lexington a couple of years ago, and they were awesome. They did a cover of Manic Depression that was insanely good. (Here's a link to a video of them playing it sometime last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0lJCrSdHwE) They are also very open to their fans, as they generally hang around after shows to mingle. So do yourself a favor, and check him out. I have a link to his homepage on the left side of the page.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Girl sold for groceries
I just saw on the news that a girl was sold by her father for cash, beer, and meat. It reminded me of my cousin who traded $500 and a pickup truck for his wife. She was 14 at the time, just like this girl in the news. They lived together for several years in a house with a giant wagon wheel mounted on the outside. After a few kids however, she eventually left him. My cousin is now shacked up with his brother's daughter (yeah, that's right, his niece), and my Mom told me they even went down to the courthouse because they thought they could get a marriage license. If you don't know already, you do now, my extended family is quite strange. More on that later.
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What's the deal with the blog title?
If anyone ever reads this blog, you may be asking yourself what's with the somewhat strange title? What's with the underworld thing? Well, without going into too much detail, I'll just say that something happened to me last year that turned my world upside down. I'm still among the living, but I feel like my life has left me. I wake up every morning feeling like I'm getting ready for a funeral, and to make matters worse, I live with the guilt that I am at fault. Sometimes life can really kick you in the balls, but its even worse when it does it with your own foot.
Anyway, I'll try to avoid any long posts that make you feel like the old woman sitting next to Ted Striker in Airplane (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDznA8qKPSE), and maybe this blog won't cause a rash of suicides among my many subscribers. Hopefully I'll have some funny things to say, or at least some things that make you think. Until next time.
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Anyway, I'll try to avoid any long posts that make you feel like the old woman sitting next to Ted Striker in Airplane (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDznA8qKPSE), and maybe this blog won't cause a rash of suicides among my many subscribers. Hopefully I'll have some funny things to say, or at least some things that make you think. Until next time.
Transmission out
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