1. I've been re-watching some of Batman: The Animated Series lately, reminding myself of just how good it really was. Those gorgeous black-paper backgrounds, that wonderful Fleischer-style animation (the creators said they wanted it to look as though it had been made in the 1940s. I think they succeeded both in look and feel), those … Continue reading Flotsam: Mostly Batman
Television
Saturday Surfeit: Collective Natures
1. Obviously missed yesterday. Not anything serious, just sort of got distracted. 2. One of the great mistakes of modern thought, it seems to me, is in the dichotomy of collectivism vs. individualism. See, the trouble is that thinking in either term misses key facts about human nature and the nature of things in general. … Continue reading Saturday Surfeit: Collective Natures
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet was one of the top classic radio pulp heroes, along with the Lone Ranger (from the same author -Fran Striker - and whom the Hornet was descended from) and the king of all pulps, the Shadow. By day he's newspaper magnate Britt Reid (back when that was a more respectable occupation than … Continue reading The Green Hornet
San Francisco International
On Saturdays I like to offer some form of entertainment. Sometimes it's my own fiction, other times it's bringing attention to something that I think is worth your time. For today, I'm offering one of my favorite episodes of one of my favorite shows: Mystery Science Theater 3000, episode 614: San Francisco International. This, I … Continue reading San Francisco International
“The Rebel”
I know the actor Nick Adams (who died tragically young, much like his friend and co-star James Dean) from the Toho films he did in the 1960s: Frankenstein Conquers the World and Invasion of Astro Monster. He was the first notable western actor in the Godzilla franchise (and, perhaps not coincidentally, was part of the series' … Continue reading “The Rebel”
The Paper Chase
Prominent among my most recent television diet has been the show The Paper Chase, a four-season drama that ran from 1978 to 1986 (the show was cancelled after the first season due to low ratings – which is what happens when you schedule it opposite Happy Days: the Fonz brooked no challengers - but revived … Continue reading The Paper Chase
Bishop Sheen on the Three Confessions
Broadcasted 1957: Ven. Bishop Fulton Sheen traces the course of human sentiment through three great 'Confessions:' those of St. Augustine, of Abelard, and of Jean-Jacque Rousseau: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGGSxxuBtMk Money quote: "Jean-Jacque, therefore, gave birth to an entirely new concept of how to handle a conflict: namely, give way to it and call it right."
Celebrating 30 Years of Mystery Science Theater 3000
By an interesting coincidence, I am exactly as old as one my favorite shows: Mystery Science Theater 3000. This show has had a huge influence on me, particularly when it comes to developing my sense of humor and appreciation for the obscurer side of the entertainment world. Now, as the show turns thirty years old, I explore … Continue reading Celebrating 30 Years of Mystery Science Theater 3000
Apu and Charlie Chan Syndrome
I'm long since finished with 'The Simpsons' outside of the occasional re-run, but I had to comment on this. Apparently, the show has decided to drop the venerable character of Apu in the face of 'controversy' over his 'blatantly racist' portrayal. Said 'racist portrayal', as far as I can tell, amounts to that he has … Continue reading Apu and Charlie Chan Syndrome
Thoughts on ‘Phineas and Ferb Star Wars’
Past Entries: -Star Wars -The Holiday Special -The Empire Strikes Back -Return of the Jedi -The Phantom Menace -Attack of the Clones -Revenge of the Sith -The Force Awakens -Rogue One -The Last Jedi -Solo I wanted to end this series on a high note, so, despite the fact that it’s explicitly not canon (the … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Phineas and Ferb Star Wars’
Serpent's Den 