The Stardust Resort and Casino, one of the most famous casinos in Las Vegas, was no more as of March 13, 2007. On that date the building was imploded in a ceremony which included a fireworks display, as if it was reason to celebrate. It was cleared to make way for Echelon Place, a resort which will feature 5000 rooms, a shopping mall, a production theatre, and 1 million square feet of meeting space.
I have never been to Las Vegas, so I never had the chance to see the Stardust in person. But like most Americans I have seen it both on television and movies. And like many people I am aware of its history. The Stardust was conceived by Tony Cornero. Cornero was hardly anyone's definition of an honest businessman. In the days of Prohibition he was a bootlegger. And unfortunately for Cornero, he was arrested and convicted for his crimes. After his release he and his brother went to Las Vegas. After several attempts at various casinos (not all of them in Las Vegas), Cornero decided to pursue his dream of creating the largest, plushest casino in the city. Unfortunately, Cornero would die before his dream came true. He had a fatal heart attack on July 31, 1955. Regardless, Moe Dalitz, owner of the Desert Inn and a man with his own shady past, saw the Stardust through to its completion. The Stardust opened in 1958. At the time it was possibly the largest resort hotel in the world. It was also the first casino in Las Vegas to cater to the average person. Its rates and its prices for food and drink were cheaper than any other casino at the time.
In addition to being possibly the most lavish casino for its time, the Stardust also boasted some of Las Vegas's more famous architecture. Its sign featured the solar system, complete with a 16 inch model of Earth, and the name "Stardust" in electric letters. At the time it was the largest sign in the world. Its roadside sign featured the name "Stardust" in a mass of twinkling lights.
Among other things, Stardust was famous for its French themed floor show, Lido de Paris. It ran from the hotel's opening to 1992. It also featured Las Vegas's only first run drive-in theatre. Over the years it featured a number of different performers, including George Carlin, Don Rickles, The Temptations, Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme, Harvey Korman and Tim Conway, Wayne Newton, and Siegfried and Roy.
Like many of the casinos in Las Vegas, the Stardust had a connection to organised crime for many years. Moe Dalitz had more than his share of links to the Mob. For many years the casino was under the control of the Chicago Outfit, the criminal organisation dating back to the days of Al Capone). It was in 1976 that authorities uncovered the fact that gangster Fraank Rosenthal had been secretly running the Stardust for years. Shady business dealing behind the Stardust came to further light when the casino was fined by the Nevada Gambling Comission $3 million for skimming. In March 1985 the Stardust was bought by Boyd Gaming Corporation, bringing to an end any connection the casino had to organised crime.
Unfortunately, the Stardust would eventually find itself behind the times. These days more revenue is generated in Las Vegas through hotel rooms, shows, and food than from gambling. The Stardust, where the casino was the star attraction, had become something of a dinosaur.
Regardless, the Stardust would leave its mark on American pop culture. It has appeared in movies from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to Mars Attacks. In the films Casino, Swingers, and the notoriously awful Showgirls, the Stardust had a starring role.
While Echelon Place might have more rooms and even more amenities than the Stardust, I very seriously doubt that it will have the cultural resonance which the Stardust did. With the destruction of the Stardust, it seems to me that we have seen yet another piece of American gone up in dust. The Sands and the Desert Inn were destroyed years ago. For better or worse, Las Vegas is changing. And while those in charge of the resorts and casinos might feel this is for the better, I can't help but worry the city is losing the character that made it famous. Okay, the city is better off without mobsters operating the casinos, but I don't think it is better off without the old classic casinos. Quite simply, the Echelon will never take the place of the Stardust.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Arnold Drake 1924-2007
Most of this blog's readers have probably never heard of Arnold Drake. I would even be surprised if most of this blog's readers have even heard of his creations. But Arnold Drake was one of the most innovative and influential writers in comic books. Among other things, he created both the Doom Patrol and Deadman. Drake died March 12 at the age of 83 after a bout with pneumonia.
Arnold Drake was born March 1, 1924. As a child he exhibited an interest in comic strips early. When he was 12 he contracted scarlet fever and was confined to his bed. His mother bought him bridge pads to use as drawing paper, and it was while he was sick in bed that he created his first comic strips. He soon realised that he was more interested in writing comic strips than in drawing them. Drake majored in Journalism at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He later attended New York University.
While at New York University, Drake took on a variety of writing jobs, doing public relations work for AT&T, Blue Cross, IBM, and so on. He sold some text and a few stories for the smaller comic book publishers. It was while Drake was in college that he, future novelist Leslie Waller, and artist Matt Baker more or less invented the graphic novel. They had hit upon the idea of a "picture novel," essentially a novel in comic book form. The plan was that their picture novels would be more sophisticated than the average comic book of the day, written for adults rather than children. They interested publisher Archer St. John in publishing a series of picture novels in mass market paperback form. The first published picture novel (in 1950), It Rhymes with Lust, was a film noir potboiler. A second picture novel, The Case of the Winking Buddha, by writer Manning Lee Stokes and artist Charles Raab, was subsequently published. Unfortunately, neither sold well and the idea of the picture novel died on the vine.
Regardless, Drake would still find a career in the comic book industry. Batman creator Bob Kane was his brother Milton's neighbour. Kane, Drake, and Drake's brother began working together on a project, and Kane introduced Drake to DC Comics' editorial staff. His first work for DC was for House of Mystery. Drake was soon writing for such DC titles and strips as House of Mystery, Batman, Space Ranger, Tommy Tomorrow, and Mark Merlin. Drake created the comic strip Stanley and His Monster for DC's Fox and Crow magazine. He would eventually work on both the Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis comic books, as well as Little Lulu.
It was in 1963 that Arnold Drake would make his biggest mark in comic book history. Editor Murray Boltinoff asked him to create a feature for the ailing My Greatest Adventure magazine. The idea Drake and fellow writer Bob Haney developed was that of a superhero team who were more or less outcasts, led by a man in a wheelchair. If the idea sounds familiar, it is because it is more or less the same concept behind X-Men. The catch is that the Doom Patrol first appeared three months before the first issue of Uncanny X-Men! Th Doom Patrol consisted of Cliff Steele, whose brain was placed in the body of a robot following an accident, turning him into Robotman; test pilot Larry Trainor, whose body became radioactive after exposure to radiation, but who gained the ability to project himself in the form of negative energy; and Elasti-Girl, actress Rita Farr, who after being exposed to unusual volcanic gases gained the ability to shrink or grow at will. The team was led by Dr. Niles Caulder, called the Chief, who was bound to a wheelchair following an accident.
The Doom Patrol ran for 41 issues. During the series' run, Drake displayed his originality in the often bizarre villains the team faced. Among the villains the team faced was: Mr. 103, a villain who could turn himself into any of the 103 elements known in 1963; Ultimax, a sentient computer; and the alien invader Garguax. Among the Doom Patrol's deadliest opponents were the Brotherhood of Evil, led by the Brain (who was precisely that--a disembodied brain maintained through artificial life support) and featuring the intelligent and deadly ape Monsieur Mallah and the shapeshifting Madame Rouge. While the Brotherhood of Evil were deadly, they were nothing compared to the Doom Patrol's archnemesis, General Immortus, the immortal leader of a crime syndicate.
Sadly, as the Sixties wound down sales for The Doom Patrol declined. It was with the magazine's final issue that Arnold Drake took the revolutionary step of killing off the team. In final battle against Madame Rogue, the Doom Patrol sacrificed themselves to save a Maine fishing village. It was the first time that a comic magazine ended its run with the deaths of its main characters. Regardless, the Doom Patrol maintains a cult following to this day, allowing for several revivals (most notably one written by Grant Morrison). Much of their mythos (including the Brotherhood of Evil) would later be used in issues of The Teen Titans.
Drake's second most famous creation would also come about because a comic magazine was in need of a boost. Editor Jack Miller approached Drake with the idea of creating a new superhero for the failing Strange Adventures. The idea Drake developed with artist Carmine Infantino was that of Deadman. Deadman was aerialist Boston Brand, Who was murdered while performing on the trapeze. Brand's ghost was given the ability to possess any living creature by the goddess Rama Kushna so he could find his killer. In the meantime, however, Brand often found himself using his powers to aid others. In some respects, it was a precursor to the show Quantum Leap.
Perhaps unfortunately, Arnold Drake did not always get along well with his editors. His various disagreements with editors at DC would result in his dismissal, alongside many of the other longtime writers at the publisher (including Batman co-creator Bob Finger). Ironically, Drake would later go to work for Marvel on, of all things, The Uncanny X-Men, a superhero team with an uncanny resemblance to the Doom Patrol. He would eventually take up residence at Gold Key Comics, where he worked on The Twilight Zone and Star Trek. In addition to writing comic books, Arnold Drake also worked in B-movies. He wrote the screenplays for the low budget horror movie The Flesh Eaters and the low budget crime drama Who Killed Teddy Bear.
Although he was not one of the best known names in the comic book industry, Arnold Drake was undoubtedly an innovator who dared to venture where few others would. His Doom Patrol predated the more popular X-Men and he was the first writer to actually kill of his characters at the end of their run. Deadman was a revolutionary character for his era and, as pointed out earlier, was a forerunner of the same idea as that in the TV show Quantum Leap. It is perhaps a mark of Drake's influence that there are feature films based on both the Doom Patrol and Deadman are in development. And while his idea for "picture novels" never got off the ground, it foreshadowed the rise of graphic novels in the Seventies and Eighties. Growing up Doom Patrol was among my favourite titles--I read as many of the reprints as I could get my hands on. Much of this was because of Drake's sheer creativity as a writer. In the Sixties he was doing things in the pages of Doom Patrol that would make even Stan Lee and the guys at Marvel look tame. I must admit to being very sad upon hearing of his death.
Arnold Drake was born March 1, 1924. As a child he exhibited an interest in comic strips early. When he was 12 he contracted scarlet fever and was confined to his bed. His mother bought him bridge pads to use as drawing paper, and it was while he was sick in bed that he created his first comic strips. He soon realised that he was more interested in writing comic strips than in drawing them. Drake majored in Journalism at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He later attended New York University.
While at New York University, Drake took on a variety of writing jobs, doing public relations work for AT&T, Blue Cross, IBM, and so on. He sold some text and a few stories for the smaller comic book publishers. It was while Drake was in college that he, future novelist Leslie Waller, and artist Matt Baker more or less invented the graphic novel. They had hit upon the idea of a "picture novel," essentially a novel in comic book form. The plan was that their picture novels would be more sophisticated than the average comic book of the day, written for adults rather than children. They interested publisher Archer St. John in publishing a series of picture novels in mass market paperback form. The first published picture novel (in 1950), It Rhymes with Lust, was a film noir potboiler. A second picture novel, The Case of the Winking Buddha, by writer Manning Lee Stokes and artist Charles Raab, was subsequently published. Unfortunately, neither sold well and the idea of the picture novel died on the vine.
Regardless, Drake would still find a career in the comic book industry. Batman creator Bob Kane was his brother Milton's neighbour. Kane, Drake, and Drake's brother began working together on a project, and Kane introduced Drake to DC Comics' editorial staff. His first work for DC was for House of Mystery. Drake was soon writing for such DC titles and strips as House of Mystery, Batman, Space Ranger, Tommy Tomorrow, and Mark Merlin. Drake created the comic strip Stanley and His Monster for DC's Fox and Crow magazine. He would eventually work on both the Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis comic books, as well as Little Lulu.
It was in 1963 that Arnold Drake would make his biggest mark in comic book history. Editor Murray Boltinoff asked him to create a feature for the ailing My Greatest Adventure magazine. The idea Drake and fellow writer Bob Haney developed was that of a superhero team who were more or less outcasts, led by a man in a wheelchair. If the idea sounds familiar, it is because it is more or less the same concept behind X-Men. The catch is that the Doom Patrol first appeared three months before the first issue of Uncanny X-Men! Th Doom Patrol consisted of Cliff Steele, whose brain was placed in the body of a robot following an accident, turning him into Robotman; test pilot Larry Trainor, whose body became radioactive after exposure to radiation, but who gained the ability to project himself in the form of negative energy; and Elasti-Girl, actress Rita Farr, who after being exposed to unusual volcanic gases gained the ability to shrink or grow at will. The team was led by Dr. Niles Caulder, called the Chief, who was bound to a wheelchair following an accident.
The Doom Patrol ran for 41 issues. During the series' run, Drake displayed his originality in the often bizarre villains the team faced. Among the villains the team faced was: Mr. 103, a villain who could turn himself into any of the 103 elements known in 1963; Ultimax, a sentient computer; and the alien invader Garguax. Among the Doom Patrol's deadliest opponents were the Brotherhood of Evil, led by the Brain (who was precisely that--a disembodied brain maintained through artificial life support) and featuring the intelligent and deadly ape Monsieur Mallah and the shapeshifting Madame Rouge. While the Brotherhood of Evil were deadly, they were nothing compared to the Doom Patrol's archnemesis, General Immortus, the immortal leader of a crime syndicate.
Sadly, as the Sixties wound down sales for The Doom Patrol declined. It was with the magazine's final issue that Arnold Drake took the revolutionary step of killing off the team. In final battle against Madame Rogue, the Doom Patrol sacrificed themselves to save a Maine fishing village. It was the first time that a comic magazine ended its run with the deaths of its main characters. Regardless, the Doom Patrol maintains a cult following to this day, allowing for several revivals (most notably one written by Grant Morrison). Much of their mythos (including the Brotherhood of Evil) would later be used in issues of The Teen Titans.
Drake's second most famous creation would also come about because a comic magazine was in need of a boost. Editor Jack Miller approached Drake with the idea of creating a new superhero for the failing Strange Adventures. The idea Drake developed with artist Carmine Infantino was that of Deadman. Deadman was aerialist Boston Brand, Who was murdered while performing on the trapeze. Brand's ghost was given the ability to possess any living creature by the goddess Rama Kushna so he could find his killer. In the meantime, however, Brand often found himself using his powers to aid others. In some respects, it was a precursor to the show Quantum Leap.
Perhaps unfortunately, Arnold Drake did not always get along well with his editors. His various disagreements with editors at DC would result in his dismissal, alongside many of the other longtime writers at the publisher (including Batman co-creator Bob Finger). Ironically, Drake would later go to work for Marvel on, of all things, The Uncanny X-Men, a superhero team with an uncanny resemblance to the Doom Patrol. He would eventually take up residence at Gold Key Comics, where he worked on The Twilight Zone and Star Trek. In addition to writing comic books, Arnold Drake also worked in B-movies. He wrote the screenplays for the low budget horror movie The Flesh Eaters and the low budget crime drama Who Killed Teddy Bear.
Although he was not one of the best known names in the comic book industry, Arnold Drake was undoubtedly an innovator who dared to venture where few others would. His Doom Patrol predated the more popular X-Men and he was the first writer to actually kill of his characters at the end of their run. Deadman was a revolutionary character for his era and, as pointed out earlier, was a forerunner of the same idea as that in the TV show Quantum Leap. It is perhaps a mark of Drake's influence that there are feature films based on both the Doom Patrol and Deadman are in development. And while his idea for "picture novels" never got off the ground, it foreshadowed the rise of graphic novels in the Seventies and Eighties. Growing up Doom Patrol was among my favourite titles--I read as many of the reprints as I could get my hands on. Much of this was because of Drake's sheer creativity as a writer. In the Sixties he was doing things in the pages of Doom Patrol that would make even Stan Lee and the guys at Marvel look tame. I must admit to being very sad upon hearing of his death.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Betty Hutton R.I.P.
Betty Hutton, star of stage and screen, died Sunday at age 86 of complications from colon cancer.
Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 26, 1921 in Battle Creek, Michigan. Her father, a railroad foreman, left the family while Hutton was still young. She entered show business while still young, singing in a speakeasy run by her family at age 3. Hutton was discovered by orchestra leader Vincent Lopez and performed with his band for a few years. She made her film debut in several Warner Brothers shorts. By 1940 she was appearing on Broadway in Two For the Show. That same year she appeared on Broadway in Panama Hattie.
It was in 1942 that she made her feature film debut in The Fleet's In. For the next several years she appeared in such films as The Miracle of Morgan Creek, Incendiary Blonde, and The Stork Club. She played Pearl White in the bio flick The Perils of Pauline in 1947. Perhaps her biggest claim to fame came when she replaced Judy Garland as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun. Hutton made the part all her own and it remains the role for which she is most famous. She appeared in the lead role in the big budget extravaganza The Greatest Show on Earth. Unfortunately for Hutton, after appearing in the film Somebody Loves Me, she insisted that her husband at the time, Charles O'Curran and Paramount refused. As a result, Hutton broke her contract and effectively ended her film career.
Hutton would return to the stage, appearing on Broadway in Betty Hutton and Her All-Star International Show in the early Fifties. In the Sixties she would appear on Broadway in Fade In, Fade Out. She would also play Miss Hannigan in Annie in the Seventies, replacing Dorothy Loudon.
Hutton also made a career for herself in television. She starred in the NBC TV special Satins and Spurs in 1954 and had her own show during the 1959-1960 season. She made guest appearances on Burke's Law, Gunsmoke, and Baretta. Following her acting career, Hutton would get a master's degree from Salve Regina, a Catholic college. She would go on to teach acting and oral interpretation at Emerson College.
I must admit that I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Betty Hutton. Beyond obviously being beautiful and blonde, she was also one of the most vivacious stars of the silver screen. Her voice was an incredible instrument, and I imagine she could be heard across a room even without a microphone. She also a natural gift for comedy, with perfect timing and a face that was very expressive. Although I've always been a fan of Judy Garland, I have to wonder if it wasn't serendipity for Paramount that she was unable to finish Annie Get Your Gun. I can certainly picture no one better in the role than Betty Hutton was. I must say that I am truly saddened by her passing.
Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 26, 1921 in Battle Creek, Michigan. Her father, a railroad foreman, left the family while Hutton was still young. She entered show business while still young, singing in a speakeasy run by her family at age 3. Hutton was discovered by orchestra leader Vincent Lopez and performed with his band for a few years. She made her film debut in several Warner Brothers shorts. By 1940 she was appearing on Broadway in Two For the Show. That same year she appeared on Broadway in Panama Hattie.
It was in 1942 that she made her feature film debut in The Fleet's In. For the next several years she appeared in such films as The Miracle of Morgan Creek, Incendiary Blonde, and The Stork Club. She played Pearl White in the bio flick The Perils of Pauline in 1947. Perhaps her biggest claim to fame came when she replaced Judy Garland as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun. Hutton made the part all her own and it remains the role for which she is most famous. She appeared in the lead role in the big budget extravaganza The Greatest Show on Earth. Unfortunately for Hutton, after appearing in the film Somebody Loves Me, she insisted that her husband at the time, Charles O'Curran and Paramount refused. As a result, Hutton broke her contract and effectively ended her film career.
Hutton would return to the stage, appearing on Broadway in Betty Hutton and Her All-Star International Show in the early Fifties. In the Sixties she would appear on Broadway in Fade In, Fade Out. She would also play Miss Hannigan in Annie in the Seventies, replacing Dorothy Loudon.
Hutton also made a career for herself in television. She starred in the NBC TV special Satins and Spurs in 1954 and had her own show during the 1959-1960 season. She made guest appearances on Burke's Law, Gunsmoke, and Baretta. Following her acting career, Hutton would get a master's degree from Salve Regina, a Catholic college. She would go on to teach acting and oral interpretation at Emerson College.
I must admit that I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Betty Hutton. Beyond obviously being beautiful and blonde, she was also one of the most vivacious stars of the silver screen. Her voice was an incredible instrument, and I imagine she could be heard across a room even without a microphone. She also a natural gift for comedy, with perfect timing and a face that was very expressive. Although I've always been a fan of Judy Garland, I have to wonder if it wasn't serendipity for Paramount that she was unable to finish Annie Get Your Gun. I can certainly picture no one better in the role than Betty Hutton was. I must say that I am truly saddened by her passing.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
American Idol Is Not a Reality Show
The new season of American Idol began not long ago. As it has in the past, the show has dominated the Nielsen ratings. And, as usual, there have been numerous news stories about the talent competition. I am willing to bet in that a majority of those news stories, American Idol is described as a "reality show." It is on this point I must disagree with those news stories.
Granted, the term "reality show" is a rather broad one that has been used of a large number of different sorts of shows in the past. Candid Camera, which used hidden cameras to capture people's reactions to various pranks, was described as a reality show. So too was Art Linkletter's Kids Say the Darndest Things, in which the famous TV host simply interviewed youngster. At the same time, however, the term "reality show" has also been used of the cinema verite of Cops and the competition on Survivor.
It seems to me to determine what precisely is a reality show, then, we must look at what these shows have in common. In each case it seems to me that these shows present the relatively unscripted actions, reactions, or interactions of people to various situations, excluding sporting events, game shows, and news shows. For me, then, the emphasis in any reality show should be on the actions, reactions, or interactions of the individuals involved. This is why I do not consider game shows to be "reality shows," because the emphasis is on the game itself, not on the actions, reactions, or interactions of people. Of course, there are going to be cases in which the lines between reality shows and other genres are blurred. Given that it is essentially a competition, Survivor could be considered a game show. That having been said, it has always seemed to me that the emphasis not so much on the competition itself, but in the interactions between the competitors. In other words, Survivor is a reality show with aspects of a game show.
Now, in the case of American Idol, the emphasis of the show is entirely on the competition between the various singers. It is not on the interactions of the singers among themselves, their reactions to various situations, or their actions when they are not singing. American Idol is then not a reality show. As to what it really is, American Idol is simply a talent show. Talents shows have existed since The Original Amateur Hour debuted on radio in 1934. And they have been popular since the earliest days of television. The Original Amateur Hour made the transition to television in 1948 and lasted in some form until 1970. Star Search ran throughout the Eighties and into the Nineties, lasting a good twelve years. While it is not a reality show, American Idol is nothing new. Talent shows have been around for decades.
American Idol is as popular as ever. And I rather suspect, given the history of other talent shows, it will remain on the years for many more years. And, for better or worse, I suspect it will continue to be mislabelled a "reality show."
Granted, the term "reality show" is a rather broad one that has been used of a large number of different sorts of shows in the past. Candid Camera, which used hidden cameras to capture people's reactions to various pranks, was described as a reality show. So too was Art Linkletter's Kids Say the Darndest Things, in which the famous TV host simply interviewed youngster. At the same time, however, the term "reality show" has also been used of the cinema verite of Cops and the competition on Survivor.
It seems to me to determine what precisely is a reality show, then, we must look at what these shows have in common. In each case it seems to me that these shows present the relatively unscripted actions, reactions, or interactions of people to various situations, excluding sporting events, game shows, and news shows. For me, then, the emphasis in any reality show should be on the actions, reactions, or interactions of the individuals involved. This is why I do not consider game shows to be "reality shows," because the emphasis is on the game itself, not on the actions, reactions, or interactions of people. Of course, there are going to be cases in which the lines between reality shows and other genres are blurred. Given that it is essentially a competition, Survivor could be considered a game show. That having been said, it has always seemed to me that the emphasis not so much on the competition itself, but in the interactions between the competitors. In other words, Survivor is a reality show with aspects of a game show.
Now, in the case of American Idol, the emphasis of the show is entirely on the competition between the various singers. It is not on the interactions of the singers among themselves, their reactions to various situations, or their actions when they are not singing. American Idol is then not a reality show. As to what it really is, American Idol is simply a talent show. Talents shows have existed since The Original Amateur Hour debuted on radio in 1934. And they have been popular since the earliest days of television. The Original Amateur Hour made the transition to television in 1948 and lasted in some form until 1970. Star Search ran throughout the Eighties and into the Nineties, lasting a good twelve years. While it is not a reality show, American Idol is nothing new. Talent shows have been around for decades.
American Idol is as popular as ever. And I rather suspect, given the history of other talent shows, it will remain on the years for many more years. And, for better or worse, I suspect it will continue to be mislabelled a "reality show."
Saturday, March 10, 2007
300
Of the movies being released this year, 300 may well have been the one I was most looking forward. In my youth one of my favourite films was 300 Spartans. And years ago I read the graphic novel 300 by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley. Loving both the 1962 movie and the graphic novel based on the same historical event, 300 was definitely a film I wanted to see. That I got to do so on my birthday was an even bigger treat.
Like the graphic novel upon which it is based, 300 is based on the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE), in which a force of 300 men led by King Leonidas of Sparta faced down an army of literally thousands belonging to the Persian Empire (then ruled by Xerxes I). 300 departs a bit from the historical event, but it does capture the spirit of the battle in a way that a more historically accurate movie may not have.
Indeed, 300 is literally an overwhelming movie. Its strongest point is definitely its visuals, taken almost directly from the original graphic novel. The movie was filmed against a blue screen, using CGI to generate the backgrounds and many of the effects. As a result, 300 looks like no other movie before it. The imagery is surrealistic and wonderfully bigger than life, befitting an event which literally changed the course of history. The battle scenes are more violent than any movie I've ever seen, grandiose in the way that a historical epic should be. There is blood to spare in this film, and possibly more beheadings than in any film in recent history. Quite simply, if you are the least squeamish about violence in movies, then I can guarantee you won't like this film.
Grandiose visuals is not the only thing 300 has going for it, however, as it moves at the pace that is almost literally non-stop. Especially once the battle begins, there is almost never a quiet moment. Fortunately, its pace does not sacrifice a good story. This is a compelling tale with strong characters. Indeed, Gerard Butler (who seems to be making a career of playing legendary kings--he played Beowulf in Beowulf and Grendel) plays King Leonidas with honesty and conviction. This is a king who means it when he says that he would die for any one of his men. An equally strong performance is given by Lena Headey as Queen Gorgo, who is convincing as a woman who is as strong in spirit as the mightiest Spartan warriors. Rather than crying over her husband going to what is a certain death, this is a woman who willingly accepts his date with destiny.
In the end 300 is literally an overwhelming film. Forget that it departs a good deal from the historical record. Forget that at times it can be very unrealistic. This is the perfect visual representation of one of the greatest battles in history, overpowering at times but capturing the spirit of the Battle of Thermopylae.
Like the graphic novel upon which it is based, 300 is based on the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE), in which a force of 300 men led by King Leonidas of Sparta faced down an army of literally thousands belonging to the Persian Empire (then ruled by Xerxes I). 300 departs a bit from the historical event, but it does capture the spirit of the battle in a way that a more historically accurate movie may not have.
Indeed, 300 is literally an overwhelming movie. Its strongest point is definitely its visuals, taken almost directly from the original graphic novel. The movie was filmed against a blue screen, using CGI to generate the backgrounds and many of the effects. As a result, 300 looks like no other movie before it. The imagery is surrealistic and wonderfully bigger than life, befitting an event which literally changed the course of history. The battle scenes are more violent than any movie I've ever seen, grandiose in the way that a historical epic should be. There is blood to spare in this film, and possibly more beheadings than in any film in recent history. Quite simply, if you are the least squeamish about violence in movies, then I can guarantee you won't like this film.
Grandiose visuals is not the only thing 300 has going for it, however, as it moves at the pace that is almost literally non-stop. Especially once the battle begins, there is almost never a quiet moment. Fortunately, its pace does not sacrifice a good story. This is a compelling tale with strong characters. Indeed, Gerard Butler (who seems to be making a career of playing legendary kings--he played Beowulf in Beowulf and Grendel) plays King Leonidas with honesty and conviction. This is a king who means it when he says that he would die for any one of his men. An equally strong performance is given by Lena Headey as Queen Gorgo, who is convincing as a woman who is as strong in spirit as the mightiest Spartan warriors. Rather than crying over her husband going to what is a certain death, this is a woman who willingly accepts his date with destiny.
In the end 300 is literally an overwhelming film. Forget that it departs a good deal from the historical record. Forget that at times it can be very unrealistic. This is the perfect visual representation of one of the greatest battles in history, overpowering at times but capturing the spirit of the Battle of Thermopylae.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Rap in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?!
Every year I look forward to the list of new inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And most years I find myself somewhat disappointed at the list. This year, however, I think I am more disappointed than I ever have been. While the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is inducting such worthy honourees as The Ronettes, R.E.M. and Patti Smith, they are also inducting Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. My objections to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five are very basic. Quite simply, they are not rock and roll. They are not even close.
For those of you who have never heard of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, they are pioneers of the so called musical genre known as rap. Their single, "The Message," released in 1982, was among rap's earliest hits. Now I will admit that this makes Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five important to the history of rap, the fact remains that rap is an entirely different genre from rock and as a result the importance of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five on the history of rock music is negligible. In my mind, including them in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would be like including Guy Lombardo or Merle Haggard. They may be important figures in their own respective genres of music, but they are not rock and roll.
What makes me angrier about this is that there are still many deserving artists who are clearly rock acts that have yet to be inducted into the Hall of the Fame. KISS had an enormous impact on Heavy Metal music and, for better or worse, the hair bands of the Eighties, but they are still not part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Judas Priest sparked the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, yet they have never been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Cheap Trick is perhaps the most famous Power Pop band around, with a history spanning over 25 years and a cult following, but they have never been inducted either. The Moody Blues have had a lasting impact on progressive rock and orchestral rock, but they still are not part of the Hall of Fame. To induct a rap group, which has had no impact on rock music, but not to induct important rock groups that have, is a slap in the face to these groups and their fans alike.
Admittedly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has inducted individuals that I would not consider rock artists before and whose contributions to rock music were minimal at best, non-existent at worst. While I admit Miles Davis was a great talent, he was hardly a rock musician. And while I have always loved Bob Marley, I am not sure that reggae qualifies as rock and roll any more than rap. Still, I had hoped that this year perhaps the Hall of Fame would clean up their act and stick to purely rock acts. That they didn't cannot help but make me unhappy. I can't help but think that perhaps rock music needs another Hall of Fame, one whose definition of rock and roll isn't quite so broad as to include artists who obviously are not rock. As it is, next year I have to wonder if I can't look forward to Ludwig Von Beethoven and Buck Owens joining the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
For those of you who have never heard of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, they are pioneers of the so called musical genre known as rap. Their single, "The Message," released in 1982, was among rap's earliest hits. Now I will admit that this makes Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five important to the history of rap, the fact remains that rap is an entirely different genre from rock and as a result the importance of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five on the history of rock music is negligible. In my mind, including them in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would be like including Guy Lombardo or Merle Haggard. They may be important figures in their own respective genres of music, but they are not rock and roll.
What makes me angrier about this is that there are still many deserving artists who are clearly rock acts that have yet to be inducted into the Hall of the Fame. KISS had an enormous impact on Heavy Metal music and, for better or worse, the hair bands of the Eighties, but they are still not part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Judas Priest sparked the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, yet they have never been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Cheap Trick is perhaps the most famous Power Pop band around, with a history spanning over 25 years and a cult following, but they have never been inducted either. The Moody Blues have had a lasting impact on progressive rock and orchestral rock, but they still are not part of the Hall of Fame. To induct a rap group, which has had no impact on rock music, but not to induct important rock groups that have, is a slap in the face to these groups and their fans alike.
Admittedly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has inducted individuals that I would not consider rock artists before and whose contributions to rock music were minimal at best, non-existent at worst. While I admit Miles Davis was a great talent, he was hardly a rock musician. And while I have always loved Bob Marley, I am not sure that reggae qualifies as rock and roll any more than rap. Still, I had hoped that this year perhaps the Hall of Fame would clean up their act and stick to purely rock acts. That they didn't cannot help but make me unhappy. I can't help but think that perhaps rock music needs another Hall of Fame, one whose definition of rock and roll isn't quite so broad as to include artists who obviously are not rock. As it is, next year I have to wonder if I can't look forward to Ludwig Von Beethoven and Buck Owens joining the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
Thursday, March 8, 2007
John Inman 1935-2007
John Inman, most famous for playing the flamboyant Mr. Humphries on the classic Britcom Are You Being Served died today at the age of 71. He had been suffering from Hepatitis A.
Inman was born in Preston, Lancashire on June 28, 1935. His family moved to Blackpool when he was 12. Even as a child he wanted to be an actor. His family even paid for elocution lessons. He made his stage debut at the age of 13 at Blackpool's South Pier. At age 21 he joined a touring repertory theatre company. He made his debut on the West End in Ann Veronica in the late Sixties.
Inman's greatest claim to fame would come through television. He made his TV debut in 1970 in a guest appearance in the sitcom Two in Clover. It was in 1972 that Inman was cast in the role of Wilberforce Claybourne Humphries on Are You Being Served. The sitcom was set in the aging Grace Brothers Department Store in London, where the menswear department was suddenly forced to share their floor space with the ladies department. Are You Being Served was an immediate success, lasting ten seasons and becoming a cult classic in the United States. It is still rerun to this day on both sides of the Atlantic. Mr. Humphries may well have been the most popular character on the show. Flamboyant and extremely close to his mother, Mr. Humphries' sexual orientation was always under question, even though it was never made explicit whether or not he was gay. The question "Is he or isn't he" was one of the show's long running gags. In 1976 he won the BBC Personality of the Year and was voted Funniest Man of the Year by readers of The Radio Times.
Inman also appeared on the sitcoms Odd Man Out, Take a Letter Mr. Jones, and Grace and Favour (the sequel to Are You Being Served). Following Are You Being Served, Inman became well known for his pantomimes, appearing in over 40 such productions across Britain.
Are You Being Served has always been one of my favourite sitcoms to come out of Britain. I must also admit that Mr. Humphries was always my favourite character on the show. The reason for this was quite simply Inman's comic talents. As Humphries he could be wonderfully over the top, yet at the same time the character possessed a gift for understatement. Indeed, as Mr. Humphries, Inman could get a laugh with a simple look. I must say that I am truly saddened by his passing.
Inman was born in Preston, Lancashire on June 28, 1935. His family moved to Blackpool when he was 12. Even as a child he wanted to be an actor. His family even paid for elocution lessons. He made his stage debut at the age of 13 at Blackpool's South Pier. At age 21 he joined a touring repertory theatre company. He made his debut on the West End in Ann Veronica in the late Sixties.
Inman's greatest claim to fame would come through television. He made his TV debut in 1970 in a guest appearance in the sitcom Two in Clover. It was in 1972 that Inman was cast in the role of Wilberforce Claybourne Humphries on Are You Being Served. The sitcom was set in the aging Grace Brothers Department Store in London, where the menswear department was suddenly forced to share their floor space with the ladies department. Are You Being Served was an immediate success, lasting ten seasons and becoming a cult classic in the United States. It is still rerun to this day on both sides of the Atlantic. Mr. Humphries may well have been the most popular character on the show. Flamboyant and extremely close to his mother, Mr. Humphries' sexual orientation was always under question, even though it was never made explicit whether or not he was gay. The question "Is he or isn't he" was one of the show's long running gags. In 1976 he won the BBC Personality of the Year and was voted Funniest Man of the Year by readers of The Radio Times.
Inman also appeared on the sitcoms Odd Man Out, Take a Letter Mr. Jones, and Grace and Favour (the sequel to Are You Being Served). Following Are You Being Served, Inman became well known for his pantomimes, appearing in over 40 such productions across Britain.
Are You Being Served has always been one of my favourite sitcoms to come out of Britain. I must also admit that Mr. Humphries was always my favourite character on the show. The reason for this was quite simply Inman's comic talents. As Humphries he could be wonderfully over the top, yet at the same time the character possessed a gift for understatement. Indeed, as Mr. Humphries, Inman could get a laugh with a simple look. I must say that I am truly saddened by his passing.
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