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| Stephin Merritt, 2012. By Travis Simpkins |
The Magnetic Fields- "Papa Was a Rodeo"
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Howard the Duck (1986): Classic Cult Films
Produced by George Lucas, Howard the Duck (1986) had a pretty big budget to play around with, and it shows. What is also apparent are the creative special effects using robotics and a little person in a duck suit (before modern films became over-reliant on CGI). The film is well-made and brings with it a feeling of nostalgia, typical for the 1980s.
An experimental laser on Earth inadvertently targets a far away planet of ducks and Howard the duck is literally sucked out of his living room and dragged to Earth through outer space. Confused, he immediately meets with hostility because of his appearance. By chance, he meets a rocker girl and the two become friends...
More than friends...
and creepily affectionate towards one another...
A bumbling group of scientists discover the mishap with the laser and decide to send Howard back to his own planet. When they power up the laser, however, it malfunctions again and sucks down an evil alien that enters and inhabits the body of one of the scientists...
Calling itself the Dark Overlord of the Universe, it vows to bring down others and destroy the planet. It's up to Howard the Duck to save Earth...
and send the Dark Overlord packing...
Howard the Duck- movie trailer
Friday, July 13, 2012
CLOSE UP: Sophia Cacciola
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| Sophia Cacciola, 2011. By Travis Simpkins |
Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling- "First We Take Manhattan"
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For more info, visit: http://donotforsake.com/
Showgirls (1995): A Guilty Pleasure... Enticing, Controversial, Sexy, Provocative and Infamous (Risque Modern Cinema)
Often cited as one of the worst movies of all time, much of the criticism surrounding Showgirls (1995) can be dismissed as guilty pleasure. People are embarrassed to admit that they enjoy it. Also, especially in retrospect, the film production is not nearly as bad as it seemed nearly 20 years ago. If for no other reason, Showgirls has earned it's little spot in Film History for the controversy surrounding it. The main star, Elizabeth Berkley, was a former teen actress on the TV show Saved By the Bell. Her image on the TV show was very upright, proper and clean... the polar opposite to her role in Showgirls, in which she is nude for 3/4 of the film and scantily clad for the remaining 1/4, engaging in rough sexual acts and performing sensual strip tease dances. Suffice to say, the film is far from being a masterpiece, but it definitely does not deserve all of the negativity it receives.
Nomi Malone has come to Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a star Showgirl. Immediately upon her arrival, mistrust and deception surrounds her. In the meantime, until she gets her big break, she is working as a simple stripper...
She performs strip teases...
and lap dances...
all the while hating her job and her clientele, longing for something better...
Nomi catches the eye of Crystal, a popular star Showgirl. Their relationship is love/hate. Despite her dislike for Crystal, she may be Nomi's ticket to the top...
But what will Nomi have to sacrifice, and who will she have to hurt to attain her dreams?
Showgirls- movie trailer
Thursday, July 12, 2012
CLOSE UP: Niki Luparelli
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| Niki Luparelli, 2010. By Travis Simpkins |
Niki Luparelli
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| Lainey Schulbaum, Travis Simpkins, and Niki Luparelli- 2007 |
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For more info, visit: http://www.nikiluparelli.com/
Gilda (1946): Classic Film Noir, and a Star-Making Performance by Rita Hayworth
Although it is a decent film regardless, the real reason Gilda (1946) remains popular 66 years later is Rita Hayworth's sultry physique featured in a scene stealing performance. She had a simple array of moves (a flick of the wrist, a leg reveal, a toss of her hair) that still drives viewers wild. Miss Hayworth also had a good voice, with her version of "Put the Blame on Mame" in this film becoming a hit song.
Glenn Ford is Johnny, a down-and-out American gambler and con man living in Argentina. He meets a wealthy Casino owner and ends up becoming the man's assistant. After his boss runs off to get married, Johnny is dismayed to meet the new sexy wife, Gilda (Rita Hayworth)...
It seems Johnny and Gilda have a secret past together...
Now Gilda is playing one man against the other...
and Johnny is finding it hard to decide where his loyalties rest...
Gilda is enticing, sexy, voluptuous, forward, willing... and shrewd...
What is a man to do?
Gilda- movie trailer
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Myq Kaplan: Profiles from the Illustrations
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| Myq Kaplan, 2012. By Travis Simpkins |
According to his website, "Myq Kaplan is a comedian named Myq Kaplan (pronounced “Mike Kaplan”). Myq made his network television debut on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and has since gone on to appear on Late Show with David Letterman,Conan, The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson and in his own half-hourComedy Central Presents: Myq Kaplan special... He was a Top 5 finalist on the most recent season of Last Comic Standing 2010 and ended his tour this summer. He has also appeared on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, at the New Faces show of the 2009 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, was voted 2008′s Best Local Comedian in the Boston Phoenix, and won the NY’s Funniest Standup Competition in 2009. A Jewy-ish atheistic vegan who spells the name “Mike” weird (sorry or you’re welcome), Myq enjoys words, social justice, Netflix, and comic books. Also non-comic books, ping-pong, and being great with women. And grammar and run-on sentence fragments. And of course, entertaining his demographic, which is anyone who might know the word “demographic.”
That's a good summation... but I'll add that he's a hell of a nice guy as well.
That's a good summation... but I'll add that he's a hell of a nice guy as well.
Myq Kaplan on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
...on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Myq Kaplan on the Late Show with David Letterman
Myq Kaplan: Math Problems
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| Myq Kaplan and Conan O'Brien |
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For more info, visit: http://myqkaplan.com/
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Tony Norris: Art and Music (Songs that Inspired the Illustrations)
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| Tony Norris, 2012. By Travis Simpkins |
Rock Salt and Nails
Me and My Uncle
I Still Miss Someone
Froggy Went A Courtin'
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| Tony Norris, 2012. By Travis Simpkins |
High Tide in the Desert
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| Tony Norris, 2012. By Travis Simpkins |
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For more info, visit: http://tonynorris.com/
Monday, July 9, 2012
CLOSE UP: Raj Sivaraman
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| Raj Sivaraman, 2012. By Travis Simpkins |
Raj Sivaraman- performing stand-up at The Comedy Studio
For more info, visit: http://www.rooftopcomedy.com/comics/RajSivaraman
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Drums Along the Mohawk (1937 and 1939): The Novel vs. the Film
For one who hasn't read the novel from which it was adapted, Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) might seem like a fine film... and it is, on it's own (directed by the great, John Ford). However, for those that have read Walter D. Edmonds' book, viewing the film seems like a visual summary of, what some might consider, the less interesting parts of the story. With the multitude of graphic battle scenes in the book, you'd think this should be a war movie, but it isn't. The film only depicts about 2 1/2 all too brief fight scenes, and focuses more on the relationships between the characters. Some of the major characters in the novel were reduced to backdrop and bit parts, or left out all together. And the main character, Gilbert Martin, accomplishes feats in the film that were assigned to other, more suitable characters in the book. Such is the way of old Hollywood adaptations.
The year is 1776. Gilbert Martin (Henry Fonda) and his new wife Lana (Claudette Colbert) have settled in the small town of Deerfield in the Mohawk Valley, near German Flats. They are content to farm their land and live peaceably.
However the growing tensions in the Revolution have forced settlers to take sides. Gil, being a militiaman in the American Army, feels inclined to protect his land. But he is left helpless as the Tories and Indians (who have sided with the British) burn every dwelling in sight, led by Caldwell (John Carradine).
The Americans find safety at the Army Fort, and the women take solace in the support of one another...
and the bravery of their men...
However, raids are still taking place and the Fort must be protected. Sacrifices must be made to win the war, and for freedom...
Drums Along the Mohawk- movie trailer
Saturday, July 7, 2012
CLOSE UP: Ira Proctor
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| Ira Proctor, 2011. By Travis Simpkins |
Ira Proctor- Stand-Up Comedy
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For more info, visit: http://www.iraproctor.com
Independence Day (1996): Still Impressive 16 Years Later
Independence Day (1996) impressed a lot of people, and proved others wrong, with multiple unlikely successes. For one, the special effects were a lot better than some thought possible. For another, no one thought that Will Smith could move beyond his immature character, "The Fresh Prince," and become a movie star, but he did.
The Earth's satellite system is acting screwy, and it is soon discovered that the source of the interference is Alien spacecraft...
Everyone is in a panic, not knowing what their intentions are. It's up to the President (Bill Pullman) to calm people down. A computer whiz (Jeff Goldblum) has discovered the code they are using to coordinate their ships as they strategically find positions over major cities throughout the World. Delusions that they might have come in peace are shattered when the ships unleash weapons that destroy all the targeted cities...
The planet is in ruins...
A soldier (Will Smith) outmaneuvers one of the smaller ships and captures an alien...
The result is that they learn the Aliens' intention is to destroy all mankind to use our planet's resources...
It's up to Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum to help save Mankind...
And with all humanity working towards a common goal for once, they just might succeed...
Independence Day- movie trailer
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