'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
He Was Busy, Again!
the worried shrimp
Supreme Commander
Reader Comment
Re: Jason & The Argonauts
Had to make a quick comment or two about Jason and the Argonauts. This remains one of my all time faves for story, continuity, and especially the SFX done exquisitely by the legendary Ray Harryhausen. (I've had it on tape for years, and eagerly await a DVD release.).
There are so many scenes of note;--- the blind Seer attacked by hungry flying Harpies, the giant iron colossus awakened by theft from the gods' treasury, gods playing games with mortals from an Olympean hall, Poseidon holding back the clashing rocks; --- the ultimate being the children of the Hydra's teeth grown into skeletal warriors to challenge the Argo's crew in desperate battle at cliffs' edge. This was the scene replicated, parodied and honored in many movies since; --- most recently in "Spy Kids II". I saw with my 8 & 10 yr-old grandkids, and the "AHA!" of recognition arose from many adult throats when they caught the connection. The skeletal warriors were given a sense of humor this time 'round when all the "monsters" were humanized a bit, and became less threatening for the 8-12-yr-old target audience, but the homage was obvious and loving.
There has never, IMHO, been an equal fantasy-adventure since; -- Spielberg/Lucas nothwithstanding. There was a sorry try in the late 70's w/ "Clash of the Titans" that came close but for the stupid mechanical owl.
~ Michelle V
Here are some I should have included last night - Jason and the Argonauts (1963) links:
Jason and the Argonauts - the complete credits,
Ray Harryhausen (the special effects wizard),
the music of Bernard Herrmann - credits, and
Bernard Herrmann - bio.
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
The sun never broke through til nearly sunset.
The sounds of college football filled the house. I'm so old I can remember when you weren't supposed to be able to tell what team the talking heads were partial to...was considered downright unprofessional. ABC's duo for the Virginia/FSU game being a prime example of how it should not be done.
Company's coming for dinner Sunday - gonna fire up the grill & incinerate something.
The Patron Saint for Sunday, September 1, is St. Fiacre.
He is the patron saint of fistulas, hemorrhoids, venereal disease, cab drivers, and gardeners.
Today, Sunday, as usual, CBS starts the night with '60 Minutes', then has reruns of 'Raymond' and 'Becker', followed by the movie 'The Biographer: The Secret Life Of Princess Diana'.
NBC opens with 'Dateline', then a fresh (to NBC) episode of 'Forensic Files', followed by a rerun 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent', and wraps the night with a fresh 'Crime & Punishment'.
ABC has the movie 'Mouse Hunt', then reruns of 'Alias' and 'The Practice'.
The WB has 2 reruns of 'Charmed' then a rerun of 'Angel'.
Faux has a preview of their violent new Saturday-morning kiddie-krap, 'What's In The Fox Box', then a rerun of 'King Of The Hill', a rerun of the 'Simpsons', another rerun of 'King Of The Hill', a rerun of 'Malcolm', and wraps with a rerun of 'Grounded For Life'.
UPN has a rerun of 'Enterprise' then 'Stargate SG-1'.
Check local listings - it's that time of year when Jerry Lewis has a telethon.
TNT starts a 3 day marathon of 'Law & Order'.
Depending on your time zone & satellite/cable opportunities, FX is having a 24-hour marathon of '24'. For example, we have Dish, so it'll start at 9pm (pdt) in this house. It is scheduled to start at midnight (edt/pdt), Sunday-into-Monday.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
Big Dog Watch Continues
Bill Clinton
Former President Bill Clinton works the crowd during a visit to the New York State Fair in Syracuse, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 30, 2002.
Photo by Kevin Rivoli
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson's custom motorcycle, hand-painted with cover art from his band's 1973 album "Brain Salad Surgery," was stolen from his home.
Emerson, a keyboardist with Emerson Lake & Palmer, said the $60,000 motorcycle was taken Thursday even though it had alarms and heavy anti-theft chains.
"With things like this, I might as well move to Alaska," Emerson complained.
The motorcycle had recently been included in "The Cars and Guitars of Rock and Roll" show at the Petersen Automotive Museum on Los Angeles' Museum Row.
Keith Emerson
David Lynch, Martin Scorsese & Francis Ford Coppola
Marrakech International Film Festival
Movie directors David Lynch, Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola will be guests of honor at next month's Marrakech International Film Festival.
Scorsese, who filmed scenes for "The Last Temptation of Christ" and "Kundun" in Morocco, will be given the country's highest award, the Wissam alaouite,
by King Mohammed VI at the Sept. 18-22 festival, organizers said.
Ten films will be shown in competition at the festival in the southern city of Marrakech.
Marrakech International Film Festival
Home In Honolulu
Hokget
Hokget, a 2-year-old mixed terrier sports a paper flower lei upon her arrival to the Honolulu airport on Friday, Aug. 30, 2002 after a flight from Kauai, where she spent
four months in state imposed quarantine. The dog who gained international attention after being rescued after 24 days stranded aboard a burned-out ship flew first-class
to Honolulu Friday to begin a new life with its new owners Michael and Helen Kuo.
Photo by Ronen Zilberman
Upcoming Movie On TNT
'Miss Lettie and Me'
The cameras have been rolling in this middle Georgia town for a made-for-TV movie tentatively titled, "Miss Lettie and Me," starring Mary Tyler Moore and Burt Reynolds.
It's the story of a reclusive woman in Sawyer, a fictional Georgia town, and how her life changes when a 9-year-old niece she has never met comes to live with her.
The film is scheduled to air Dec. 8 on TNT.
'Miss Lettie and Me'
Upcoming Movie For TBS
'America's Prince: The JFK Jr. Story'
Two unknown actors will play John F. Kennedy Jr. and actress Daryl Hannah, who dated Kennedy, in an upcoming TBS movie.
Kristoffer Polaha will play the son of the late U.S. president in "America's Prince: The JFK Jr. Story," based on Christopher Andersen's 2000 biography, "The Day John Died," TBS said Friday.
Polaha has appeared in TV episodes of "Angel," "Roswell" and "That's Life."
Tara Chocol, whose credits include episodes of "Sex and the City," "ER," "Judging Amy" and "The Practice," will play Hannah.
Earlier, TBS announced that Jacqueline Bisset would play Kennedy's mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Portia de Rossi would portray Kennedy's wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
'America's Prince: The JFK Jr. Story'
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Pulls Television Ads
Boston Beer
The Boston Beer Co. decided to temporarily pull television ads in response to complaints that they appeared to depict underage drinking.
The decision came the same day the company ran ads in Boston's two major newspapers apologizing for its sponsorship of a contest on a New York radio station two weeks ago in which a couple allegedly had
sex in a cathedral to try to win a trip to Boston.
The television spot, entitled "Noise," has been on the air for about a year. In the ad, young people hide their beers when police arrive in response to complaints about noise.
The National Liquor Law Enforcement Association, which first asked the Boston Beer Co. to pull the ad in May, argues that the drinkers would not hide their beer if they were of legal age.
After the company's earlier rebuffs, the group decided to go public with the complaints this week. They cited a study from the Georgetown University's Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth which found
that the spot aired 119 times during episodes of "The Simpsons" this year.
Boston Beer
Kandahar, Afghanistan
'Super Osama Bin Laden Kulfa Balls'
An Afghan vendor sells cigarettes and a popular candy called "Super Osama Bin Laden Kulfa Balls" at the money changers market in Kandahar Saturday, Aug. 31, 2002. Although
the new government is actively pursuing the remnants of bin Laden's al-Qaida organization, images of bin Laden still occasionally appear in this former Taliban stronghold.
Photo by Ed Wray
Bemoans Focus on Special Effects
Catherine Deneuve
French actress Catherine Deneuve, star of a new romantic comedy inspired by the 1957 classic "An Affair to Remember," railed on Saturday against Hollywood's current love of technology over substance.
Deneuve, whose "Au plus pres du paradis" is one of 21 films vying for the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival, said interesting characters and good acting were losing out in the effects-filled film world.
"The love of technology is bigger than characterisation these days. I'm not sure that's what I like but the public certainly seems to," added the 58-year-old, whose face used to feature on French coins
and stamps as Marianne, the symbol of the French Republic.
"Au plus pres du paradis," which translates as "Nearest to heaven," uses special effects only to make a former lover appear and disappear like a ghost.
This year's Venice Film Festival has also seen Italy's Sophia Loren sweeping into town to promote her son's first film "Between Strangers" and Lauren Bacall is due at a charity gala next week.
Catherine Deneuve
BartCop TV!
Game Show Host
Donny Osmond
In September, Donny Osmond returns to television as a game show host in a new version of the "$10,000 Pyramid," which was originally hosted by another pop music icon of the latter half of the 20th century, Dick Clark.
Called simply "Pyramid," Osmond's entry into game show competition marks the latest TV venture for the 44-year-old who grew up singing with the Osmond Brothers and then hosted the 1970s variety show with sister Marie.
More recently, Osmond hit the Broadway stage playing the title role in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." And he and Marie returned to TV, co-hosting a talk show
that lasted two seasons before being canceled in 2002.
He even landed on a recent, celebrity edition of NBC's "Fear Factor."
Coincidentally, the new "Pyramid" is being shot on the same sound stage of the Sony studio lot as the talk show Osmond did with Marie two years ago, he said.
Osmond said "Pyramid" has already shot about 50 episodes, with a celebrity roster that includes such names as Teri Garr, Mindy Sterling of "Austin Powers in Goldmember," Greg
Proops of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and rapper Coolio.
Donny Osmond
Tokyo, Japan
Asakusa Samba Carnival
Revelers dance at the Asakusa Samba Carnival in downtown Tokyo, August 31, 2002. About 500,000 visitors watched as about 3,000 revelers danced in the Japanese capital.
Photo by Kimimasa Mayama
Woman With An Opinion
Martha Burk
Now that the Masters has eliminated its television sponsors, the leader of a national women's group said Saturday she will urge CBS Sports to drop coverage of golf's
most watched tournament until Augusta National has a female member.
Martha Burk, chairwoman of the National Council of Women's Organizations, said she will not give up the fight until the Masters fades away as a major championship or until the club admits a woman.
"We expect to have a conversation with CBS," Burk told The Associated Press. "It will be about whether they want to broadcast an event, held in a venue that discriminates
against half the population, and what kind of statement that makes about CBS as a network."
CBS spokeswoman Leslie Anne Wade declined comment except to say that "CBS will broadcast the Masters next year."
Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson said Friday he was dropping the Masters' three television sponsors — IBM, Coca-Cola and Citigroup — to shield them from any controversy over the club's all-male membership.
Johnson has said the club has no exclusionary policies. While women often play at Augusta National, the club has not had a female member in its 69-year history, and a black did not join until 1990.
Martha Burk
Impostor
Earp Kin
Goldfield residents eagerly welcomed a man who said he was Wyatt Earp's grandson to the mining town's 100th anniversary celebration, making him an honorary sheriff's deputy as politicians posed for photographs.
Locals listened as he talked about the famous lawman, who owned a saloon in nearby Tonopah, and Earp's brother, Virgil, a sheriff's deputy in Goldfield in the early 1900s.
There was just one problem: Historians say Wyatt Earp had no children, and the man is an impostor.
Historians question the man's story and say he bolted the Aug. 23 event after they confronted him.
The man, who goes by the name Wyatt Earp, told everyone that his father, Nicholas Porter Earp, was born on an Indian reservation near Nome, Alaska, in 1919.
He claimed Wyatt and his wife, Josie, sought to keep the birth a secret because there was a $2,000 bounty out on the gunslinger's head and they wanted to protect their son.
There was no birth certificate because the child was born on an Indian reservation, the man said. Earp would have been 70 and Josie 58 at the time.
For the rest of the story, Impostor
In Memory
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton, who died on Saturday at 94, was one of America's jazz legends, pioneering and popularizing the vibraphone and teaming up with a long list of jazz greats over a musical career that spanned six decades.
Hampton, who played with other jazz icons from Benny Goodman to Quincy Jones throughout a musical career that began in the 1920s, died from heart failure at New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center.
First a jazz drummer, Hampton was at a recording session with legendary trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong in Los Angeles in the early 1930s when he first saw a vibraphone, also called a vibraharp or the vibes, sitting in the corner.
"I'd heard about it, seen it, but just hadn't gotten around to trying it out," Hampton recalled in his autobiography. "Louis said, 'Can you play it?' I said, 'Sure."'
Hampton did, playing one of Armstrong's solos note for note. "And boy, he fell for it," Hampton recalled.
Since then, thanks to Hampton, the vibraphone -- an instrument with metal keys, played with soft mallets and producing a gently vibrating tone from motor-driven rotating discs under each key -- has become a jazz staple.
Born on April 20, 1908, in Louisville, Kentucky, Hampton over his long career wrote more than 200 pieces of music, including the jazz standards "Flying Home," "Evil Gal Blues" and "Midnight Sun."
In the budding years of his career, Hampton was also famous for helping to bridge the racial gap between blacks and whites in jazz music.
In the 1930s, Hampton joined drummer Gene Krupa and pianist Teddy Wilson in the famous multiracial Benny Goodman quartet. Later, Hampton played a prominent role in Goodman's big band, working on several recording sessions and
tours until 1940 when Hampton organized his own permanent orchestra.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Hampton enjoyed immense success with a series of recordings and all-star bands. He had a part in the movie "The Benny Goodman Story" in 1955 and later toured in Israel, Europe, North Africa and Australia.
With business guidance from his wife, Gladys, who died in 1971, Hampton amassed a comfortable fortune over decades of performing. He endowed scholarships and music schools and even erected low- and middle-income housing in Harlem.
When Gladys died of a heart attack in 1971, Hampton lost not only a wife but a companion who, he said, made all of his major decisions from the day they met until the day she died.
Hampton then turned to philanthropy and in December of that year turned the first shovelful of dirt for the Lionel Hampton Houses -- a $13 million complex of 355 apartments for low- and moderate-income families and the elderly on
Eighth Avenue and 131st Street in New York's Harlem. Down the block were the Gladys Hampton Houses -- 205 units for low-income people.
Hampton also set up scholarships at the University of Southern California and Duke University, among other schools. He endowed an annual jazz festival at the University of Idaho and in 1987 the institution named its music school after him.
When Hampton was just a boy, his father Charles, a pianist and singer, enlisted in World War One and was declared missing in action. Years later, after Hampton became a well-known musician, he found his father alive in a Veterans' Administration hospital in Dayton, Ohio.
Hampton's musical career began in Chicago, behind the bass drum in the Chicago Defender's Newsboys Band before moving onto the snare. Hampton then went to Hollywood in 1928 to play with his friend Les Hite. Hampton's big breakthrough
came soon afterward, when Hite's band, with Hampton on drums, was hired as the house orchestra for Frank Sebastian's Cotton Club.
The band backed Louis Armstrong when he performed there, and not long after, Hampton's career as "King of the Vibes" took off.
Active in politics and a supporter of the Republican Party, Hampton has played for American presidents from Harry Truman to George Bush, Sr., and traveled the globe. In 1985, Hampton was given the title "ambassador of music" to the United
Nations and also served on the New York City Human Rights Commission.
Hampton kept to an ambitious schedule of performances well into his 80s. In 1996, at the age of 88, Hampton was a headliner for the New Orleans Jazz Heritage Festival.
In January 1997, Hampton received the National Medal of the Arts from President Bill Clinton.
In recent years, Hampton had been in poor health. He had no children.
Lionel Hampton
New York
LaGuardia
An airliner, on an approach to LaGuardia Airport, passes the Empire State Building at sunset Friday, Aug. 30, 2002 in New York.
Photo by Mark Lennihan
'The Osbournes'
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
