If you're one of the lucky ones then you're enjoying an extended weekend. Today though is the ultimate day of rest. So no house cleaning, no grocery shopping, no yard work. Relax, be lazy. This is when it's ok. And eat. BBQ time is upon us.
Movies geared towards teens don't really go for it like they used to... pants off, hormones ready to dive-bomb anything with a pulse. The closest thing I can think of is the American Pie series, and that was what, almost 10 years ago. Where are the films that are full of gratuitous nudity, raging parties, inexperienced horn-dogs with clueless friends as sex mentors, and maybe a hot tub or two. Cartoony and sexually amped-up, the 80's undoubtedly mastered one of my favorite comedy sub-genres. Yes, they're over the top and usually lacking much of a plot, but they're the perfect match for summertime... teenage hi-jinks and the quest for a little nooky. I guess nooky is putting it mildly (yes, I'm secretly 80 years old).
Un-Hughesian, they're good in that bad way, like spiked punch or coconut scented tanning oil, not at all sweet or poignant. Not coming-of-age, but coming of, well nevermind. I'm almost shocked that parents weren't on a constant dose of anti-hypertensives. But, I saw a lot of them as a kid and things worked out ok. Right? Anyway, my best guess is we can thank an onslaught of STDs for almost killing this kind of movie. Thank goodness for late night cable to keep the memories alive.
There were so many to choose from but I think I've managed to select the greatest hits. BEWARE, the 80's were less censored when it came to trailer content, so there's some jiggle and horizontal dancing in a few.
The more wine we get the better the wedding. Nice, kid. Oh, thank you Mr. Linkletter for your way with children and the many, many soundbites that remind us how hilarious they are. You seemed like a nice man, and definitely left an indelible mark on radio and T.V.
Anyone that can crank out a project a day gets two giant thumbs up from me. And when it's done well my enthusiasm can't be suppressed. Case in point, A Lyric a Day by Lukes Beard -- taking lyrics from a song and turning them into art. You can see all 150 (and counting) on his Flickr stream or follow on his dedicated Tumblr.
Almost everyone has a pair of these in their neighborhood. Look to the telephone wires and you just might see a pair of sneakers hanging like a little urban ornament. And if you're like me you stop for a second and wonder how they got there. Well The Mystery of Flying Kicks is a documentary that explores different theories using photos and story contributions from around the world. I watched this short film during SXSW and meant to comment on it shortly after but, well, forgot. Better late than never. Check out the trailer below and the site for an on-going blog. You can also submit your own stuff.
The internet could come up with 1,001 sites dedicated to movie stills and I would not tire of the concept. What can I say, title cards have a knack for easily wriggling their way into my heart (see also: this and that). Christian Annyas'Movie Title Stills is the latest screenshot arena to catch my attention and win me over. The site spans films from 1900 to the present, which you can navigate by decade and also by a few genres. Surprise, I chose a few goodies from the 60's.
This is from a notebook I kept in junior high and is evidence of:
A) More stuff I do not throw away B) A history of list making C) An obsession with things I shouldn't be obsessed with D) Laughable commitment problems E) All of the above
One guess. I make myself laugh. Especially teenage me.
It's Sunday, give yourself a break and be lazy. Today was designed to do nothing, but maybe...
Watch Lost. This is it folks. If you're like me you've stuck with this show through good times and bad. I feel like I'm saying goodbye to an old friend... a very confusing, tiring, but entertaining friend.
Now what would summer be without a disaster movie? Explosions, time running out, you against the world (or a madman, or technology, or health epidemics, or nature's wrath...), and of course a plethora of horribly dramatic one-liners and bad decisions. Maybe there's something special about the unbearable heat outside that makes our hankering for cheesy nail-biters stronger. Maybe it's heat stroke.
And movies like Twister, The Day After Tomorrow, Armageddon, Dante's Peak would be nothing without Irwin Allen and the 70's. Once again the decade that brought you a killer fish also laid the groundwork for another film genre. In the 70's however, the movies generally touted an "all-star" cast... sort of a bolder precursor to The Love Boat.
Movie trends of course come and go, and interest has waned a bit since the late 90's early 00's, just as it did in the early 80's, but as the recent (and so realistic) 2012 reminded us all there's an expiration date on Earth, and as long as that clock is ticking we will be interested in things that go boom.
For a taste of the best of the best* see below:
*yeah, China Syndrome may not be a textbook disaster movie but close enough...
Once upon a time I wrote about a Flickr favorite, Wolf Choir. I mentioned something about "out-and-out silliness" but, well, didn't show you the goods. I am happy to see that not only has the nonsense (my word for greatness) continued on, but it has full-steam ahead. If you love glamour shots, then boy have I found the photographer for you. I mean this is in the most flattering way possible, but this project feels like a "drunk one night" session that snowballed into something really, really awesome.
Choosing only one example to post here is problematic so you'll have to travel on to other places to see more... links are below. And make sure to check out the titles of some of the photos (Con Hair, Pomeranian, After the Deal, Drunk Again...) .
Do you have any photos that are hidden in a dusty drawer, an image that conjures up painful memories or leaves a ball in your stomach? I have one... or a hundred of those. Jason Lazarus figures you might have some too and has started a project called Too Hard to Keep. Here's the deal:
I have started an archive of photographs deemed "too hard to keep." This may include photos or photo albums of: ex's, photos of deceased friends/family/pets, places/objects too hard to view again, etc. The reason you can't live with the photo or photo album I do not need to know...
I am creating a repository for these images so that they may exist without being destroyed.
A great idea, if not an interesting study on people and what they save... or can't.
One of the things I enjoyed the most about walking around in Baltimore was looking up at the old building walls of downtown and seeing the painted advertisements. Many were so worn you couldn't make them out, some had been partially covered in graffiti, however quite a few were still recognizable. This is in image though, not name, as these ads are for products and businesses that are now long gone. And that's what I like, these seemingly inconsequential paintings have become colorful brick placeholders for a piece of history that no longer exists. Even as windows have made way for boards and roofs have caved hiding the past there are reminders of a former life.
These sorts of things make my insides pulse like a flux capacitor, revving my imagination into exploratory overdrive, wondering what it was like when these walls were new. Even as a child I remember going to The Square and I couldn't help but be fascinated by the old-timey murals that seemed so foreign... and hey, it was the 80's, so that was about as far as you get from neon and the familiar.
Up There is a documentary about folks that still practice this dying form of advertising. As the years go by I know "progress" has been making its best efforts at displacing hand-made art -- things that are slowly crafted or beautifully flawed. But there is less permanence, no heart. The subjects of this movie definitely have the latter, and a commitment to work that takes patience and skill. These days commerce may dictate with less money you can make more money, but I truly appreciate men and women that continue to practice antiquated professions. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one.
Well, um, I suppose that is my really tacky, unsuccessful way to usher in a weekly post that is a quick link to my other blogs. It's Wednesday, so... hump day. Yeah. And I'm sort of loving myself a bit too much by doing this. Again, yeah. Explanation out of the way, this is my favorite picture this week. And just like everything else we'll see how much I'm able to keep my internet presence updated.
The series In a Perfect World by artist Catrina Dulay is pretty dang on-point. And is it really any surprise that I like her style? To see all 28 designs, as well as her other work, check out her website.
Baltimore almost seems like a distant memory at this point, but I'm finally getting around to posting the last batch of photos I took while there. In order not overload everyone I'll try to space it out over this week.
Hey, remember me? I could throw out a bunch of excuses explaining my absence but it would be boring or redundant so I'll just leave things at "hello!" and get on with it...
So, the other night during the block of TV time that hosts the crème de la crème of crap I came upon the movie Tentacles. I was flooded with excited thoughts... what IS this garbage; how have I never seen this; why does this somehow feel familiar. Final thought, why does this stuff make me so very happy. Then I think I fell asleep about 15 minutes in. I vow to finish what I started by summer's end.
Anywho, seeing part of this movie made me think of an actual favorite movie, Jaws, which made me think of the obvious... summer movie season. As someone obsessed with all things movies (and I fear a sometimes deterrent in overcoming laziness, but will nonetheless remain an endless love) I've decided that I'm going to do a weekly post showcasing some of the summer's best/worst/classic/etc offerings. As my list is being compiled I'm noticing it's very 70's heavy but I've come to think that's where the blockbuster trend truly began.
Jaws in many circles is considered to be the movie that started it all, and in regards to this particular post, not only did it raise the bar for event films and sky-high grosses, it buried the bar in its endless "don't go in the water" knock-off inspirations. I wouldn't have it any other way. Behold some choice examples below. P.S. Extra points to the screenplay writers for "Ocean Beach" and "Lost River Lake"... solid names. But maybe that's the least of their transgressions.
