After merging with UPN nearly two years ago to form The CW, it appears that The WB could be back. Well, after a fashion. The Warner Bros. Television Group is planning a website, tentatively called "wb.com," on which viewers can watch free, streaming episodes of TV shows produced by The WB during its existence from 1995 to 2006. This new online version of The WB might even include short series produced specifically for the website with five minutes long.
Unfortunately, at this moment it is not clear whether or not series that were not produced by The WB itself, but ran on the network, will be included on the website. As is often the case with American broadcast television, many of The WB's biggest hits were not produced by the network. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Felicity, 7th Heaven, and Charmed were all produced by other companies. It seems to me that this could create serious holes in wb.com's lineup. I don't know about others, but there were times when Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel were the only shows I watched on The WB.
Of course, even if shows not produced by The WB, but which ran on the network, are not included on the website, this is still good news. Both The Gilmore Girls and Everwood, two of the best shows to run on the network, were both produced by the WB. And while reruns The Gilmore Girls currently air on ABC Family and every season is available on DVD, Everwood is currently being ran on any network and only season one has been released on DVD. I must also confess that, while it has a rather poor reputation, I would enjoy seeing Unhappily Ever After... again. I know that it is not the best loved sitcom of all time (TV Guide ranked it in their Top 50 Worst Shows of All Time back in 2002, but then they also ranked Hogan's Heroes, so what do they know?), but I always enjoyed it.
At any rate, it will be interesting to see how wb.com will unfold. As sad as it is, I must admit that I miss The WB. It seems as if The CW simply inherited the worst of both The WB (teen dramas) and UPN (America's Top Model), with only Everybody Hates Chris, Supernatural, and Aliens in America to redeem it. It will then be very pleasing to see some of the old WB shows again.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Rocketeer Creator Dave Stevens Passes On
Dave Stevens, the illustrator and comic book artist who created The Rocketeer, passed on March 10 after a long battle with leukaemia. He was 52 years old.Stevens was born in Lynwood, California on July 29, 1955 and largely raised in Portland, Oregon. Eventually his family moved to San Diego. He attended San Diego City College. Stevens was active in the San Diego Comic Book Convention, which would evolve into Comic-Con International. He began his career in 1975 inking Russ Manning's work for the Tarzan newspaper comic strip. Stevens would also do some work for Marvel, including the Star Wars comic book. He would later work with Russ Manning on the Star Wars newspaper strip as well. In 1976 he created Fear and Laughter for Kitchen Sink and Quack for Star Reach.
In 1977 Stevens went to work for Hanna-Barbera, working with Johnny Quest creator Doug Wiley and drawing layouts and storyboards for Super Friends and Jana of the Jungle. Stevens eventually joined the art studio of friends science fiction illustrator Richard Hescox and film designer William Stout. While working with Stout and Hescox, Stevens storyboarded the truck fight sequence for Raiders of the Lost Ark.
It was in 1982 that The Rocketeer first appeared as a back up feature in Starslayer #2, published by Pacific Comics. Set in Los Angeles in 1938, The Rocketeer centred on stunt pilot Cliff Secord, who discovers a mysterious rocket pack. Stevens endowed the series with the look and feel of old pulp magazines and movie serial, influenced heavily by Doc Savage, The Shadow, and Bettie Page (Doc and The Shadow would appear in the series, although not by name, while Miss Page lent her appearance to Cliff's girlfriend Betty). The Rocketeer was published over the years 1982 to 1985 by Pacific Comics, Eclipse Comics, Comico, and Dark Horse. The series developed a cult following which has lasted to this day and provided the basis for the 1991 movie The Rocketeer.
Stevens would later make a living with Good Girl art. The subject he most often illustrated was legendary pinup Bettie Page. The two would eventually meet and become friends. Stevens would even assist her financially from time to time and drive her to cash her Social Security cheques. He also helped Miss Page set up a licensing business so she could profit from her image.
Although hardly prolific, Dave Stevens was one of the greatest illustrators of all time. Whether it was The Rocketeer, his various comic book covers, or his glamour art, Stevens always did fantastic work. It was clear that he put his heart and soul into it. Had Stevens only been a great artist, he would be remembered, but Stevens was also the creator of The Rocketeer. Of the characters to grow out of independent comics in the Eighties, The Rocketeer was arguably one of the most original and, at the same time, nostalgic. Indeed, Dave Stevens stands as one of the few men who was actually able to capture the look and feel of the old pulp magazines and serials, while at the same time keeping the material up to date for modern audiences. As a huge fan of The Rocketeer and Dave Stevens, I am then very, very sad at his passing.
Monday, March 10, 2008
All Those Years Ago
Today is my birthday, which has put me in a nostalgic mood. In fact, I have just been thinking how much of our personalities and interests must be shaped when we are very young. Certainly family, community, and environment play pivotal roles in shaping who we are, but I think in the modern world pop culture plays a role as well. I need look no further than myself for an example.
In fact, I think the years 1966 to 1968 were pretty important for me. I was about three to five years old at this time, so I was finally able to form long term memories. And I remember various pop culture artefacts from that time. And looking back, I think they did play a large role in shaping me. I need look no further than television. When I turned three years old the most popular show on television was probably Batman. The United States was in the grip of Batmania at the time. If adults couldn't resist its lure, how could a three year old? I took to Batman as most children would. And while it was clearly a parody of the character and not the original, Dark Knight of the comic books, it did serve as an introduction to the character. It also introduced me to comic books. I have been both a comic book fan and a Batman fan all my life. Indeed, in a roundabout way Batman led me to become a writer. While very young I decided I wanted to write my own comic books. I even created my own superheroes. Eventually I would write fiction and eventually shift to nonfiction. It's then largely because of Batman, then, that I am a writer.
Of course, there were other shows on the air at that time. Underdog heightened my interest in superheroes, as did the numerous other superhero cartoons that aired at the time. On Saturday mornings the old Warner Brothers shorts would engender an interest in classic animation in a way that I bet Pokemon never has. Given that I was born in raised in Missouri, I would have probably developed an interest in the Old West anyhow (we were home, after all, to Jesse James), but Westerns such as Bonanza probably encouraged it. Both the United States and the United Kingdom were in the middle of a spy craze at the time, so television was filled with shows such as The Avengers, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and The Wild Wild West. I then naturally developed an interest in spy dramas and espionage.
At that time American television was also dominated by what Sherwood Schwartz termed imaginative comedies. This was the era of Gilligan's Island, Bewitched, The Addams Family, and The Monkees. There were also sci-fi shows on the air, then, most notably Star Trek. If I developed a taste for fantasy. In fact, the earliest movie I can remember watching all the way through was an fantasy movie on TV--Jason and the Argonauts
Of course, television wasn't the only pop culture influence in my life. Even if I hadn't watched The Monkees and The Beatles cartoon loyally, I would have probably been a power pop fan. This was the era of the British Invasion, when music by The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, and other bands from England filled radio airwaves. Early power pop would give way to psychedelia which would give way to heavy metal, again influencing my tastes in music. I rather suspect my choice in music was developed very early.
That is not to say all of my interests developed so early. My ex-brother in law and my friend Al would introduce me to Doc Savage and the world of pulp magazines when I was about eight. And I wouldn't develop a real interest in medieval history until a little later. But it does seem to be that so much of what interests me developed when I was very young, when I was between three and five years old.
In fact, I think the years 1966 to 1968 were pretty important for me. I was about three to five years old at this time, so I was finally able to form long term memories. And I remember various pop culture artefacts from that time. And looking back, I think they did play a large role in shaping me. I need look no further than television. When I turned three years old the most popular show on television was probably Batman. The United States was in the grip of Batmania at the time. If adults couldn't resist its lure, how could a three year old? I took to Batman as most children would. And while it was clearly a parody of the character and not the original, Dark Knight of the comic books, it did serve as an introduction to the character. It also introduced me to comic books. I have been both a comic book fan and a Batman fan all my life. Indeed, in a roundabout way Batman led me to become a writer. While very young I decided I wanted to write my own comic books. I even created my own superheroes. Eventually I would write fiction and eventually shift to nonfiction. It's then largely because of Batman, then, that I am a writer.
Of course, there were other shows on the air at that time. Underdog heightened my interest in superheroes, as did the numerous other superhero cartoons that aired at the time. On Saturday mornings the old Warner Brothers shorts would engender an interest in classic animation in a way that I bet Pokemon never has. Given that I was born in raised in Missouri, I would have probably developed an interest in the Old West anyhow (we were home, after all, to Jesse James), but Westerns such as Bonanza probably encouraged it. Both the United States and the United Kingdom were in the middle of a spy craze at the time, so television was filled with shows such as The Avengers, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and The Wild Wild West. I then naturally developed an interest in spy dramas and espionage.
At that time American television was also dominated by what Sherwood Schwartz termed imaginative comedies. This was the era of Gilligan's Island, Bewitched, The Addams Family, and The Monkees. There were also sci-fi shows on the air, then, most notably Star Trek. If I developed a taste for fantasy. In fact, the earliest movie I can remember watching all the way through was an fantasy movie on TV--Jason and the Argonauts
Of course, television wasn't the only pop culture influence in my life. Even if I hadn't watched The Monkees and The Beatles cartoon loyally, I would have probably been a power pop fan. This was the era of the British Invasion, when music by The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, and other bands from England filled radio airwaves. Early power pop would give way to psychedelia which would give way to heavy metal, again influencing my tastes in music. I rather suspect my choice in music was developed very early.
That is not to say all of my interests developed so early. My ex-brother in law and my friend Al would introduce me to Doc Savage and the world of pulp magazines when I was about eight. And I wouldn't develop a real interest in medieval history until a little later. But it does seem to be that so much of what interests me developed when I was very young, when I was between three and five years old.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Malvin Wald R.I.P.
Malvin Wald, who was nominated for the Oscar for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story for the film The Naked City, died Thursday at the age of 90.
Malvin Wald was born in 1917. Wald worked in a New York post office for a time after graduating from Brooklyn College in 1936, before moving to Hollywood to pursue writing. During World War II he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He served in the First Motion Picture Unit, based out of the Hal Roach Studio in Culver City. In all, he wrote more than 30 recruitment and training films.
Wald first received credit for a screenplay before the United States' entry into World War II, on the film Two in a Taxi in 1941. He wrote the stories for films from Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) to The Underdog (1943). It was in 1948 that he had his breakthrough screenplay with The Naked City.
One of the best known and best regarded films noir, The Naked City was set in New York and centred upon the police investigation of the murder of a model. As opposed to other films of the day, The Naked City largely de-glamourised the process of investigating a crime, showing step by step and day by day the police investigation. It was one of the earliest police procedurals on film, pre-dating TV shows such Law and Order and CSI. It was also revolutionary in being filmed on the streets of New York, at a time when on location shooting was rare. The film would later serve as the inspiration for the TV series The Naked City (1958 to 1963).
Wald wrote the screenplays for such films as The Dark Past and Outrage before largely moving into television. His first work in television was an episode of the anthology series Your Favourite Story in 1953. During the Fifties he wrote for several anthology series, including Lux Video Theatre, Fireside Theatre, Goodyear Television Playhouse, and Playhouse 90. He also wrote episodes for the shows Jungle Jim, My Friend Flica Have Gun Will Travel, and Perry Mason. He continued to write films, including Battle Taxi and Al Capone.From the Sixties into the Seventies, Wald wrote for such shows as The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Combat, Daktari, and The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams.
If Malvin Wald had only written The Naked City, he would be remembered. The movie was truly the forerunner of police procedurals from Dragnet to CSI. But Malvin Wald did much more, including films such as Not Wanted and Outrage and episodes of several classic TV shows. He was one of the movies and television's most prolific, and arguably best, writers.
Malvin Wald was born in 1917. Wald worked in a New York post office for a time after graduating from Brooklyn College in 1936, before moving to Hollywood to pursue writing. During World War II he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He served in the First Motion Picture Unit, based out of the Hal Roach Studio in Culver City. In all, he wrote more than 30 recruitment and training films.
Wald first received credit for a screenplay before the United States' entry into World War II, on the film Two in a Taxi in 1941. He wrote the stories for films from Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) to The Underdog (1943). It was in 1948 that he had his breakthrough screenplay with The Naked City.
One of the best known and best regarded films noir, The Naked City was set in New York and centred upon the police investigation of the murder of a model. As opposed to other films of the day, The Naked City largely de-glamourised the process of investigating a crime, showing step by step and day by day the police investigation. It was one of the earliest police procedurals on film, pre-dating TV shows such Law and Order and CSI. It was also revolutionary in being filmed on the streets of New York, at a time when on location shooting was rare. The film would later serve as the inspiration for the TV series The Naked City (1958 to 1963).
Wald wrote the screenplays for such films as The Dark Past and Outrage before largely moving into television. His first work in television was an episode of the anthology series Your Favourite Story in 1953. During the Fifties he wrote for several anthology series, including Lux Video Theatre, Fireside Theatre, Goodyear Television Playhouse, and Playhouse 90. He also wrote episodes for the shows Jungle Jim, My Friend Flica Have Gun Will Travel, and Perry Mason. He continued to write films, including Battle Taxi and Al Capone.From the Sixties into the Seventies, Wald wrote for such shows as The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Combat, Daktari, and The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams.
If Malvin Wald had only written The Naked City, he would be remembered. The movie was truly the forerunner of police procedurals from Dragnet to CSI. But Malvin Wald did much more, including films such as Not Wanted and Outrage and episodes of several classic TV shows. He was one of the movies and television's most prolific, and arguably best, writers.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Cult Movies
In some respects the term "cult movie" is easy to define. Quite simply a cult movie is any motion picture (a movie) with a small, obsessive following (a cult). There are many today who believe that cult movies are a relatively modern phenomenon, beginning at the earliest in the Fifties. That having been said, cult movies have probably been around almost as long as there have been feature films. Some even go so far as to claim that the term "cult movie" itself only goes back to the Seventies, popularised by author Danny Peary in articles and in his book Cult Movies (published in 1981). In truth, the term goes back a bit farther than that. The term appears in a review ("Rebel with a Sense of Humor") of the book The Strawberry Statement in Time, May 9, 1969, in which it is stated that the book "...could easily become a cult movie." The term "cult film" is almost as old. It appeared in the article "Pop Records: Moguls, Money & Monsters" in Time, Feb. 12, 1973, where Midnight Cowboy is referred to as a "cult film."
While the term "cult movie" would appear to be easy to definite, it is sometimes difficult to determine what is and is not a cult movie. It does seem that for any film to be considered a cult film by anyone, it would have to have a somewhat substantial (but not necessarily large) following. The 1999 version of Beowulf featuring Christopher Lambert in the title role may well have its fans (how I don't know...), but I doubt there are enough of them to constitute a substantial following or "cult." For a film to be a cult movie, it must not only have a following, but a somewhat substantial one. This can be demonstrated by looking at such archetypal cult films as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Evil Dead 2, and Donnie Darko, all of whic have pretty substantial followings.
At the same time, however, it seems to me that there must also be that for a motion picture to be considered a cult movie, it must not be part of the mainstream. I have seen Casablanca described as a cult movie, but I don't believe it for a moment. It is true Casablanca has a substantial (in fact, a very large) following. It is true that many are obsessively devoted to the film. At the same time, however, it must be pointed out that Casablanca is very much a part of the cinematic mainstream. Indeed, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. By their very nature, it would seem that cult movies are films which have in some way been rejected by the motion picture establishment,the general public, or both.
This is not to say that all cult movies must have done poorly on their first release. A Clockwork Orange made a very respectable gross of $26,589,355 in the United States when it was released in 1972. What makes it a cult movie is that it has maintained a cult following over the years and, despite its success, it pretty much lies outside the mainstream of movies. Of course, many cult films, perhaps most cult films, did fail at the box office upon first release. Harold and Maude bombed when it was first released in 1971, but developed a loyal following over the years. Eraserhead never even received a wide release, but became a cult movie after several years. It seems tome that it is ultimately not important whether a cult movie was a hit upon its first release or a box office bomb, but that it maintains a loyal following over the years and lies outside the cinematic mainstream.
Here it must be noted that the overall quality of a film appears to be insignificant as to whether it develops a cult or not. Many cult films are justifiably considered classics, among them A Clockwork Orange, Night of the Living Dead, Freaks, and Harold and Maude. Other cult films justifiably count as being among the worst films of all time, among them the anti-marijuana propaganda film Reefer Madness (originally released in 1936 as Tell Your Children), Robot Monster, and the entire oeuvre of Ed Wood. These films are so poorly made that they are laughable and hence, in some strange way, entertaining.
As stated earlier, it seems likely that cult movies have existed nearly as long as there have been feature films. In fact, Danny Peary, the author of Cult Movies, believes that The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (released in 1920) may well be the first cult movie. There would also be several other films which would develop cults surrounding them before the Fifties, among them Pandora's Box (1929), White Zombie (1932), Freaks (1932), and To Be or Not To Be (1942). There is no reason to believe that cult movies are a relatively recent phenomenon.
That having been said, it was arguably with the Fifties that cult movies would arrive as a widespread phenomenon. This was most likely due to a number of factors. Chief among these was the advent of regularly scheduled, broadcast network television in the United States in the late Forties. Television gave many older films a new lease on life, bringing them to a new generation of audiences. Movies such as The Most Dangerous Game (1932) and Sons of the Desert (1933) developed cult following after repeat showings on local television stations.
Another factor was the growth of independent film following World War II. A major blow was delivered to the Hollywood studios who had controlled the film industry, from the production to the exhibition of movies, in the form of the 1949 Supreme Court decision in the case of the United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. Among other things, the decision put an end to the practice of block booking, in which theatre owner would have to buy an entire package of a set of films from a studio. Block booking made it very difficult for smaller, independent studios to compete with the major Hollywood studios. It also put an end to the studios owning their own theatres, where they would naturally be inclined to show their own films. Among the consequences of this Supreme Court decision was that independent film was finally able to proliferate after years of the industry being dominated by the major Hollywood studios. In the Fifties many independent producers released sci-fi and horror movies which would eventually become cult films. Many developed cults because they were actually very well done, such as The Blob and Roger Corman's classic Little Shop of Horrors. Others developed cults because they were so horribly bad that they could be enjoyed as comedies, such as Robot Monster and all of Ed Wood's films. Of course, as the Fifties became the Sixties, independent film matured. Bad sci-fi movies gave way to somewhat better, more intellectual motion pictures, such as Easy Rider and Midnight Cowboy, many of which also became cult films.
While cult movies began to proliferate in the Fifties and Sixties, it would arguably be the Seventies that would bring the phenomenon to the fore. It was the Seventies that saw the rise of midnight movies. For those of you who are too young to remember, there was a time when many theatres showed movies at midnight on Friday and Saturday (some even did it every night of the week). For the most part the most successful midnight movies seem to have been those which were well off the beaten track--in other words, they were perfect fodder to become cult movies. It was as a midnight movie that The Rocky Horror Picture Show developed its following. It was also as a midnight movie that Erasehead became a cult film. The list of movies which had bombed in their first release, but saw success as midnight movies and hence became cult films is a rather long one. Sadly, midnight movies declined in the Eighties, largely because of the advent of the VCR.
Of course, home video itself would be responsible for turning box office bombs into cult movies. The VCR and later the DVD player could redeem a movie that had failed at the box office, provided its VHS or DVD sales were good enough. And in some cases home video was responsible for turning movie into cult films. Examples of such films which received new life as cult movies on home video are Brazil, Angel Heart, Heathers, and Donnie Darko.
The phenomenon of cult films have existed at least since 1920 when The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari first hit movie screens. I rather suspect that it will exist as long as there are feature films. It is perhaps natural for like minded individuals to flock to the same film again and again. And it is perhaps even more natural if that film is somewhat left of centre. Given this, it can be expected that cult films are pretty much here to stay.
While the term "cult movie" would appear to be easy to definite, it is sometimes difficult to determine what is and is not a cult movie. It does seem that for any film to be considered a cult film by anyone, it would have to have a somewhat substantial (but not necessarily large) following. The 1999 version of Beowulf featuring Christopher Lambert in the title role may well have its fans (how I don't know...), but I doubt there are enough of them to constitute a substantial following or "cult." For a film to be a cult movie, it must not only have a following, but a somewhat substantial one. This can be demonstrated by looking at such archetypal cult films as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Evil Dead 2, and Donnie Darko, all of whic have pretty substantial followings.
At the same time, however, it seems to me that there must also be that for a motion picture to be considered a cult movie, it must not be part of the mainstream. I have seen Casablanca described as a cult movie, but I don't believe it for a moment. It is true Casablanca has a substantial (in fact, a very large) following. It is true that many are obsessively devoted to the film. At the same time, however, it must be pointed out that Casablanca is very much a part of the cinematic mainstream. Indeed, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. By their very nature, it would seem that cult movies are films which have in some way been rejected by the motion picture establishment,the general public, or both.
This is not to say that all cult movies must have done poorly on their first release. A Clockwork Orange made a very respectable gross of $26,589,355 in the United States when it was released in 1972. What makes it a cult movie is that it has maintained a cult following over the years and, despite its success, it pretty much lies outside the mainstream of movies. Of course, many cult films, perhaps most cult films, did fail at the box office upon first release. Harold and Maude bombed when it was first released in 1971, but developed a loyal following over the years. Eraserhead never even received a wide release, but became a cult movie after several years. It seems tome that it is ultimately not important whether a cult movie was a hit upon its first release or a box office bomb, but that it maintains a loyal following over the years and lies outside the cinematic mainstream.
Here it must be noted that the overall quality of a film appears to be insignificant as to whether it develops a cult or not. Many cult films are justifiably considered classics, among them A Clockwork Orange, Night of the Living Dead, Freaks, and Harold and Maude. Other cult films justifiably count as being among the worst films of all time, among them the anti-marijuana propaganda film Reefer Madness (originally released in 1936 as Tell Your Children), Robot Monster, and the entire oeuvre of Ed Wood. These films are so poorly made that they are laughable and hence, in some strange way, entertaining.
As stated earlier, it seems likely that cult movies have existed nearly as long as there have been feature films. In fact, Danny Peary, the author of Cult Movies, believes that The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (released in 1920) may well be the first cult movie. There would also be several other films which would develop cults surrounding them before the Fifties, among them Pandora's Box (1929), White Zombie (1932), Freaks (1932), and To Be or Not To Be (1942). There is no reason to believe that cult movies are a relatively recent phenomenon.
That having been said, it was arguably with the Fifties that cult movies would arrive as a widespread phenomenon. This was most likely due to a number of factors. Chief among these was the advent of regularly scheduled, broadcast network television in the United States in the late Forties. Television gave many older films a new lease on life, bringing them to a new generation of audiences. Movies such as The Most Dangerous Game (1932) and Sons of the Desert (1933) developed cult following after repeat showings on local television stations.
Another factor was the growth of independent film following World War II. A major blow was delivered to the Hollywood studios who had controlled the film industry, from the production to the exhibition of movies, in the form of the 1949 Supreme Court decision in the case of the United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. Among other things, the decision put an end to the practice of block booking, in which theatre owner would have to buy an entire package of a set of films from a studio. Block booking made it very difficult for smaller, independent studios to compete with the major Hollywood studios. It also put an end to the studios owning their own theatres, where they would naturally be inclined to show their own films. Among the consequences of this Supreme Court decision was that independent film was finally able to proliferate after years of the industry being dominated by the major Hollywood studios. In the Fifties many independent producers released sci-fi and horror movies which would eventually become cult films. Many developed cults because they were actually very well done, such as The Blob and Roger Corman's classic Little Shop of Horrors. Others developed cults because they were so horribly bad that they could be enjoyed as comedies, such as Robot Monster and all of Ed Wood's films. Of course, as the Fifties became the Sixties, independent film matured. Bad sci-fi movies gave way to somewhat better, more intellectual motion pictures, such as Easy Rider and Midnight Cowboy, many of which also became cult films.
While cult movies began to proliferate in the Fifties and Sixties, it would arguably be the Seventies that would bring the phenomenon to the fore. It was the Seventies that saw the rise of midnight movies. For those of you who are too young to remember, there was a time when many theatres showed movies at midnight on Friday and Saturday (some even did it every night of the week). For the most part the most successful midnight movies seem to have been those which were well off the beaten track--in other words, they were perfect fodder to become cult movies. It was as a midnight movie that The Rocky Horror Picture Show developed its following. It was also as a midnight movie that Erasehead became a cult film. The list of movies which had bombed in their first release, but saw success as midnight movies and hence became cult films is a rather long one. Sadly, midnight movies declined in the Eighties, largely because of the advent of the VCR.
Of course, home video itself would be responsible for turning box office bombs into cult movies. The VCR and later the DVD player could redeem a movie that had failed at the box office, provided its VHS or DVD sales were good enough. And in some cases home video was responsible for turning movie into cult films. Examples of such films which received new life as cult movies on home video are Brazil, Angel Heart, Heathers, and Donnie Darko.
The phenomenon of cult films have existed at least since 1920 when The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari first hit movie screens. I rather suspect that it will exist as long as there are feature films. It is perhaps natural for like minded individuals to flock to the same film again and again. And it is perhaps even more natural if that film is somewhat left of centre. Given this, it can be expected that cult films are pretty much here to stay.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Two Figures in Music Pass On
Two figures in music have recently passed. One was Leonard Rosenman, the film composer who scored many classic films and TV shows. The other was Norman Smith, the engineer on every single Beatles song from their first single into 1965.
Leonard Rosenman died Tuesday at the age of 83 from a heart attack. He was born in Brooklyn on September 7, 1924. He served in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific during World War II. Afterwards he received a bachelor's degree in music from the University of California, Berkeley. He eventually moved to New York with the intent of becoming a concert composer. He made his living teaching piano, numbering among his students the actor James Dean, then acting in the film East of Eden. It was through Dean that Rosenman met the film's director, Elia Kazan. Kazan was so impressed with Rosenman that he hired him to score East of Eden.
Beyond East of Eden, Rosenman would score several films over the years, including Rebel without a Cause, The Fantastic Voyage, A Man Called Horse, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. He also worked extensively in television. He composed music for the series Law of the Plainsman, The Defenders, and Combat, as well as several TV movies.
Although best known as a film composer, Rosenman continued to write concert music throughout his life.
Rosenman was among the most versatile film composers of his generation. He could write traditional film scores, such as the one he wrote for East of Eden. At the same time, however, he could write starkly original material, such as the atonal score for Fantastic Voyage. It is little surprise that Rosenman did win two Oscars one for Bound for Glory and Barry Lyndon.
Norman Smith, also known as "Hurricane Smith" and nicknamed "Norman Normal" by John Lennon, died Tuesday at the age of 85 from cancer. He was the engineer on The Beatles' early recordings and worked with other big names in rock as well.
Smith was born February 22, 1923 and grew up in Edmonton in London. Smith served in the Royal Air Force in World War II. After the war he worked as dance hall musician, even forming the band the Bobby Arnold Quintet. He did not enter the world of recording until 1959, when he took a job as a tape operator at EMI in 1959. Smith worked his way up the ladder at EMI until he was a full fledged engineer. In 1962 he was the engineer on duty when The Beatles came to EMI for their sound test. At that time EMI was very formal and engineers were required to wear suits and ties. It was because this that John Lennon nicknamed him normal. Despite being ribbed by The Beatles over the way he dressed, Smith chose to stay with the group. He was the engineer on every Beatles record until he last worked with them on the album Rubber Soul in 1965.
Following his work with The Beatles, Smith struck out on his own as a producer. He not only scouted a young band called Pink Floyd, but signed them as well. Smith would go onto produce their first two albums, Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Saucerful of Secrets. Smith also produced The Pretty Things' albums S. F. Sorrow (one of the earliest concept albums), Parachute, and Silk Torpedo.
Smith would have a bit of a recording career of his own. Adopting the nom de plume "Hurricane Smith," he had a modest it in the United Kingdom with "Don't Let It Die" in 1971. He followed this with a song that would be a hit on both sides of the Pond in 1972, "Oh Babe What Would You Say." He had some minor success with the follow up singles "My Mother Was Her Name," "Beautiful Day, Beautiful Night," and "To Make You My Baby."
There can be little doubt that Norman Smith played a major role in rock history. As the engineer on The Beatles' early recordings, it was Smith's job to pick out the instruments and the recording techniques, and then to combine everything together into a finished product. Smith went against the current tide in pop music and chose for The Beatles a sound that was more raw than what was usually heard on the radio at that time. And while Pink Floyd may have considered Smith too old fashioned, it seems likely they were wrong. Smith not only did a fine job producing the band's first two albums, but explored psychedelic sound even further with The Pretty Things. If S. F. Sorrow is considered a classic today, it is largely because of Smith's production. Whether as The Beatles' engineer or the producer for Pink Floyd and The Pretty Things, Norman Smith left his mark on rock history.
Leonard Rosenman died Tuesday at the age of 83 from a heart attack. He was born in Brooklyn on September 7, 1924. He served in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific during World War II. Afterwards he received a bachelor's degree in music from the University of California, Berkeley. He eventually moved to New York with the intent of becoming a concert composer. He made his living teaching piano, numbering among his students the actor James Dean, then acting in the film East of Eden. It was through Dean that Rosenman met the film's director, Elia Kazan. Kazan was so impressed with Rosenman that he hired him to score East of Eden.
Beyond East of Eden, Rosenman would score several films over the years, including Rebel without a Cause, The Fantastic Voyage, A Man Called Horse, Battle for the Planet of the Apes, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. He also worked extensively in television. He composed music for the series Law of the Plainsman, The Defenders, and Combat, as well as several TV movies.
Although best known as a film composer, Rosenman continued to write concert music throughout his life.
Rosenman was among the most versatile film composers of his generation. He could write traditional film scores, such as the one he wrote for East of Eden. At the same time, however, he could write starkly original material, such as the atonal score for Fantastic Voyage. It is little surprise that Rosenman did win two Oscars one for Bound for Glory and Barry Lyndon.
Norman Smith, also known as "Hurricane Smith" and nicknamed "Norman Normal" by John Lennon, died Tuesday at the age of 85 from cancer. He was the engineer on The Beatles' early recordings and worked with other big names in rock as well.
Smith was born February 22, 1923 and grew up in Edmonton in London. Smith served in the Royal Air Force in World War II. After the war he worked as dance hall musician, even forming the band the Bobby Arnold Quintet. He did not enter the world of recording until 1959, when he took a job as a tape operator at EMI in 1959. Smith worked his way up the ladder at EMI until he was a full fledged engineer. In 1962 he was the engineer on duty when The Beatles came to EMI for their sound test. At that time EMI was very formal and engineers were required to wear suits and ties. It was because this that John Lennon nicknamed him normal. Despite being ribbed by The Beatles over the way he dressed, Smith chose to stay with the group. He was the engineer on every Beatles record until he last worked with them on the album Rubber Soul in 1965.
Following his work with The Beatles, Smith struck out on his own as a producer. He not only scouted a young band called Pink Floyd, but signed them as well. Smith would go onto produce their first two albums, Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Saucerful of Secrets. Smith also produced The Pretty Things' albums S. F. Sorrow (one of the earliest concept albums), Parachute, and Silk Torpedo.
Smith would have a bit of a recording career of his own. Adopting the nom de plume "Hurricane Smith," he had a modest it in the United Kingdom with "Don't Let It Die" in 1971. He followed this with a song that would be a hit on both sides of the Pond in 1972, "Oh Babe What Would You Say." He had some minor success with the follow up singles "My Mother Was Her Name," "Beautiful Day, Beautiful Night," and "To Make You My Baby."
There can be little doubt that Norman Smith played a major role in rock history. As the engineer on The Beatles' early recordings, it was Smith's job to pick out the instruments and the recording techniques, and then to combine everything together into a finished product. Smith went against the current tide in pop music and chose for The Beatles a sound that was more raw than what was usually heard on the radio at that time. And while Pink Floyd may have considered Smith too old fashioned, it seems likely they were wrong. Smith not only did a fine job producing the band's first two albums, but explored psychedelic sound even further with The Pretty Things. If S. F. Sorrow is considered a classic today, it is largely because of Smith's production. Whether as The Beatles' engineer or the producer for Pink Floyd and The Pretty Things, Norman Smith left his mark on rock history.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
D&D Co-Creator Gargy Gygax Passes On
Many of you have probably not heard of Gary Gygax, but I rather suspect you have heard of the game he co-created with Dave Arneson, Dungeons and Dragons. Gary Gygax died Tuesday at the age of 69 He had suffered from an abdominal aneurysm recently.
Gygax was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 27, 1938. Gygax's family moved to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin when he was eight years old. He developed an interest in gaming while still young. He was around 15 years of age when he started playing miniature war games, including the legendary war game Gettysburg from Avalon Hill. It was in 1966 that Gygax, Bill Speer, and Scott Duncan founded the International Federation of Wargamers. It was in the late Sixties that Jeff Perren and Gary Gygax created the medieval miniatures wargame Chainmail. In 1971 they introduced a fantasy supplement for Chainmail, covering the use of fantasy creatures and spells. It was by that time that David Arneson and Gary Gygax began developing what would become Dungeons and Dragons. In 1973 Don Kaye and Gary Gygax founded Tactical Studies Rules, better known as TSR, as a partnership. Brian Blume and, for a short time, David Arneson, would later join the partnership. Initially publishing a board game called Cavaliers and Roundheads, TSR published the first edition of Dungeons and Dragons in 1974.
Although it may not have been the very first role playing game, Dungeons and Dragons was perhaps the fist to be widely available. Quite simply, role playing games are games in which the players create fictional characters, each with their own histories, personalities, and motivations distinct from their own. Another individual, the game master (GM for short), controls the imaginary enviroment in which the player characters exist (anything from a Tolkienesque fantasy world to World War II Europe), from playing non-player characters (NPCs) to creating the settings for adventures. The game master also acts as referee for the game.In many ways they are simply modern, adult variations on the old children's games of "cops and robbers" or "cowboys and Indians."
As one of the earliest role playing games, Dungeons and Dragons took the wargaming world by storm. Other role playing games, such as Game Designer's Workshop's sci-fi game Traveller and Flying Buffalo's Tunnels and Trolls, appeared almost immediately. Don Kaye died from a stroke in 1975, whereupon his widow sold his shares in the partnership to Gygax. Entering financial difficulties, Gygax would later sell shares to Brian and Kevin Blume. By 1977 they would own controlling interest in the company. It was that year that the company introduced Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, which would ultimately prove more successful than the original Dungeons and Dragons. Gygax would also co-create Boot Hill, TSR's popular role playing game set in the Wild West.
With changes in management in the company, Gary Gygax left TSR in 1985. After leaving TSR, Gygax created the game Cyborg Commando, published in 1987. It did not prove successful. He later created the role playing game Dangerous Journeys, published in 1992. Dangerous Journeys was meant to cover several different genres. Unfortunately, the system would not last. Lawsuits from TSR alleging that Dangerous Journeys infringed upon the Dungeons and Dragons trademark, even though the two gaming systems were notably different. In 1995 Gygax started work on yet another new role playing game. Originally meant to be played on a computer, Lejendary Adventure appeared in 1999 as an old fashioned, pen and paper role playing game. Lejendary Adventure is still in print. In 2004 Gary Gygax used the original rules for Dungeons and Dragons and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as the basis for the role playing game Castles and Crusade.
As co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax also appeared as himself on the TV series Code Monkeys and Futurama.
It was in 1981 when my brother returned from college that I was first introduced to Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The next many years would not only see me playing a good deal of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, but other role playing games as well (including Gary Gygax and Brian Blume's Boot Hill). And I think I actually owe a good deal to the role playing games in which I took part. I think role playing games helped energise my imagination, improved my ability to develop plots, and improvedmy ability to develop characters. Quite simply, I think that they made me a better writer. While I don't play role playing games any more, I must admit I owe a good deal to them. And because he co-created the game that started it all, I therefore owe a good deal to Gary Gygax. I must say I am truly saddened by his death.
Gygax was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 27, 1938. Gygax's family moved to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin when he was eight years old. He developed an interest in gaming while still young. He was around 15 years of age when he started playing miniature war games, including the legendary war game Gettysburg from Avalon Hill. It was in 1966 that Gygax, Bill Speer, and Scott Duncan founded the International Federation of Wargamers. It was in the late Sixties that Jeff Perren and Gary Gygax created the medieval miniatures wargame Chainmail. In 1971 they introduced a fantasy supplement for Chainmail, covering the use of fantasy creatures and spells. It was by that time that David Arneson and Gary Gygax began developing what would become Dungeons and Dragons. In 1973 Don Kaye and Gary Gygax founded Tactical Studies Rules, better known as TSR, as a partnership. Brian Blume and, for a short time, David Arneson, would later join the partnership. Initially publishing a board game called Cavaliers and Roundheads, TSR published the first edition of Dungeons and Dragons in 1974.
Although it may not have been the very first role playing game, Dungeons and Dragons was perhaps the fist to be widely available. Quite simply, role playing games are games in which the players create fictional characters, each with their own histories, personalities, and motivations distinct from their own. Another individual, the game master (GM for short), controls the imaginary enviroment in which the player characters exist (anything from a Tolkienesque fantasy world to World War II Europe), from playing non-player characters (NPCs) to creating the settings for adventures. The game master also acts as referee for the game.In many ways they are simply modern, adult variations on the old children's games of "cops and robbers" or "cowboys and Indians."
As one of the earliest role playing games, Dungeons and Dragons took the wargaming world by storm. Other role playing games, such as Game Designer's Workshop's sci-fi game Traveller and Flying Buffalo's Tunnels and Trolls, appeared almost immediately. Don Kaye died from a stroke in 1975, whereupon his widow sold his shares in the partnership to Gygax. Entering financial difficulties, Gygax would later sell shares to Brian and Kevin Blume. By 1977 they would own controlling interest in the company. It was that year that the company introduced Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, which would ultimately prove more successful than the original Dungeons and Dragons. Gygax would also co-create Boot Hill, TSR's popular role playing game set in the Wild West.
With changes in management in the company, Gary Gygax left TSR in 1985. After leaving TSR, Gygax created the game Cyborg Commando, published in 1987. It did not prove successful. He later created the role playing game Dangerous Journeys, published in 1992. Dangerous Journeys was meant to cover several different genres. Unfortunately, the system would not last. Lawsuits from TSR alleging that Dangerous Journeys infringed upon the Dungeons and Dragons trademark, even though the two gaming systems were notably different. In 1995 Gygax started work on yet another new role playing game. Originally meant to be played on a computer, Lejendary Adventure appeared in 1999 as an old fashioned, pen and paper role playing game. Lejendary Adventure is still in print. In 2004 Gary Gygax used the original rules for Dungeons and Dragons and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as the basis for the role playing game Castles and Crusade.
As co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax also appeared as himself on the TV series Code Monkeys and Futurama.
It was in 1981 when my brother returned from college that I was first introduced to Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The next many years would not only see me playing a good deal of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, but other role playing games as well (including Gary Gygax and Brian Blume's Boot Hill). And I think I actually owe a good deal to the role playing games in which I took part. I think role playing games helped energise my imagination, improved my ability to develop plots, and improvedmy ability to develop characters. Quite simply, I think that they made me a better writer. While I don't play role playing games any more, I must admit I owe a good deal to them. And because he co-created the game that started it all, I therefore owe a good deal to Gary Gygax. I must say I am truly saddened by his death.
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