Put a Spell on You

It’s Halloween!  If you’re planning a family-friendly spookathon, here’s our top movie recommendations:



- Hocus Pocus (1993)

Salem, Massachusetts is still remembered as the historical site of the infamous witch trials of 1692. To this day, Salem makes use of that well-known history, as reflected in tourism and the local décor – especially come Halloween.

The town not only serves as the setting for the film Hocus Pocus, but also as the premise. The story starts three centuries earlier, when a trio of witchy sisters are facing execution (they may have tried to steal the lives of village children in order to reclaim their own youth). The sisters are beaten but not truly defeated – the eldest Sanderson sister vows that she and her sisters will be back.

Fast forward three hundred years. Teenaged Max and his sister, Dani, have just relocated to Salem from their hometown of L.A. It's Max's idea to break into the old Sanderson house, which has since been turned into a local museum. (As a new kid, Max has it in his head to impress Allison.) It’s hard enough to get used to a new town without accidentally bringing three witches back from the dead on Halloween night, but, well, sometimes these things just happen.

The Sanderson sisters – played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker – are the inarguable stars of the show, trying to navigate through a modern world as they race to find a way to extend their magical stay past sunrise. They are, of course, the baddies, but they’re so deliciously fun and funny that it’s almost hard not to root for them.

Well. Almost.

There's even a song-and-dance number. It's just a great film.

-- Request Hocus Pocus from the Catalog




- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Jack Skellington is the King of Halloweentown – “Halloweentown” being one of several magical worlds that are in charge of running the holiday seasons. As the Pumpkin King, Jack’s in charge of the yearly Halloween festivities, but he’s beginning to feel a bit fed up by the daily grind. Sure, he’s great at his job – but he’s tired of being all about the scares. Isn’t there more to life than that?

So imagine his surprise when he’s sucked into Christmasland, a place run by cheerful elves who spend their time making toys, cookies, and holiday cheer. It’s not at all like the ghoul-infested, scare-ridden world of Halloweentown, and Jack instantly falls in love with the lights, colors, and warmth. So much so that he makes a decision: he (and the rest of Halloweentown) are going to be in charge of Christmas this year. Surely Santa Claus could use a year off, anyway?

Of course, just because you enjoy doing something doesn’t mean you’re all that good at it. Jack’s plans for the Christmas season fail to work out as he’d intended, and it’s up to Santa Claus to save the day – though Jack, of course, always meant well. But it’s not all hopeless for Jack in the end, as he comes to some important conclusions about being true to oneself … and that, even if you fail at something, you can have a lot of fun trying!

This highly-unusual animated musical remains a perpetual favorite of mine. Based on an original story by Tim Burton, the film was animated via stop motion (creating sculpted puppets and photographing them a frame at a time). It’s also a true musical, with nearly a dozen songs propelling the story along. Best of all, if you miss seeing it in time for Halloween – it can double as a Christmas special.


-- Request The Nightmare Before Christmas on DVD from the Catalog
-- Request the Nightmare Before Christmas CD soundtrack from the Catalog

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:

- It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
- Halloween is Grinch Night (1977)
- Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
- The Witches (1990)
- The Halloween Tree (1993)
- Goosebumps: TV Series (1995-1998)

-- Post by Ms. B

Staff Recommendation #22: "The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside 'The Room,' The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made" by Greg Sestero & Tom Bissell

Not all bad movies are created equally. Sometimes, a film can be so bad that it actually seems to warp back on itself to become entertaining.

It doesn’t always happen. If a movie’s merely sloppy, uneven, or (worst of all) boring, then it’s probably not bad enough to accidentally entertain. The badness has to be, well, fun – creating moments of inadvertent humor.

And there is one movie whose badness has skyrocketed it to the status of cult classic. It’s a movie so terrible that none of its fans would make the argument that there’s actually hidden genius inside it -- and they don’t need to. It’s beloved and celebrated because it’s so awful, rightfully earning the moniker of “the Citizen Kane of bad movies.”

I’m talking, of course, about The Room.

Trying to describe The Room is a little bit like trying to describe a dream you had: 

there’s no way to explain it that could do the weirdness justice. 

The “plot” of the film centers on Johnny, a man who seems to have it all: great job, good friends, and a loving fiancée named Lisa. But as the story (such as it is) unfolds, Johnny’s world begins to unravel as Lisa begins an affair with Johnny’s best friend, Mark.

And it’s the most hilarious movie you’ll ever see.

That’s because The Room never manages to actually tell the story it set out to tell. It tries to be a story about love, trust, and betrayal. What it actually does is present the audience with the most bizarre film ever committed to screen.

The structure is insane. Plotlines are introduced, then forgotten by the next scene. Non sequiturs dominate the dialogue. Continuity is an impossibility; a character disappears halfway through and is replaced by an entirely new character, which happens without comment or explanation. The acting is pretty uniformly dreadful, in large part because none of the lines sound like anything an actual human would ever say. (There's also some terrible -- and terribly unnecessary -- scenes that earn the movie its R rating, so be advised that this is one bad movie definitely not for younger viewers.)

It’s been ten years since The Room was released. Its cult following is not to be denied: sold-out showings play monthly across the country, attended by fans who dress up as the characters, quote lines along with the movie, and throw spoons at the screen during key scenes. (That last one’s an inside joke.) There’s an unofficial video game and traveling stage show.

And now, there’s a book.

The Disaster Artist was written by Greg Sestero, who played Mark in the movie – and who, therefore, has an insider’s scoop on the making of The Room. 

Wiseau, Sestero, and a football --

three of The Room's biggest stars.

The “warped, accidental genius” of The Room’s inadvertent hilarity all come from the same place. The movie was written, produced, directed, and starred in by a single individual: Tommy Wiseau.

It is Wiseau’s quirky, uncanny, unsettling, and downright bizarre personality that infuses The Room, and so, too, does he infuse The Disaster Artist. The book alternates between the filming process of The Room (which, much like the film itself, must be experienced for oneself to do the weirdness proper justice), and how Sestero came to develop a friendship with the indefinable Wiseau.

The result is a book which I simply couldn’t put down. It’s as much an insider’s look of the film industry and the moviemaking process, as it is an exploration of the struggle for success and the true definition of artistic merit. In that respect, it becomes a far deeper story than the movie it’s dissecting.


-- Request The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside 'The Room,' The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Greg Sestero & Tom Bissell from the Catalog

-- Request The Room on DVD from the Catalog

-- Post by Ms. B

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

The American Old West has a reputation of being a dangerous and hard time in history. Compared to our lives today, it was a very hard life for those people who chose to live on the frontier. It also was a dangerous time, with outlaws and thieves terrorizing ranchers and townsfolk alike. But some of the stories we know today didn't exactly happen as we think they did. Most of that misinformation comes from books and then films and television shows.

One of the most famous stories from the Old West is about the gunfight, on October 26, 1881, at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. The myth of this event has grown larger than the actual event itself (although it was a big deal at the time). The fact, that the Earp brothers faced off against the Clanton brothers, is not in dispute. However, the reasons for and the magnitude of the fighting are.

Wyatt Earp

The Earp brothers (Wyatt, Virgil, James and Morgan) were a part of a family that had been wandering around for years. In 1879 the brothers ended up in Tombstone where they hoped to establish themselves as businessmen. James opened a saloon and Virgil hoped to be a silver prospector. Morgan and Wyatt, however, were looking to make money through the burgeoning gambling houses. Virgil was sidetracked from his goal when he was offered the position of city marshal. Also joining them in Tombstone was Wyatt's good friend John "Doc" Holliday.

The Clanton brothers, on the other hand were ranchers who were also cattle rustlers and stage coach robbers. The Clanton family had been in Arizona for almost 10 years by 1881 and their ranch was doing well due to the growth of government contracts and the mining camps nearby. Even though the Clantons had been in Tombstone longer than many others, they, and other "country" people were quickly becoming the outsiders.

There was bad blood between the two almost from the very beginning. There were accusations, on both sides, of robbery and thievery, including the theft of Wyatt Earp's horse. A failed stage robbery seemed to be the final straw. Holliday, the Earp's friend, had been arrested by the county sheriff, a crony of the Clanton's, for the attempt. Even worse, the Earps were accused of being the masterminds behind the robbery. Holliday was released but the Earps did not forget, especially Wyatt.

Tombstone, AZ 1891

A few months later, the feud came to a head. On October 25, 1881 Ike Clanton, along with Tom McLaury (another family feuding with the Earps) arrived in Tombstone to spend the night visiting the many saloons in town. After a brief, but angry encounter with Holliday, Ike Clanton headed off to an all night poker game. The next morning, lacking sleep, Ike, still fuming about the previous evening was itching for a fight with the Earps.

At that point, Virgil, the city marshal, arrested Ike for carrying firearms. The anger on all sides did not subside then, they only escalated. By the time Ike's guns were confiscated and he paid his fine, more Clanton and McLaury brothers had arrived in town. As the day wore on, Ike became more determined to have it out with the Earps.

Finally, the Earps and the Clantons had their showdown. Whether they were just planning on arresting the gang or not is a little uncertain. The Earps were all armed, but not all of the Clanton gang were. The Earps approached their rivals and had them backed into a corner. In just minutes, three men were dead and three were wounded. The dead were Tom and Frank McLaury and Billy Clanton.

The Earps were charged with murder, but the judge decided that they were justified. But the Clantons were not done with their form of justice. In December of 1881, Virgil Wyatt was seriously wounded after an ambush and in March of 1882 Morgan Earp was killed in the local billiards parlor. Wyatt Earp, then sought his own justice killing four cowboys before leaving Arizona for good.

O.K. Corral 1882

The myth of this event has different sides. Some people think that the Earps were representing law enforcement and trying to tame the ever-increasing lawlessness of the frontier. Others saw the Clantons as victims of cold-blooded murder. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Also, most of the action took place on the main street of town, not at the O.K. Corral.

While the story made headlines across the country, Wyatt Earp also contributed to this myth many years later. Late in his life he worked with a young journalist name Stuart N. Lake. Lake wrote Earp's biography, Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal which was published in 1931, two years after Earp's death. It made Earp out to be an heroic lawman of the frontier. This book was then used as the basis for the 1939 film Frontier Marshal.

The myth would be continued through numerous films and television shows for the next sixty years. Two of the most well known films are My Darling Clementine (1946) and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957). The story has even made an appearance in two of televisions most famous science fiction shows - Doctor Who (1966) and Star Trek (1968). The most recent depictions were Tombstone (1993) and Wyatt Earp (1994).

Maybe it's time for another re-telling!

-- Post by Tracy

Polka Face

A few months ago, I went to a Weird Al Yankovic concert. Though I'm something of a recent Weird Al fan, it was easily one of the most fun concerts I've ever been to.

There's no denying that "Weird Al" Yankovic is a truly talented musician (listen to "White and Nerdy" sometime, and note how he manages to spit out those rapid-fire lyrics). But a large part of his brilliance can be ascribed to his talent as a song parodist, taking well-known hit songs and giving them his own unique twist -- be it Michael Jackson's "Beat It" becoming "Eat It," James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" becoming "You're Pitiful," or Miley Cyrus's "Party in the U.S.A." becoming "Party in the CIA."

Weird Al Yankovic is a brilliant musician in his own right -- but it's the humor and fun of his parodies that add an extra dimension of awesome to his performances. With October 23rd marking his 54th birthday, it's a good time to recommend some other parodies that are sure to make you smile:



- Robin Hood: Men in Tights

I know, I know -- Mel Brooks's comedic masterpieces are clearly Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. Tough. This one's my favorite.

Besides, when it comes to parodies, this one is the most direct in its target (archery pun intended). While Men in Tights is plenty amusing in its own right, it's best enjoyed if you've first seen the Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The Costner vehicle was released in 1991, making Brooks's 1993 parody offering a direct response to the original blockbuster.

Starring Cary Elwes as Robin Hood (who rightly noted, "Unlike other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent"), Men in Tights tells much the same story as the original movie it parodies. Robin Hood puts together his band of Merry Men to bring down the evil Prince John and his right-hand man, the Sheriff of Rottingham (whose first name happens to be "Mervin," not that you asked). The beats of the movie more or less follow Prince of Thieves to a T; there's even a bonus cameo of Sir Patrick Stewart, taking on the Sean Connery role of King Richard. How can this not be my favorite?

Request Robin Hood: Men in Tights from the Catalog



- Galaxy Quest

You may have gathered this by now, but I'm a big Star Trek fan. So it was pretty much preordained that I would fall in love with a Star Trek parody this good.

The story centers on a group of actors, who were the stars of the campy sci-fi series Galaxy Quest some twenty years ago. With their show long cancelled, the "crew" find themselves making their living by attending conventions and doing commercials. They snipe at each other -- particularly at Jason Nesmith, who played the captain on the show -- and generally find their lot in life to be a disheartening one. That all changes when a group of real aliens show up. Aliens who are admirers of the show. Aliens who don't have a concept of "fiction" in their society. Convinced that the Galaxy Quest actors are really a crew of space-exploring heroes, the aliens promptly pressgang the actors into helping them defeat an evil alien warlord.

It goes about as well as can be expected.

The Trek parodies are spot on ("Hey, don't open that [hatch]!  It's an alien planet!  Is there air??  You don't know!") But there's a real heart to the story that makes this film more than the sum of its parts. It's a genuine comedy that also has something to say about the nature of science fiction, imagination, and inspiration -- and it remains one of my very favorite films.

Request Galaxy Quest from the Catalog



- Dave Barry's "Fangs of Endearment: A Vampire Novel"

Every once in awhile, ever feel like a favorite author or actor has created something specifically with you in mind?

In his latest essay collection, I'll Mature When I'm Dead, humorist Dave Barry tackles a wide range of topics, from dance recitals to Hollywood to youth sports to colonoscopies. But my favorite chapter is the one entitled "Fangs of Endearment: A Vampire Novel." It's a clear parody of the third volume in Stephenie Meyer's popular Twilight series, Eclipse, and I could only conclude Barry had written it because he knew how much I'd enjoy it:

"The more I thought about it, the more I knew what I had to do: I had to go out into the woods alone. It seemed crazy, like the plot of a bad horror movie where the teenage girl hears a scary noise in the basement, but instead of doing what anybody with an IQ higher than a Chicken McNugget would do, namely sprint out of the house, she goes down into the basement. But I knew I had to do it, because that's what I always do with my trademark stubbornness: I place myself in grave plot peril when there is no coherent reason to do so. Some people may call this ridiculous, but I am guessing that 'some people' have not sold 50 million books to date.

"'I'm tired,' I informed [my father] Pete, yawning with my mouth open for emphasis. 'I think I'll go up to my room now.' I leaned over to give Pete a goodnight kiss, only to trip forward with my trademark heartwarming clumsiness and head-butt him in the temple. He went down like a sack of gravel, out cold on the kitchen floor, eyes open, pupils dilated. I decided it was best to leave him there. I knew that he couldn't do anything anyway. It was up to me. Only me. Me me me me me."

Request I'll Mature When I'm Dead from the Catalog



- South Park, Episode 12.2: "Britney's New Look"

Choosing a favorite South Park parody episode is sort of like choosing a favorite child -- at least for me, a huge South Park fan. But if truly pressed, I'd have to go with "Britney's New Look," an episode which aired in the show's 12th season.

When South Park is at its best (which is often), it becomes more than a showcasing of outrageous jokes and crude humor. Many episodes excel at using parody and farce to make a point, a skill which is put to good use in this episode. When the South Park kids discover that Britney Spears has come to Colorado, they decide to snap her picture and sell it to the tabloids for cash. They sneak into her hotel by claiming to be her children ("It's okay," an excited Britney says on the phone, moments before the boys walk in. "My kids are here. I feel better now.") The boys promptly walk into her room, and Britney's devastation at not seeing her children, and at the relentless media bombardment, give the boys more than they bargained for.

Surprisingly sympathetic to the real Britney Spears (in their own South Park-ian way), show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone use this episode as commentary on our culture's obsession with celebrity and the preying nature of the paparazzi who surround them. The ending of the episode is a brilliant spoof of Shirley Jackson's classic story The Lottery, with the thrown stones of the original story being replaced by paparazzi camera flashes.

Request South Park: The Complete 12th Season from the Catalog



- "The Saga Begins" - Weird Al Yankovic

There are a lot of beautiful Weird Al parodies. This one just might be the best.

Get the song on Weird Al Yankovic's album "Running With Scissors" from the Catalog

Happy Birthday, Mr. Yankovic!

-- Post by Ms. B

Staff Recommendation #21: The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

To put it bluntly, I am not an adventurous person. I tend to stick to what I know and what I'm familiar with, although since meeting my husband I have opened up a bit to the idea of adventure. That is one of the reasons I identified so much with the author of this fascinating and, dare I say it, adventurous look at one man's search for a great lost city in the Amazon.

The author, David Grann, who readily admits to having trouble with directions and even forgetting where he is on the subway, sets out to find out what made Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett so obsessed with finding the lost city of Z. This book tells the story of Grann trying to understand Fawcett's obsession and learning about who Fawcett was and what happened to him after he disappeared into the Amazon in 1925, never to be heard from again.

Percy Fawcett was the last of the great English explorers. Born in 1867, Fawcett joined the British Army at the age of 19. The next twenty years of his life were spent in the service stationed mainly in Sri Lanka, where his love of exploration seems to have started. It is also where he met his future wife, Nina. Nina would turn out to be his most ardent and supportive fan, even though they would spend more of their married life apart than together.

In 1906, after studying to be a surveyor with the Royal Geographical Society, he was hired to to survey the disputed border of Bolivia, Peru and Brazil. This would begin a nearly 20 year connection to this untamed portion of South America and to his eventual disappearance, along with his son Jack and Jack's best friend Raleigh, in 1925.

Percy Fawcett

During this first trip, and many more that followed, Fawcett began hearing stories of "white" Indians and lost cities deep in the Amazon. Many stories referred to a place called El Dorado. With his fierce determination and love of exploring, Fawcett was convinced that he could find this lost city that he named "Z."

David Grann, on the other hand, always had a love of adventure stories, but was not the adventurous type. But when he stumbled upon mention of Fawcett while working on another story, he was hooked. This fascination with Fawcett would lead Grann to England, where he meets with Fawcett's granddaughter, and eventually to Brazil, where he attempts to find out what happened to Fawcett and maybe even find the Lost City of Z himself.

The story of Fawcett would have been interesting enough, but adding Grann's own story to the mix makes it a much more relatable tale. Grann leaves behind his wife and young child in much the same way that Fawcett left behind his family in search of something that may not even exist.

I found this to be a fascinating look at what drives humans to want to explore the unknown. While I'm not sure I understand it anymore than I did before, it was a great adventure to "tag" along with Grann and Fawcett on.

If you are looking for a little adventure, but want to experience it vicariously, The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon is the book for you!


-- Post by Tracy

NYCC 2013

October. It's a month that means changing leaves, fall festivals, Halloween ... and New York Comic Con.

Since its inception in 2006, New York Comic Con has become the premiere event of the East Coast for all things Geek Culture. Featuring comic book artists and writers -- as well as actors, authors, directors, and animators -- NYCC allows fans of comics, science fiction, fantasy, and other genres to connect with the creators behind their favorite stories. (Not to mention featuring sneak peeks and new announcements about upcoming comic, film, and TV projects!) The event is held at the Jacob Javits Center, and the tickets sold out faster than ever this year; for the last two years, attendance has topped 100,000 people.

Guests this year included William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Seth Green, Sylvester Stallone, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, Sigourney Weaver, actors from "Game of Thrones" and "The Walking Dead," comics legend Stan Lee, authors R.L. Stine and Lemony Snicket, and "Doctor Who" star John Barrowman. Opportunities to see the stars live and in person abounded (as they always do), with panels, autograph sessions, and photo ops spread throughout the weekend. (I waited in line to meet Barrowman, although the longest line for an autograph -- don't ask me why -- was one of the original Power Rangers. Go figure.)

I've been a faithful New York con-goer for years now (see last year's wrap-up here), and this October was no exception. This was an exceptionally crazy, crowded, fun year at NYCC, and I'm already excited for October 2014!  For those of you who weren't able to make it to the fun this year, here's my report from the front lines:

The con floor. Did I mention "crowded?"

Thursday evening featured panels specifically geared to kick off the con with some proper entertainment. The Comedy Mutant crew (featuring Janeane Garofalo, Brian Posehn, and other comedians) put on a two-hour comedy set on the Javits Center's main stage. Thursday also offered a sneak peek of the Exhibit Hall, giving Thursday con-goers a chance to browse and shop at the tables and booths in an atmosphere that was merely "moderately crowded" (since, by the weekend, the numbers would swell to "severely, impossibly crowded").

I spent Thursday evening at the Empire Stage, where special sneak peeks of upcoming fall television premieres were being screened. First on the list was the pilot episode of Almost Human. Set in the near future, the premise sees a snarky (and rather embittered) LAPD detective paired with an android partner. Half crime procedural, half sci-fi series, the pilot made for a fun, unique ride, and I'm already excited for the show to premiere this fall (Monday, November 4, 8 pm on FOX).

If you missed the panel, there were Almost Human posters plastered across the subway -- which were quite cool to see for a sci-fi fan

Speaking of television: astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson was on hand to discuss his involvement with a new 13-episode series: "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odysessy," debuting Spring 2014 on FOX. It's something of a "sequel" to the iconic science series "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage," which was narrated by astronomer and author Carl Sagan and aired over thirty years ago on PBS. 

Tyson was there alongside executive producer/writer Ann Druyan (who oversaw the original "Cosmos") and executive producer/director Brannon Braga (who has worked on both the "Star Trek" franchise as well as "24"). The new series will explore the history of humanity's quest to discover the origins and mysteries of, well, the cosmos. 

Dr. Tyson will be hosting the new series, which he -- like his fellow panelists -- hopes will inspire people to be curious and persistent in their search for the truth. He sees curiosity as a natural trait: "A scientist is a kid who never grows up." Druyan spoke quite elegantly about her belief in the importance of the new series inspiring emotion as well as intellectual interest in their viewers: "To be human is to fully think and fully feel -- not one at the expense of the other."

Braga may have put it best while explaining his own hopes for the new "Cosmos." "It's the story of our place in the universe -- and how we came to find it."

From Tyson, on the casual weirdness of a comic con: "My fear is that aliens will come and land at Comic Con, and no one will notice!"

Cast and crew members from "The Walking Dead" were on hand again this year to show sneak peeks of the upcoming fourth season, which premiered on Sunday at 9 p.m. on AMC. (You can read more about the Walking Dead panel here.) Actors Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny were also in attendance to talk about "The X-Files," which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. (Get the highlights of that panel here.)

This year marks Superman's 75th "anniversary" as a comic book character

My personal highlight of the con was William Shatner's panel, which took place on Sunday afternoon. The Star Trek and Boston Legal actor took to the stage by himself, talking a bit about his new album before fielding questions from the audience.

As a Trekkie, I'm predisposed to like William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series nearly fifty years ago. ("It's hard to believe it's been almost fifty years since the show first aired," gushed one fan, prompting Shatner to reply, "You think it's hard for you to believe it ...") But Shatner was genuinely delightful, entertaining with stories from throughout his career: coming down with food poisoning the morning of his Broadway debut, or getting to sing a duet with Paul McCartney. There were a few stories about his Star Trek cast mates, including Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock. ("Leonard was particularly susceptible to practical jokes ...")

He also had some words of wisdom for budding actors -- or, indeed, anyone with artistic dreams: "You just do what you think is good, and hope it's what [the audience] thinks is good." He wrapped up the afternoon with thoughts on the appeal of science fiction and the excitement of scientific discovery, which seem to come out of the same place: curiosity. "It's hardwired into humans -- curiosity. It's the attempt to explain to ourselves the mystery that's out there."

It was a nice note on which to end the weekend's festivities. Here's to next year!

Iron Man is also a good note to end on.

-- Post by Ms. B

And Now For Something Completely Different ...

On October 5, 1969 the people of England had the opportunity to see a show quite unlike any other. That show was Monty Python's Flying Circus. It would run for a total of four seasons and go on to make millions of people all over the world laugh.

The group was made up of five Englishmen (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin) and one American (Terry Gilliam). Cleese and Chapman knew each other from Cambridge University, where Idle also attended. Palin and Jones were friends and collaborators from Oxford University. Gilliam was an artist with an eye for the surreal. Through their work on The Frost Report and other shows, they came to admire each other's talents.

When they decided to start working together, Barry Took, a comedy consultant for BBC Television, helped them get their own show. The BBC were a little reluctant at first, so they only committed to 13 episodes. Theirs wasn't the first sketch comedy show in history, but it had a decidedly different take on the format. Instead of punch lines or conclusions, the sketches would often end with the actors (the writers playing most of the parts) simply walking away, ending in the middle or just flowing right into the next bit. Interspersed between sketches were crazy and wacky animations from the mind of Terry Gilliam.

It took awhile for the show to reach America, but when it did their popularity spread. I'm not sure when I was introduced to this brilliant show, but it was probably some time while I was in high school in the 1980s. I've been a fan ever since!

The internet is full of websites with lists of the best Python sketches, but most fans have their own favorites. Here are mine, in no particular order. I would try to explain them, but it's not easy and that would take the fun out of it. Enjoy!



-- Argument Clinic (1972)






-- The Dead Parrot (1969)






-- The Lumberjack Song (1969)






-- Spam (1970)






-- The Philosopher's Football Match (1972)





-- Post by Tracy

A Pirate's Life For Me

I'm not a Pittsburgh-area native. So when it comes to sports alliances, I often find myself torn between rooting for those players representing my adopted city -- or still cheering for my hometown. (That means I'm an Eagles fan; sorry.)

But when it comes to baseball, my loyalties are clear: I'm a Bucs fan.

And it is, of course, a great year to be a Pirates fan. In honor of the season, I thought I'd research a little into the history of my adopted team -- and share my results. (If you enjoy these factoids and anecdotes, be sure to check out Tales From the Pirates Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Pirates Stories Ever Told by John McCollister, and 

Were You There?: Over 300 Wonderful, Weird, and Wacky Moments from Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium by Stephen Mulligan -- for many more great Pirates stories.)

The first-ever radio broadcast of a Major League Baseball game ... was a Pirates game. On August 5, 1921, 26-year-old Harold Arlin announced the game on KDKA radio, covering Pittsburgh's defeat of Philadelphia by a score of 8-5. (Since there was no such thing as a broadcast booth, Arlin announced the game from a box seat at Forbes Field.)

Said Arlin, years later: "Our broadcast -- back then, at least -- wasn't that big a deal. Our guys at KDKA didn't even think that baseball would last on radio. I did it as a one-shot project." The broadcast led to new fans finding their way to baseball -- and new people coming to Forbes Field. (In 1921, annual attendance for home games broke 700,000 -- an increase of nearly 300,000 from the year before.)

It might be Ray Mueller's good luck. On July 16, 1950, reserve catcher Mueller was in the dugout of Forbes Field when outfielder Ted Beard came to bat. During his four-year career with the Pirates, Beard hit five home runs -- total. Not the most stunning of stats. But on that particular day, Beard hit a fastball from Boston Braves pitcher Bob Hall that cleared the 86-foot-high right field grandstands.

It was the first time in the past fifteen years that the feat had been achieved. But it wasn't the first time Mueller had witnessed such a hit at Forbes Field. After all, Mueller had been a rookie for the Braves 15 years earlier -- when Babe Ruth was in his final year of professional baseball.

It was in Pittsburgh that Ruth hit the final three home runs of his career. One of those homers shot over the 86-foot-high roof of the grandstand -- making Ruth the first player to ever clear the right field stands.

What's in a name?  In 1913, a rookie outfielder joined the team: Everitt Little Booe. (The "e" is silent.)

His first trip to the plate in-uniform was at a spring training session. Spring training ballparks weren't known then for their advanced sound systems, so the tradition was for the home plate umpire to shout out each player's name for the fans in the stands.

Our new outfielder trotted out to the batter's box, approaching home plate umpire Bill Klem. First thing the rookie did was announce his last name: "Booe!"

Klem looked at him. "What did you say, kid?"

"Booe!" repeated the rookie. "I said, 'Booe'!"

Agitation grew as a suspicious Klem began threatening Booe with expulsion from the game if he didn't give Klem a straight answer. Finally, manager Fred Clarke and outfielder Max Carey ran over to straighten out the misunderstanding.

The umpire permitted the rookie to bat after all. But before Booe took the plate, Klem had some advice for him: "Kid, if you ever expect to stay in this league, you better change your $#@-ing name."

Scheduling conflicts can be rough. And relief specialist Bruce Kison had a doozy -- his wedding was scheduled for the same day as Game 7 of the 1971 World Series. (To make matters worse, it was an away game in Baltimore; the wedding was being held back in Pittsburgh.)

The Pirates won the game by a score of 4-1. The moment the game was over, Kison and his best man (pitcher Bob Moose) made for Memorial Stadium's parking lot, where a helicopter was waiting to take them to the airport, followed by a trip by private jet. Groom and best man made it only 20 minutes late to the church.

(Thanks would go out years later to Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince, who made the arrangements possible.)

Sometimes, you just need a good ace in the hole. Idaho native Vernon Law was being courted by a variety of team scouts -- including Babe Herman and Herman Welker of the Pirates. With so many other teams in contention for Law, Herman and Welker needed an edge.

When Herman and Welker knocked on the door of Law's parents, they presented a box of candy -- and an incoming telephone call to Mrs. Law from one of the Pirates' minority owners. It was just Bing Crosby, calling to tell Mrs. Law what her son would mean for the Pirates, and promising that the Pirates would provide Vernon with an appropriate atmosphere for a young man (the elder Laws were devout Mormons). Vernon was instantly a lock-in.

"I almost felt guilty pulling that trick on the scouts from the other teams," Welker would say later, grinning broadly. "Almost felt guilty."

(Law would go on to pitch an 18-inning game in 1955. The score had been tied 2-2 to the Milwaukee Braves, and Law continued to pitch two complete games in a single evening. Law was finally relieved in the 19th inning by Bob Friend, and the Bucs ended up winning 4-3.)

Let's leave the last word to humorist Dave Barry, who is something of a Pirates fan himself, as he recounts the 1960 Pirates-Yankees World Series matchup (you can read Barry's whole column here):


School was out for the day, and I was heading home, pushing my bike up a steep hill, listening to my cheapo little radio, my eyes staring vacantly ahead, my mind locked on the game. A delivery truck came by, and the driver stopped and asked if he could listen.

The truck driver turned out to be a rabid Yankee fan. The game was very close, and we stood on opposite sides of my bike for the final two innings, rooting for opposite teams, him chain-smoking Lucky Strike cigarettes, both of us hanging on every word coming out of my tinny little speaker.

And of course if you were around back then and did not live in Russia, you know what happened: God, in a sincere effort to make up for all those fly balls he directed toward me in Little League, had Bill Mazeroski -- Bill Mazeroski! -- hit a home run to win it for the Pirates.

I was insane with joy. The truck driver was devastated. But I will never forget what he said to me. He looked me square in the eye, one baseball fan to another, after a tough but fair fight -- and he said a seriously bad word. Several, in fact. Then he got in his truck and drove away.

That was the best game I ever saw.

-- Post by Ms. B 

It's a Hockey Night in Pittsburgh!

I know that everyone around Pittsburgh is all excited about the Pirates making it to the MLB playoffs for the first time in 21 years (as am I!), but as baseball is entering the end of its season the NHL season is starting a new one. And most important, Thursday starts a new season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. I, for one, am very excited! But I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this excitement. Pittsburgh has become one of the best hockey towns across the US and Canada.

Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2009, the team continues to draw fans of all ages. It's become very difficult to get tickets to Penguins home games due their popularity. Many of these fans are new to the game and may not know the great history of the sport.

I was first exposed to hockey through my brother Andrew. He started attending Pens games in the 70s. It didn't take long for our whole family to be hooked by this fast and exciting game. As I've written earlier, my real love affair with hockey, and not just the Penguins, began with the Miracle on Ice in 1980. After that I became very interested in the history of the game.

The National Hockey League was formed in 1917, but the roots of hockey in Canada go back to the mid 19th century. While its exact origins are hard to pin down, the hockey game that we know today most likely began in Eastern Canada in Nova Scotia and then moved onto Montreal, Quebec. The game was picked up by Canadian colleges and thrived as an amateur sport.

In 1893 the Stanley Cup was donated by Frederick Arthur, Lord Stanley of Preston, to be presented to the top amateur team in Canada. By 1903 formal rules had been put in place as to who could challenge for the Cup.

Professional leagues began to develop by 1910, with the National Hockey Association forming in Eastern Canada. The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was organized in 1911. By 1914 these two leagues were the only ones competing for the Stanley Cup.

Due to the antics of one of the NHA owners, in 1917 the National Hockey League was born. It's a little complicated, but Eddie Livingstone, owner of the Toronto Shamrocks, was not well-liked by his fellow owners. So when they had the chance, they pushed him out and formed a new league.

Not exactly a pretty start, but now almost 100 years later, the NHL has grown from five teams to thirty teams in cities across Canada and the United States. Despite a shortened season last year due to a lock out, the game has never been more popular.



For more on the history of hockey and the NHL check out these titles from the library:

The Official Illustrated NHL History: The Official Story of The Coolest Game on Earth by Arthur Pincus

Legends of Hockey: The Official Book of the Hockey Hall of Fame by Jim Coleman

Hockey: A People's History by Michael McKinley

Strange But True Hockey Stories by Stan Fischler





For more on the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins check out these titles from the library:

Total Penguins: The Definitive Encyclopedia of the Pittsburgh Penguins by Rick Buker

Tales From the Pittsburgh Penguins by Joe Starkey

Mario Lemieux: The Final Period edited by Tom McMillan

The Rookie: A Season With Sidney Crosby and The New NHL by Shawna Richer


Let's Go Pens! (And Bucs!)

-- Post by Tracy

Mighty Duck

The Rubber Duck

A giant rubber duck is probably one of those things that doesn't require much of an introduction. (The name sort of says it all.) Besides, most of us in the Greater Pittsburgh area -- and probably across much of Western Pennsylvania -- are already aware of the "avian artwork" that has made its way up and down many of Pittsburgh's waterways.

Still, a giant rubber duck floating its way across our rivers is enough of a rare occurrence that it seems worthwhile to take a look at how it got here. The Rubber Duck is the creation of artist Florentijn Hofman, a 36-year-old Dutch artist who is famous for his "temporary sculptures," which have appeared in urban settings around the world. From 20-foot-tall blue sparrows for a Belgian annual music festival, to a nearly 100-foot-long aardvark commissioned by a zoo in the Netherlands, Hofman's unique urban pieces are undeniably eye-catching ... and a whole lot of fun.

Another of Hofman's "temporary sculptures," on display in the Netherlands

The Rubber Duck Project made its first appearance in 2007, with giant Rubber Ducks appearing in harbors in Amsterdam, Belgium, Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo, and Hong Kong. (Each city builds its own duck, following Hofman's specifications.) The Pittsburgh Rubber Duck marks a Duck's first US appearance -- with more tour dates across the country to follow. (Pittsburgh's Duck will be on display for the next several weeks.)

Hofman's words on creating the Rubber Duck seem to match the approach he takes to all his work: it's all about bringing joy to those who see his creations. "My sculptures ... give people a break from their daily routines. Passers-by stop in front of them and enter into conversation with other spectators. People are making contact with each other ... The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers, it doesn't discriminate, and doesn't have a political connotation. ... [the Duck] can relieve mondial tensions as well as define them."

From the top of a Japanese art museum

The Rubber Duck is here, in part, to help launch the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts. The festival is a chance for artists from around the world to launch their debut performances. (You can check the festival's calendar of events here.)

Our Rubber Duck is a bit smaller than normal (to help it fit underneath our myriad bridges) -- but at 40 feet tall and three stories wide, it's still a waterfowl to be reckoned with. The Duck is currently moored on the Allegheny River, near the Point, and is scheduled to remain in town until at least October 20. Don't miss it!


Links

Follow the Rubber Duck on Facebook: RubberDuckPGH

Follow the Rubber Duck on Twitter: @QuackPgh

Check out a "Just Ducky" Tour of Pittsburgh -- tour the city (and perhaps glimpse the Duck) by land and water!

Read more about the Rubber Duck from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Check out a photo gallery of Florentijn Hofman's urban art creations

The Rubber Duck Project - From the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts

"QUACK."

-- Post by Ms. B