The first total solar eclipse viewable in North America since 1918 is rapidly approaching. It ought to be quite the event. Social media will explode with every conceivable view, angle and personal reflection of those who view it. So, don’t worry if you are unable to participate. You’re covered! But are there any other astral events lurking in deep space that may influence our planet and its very existence? Speculation always abounds: The Good , The Bad, The Ugly. Check out this video which references concerns about the rogue Planet X or Nibiru. Is there anything to this concern? We’ll soon [More]
The 50th anniversary of man first setting foot on the Moon is close upon us. Looking back at this documentary, it gives an expansive encapsulation of the entire mission from preparation, to lift off, to setting foot on the Moon. And then there remained the task of managing a safe journey back to Earth. Mind boggling! Stunning accomplishment for the United States and the World. Very cool, vintage documentary. Relive this momentous event again and try not to shed a few tears when the Eagle lunar module lands on the Moon. Joyous! We should do this adventure again soon!
Today is Bruce Springsteen’s birthday and we wish him many, many more. The evergreen rocker turns 71. We look forward to seeing him on the road again whenever we get a grip on this freaking pandemic. Vintage “The River” material is performed in the video. We need his live concert experience energy now!!!
This is a moderately interesting tale of a city family happening upon an old country home for sale, deciding to buy it, and taking the plunge headlong into strange occurrences and demonic possession. This movie is of note because of an early directorial turn by Steven Spielberg. He followed up the classic “Duel” (1971), with this effort. “Duel” was definitely better but this movie is distinguished by impressive camera work and unorthodox shooting angles befitting the twisted nature of this tale of possession. Darren McGavin is also onboard, just recently removed from his performance as Kolchak from “The Night Stalker” [More]
Enthralling portrait of slimy, degenerate gambler Howard Rattner as he attempts to pay off his prior gambling debts by engaging in one slippery scam after another. This is not your most likable character. A loud, annoying, manic schemer, Rattner, as played by normally comedic actor Adam Sandler, will fence your most valuable possessions when entrusted to his care. He is a married man with three kids yet also maintains an apartment where his girlfriend lives. Rattner owes $100K to his loan shark relative who has his Mafia pals putting pressure on Howie to pay up. Things get a little crazy [More]
Songwriter, lyricist, Pete Sinfield has passed. Sinfield had an early involvement with progressive rock band King Crimson. Sinfield wore many hats in his years working with Crimson. He wrote song lyrics, helped out with the band’s stage rigging, made suggestions about Crimson’s branding, acted as the resident hipster, providing the other members with ideas about what to wear to fit the image of the times, and even contributed bits of playing EMS VCS 3 synthesizer to the group’s sound. Eventually, he wore out his welcome with the band and went on to work with Emerson, Lake and Palmer providing more lyrics to [More]
After watching this trailer, you may well surmise that I added this as an example of one of the worst movies ever made. On the contrary, this movie once had a major impact on my life. Yes. There are a lot of surf bands playing and kids dancing and carrying on and there is a story line about a leaky, radioactive waste filled barrel in the ocean which interacts with a human skeleton and other sea debris and somehow mutates into one of many absurd, rubber suited sea monsters which walk on two legs. It is the scenes involving the marauding monsters [More]
Halloween rapidly approaches. What better way to get into the spirit (a little ghostly pun, there) than to start tracking down some creepy videos of ghostly manifestations and other strange stuff that will make your skin crawl? Here are some samples to get you startled, er…., started.
“Chato’s Land” was a late entry in the Western film genre that had proliferated at the movie theaters for 50 years but started to fall out of favor by the 1970’s. To draw in viewers who might be lured away by other fare, some of these latter day “oaters” resorted to adding more violence and depravity. That sensibility shows up in this film, a blood soaked tale of a hastily drawn together posse of cruds who go off in pursuit of a wrongly accused Indian who kills a lawman in their town. As the misbegotten mob gets drawn deeper into his “Land”, a [More]
More sad news from the music world. Neil Peart, the hugely talented drummer for the rock band Rush, has passed. He had been battling with brain cancer for the last three years. Rush was the first rock show I went to back in the dark, remote past. They were touring their long player, “A Farewell to Kings.” Lovely experience, lovely dope, lovely playing, lovely man. I chose the music video they released for “Xanadu”, the second track on “Farewell”. We bid farewell to this drummer king, Mr. Neal Peart.
Ian McDonald may be best remembered for his amazing work with the early progressive rock group King Crimson. McDonald played woodwinds, mellotron and keyboards for the group and wrote the music for “In the Court of the Crimson King”, a progressive music masterpiece, as well as being involved in the writing of many of the other classic tracks on the collection. McDonald was a self-taught saxophone and flute player. He learned them well. Witness his aggressive saxophone attack on “21st Century Schizoid Man”. Fantastic. McDonald departed the Crimson band after the first album but would rejoin on their “Red” album [More]
Creepy interpretation by Roger Corman of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum. Richard Matheson scripted this adaptation. Vincent Price adds his diabolical presence. Love the creaking of the pendulum as it winds its way down toward the intended victim. Part of Corman’s Poe cycle of film adaptations. Nice 60’s horror atmosphere.
Disgusting cash-in sequel which capitalized on the classic “Halloween” fright flick directed by John Carpenter. Carpenter is not directing this time but producing, taking a writing credit and providing the music. Still, Carpenter must take his share of credit for this turd. The formula stays the same: Asylum escapee Michael Myers is stalking fresh victims and Jamie Lee Curtis, more or less in that order. Dr. Loomis, portrayed by Donald Pleasance, pursues Myers. This time a face off takes place in a hospital where Curtis recovers from the assault she took from Myers in the previous flick. Curtis is nothing [More]
Great song from a great band. This number appeared on their concept album, “Schoolboys In Disgrace”. Haunting “lost love” song. From the fertile imagination of their prolific songwriter/genius Ray Davies.