THE BUTCHER'S BILL 2012

AS IS THE CASE EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE MARK THE ENDING OF A YEAR BY REMEMBERING THOSE WHO LEFT US DURING THAT YEAR. 

The following is a list of celebrated notables who took their leave of us in 2012 -- as well as one very personal loss.

• Bob Anderson, fencing champion/fight choreographer "Star Wars", "Lord of the Rings"
• Herb Clarke, weatherman  "WCAU-TV"
• Richard Threlkeld,  journalist  "CBS News"
• Johnny Otis, singer
• Etta James, singer  "At Last"
• James Farentino, actor
• Robert Hegyes, actor  "Welcome Back, Kotter"
• John Rich, director  "All In the Family", "Dick Van Dyke Show", "Good Times"
• Anthony Bevilacqua, cardinal
• Simon Marsden, photographer
• Don Cornelius, TV Host  "Soul Train"
• Cindy Johnson-Barr, dear friend
• Ben Gazzara, actor  "Anatomy of a Murder"
• Bill Hinzman, actor  "Night of the Living Dead"
• Whitney Houston, singer/actress
• David Kelly, actor  "The Italian Job", "Fawlty Towers - The Builders"
• John Severin, comic book artist  "Cracked"
• Dory Previn, singer  "Mythical Kings & Iguanas"
• Davy Jones, singer  "The Monkees"
• Sheldon Moldoff, comic book artist  "Hawkman", "Batman"
• Ralph McQuarrie, artist/designer  "Star Wars"
• Ronnie Montrose, guitarist  "Montrose"
• Joan Taylor, actress  "Earth Vs. the Flying Saucers"
• Robert B. Sherman, songwriter  "Mary Poppins", "The Jungle Book"
• Philip Madoc, actor  "Doctor Who - The Brain of Morbius", "Doctor Who - The War Games", "Doctor Who - The Power of Kroll"
• Jimmy Ellis, singer  "The Trammps"
• Peter Bergman, comedian  "Firesign Theater", "J-Men Forever"
• Jean Giraud, comic book artist  "Moebius"
• Sid Couchey, comic book artist  "Richie Rich", "Little Dot", "Little Lotta"
• Michael Hossack, drummer  "The Doobie Brothers"
• Robert Fuest, director  "The Abominable Dr. Phibes"
• Paul Bogart, director  "House Without a Christmas Tree", "All In the Family"
• Tonnino Guerra, screenwriter  "Blow-Up", "Amarcord"
• Warren Stevens, actor  "Forbidden Planet"
• Earl Scruggs, musician
• Jim Marshall, founder of Marshall amps
• James S. Herr, businessman  "Herr's Potato Chips"
• Thomas Kinkade, artist
• Mike Wallace, TV journalist  "60 Minutes"
• Steve Fredericks, radio host  "WIP Sports Radio"
• William Finley, actor  "Phantom of the Paradise"
• Dick Clark, TV host  "American Bandstand"
• Levon Helm, musician  "The Band"
• Jonathan Frid, actor  "Dark Shadows"
• Greg Ham, saxophonist  "Men at Work"
• Charles Coulson, White House Counsel in Nixon Administration
• Adam Yauch, musician  "Beastie Boys"
• George Lindsey, actor  "The Andy Griffith Show"
• Maurice Sendak, author  "Where the Wild Things Are"
• Everett Lilly, musician  "The Lilly Brothers"
• Nicholas Katzenback, US Attorney General
• Vidal Sasson, stylist
• Tony DeZuniga, comic book artist  "Jonah Hex", "Black Orchid"
• Donald "Duck" Dunn, bass guitarist  "Booker T. & the MGs", "The Blues Brothers"
• Doug Dillard, musician  "The Dillards"
• Chuck Brown, singer
• Donna Summer, singer
• Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, conductor/baritone
• Ernie Chan, comic book artist  "DC Comics"
• Peter Jones, musician  "Crowded House"
• Robin Gibb, singer  "The Bee Gees"
• Doc Watson, musician
• Kaneto Shindo, director  "Onibaba", "Kuroneko"
• Ray Bradbury, author
• Richard Dawson, actor  "Hogan's Heroes", "Family Feud"
• Herb Reed, singer  "The Platters"
• Bob Welch, singer  "Sentimental Lady"
• Frank Cady, actor  "Green Acres", "Petticoat Junction"
• Ann Rutherford, actress  "Gone With the Wind"
• Henry Hill, mobster  "Goodfellas"
• Victor Spinetti, actor  "A Hard Day's Night"
• Richard Lynch, actor  "Star Trek:  The Next Generation"
• Andrew Sarris, film critic/author
• Caroline John, actress  "Doctor Who"
• Don Grady, actor  "My Three Sons"
• Nora Ephron, director  "Sleepless in Seattle"
• Yitzhak Shamir, Israeli Prime Minister
• Andy Griffith, actor
• Eric Sykes, comedian/actor
• Ernest Borgnine, actor
• Isuzu Yamada, actress  "Throne of Blood", "Yojimbo"
• Maria Hawkins Cole, singer/widow of Nat King Cole
• Richard D. Zanuck, producer  "Jaws"
• Celeste Holm, actress  "All About Eve"
• Jon Lord, pianist  "Deep Purple"
• Kitty Wells, singer  "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels"
• Bob Babbitt, bass guitarist  "The Funk Brothers"
• Tom Davis, comedian/writer  "Saturday Night Live"
• Sylvia Woods, restauranteur/author  "Sylvia's Soul Food"
• Angharad Rees, actress  "Hands of the Ripper"
• Simon Ward, actor  "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed", "Dracula"
• Frank Pierson, director/screenwriter  "A Star Is Born", "Dog Day Afternoon"
• Sally Ride, astronaut
• Sherman Hemsley, actor  "The Jeffersons", "All In the Family"
• Chad Everett, actor  "Medical Center"
• Mary Tamm, actress  "Doctor Who"
• Geoffrey Hughes, actor  "Keeping Up Appearances"
• R.G. Armstrong, actor  "Ride the High Country", "Race With the Devil"
• Norman Alden, actor  "Ed Wood"
• Tony Martin, singer
• Gore Vidal, author
• Sir John Keegan, historian
• Marvin Hamlisch, composer  "The Way We Were"
• Judith Crist, film critic/author
• Mel Stuart, director  "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"
• Carlo Rambaldi, special effects "E.T.", "Alien", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
• Bill Rafferty, comedian/TV host  "Card Sharks", "Real People"
• Joe Kubert, comic book artist  "Hawkman", "Sgt. Rock", "Enemy Ace"
• Helen Gurley Brown, publisher  "Cosmopolitan"
• Ron Palillo, actor  "Welcome Back, Kotter"
• Phyllis Thaxter, actress  "Adventures of Superman"
• Bob Birch, musician  "Elton John Band"
• William Windom, actor  "Night Gallery", "Murder She Wrote"
• Scott McKenzie, singer  "San Francisco (Where Flowers In Your Hair)"
• Tony Scott, director  "Top Gun"
• Phyllis Diller, comedian
• Jerry Nelson, puppeteer  "Sesame Street", "The Count"
• Steve Franken, actor  "Bewitched", "Angels and Demons"
• Neil Armstrong, astronaut
• Max Bygraves, singer/comedian
• Hal David, songwriter
• Sun Myung Moon, cult leader
• Michael Clarke Duncan, actor  "The Green Mile"
• Joe South, songwriter  "Rose Garden", "Games People Play"
• Art Modell, football team owner
• Dorothy McGuire, singer  "The McGuire Sisters"
• Steve Sabol, filmmaker  "NFL Films"
• Andy Williams, singer
• Herbert Lom, actor  "The Ladykillers", "Asylum", "The Pink Panther"
• Alex Karras, football player/actor  "Blazing Saddles"
• Gary Collins, actor  "The Sixth Sense"
• Arlen Specter, US Senator
• Marc Swayze, comic book artist  "Captain Marvel"
• Sylvia Kristel, actress  "Emmanuelle"
• George McGovern, politician
• Jacques Barzun, historian
• Clive Dunn, actor  "Dad's Army"
• Major Harris, singer  "Love Won't Let Me Wait"
• Art Ginsburg, TV chef  "Mr. Food"
• Deborah Raffin, actress
• Larry Hagman, actor  "I Dream of Jeannie", "Dallas"
• Spain Rodriguez, comic book artist  "Zap Comix"
• Dave Brubeck, musician  "Time Out"
• Ed Cassidy, drummer  "Spirit"
• Sir Patrick Moore, astronomer
• Ravi Shankar, musician
• Daniel Inouye, US Senator
• Robert Bork, jurist/Supreme Court nominee
• Jack Klugman, actor  "The Odd Couple", "12 Angry Men"
• Marva Whitney, singer  "James Brown Revue", "Soul Sister #1"
• Charles Durning, actor  "Tootsie", "The Sting"
• Richard Rodney Bennett, composer  "Murder on the Orient Express"
• Ray Collins, singer  "The Mothers of Invention"
• Gerry Anderson, producer/writer/director  "Thunderbirds", "UFO", "Space: 1999"
• Fontella Bass, singer  "Rescue Me"
• Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., US general
• Harry Carey Jr.,  actor  "The Searchers"

Check out our sister blog BATHED IN THE LIGHT FROM ANDROMEDA (link over on the right) for audio tracks of some of those who died this year.

2012: THE YEAR IN MOVIES

ONCE MORE IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WITH YET ANOTHER YEARLY RITUAL I CRAM ONTO MY BLOG AS DECEMBER DWINDLES DOWN. 

That's right, it's once again time to list the 50 favourite films I saw for the first time ever this year.  Old films or new films -- these are the movies which, for one reason or another, I never saw until this year . . . . and from them I choose my favourite fifty.

1. ABSENTIA (2011) -  Independently-made horror film on a shoestring that really makes you feel those things moving just out of the corner of your eye.
2. ACT OF VIOLENCE (1948)  -  little-seen but cracking little film noir featuring Van Heflin as the war hero with something to hide and Robert Ryan as the inexorable fate limping towards him.
3. AIR FORCE (1943)  -  John Garfield and a bevy of Hollywood character actors (Gig Young, Harry Carey, Arthur Kennedy, Stanley Ridges, John Ridgway) man an air force bomber in the wake of Pearl Harbor in Howard Hawk's patriotic war film.
4. ANDREI RUBLEV (1966)  -  Andrey Tarkovskiy's epic of the 15th century Russian icon painter is a most unusual biopic and a most unlikely epic.
5. AND SOON THE DARKNESS  (1970)  -  Robert (ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES) Fuest's taut suspense thriller featuring Pamela Franklin in her first starring role.  Two young women (Franklin & Michele Dotrice) are on a cycling tour of the backroads of France when one goes missing.
6. THE ANNIVERSARY (1968)  -  One of Bette Davis' forays into the Hammer House of Horror.  This one is a wry & warped wackfest as three sons of an overbearing matriarch (guess who?) try to cope.
7. THE AVENGERS (2012)  -  If you had told the 15 year old me that one day a big budget live action major motion picture of Marvel Comics' Avengers would be made, I wouldn't have believed you.  This was a fanboy's dream come true and surprisingly well-executed.
8. BERGMAN ISLAND (2004)  -  Very personal glimpse into the reclusive life of master director Ingmar Bergman on his island of Faro only a couple years before his death.
9. THE BLOOD OF A POET (1932)  -  Jean Cocteau's surreal first film in his Orphic trilogy offers some unforgettable images.
10. CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS (2010)  -  Werner Herzog's absolutely absorbing documentary concerning the discovery of the oldest known paintings on Earth inside the Chauvet caves in southern France.  Breathtaking expressions of earliest humanity.
11. THE COMPLETE BOB WILKINS CREATURE FEATURES (2012)  -  Absolutely delightful smorgasbord of clips from the late TV horror host's programme coupled with eye-catching artwork.
12. CRIME WAVE (1954)  -  Another little known film noir (featured in Martin Scorsese's PERSONAL JOURNEY documentary) with Gene Nelson as an ex-con who is trying to go straight but keeps getting pulled back into "the life" and Sterling Hayden as the hard-nosed cop who is sure he's guilty.
13. DECOY (1946)  -  Bizarre little film noir featuring Jean Gillie as an off-her-rocker sociopath.
14. THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (1941)  -  William Dieterle's classic adaptation of the Stephen Vincent Benet story with a delightful Walter Huston as Mr. Scratch and Edward Arnold as the wily jurist Daniel Webster.  A wicked performance by Simone Simon.
15. DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-A-LONG BLOG (2008)  -  Josh Whedon's made-for-the-internet-during-the-writers'-strike musical which became a surprising cult hit.  Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion give particularly hilarious performances.  The oddest thing about it is that the commentary track is ever funnier and has better songs!
16. THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE... (1953)  -  Max Ophuls' late-career renaissance featuring a typically luminous Danielle Darieux as the wife who sells her earrings given to her by her husband.
17. ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS (1958)  -  Louis Malle's murder flick with the twist in its tail featuring the magnificent Jeanne Moreau.
18. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE (2011)  -  A movie I never expected I'd like.  An emotionally-damaged boy embarks on a quest inspired by his late father who was killed in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.  Thoughtful performances by Max Von Sydow, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.
19. EL FANTASMA DEL CONVENTO (1934)  -  If not the first then one of the very first Mexican horror films.  Heavily influenced by the classic Universal horrors, this atmosphere-heavy ghost-fest is a feast for the eyes.
20. FEARLESS (2006)  -  Jet Li's final martial arts film offers the life story of Jin Wu Sports Federation founder Master Huo Yuanjia and a series of blockbuster fight scenes.
21. THE GUMBALL RALLY (1976)  -  Another of those great 70's road race flicks starring Michael Sarrazin instigating a cross-country race of car crashes and comedy.
22. HALF LIGHT (2006)  -  Don't let the final third of the film spoil the impact of the spooky ghostly film which precedes it.  Demi Moore is a writer who moves to an isolated Scottish village after the death of her young son and encounters some ghostly goings-on.
23. THE HAUNTING OF JULIA (1977)  -  Mia Farrow is in full post-Rosemary mode as coincidentally another mother on this list who tries to recover after the death of her young daughter and finds spooks aplenty in her new house.
24. THE HOST (2006)  -  South Korea's most successful film ever features a nasty reptilian monster emerging from the Han River and causing mass havoc.
25. THE INDIAN TOMB (1959)  -  Part two of a pair of films directed by Fritz Lang upon his return to Germany which brings to a conclusion the fraught love story between European Harald Berger and Indian temple dancer Debra Paget.
26. I NEED THAT RECORD (2008)  -  Interesting and ultimately very sad documentary examining the death of the independant record store in the wake of record company greed and downloading.
27. IN SEARCH OF MOZART (2006)  -  Absolutely magnificent documentary on the life, career and music of Mozart by director Phil Grabsky (who would later give the same treatment to Beethoven).
28. THE LAST PLAY AT SHEA (2010)  -  Entertaining documentary which intertwines the history of New York's Shea Stadium and it's closure with the life, career and music of rocker Billy Joel (who played the final concert at the stadium). 
29. LATE SPRING (1949)  -  Yasujiro Ozu's stunning masterpiece featuring the spectacular Setsuko Hara as the 27 year old who refuses to marry and leave her widowed father alone.
30. LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003)  -  Thank God Sofia Coppola is a wonderful director so hopefully we never have to suffer through her acting again.  Incredibly charming film with a weary, jaded film star Bill Murray in Japan to make whiskey commercials encountering a neglected young wife Scarlet Johannsson and the friendship that ensues.
31. LUDWIG (1972)  -  Visconti's epic portrait of the mad king of Bavaria Ludwig II.
32. LUMIERE AND COMPANY (1995)  -  40 modern-day film directors are asked to make short films utilizing the original Cinematographe used by the Lumiere Brothers.
33. THE MACHINE GIRL (2008)  -  Absolutely bonkers Japanese gore fest heavily influenced by the work of Quentin Tarantino is a revenge fantasy of a school girl who offs her family's killers.
34. MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (1929)  -  The perennial "greatest films list" nominee featuring the revolutionary Soviet filmwork of director Dziga Vertov.
35. MARLENE (1984)  -  Maximilian Schell's fascinating documentary of the iconic film star with the uncooperative Marlene Dietrich refusing to appear on camera.
36. MARY AND MAX (2009)  -  Absolute classic animated film featuring a young girl in Australia randomly selecting a middle aged man with Asberger's in New York to be her penpal. 
37. THE MILKY WAY (1969)  -  Luis Bunuel's hallucinogenic surreal film of a pair of pilgrims on the Santiago de Compostela in Spain encountering various religious and historical incidents.
38. THE MUMMIES OF GUANAJUATO (1972)  -  Another wacky Mexican Wrestler film featuring the triumvirate of El Santo, Blue Demon and Mil Mascaras battling the crumbly mummies.
39. MYSTERY STREET (1950)  -  This obscure film noir is a precursor to all those "CSI" programmes featuing Ricardo Montalban as a detective trying to solve an old murder case with forensic evidence.
40. ONE WAY PASSAGE (1932)  -  Star-crossed lovers William Powell and the wavishing Kay Francis meet and fall in love on an ocean liner.  Unknown to each of them, Powell is a convicted criminal on his way to be executed and Francis has a terminal illness!
41. THE OVERLANDERS (1946)  -  At the start of World War II, the Japanese are getting close to giving Australia a taste of "scorched earth" so Chips Rafferty and Co. attempt to evacuate their cattle across continent to save them from the invaders in this fine Australian film.
42. POOL OF LONDON (1951)  -  Another superb Basil Dearden film sailor Bonar Colleano getting involved in smuggling and unwittingly involving fellow sailor Earl Cameron.
43. PRIMER (2004)  -  Another independent film produced on a shoestring.  A mind-boggling science fiction/time travel movie where some friends inadvertently invent a time machine that works.  A film that definitely rewards repeated viewings -- in fact, it requires it!
44. THE RAID REDEMPTION (2011)  -  Another absolutely bonkers action flick where an Indonesian SWAT team invades the high-rise building of a local drug lord.  Action and violence that are over-the-top.
45. THE ROCKING HORSE WINNER (1949)  -  Superb Anthony Pelissier directed adaptation of the D.H. Lawrence story of a young boy who receives a rocking horse which somehow gives him the power to predict the winners of horse races.  John Mills and Valerie Hobson (as do all) give splendid performances.
46. THE RULES OF THE GAME (1939)  -  Another film which features on many "greatest film ever" lists.  Jean Renoir's masterful look at bourgeoise French society on the eve of World War II.
47. SUMMER INTERLUDE (1951)  -  Ingmar Bergman is at it again in this tragic love story.
48. THE TIGER OF ESCHNAPUR (1959)  -  The first part of that Fritz Lang pair of films which concludes with THE INDIAN TOMB.  Breathtaking colour and sumptuous sets.
49. TRIANGLE (2009)  -  Here's another taut time travel film on this list, this time from Australia where the enphasis is on horror.  A group of friends out sailing are sunk by a violent storm and encounter a deserted ocean liner where strange things are happening.
50. THE WAY (2010)  -  Is there any scenario in the past which would've predicted the directorial talent of Emilio Estevez?!?!?!???  This very personal film stars Martin Sheen whose son (played by Estevez) dies while attempting the Camino of Santiago de Compostela.  The father decides to complete the pilgrimage while carrying his son's ashes across Spain.  An incredibly moving and beautiful film.

THE 2012 PENGUIN AWARDS NOMINATIONS

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE RAKE OVER THE MUSICAL OFFERINGS OF THE YEAR AND NOMINATE SOME OF THE BEST FOR A PENGUIN AWARD. 

2012 was a little sparse once again as far as great music releases but we've managed to cull together a worthy bunch.  So without a moment to lose, here are the nominations:

NOMINEES FOR SONG OF THE YEAR

 

ALL ABOUT ME  -  The Bit Players (from COMMENTARY! THE MUSICAL)
CERTAIN WAY  -  Tim Finn

THE GARDEN  -  Rush

HE'S NOT A BOY  -  The Like

I'M WRITING A NOVEL  -  Father John Misty
LOVE INTERRUPTION  -  Jack White

NANCY FROM NOW ON  -  Father John Misty

NARCISSUS IN A RED DRESS  -  The Like

NINJA ROPES  -  Jed Whedon, Nathan Fillion & Neil Patrick Harris
SIXTEEN SALTINES  -  Jack White

SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW  -  Gotye (featuring Kimba)

SKYFALL  -  Adele

WELL, YOU CAN DO IT WITHOUT ME  -  Father John Misty

WHITE WINE IN THE SUN (LIVE)  -  Tim Minchin
WILD SWEET CHILDREN  -  Tim Finn

 

NOMINEES FOR ALBUM OF THE YEAR

BLUNDERBUSS  -  Jack White

 CLOCKWORK ANGELS  -  Rush
 

 COME SUNDAY  -  Charlie Haden & Hank Jones

 COMMENTARY! THE MUSICAL  -  Original Cast Album

 FEAR FUN  -  Father John Misty
 

 MAKING MIRRORS  -  Gotye

 RELEASE ME  -  The Like

THROW IT TO THE UNIVERSE  -  THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES

THE VIEW IS WORTH THE CLIMB  -  Tim Finn

 

NOMINEES FOR DUET OF THE YEAR

 

GOING HOME  -  Charlie Haden & Hank Jones

NINJA ROPES  -  Jed Whedon, Nathan Fillion & Neil Patrick Harris

SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW  -  Gotye (featuring Kimba)

 

NOMINEES FOR COVER SONG OF THE YEAR

 

HOME (WHEN SHADOWS FALL)  -  Paul McCartney
I'M SHAKIN'  -  Jack White

OUR DAY WILL COME  -  Amy Winehouse

(SITTIN' ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY  -  Lisa Ono

A SONG FOR YOU  -  Amy Winehouse

 

NOMINEES FOR BEST ALBUM COVER ART

 

CLOCKWORK ANGELS  -  Rush

COME SUNDAY  -  Charlie Haden & Hank Jones

FEAR FUN  -  Father John Misty
THE VIEW IS WORTH THE CLIMB  -  Tim Finn

THE SUPER-COLOSSAL EYE-POPPING FLICKER PROJECT 2012 CONCLUDES

WELL, MAYBE NOT QUITE YET. 

There is still the rest of December to get through with many more movies, I'm sure, making this list.  For those of you who don't know, the Flicker Project 2012 tracks how many movies I watched in one year.  The first 360 films are listed in my first post which can be viewed by clicking here or else clicking on the "Flicker Project" label at the end of this post.  Now, I'm concluding the list starting where I left off.  I will continue to add to this list every movie I watch until midnight of December 31st so check back here periodically to keep track and on New Year's Day for the final total.  I've already topped 500 films watched so far this year as of today so who knows how many more will appear on the list by the time this lousy year finally gets outta here.  So here we go -- the conclusion of the 2012 Flicker Project List:

361. THE PEARL OF DEATH

362. THE REPTILE

363. REVENGE OF THE ZOMBIES

364. SANTO VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN

365. THE LOST CONTINENT

366. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS

367. BEDAZZLED

368. THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD

369. THE MUMMIES OF GUANAJUATO

370. DICK TRACY MEETS GRUESOME

371. WAGON MASTER

372. THE CONVERSATION

373. TONY ARZENTA

374. FIRES WERE STARTED

375. GHOST PATROL

376. WAR OF THE SATELLITES

377. DR. HORRIBLE'S SING-ALONG BLOG

378. LE SPECTRE ROUGE

379. THE HALLOWEEN TREE

380. PRIMER

381. THE RAID REDEMPTION

382. ACT OF VIOLENCE

383. MYSTERY STREET

384. LOVE

385. THE CUTTING EDGE: THE MAGIC OF MOVIE EDITING

386. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

387. OH, MR. PORTER

388. WHERE THERE'S A WILL

389. THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS

390. NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

391. THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU

392. LIFEBOAT

393. GONE TO EARTH

394. THE COMPLETE BOB WILKINS CREATURE FEATURES

395. THE AVENGERS

396. GIGANTIS THE FIRE MONSTER (Cinema Insomnia version)

397. THE OLD DARK HOUSE

398. EVERY OTHER DAY IS HALLOWEEN

399. ONE FRIGHTENED NIGHT

400. EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE

401. MADE IN DAGENHAM

402. THE FOG OF WAR

403. THE BIG CHILL

404. MUNCHAUSEN

405. THE GHOST GALLEON

406. NIGHT OF THE SEAGULLS

407. THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (2002)

408. FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN

409. FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER

410. THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER

411. WILD GUITAR

412. THE STAR

413. WE'RE NOT MARRIED

414. MURDER SHE SAID

415. INVISIBLE INVADERS

416. INVISIBLE AGENT

417. THE BLOB

418. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1962)

419. PARANOIAC

420. CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR

421. MURDER AT THE GALLOP

422. THE DEADLY MANTIS

423. THE HEART OF THE WORLD

424. THE BLOODY JUDGE

425. THE WITCHMAKER

426. BURKE AND HARE

427. SLEEPY HOLLOW

428. THE COMEDY OF TERRORS

429. BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN

430. SON OF FRANKENSTEIN

431. DARK SHADOWS

432. DOOMWATCH

433. MISSILE TO THE MOON

434. TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE

435. THE GREEN SLIME

436. BATMAN (1966)

437. THE THREE STOOGES IN ORBIT

438. THE SINISTER MONK

439. THE DEVIL'S RAIN

440. HOLD THAT GHOST

441. THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1934)

442. PILLOW OF DEATH

443. THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE

444. MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS

445. VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED

446. THE DEATH KISS

447. WHO DONE IT?

448. THE VAMPIRE (1957)

449. THE LADY AND THE MONSTER

450. ETHEL

451. THE GUMBALL RALLY

452. HORRIBLE HORROR

453. THE SPECKLED BAND

454. SILVER BLAZE aka MURDER AT THE BASKERVILLES

455. A STUDY IN SCARLET

456. ATTACK THE BLOCK

457. THE NIGHT STALKER

458. GOEMON

459. NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS

460. SUSPIRIA

461. THE LINE, THE CROSS AND THE CURVE

462. SAVANNAH SMILES

463. THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS

464. BLOOD OF NOSTRADAMUS

465. TERROR CREATURES FROM THE GRAVE

466. THE BURNING COURT

467. ADVISE & CONSENT

468. VALKYRIE

469. TWO LANE BLACKTOP

470. SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

471. THE STORY OF MANKIND

472. TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN

473. ANDREI RUBLEV

474. ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS

475. ALICE'S RESTAURANT

476. ORPHEE

477. JEZEBEL

478. HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS

479. THE MISSILES OF OCTOBER

480. THE HOUSE WITHOUT A CHRISTMAS TREE

481. THE BRIBE

482. INTERNATIONAL HOUSE

483. THE BANK DICK

484. BORN YESTERDAY

485. AIR FORCE

486. THE GIRL

487. ADAM'S RIB

488. STAVISKY

489. POOL OF LONDON

490. THE SCORE

491. STEPHEN TOBOLOWSKY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

492. BRINGING UP BABY

493. OCEAN'S ELEVEN

494. LAURA

495. HEY! HEY! USA

496. A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA

497. THE ROCKING HORSE WINNER

498. MARLENE

499. A DANGEROUS METHOD

500. THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY

501. WAG THE DOG

502.  SHALL WE DANCE

503.  THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK

504.  A PROPOS DE NICE

505.  TARIS

506.  ZERO DE CONDUITE

507.  VIGO:  PASSION FOR LIFE

508.  PETER'S FRIENDS

509.  THE SINGING DETECTIVE

510.  TOWER HEIST

511.  THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

512.  L'ATALANTE

513.  CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS

514.  IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

515.  GEORGE HARRISON:  LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD

516.  I NEED THAT RECORD

517.  GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES

518.  THE TIME MACHINE

Well, that's it!  I watched a total of 518 movies in 2012.  I think I've been slacking.  I'll need to up my movie-watching for 2013.

AUNT CHARLOTTE'S - MY FAVOURITE LOCAL OLD-FASHIONED CANDY STORE

HEALTHY SLO MO SLUTS

A REBUTTAL MIX TO STAR'S "RABID MOFO VIRGINS" PLAYLIST. 

Over at "THE SEASON OF PLUM AND COBBLESTONE", Lisa* posted a mix tape she made back in 1994.  I thought it was such a keen-o mix that I decided to make a "rebuttal" mix which would feature the "opposite version" of the songs on her mix.  And for a limited time, there it is to listen to over on the right in the box there.

Her first song is Green Day's "Dominated Love Slaves".  Now that sounded very constrained and . . . well . . . dominating.  So I thought I'd start with something liberating which is "Free" by Deniece Williams.

Her second song was Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way?".  This implied to me someone inviting someone along to accompany them.  So I chose as rebuttal the anti-social "Baby Get Lost" by Dinah Washington.

Her third song was Creedance Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising".  Well, the opposite of a moon rise is a sun set, so I chose the Kink's classic "Waterloo Sunset".

Her fourth song on the mix was "Bombtrack" by Rage Against the Machine.  Now bombs seem real belligerent to me so I thought the opposite would be a pretty little flower.  That's why I chose the Carter Family's "Wildwood Flower".

Her fifth song was Pink Floyd's "Time".  What could be more opposite than "No Time" by The Guess Who?

Her sixth song was "Typewriter" by Louie Rankin.  Now, a typewriter is a really old-fashioned instrument so I countered that with a more modern writing thingy:  "My Computer" by Prince featuring Kate Bush.

Her seventh song was "I'm Nuthin'" by Ethan Hawke.  Sounds a little down on himself.  So I rebutted with a more self-confident "I'm Lucky" by Joan Armatrading.

Her eighth song was "Another Man Loved Me Last Night" by Loretta Lynn.  Sounds a bit unfaithful, if you axe me.  That's why I chose to rebut with "Faithfully" by Journey.

Her ninth song was Depeche Mode's cover of "Route 66".  That's a great big busy highway so I countered with a quieter thoroughfare like Ray Charles' "Lonely Avenue".

Her tenth song was "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by the Smiths.  Cheer up, Moz.  How 'bout with Terra Naomi's "I'm Happy".

Her eleventh song was "Fly Like an Eagle" by the Steve Miller Band.  What's the opposite of flying around like that up in the sky?  David Bowie's "Underground", that's what.

Her twelfth song was Billie Holiday's version of "Stormy Weather".  I countered that with "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (Live)" by Sammy Davis Jr.  Ka-chonk ka-chonk!

That was the end of side one on her original mix tape.  Side two began with Stone Temple Pilots' "Sex Type Thing".  Gee, that sounds very naughty, sexy like.  I countered "sex" with "death" and the "sensual" with the "spiritual" by choosing Anuna's "Media Vita".

Her fourteenth song was "Hip Hop Lyrical Robot" by UB40.  The opposites of robots is human beings so I chose "Human Beings Want To Be Happy (Interlude)" by King Britt featuring Ursula Rucker.

Her fifteenth song was Jim Morrison and the Doors' "The Ghost Song".  OK, ghosts are dead so I chose "Alive Again" by Trey Anastasio.

Her sixteenth song was Bob Marley's "War".  Easy, what's the opposite of war?  I went with "Peace Tonight" by the Indigo Girls.

Her seventeenth song was Harry Chapin's "Better Place To Be".  Sounds like a place where things are improving so I rebutted with things getting worse in "Slipping" by Neil Patrick Harris from the "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" soundtrack.

Her eighteenth song was Barbra Steisand's "I'd Rather Be Blue Over You".  Again, cheer up Babs!  How 'bout with Trini Lopez's "If You Wanna Be Happy"?

Her nineteenth song was "Sweet Toxic Love" by Boy George.  I countered sweet with bitter by choosing the Jam's "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow)".

Her twentieth song was Judy Garland's classic "The Man That Got Away".  Well, I didn't let my choice get away; I captured "I Got You" by Split Enz.

Her twenty first song was House of Pain's "Top 'o the Morning To Ya".  The opposite of good morning is nighty nite so I rebutted with Will Kimbrough's "Goodnight Moon".

Her twenty second song was "A Man and A Woman" by Francis Lai.  Don't be so grown-up.  I countered with "Boy Meets Girl" by Mel Brooks & Marlo Thomas from the "Free To Be You and Me" soundtrack.

Her twenty third and final song on the mix was the Cure's "Closedown".  Opposite of close down is open up, right?  So I ended with "Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sun Shine In" by Frente!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

FROM THE LAND OF CERPTS AND HONEY!

 

DAVID THOMSON TELLS RICKSTER WHAT TO WATCH

MARTIN SCORSESE DID IT EARLIER THIS MONTH SO DAVID THOMSON GOT JEALOUS. 

As part of my "Tell Rickster What to Watch" Challenge (inspired by Edgar Wright, of course), this time around film historian David Thomson is gonna provide me with some watchin' fodder.  Actually, not really.  But Thomson's fantastic and indispensable book "HAVE YOU SEEN...?", which features one-page essays on 1,000 films recommended by the author when asked "What films should I see?", is going to do it for him.  Now, a good deal of the 1,000 I've already seen and the rest is still too big a list for me to conquer in any reasonable amount of time.  So instead I'm going to go through Thomson's book and I'm going to cherry-pick a dozen or two films that I would like to see the most -- and THAT will be the equivalent of Mr. Thomson telling me what to watch.  See?  Mr. Thomson commands I watch:

• AIR FORCE (1943)
• ASHES AND DIAMONDS (1958)
• LA BAIE DES ANGES (1962)
• BLACK LEGION (1937)
• CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING (1974)
• DIARY OF A CHAMBERMAID (1946)
• HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT (1937)
• MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW (1937)
• MIDNIGHT (1939)
• PANDORA'S BOX (1929)
• PLAYTIME (1967)
• SEXY BEAST (2000)
• SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1942)

Now, I have chosen a "baker's dozen" here because, quite frankly, CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING is impossible to buy, rent or steal; so knowing I'm going into it with one impossible-to-find film, I stuck another one on the list.  And that David Thomson has already done a pretty good job recommending movies -- just for your edification, these are the films that I've already seen as a direct result of reading Thomson's book:  Act of Violence (1948), Alphaville (1965), Le Amiche (1955), Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud (1958), Bande a Parte (1964), The Big Lebowski (1998), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Carrington (1995), Cinema Paradiso (1988), The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), Le Doulos (1963), The Great Train Robbery (1903), Late Spring (1949), Madame de... (1953), Mad Max (1979), The Man With a Movie Camera (1927), The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Les 400 Coups (1959), 'Round Midnight (1986), The Rules of the Game (1939), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), The Sting (1973), Tokyo Story (1953), Underworld U.S.A. (1961), Wagon Master (1950) and You the Living (2007).    

WHAT DO YOU WANT ON YOUR FOUR-COLOR TOMBSTONE?

CALL IT HALLOWEEN LEFTOVERS, IF YOU WILL . . . but since Halloween is 365 no justification is needed.  Since mostly these days I feel like crawling into the grave and pulling the dirt up over my head, I'm going to post a cover gallery of comix featuring tombstones on them.  A surprisingly effective way to boost sales over the years!  This goes out to all the friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery!