Tales of Daring and Peril

Last weekend I went snorkeling with some friends. We saw plenty of beautiful fish, a very large manta ray and this bad boy.

This is the mighty great White Tip shark (not to be confused with a Great White). None the less, this shark was about 20 feet away and close to 5 feet long. I told my mom and she was a bit freaked out but the White Tip is a non-aggressive species. So it looked way cool but posed no danger. All the same, I now swim with sharks. This particular shark I fought but allowed it to live. That's because I respect and yes even love this killer (of tiny fishes) of the sea.

Bill Murray is Totally Scrooged!

Scrooged (1988) staring Bill Murray: Frank Cross runs a US TV station which is planning a live adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol. Frank's childhood wasn't a particularly pleasant one, and so he doesn't really appreciate the Christmas spirit. With the help of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, Frank realizes he must change. OK so that's the IMDB summary. Frank is President of IBC and he is about to run a live Christmas day special of The Christmas carol with Buddy Hackett as Scrooge and Mary Lou Retton as Tiny Tim. She not only walks but she does a double somersault! So his show is terrible and his promo ad for the show is even worse with the intent being to scare the audience into watching. It actually scares one viewer to death. He also fires the one person who questions the ad (Bobcat Goldthwait who later gets drunk, buys a gun and comes back to kill Frank). Frank's secretary has a son who is our Tiny Tim. He hasnt spoken since his father died. They have no money with which to seek decent medical care. Frank doesn't know but probably wouldn't care. He even cuts his secretary's bonus that year. So he obviously has no Christmas Spirit. In come the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. We discover that as a child Frank got veal for Christmas and sat in front of the TV non-stop. We also learn that he is madly in love with Claire Phillips (Karen Allen who played Marion in Raiders of the Lost Ark). Frank tells her in their past "I never liked a girl enough to give her 12 sharp knives. But Frank blows it because he chose his career as Frisbee the Dog over being with her on Christmas Eve. This decisioin is what leads to his ascension at IBC television. We learn in the future that Claire has become mean and bitter because of comments he makes to her about saving herself and his secretary's son is in a padded room. Of course he changes his ways. He interupts the live show and goes on live TV and talks about the true spirit of Christmas. Sort of.

OK now it is a sad reflection on the state of movie adaptations for A Christmas Carol that this is the 2nd best version. Even sadder that the best version involves a frog. Anyway, I watched this movie a year ago and I remembered really enjoying it. I did enjoy it but not like I thought I would. So let's start with my criticisms. This movie feels way too 80s. Not in a good way. There are lots of good 80s movies. But this one feels like I should see Gina Davis pop up at any moment. Does that make sense? I hope so. Also, the change is too sudden. He is still pretty hard hearted up until the Ghost of Christmas Future. And then the change seems hokey. I'm afraid that this part of the movie requires an actor that can sell drama. Bill can't. While yelling that he can change he comes across like Bob Wiley insisting that he will go away. It works in What About Bob but not here. I also don't like that our Tiny Tim ends up in a padded room. How does that happen? Because he can't talk? Yeah OK. And then in the end he talks saying "God bless us, everyone." OK that had to happen but it still was way cheesy. Lastly, when after the visit from the last ghost he changes his way and he interrupts the live program and goes on his ramble...OK so it's supposed to be spur of the moment train-of-thought but it gets to the point where I am going crazy cause he's not getting to the point. But you get the payoff when Claire shows up and they reunite on stage.

Which brings us to the things I liked. Number one is Marion. I know her name is Claire but she'll always be Marion from Raider of the Lost Ark to me. So I'm going to call her Marion. Anyway, every time she smiles it steals the scene. She is the ultimate girl next door who you could have had a wonderful life with if you hadn't ignored her for the prom queens sort of thing. So her character is great. The best part of the movie for me is when Frank is doing his live TV thing and he gets a kiss from a tv dancer and says that it's very good but not great. There has only ever been one great. It cuts to Marion's homeless shelter where she works and Frank says her name on TV. Everyone at the shelter goes crazy. That makes me smile lots. So Marion is wonderful. The fact that she still loves Frank is unbelievable.
I also really dug the Ghost of Christmas Present as played by Carol Kane. Can't help but love her. Though her continual beating of Frank tends to get old. I also loved the score. Danny Elfman which surprised me. But since I liked the score it shouldn't.

Anyway, good movie but not great. Bill Murray is always a pleasure but this is not one of my favorite Bill Murray films. Again it's a decent Christmas movie but not one of my favorites. That's OK cause I still have plenty of time to watch White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life and Edward Scissorhands.

Merry Christmas to all of you! I hope this is a great one for everyone! On to January. The category of the month is one that is near and dear to me. For January, please submit to me your favorite Tim Burton film. I am putting forth the best Comic Book movie of all time, Batman (1989).

4th and 18!

It was at that very impossible moment when I was thinking of ways to have Harvey Unga killed for dropping 2 touchdown passes. You see, because he muffed an easy touchdown catch on a 4th down on BYU's last drive, Utah was able to go up by 1 point with a minute and change left. I thought "OK just like last year. BYU can do it." 3 plays later with BYU at their 12 yard line on a 4th and 18, all I wanted to do was murder Unga. I wondered if I could scrounge up enough dough for the hit. Then Max Hall threw a 49 yard pass. Several plays later all I could think of was whether it is appropriate to send one of my children to Unga in appreciation of his 15 yard touchdown run to win the game. It's been several hours now and I can barely talk because of how much I screamed and several of my children still won't come near me. Today was the 2nd happiest day of this year! Thanks Cougars!

Your Fully Invested Fan

Roy

Charleton Heston, the alpha and Omega Man!

First things first. I deeply apologize for anyone who was surprised by those 2 scenes. It has been 10 years since I saw the film and I plum forgot. So if I caused anyone discomfort, I promise it won't happen again.

OK onto the good stuff. Omega Man is one of my favorite Charleton Heston films. It's all about Barrel Chested glory and killing things instead of trying to fix them. More on that later. Quick plot summary for Omega Man: Omega Man is a 1971 science fiction thriller starring Charlton Heston. The movie is based on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel, I Am Legend. The screenplay was written by John William and Joyce Corrington, and the movie was directed by Boris Sagal. The story was first filmed in 1964, under the title The Last Man on Earth, with Vincent Price in the lead role. A third adaptation of the story, I Am Legend, starring Will Smith, is scheduled for release on December 14, 2007." I love anything Vincent Price and I am deeply disturbed about the upcoming remake. So Charleton plays Robert Neville, a survivor of germ warfare that wiped out all humanity. He is the only person who was immune. There are others who are alive but suffering from severe symptoms including ash-grey skin and hair, weird looking eyes, lots of cysts, light sensitivity and they can only wear black cloaks. They call themselves The Family and they hate anything to do with technology which they blame for what has happened. So they spend all their time burning stuff and trying to kill Robert. Robert soon discovers other surviving humans who have not yet succumbed to the plague. He decides to use his blood as an antidote and take everyone to the hills. The family has other plans.

So the film starts with our hero, Robert Neville, just taking a pleasant drive through downtown LA which is oddly vacant. Then he stops and starts shooting at a shadow in a window. You know immediately that we are in for a good time. In short time we get through the flashbacks that fill us in on what happened to the world (crummy germ warfare!), and find ourselves viewing a shirtless Charleton Heston shopping for clothes. Not just shirtless but glistening. Then we are let in early on Robert's deteriorating mental state. He imagines that every phone in the city is ringing and has to scream that it's not true for it to stop. He then goes home and plays himself in Chess and watches himself on TV. Chuck, in commenting on the film said that Robert is trying to survive his own survival and is failing. For example, why hasn't he headed for the hills? Why does he stay where his life is at risk? It's because it is better to be surrounded by enemies than to be completely alone. So as soon as he discovers other humans he decides that it IS time to head for the hills. One of these survivors is a boy named Ritchie. He is in an advanced stage of the plague, but Charleton manages to save him with his immune blood. We learn that it can take weeks to turn or an instant. so Ritchie had time but others won't be so lucky. Segway into Lisa, Robert's love interest. She is also Ritchie's sister. She has some awesome outfits including a red snake skin pant suit. So anyway, after Ritchie is cured he asks why Robert doesn't try to cure the family? Robert says they are vermin. Well stupid Ritchie goes to the family and tells them that they have a cure. What do they do? The kill him. NEVER EVER TRY TO HELP OTHERS! Anyway, long story short, Lisa turns and as Robert tries to save her he is killed, but not until he manages to get a bottle of his blood to the survivors. So he is the savior of the new world, in case you missed the crucifixion pose that he dies in.

My favorite line is "You better hitch up your drawers." I also love it when Mathias is expounding upon the evils of mankind and Robert says "You're full of crap." Anyway, great Sci-Fi film. Charleton made it after Planet of the Apes and right before Soylent Green which I consider the Holy Trinity of 70's Sci-Fi. Another sweet thing about Omega Man is it is parodied in one of the best Simpsons Halloween Specials ever with HOMEGA MAN. If you haven't seen it, here is a link thanks to Jon Madsen.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ekLDyPGX9a0

I hope you all enjoyed it. Let me know.

On to the movie for December. Obviously the theme is Christmas. I vote for Edward Scissorhands. I'll take your recommendations and make a poll on Dec 1st.

Star Trek Shmar Shmrek

So I recently made fun of a friend for being a Vampire Captain Kirk for Halloween. Sorry Jon. I've never really liked Star Trek and I often look down on those that do. But recently I had an epiphany. I was trying to get someone we'll call Shmoe to eat something he had never tried before. I was so frustrated because I knew he would like it if he just gave it a chance but because of the way it looked there was no way it was going to happen. That's when I realised that I had never seen a single Star Trek movie or perhaps even an entire episode. So here goes. I have placed in my Blockbuster Online Que all three original seasons (there were only 3?) all the movies and all of the Next Generation. I hope to watch them all in chronological order. Either this will open up a new world to me or at the very least I will be able to say with confidence why I can't stand this stuff. Wish me luck.
I do have a question for Jon. Should I watch Next Generation season 3 before or after The Final Frontier? For that matter any time there is a movie same year as a season of the show should I go with movie first or season?
To those of you who are ashamed of me, I understand.

Coming Home

Remember when we were in High School and we made fun of the grads who came back for school dances? What a bunch of low lifes. Then one fine day our freshman year at BYU Jon and I got a call from our friend Sara (the) Morrison. So we went back to Timpview's Homecoming. Yeah, we were losers. Anyway I found this pic. The girl I'm with turned out to be the best friend of my yet unmet wife Valerie. Hey! Jon had hair!

November Movie of the Month - Heston Fest!

I am so pleased to announce that this month we will be featuring a Charleton Heston film for the movie of the month. Go vote in the poll to the right immediately. Now.

Here is a brief line from IMDB that sums up Chuck better than I can: With features chiseled in stone, who else but Charlton Heston could you picture as Michelangelo, as Ben-Hur, as Moses? Heston's movie career took off with The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) and reached light speed with Ben-Hur (1959). Although he has played a pantheon of larger-than-life roles, he usually prefers to talk about the day-to-day daily grind of the movie business, and especially credits the writers and directors he has worked for much of his success. Though aging gracefully, the venerated Heston has lately been more interested in promoting right-wing political issues than acting.

So we all know Charleton from his big pics like 10 Comandments and Ben Hur (he won an Oscar for Best Actor in Ben Hur), but a decade ago I really got to know his brilliant sci-fi work. Planet of the Apes is amazing and Soylent Green is still one of the movies that can make me laugh to tears. But I'd have to say Omega Man is my favorite. I desperately hope that wins the vote so that those of you who have not yet seen it can have that pleasure. Either way it will be a joy to salute one of America's finest actors. So make your choice and let's dive head first into barrel-chested glory!

Halloween Music For the Masses...Finally!

OK so the 2007 Halloween cd has finally been produced. Well almost. The art work should be done tonight but the set list is complete and I will share with you below.
This year we decided to go on the theme of how scary and terribly destructive girls are. This picture is what I think will end up as our cover. It's Vampira from the movie Plan 9 From Outer Space. Anyway, this is a unique cd. Usually we have a core of songs that goes along with the theme but this year ever single song (except for the intro piece) is about girly badness (with a few we had to stretch the interpretation). Jon did a brilliant job of ordering the tracks. Jon went with the theory that with evil (and women) we follow this progression: "First we fear/despise it, then we tolerate it, then we embrace it' but (we end it) with a sort of victimization coda." Also we substituted the usual movie quotes with stanzas from The Raven as read by Christopher Walken. We've wanted to use this for a number of years and fortuitously the poem is all about a man going insane from the haunting memory of a woman. So here's the list and explanation of the song progression:

-

1. It's Halloween - The Shaggs (Intro)

2. Scarecrow - Beck: the hero's journey begins

3. Burn the Witch - Queens of the Stoneage: the hero discovers the antagonist and recognizes her evil

4. Reptile - The Church: although this song i think is about the post effects of being wronged, i'm still putting it toward the beginning in the 'despise' phase since that's what the narrator feels

5. Strange Brew - Cream

6. Witch Queen of New Orleans - Redbone

7. Voodoo Dolly - Siouxsie and the Banshees

8. Spookshow Baby - Rob Zombie

9. The Beast - Concrete Blonde: acknowledgement and respect for the evil

10. Out of Limits - The Markettes: a thought process

11. Spooky Little Girl Like You - The Classics IV: an apparent infatuation

12. Be My Druidess - Type O Negative: a proposition

13. Heart of Lilith - Inkubus Sukkubus: an acknowledgment of desire for what is wrong

14. One Caress - Depeche Mode: longing for darkness

15. Cold From Fever - Sunshine Blind: confusion

16. Rainbow in the Dark - DIO: seclusion and betrayal

17. Dead Heaven - Gary Numan: numbness and angst

18. Exit Music (for a Film) - Radiohead

-

All the song notes come straight from what Jon told me for his reasons. He deserves full credit. I did none of this. I'll happily take credit for the theme, suggesting some songs and some of the cover art, but all the creative stuff I leave to the pros. Especially this last week. Jon has worked like a Jon possessed. Thanks hard Jon.

So I'm way happy with this cd. I've been wanting to use some of these songs for years including Rainbow in the Dark and Spooky Little Girl (the song that led me to our theme) and Out of limits. I discovered some great new songs like Scarecrow by Beck and Voodoo Dolly by Siouxsie Sue.

So anyway, if you want a copy, let me know. I realise it's a little late this year but well too bad. I had an out of town wedding and a baby born and Jon went to Hawaii. Be happy we did it at all.

Now I'm finally ready for the big day. HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

October Movie - The Lady In White

So the movie of the month - as voted by you all - is Lady In White. I have to think that we chose this film based on nostalgic feelings of when we were all in junior high and the PG-13 horror film genre didn't really exist yet. So we got REALLY pumped about the one horror film we COULD watch...Lady In White. Even back then I remember being disappointed. If we were feeling nostalgic I wish we had chosen Something Wicked This Way Comes or even Salems Lot. Anyway, here goes.
This film is based on a popular urban legend about the "White Lady" who had a daughter that was killed by a predatory suitor. Finding her daughter dead she kills herself and she haunts the lakefront to this day. So we start the film with this legend already going on. Our nerd hero, Frankie Scarlatti, gets locked in a coat closet at school by the cool kids. While there he sees the ghost of a young girl. She drops something down a grate then she is apparently murdered. We later learn that this apparition occurs every night and that the girl is carried off all the way accross town and thrown off a cliff. Why has no one else seen it before? Is everyone asleep by 10 pm? Anyway, after the ghost leaves we see a real man come in and try to retrieve the item from the grate (the furnace is about to be replaced and if the item is found there where the girl was killed this guy could get caught). The man sees Frankie and tries to kill him. Why not? What's one more murder (there had been 10 or so)? He survives and we spend the rest of the film trying to figure out who this man is. In the meantime we see the Lady in White several times but it's never scary. The director should have watched Halloween on lessons for how to freak you out with the appearance of the scary thing in your movie. Then we get a real treat when we meet the Lady's living sister who is Mona from Who's the Boss? That's the scariest part of the film hands down. We learn that the murderer is Frankie's uncle who in the end tries to kill Frankie. Of course Frankie is saved by Mona and then again by the Lady herself. Uncle Phil dies and the Lady and her daughter can now both rest forever as they blast off into space. But Mona is dead. So that's good news.
Lots of problems. First, this film feels like the Halloween version of The Christmas Story with the author (in this case the Author/Director Frank LaLoggia) narrating the film like a fond remeniscence. It doesn't work for a scary movie. You can't have a cheery, nostalgic scary movie. Then there are the Puma Man flying effects which were so funny in The Puma Man but not here. Then there's the forest which has an eternal layer of fog on the ground. I could go on but it's really upsetting me. I can't remember how many times I hit the status button to see how much time was left. If we have another one like this then I may start exercising veto powers.

So the movie category for this month is Charleton Heston films. No one can screw that up. My vote is for Omega Man.

Home for Good...Or At Least a Few Days

As you can see I photographed only the most important stuff, such as Training Table Cheese Fries.

Spencer won some fabulous prizes in the Guess the Contaminant in the Milk contest. Contaminants included onions, salt, ketchup, refried beans, tuna juice, chicken boulion, A-1 steak sauce, chili powder etc.

I actually came out for a wedding. Here is Spencer and the new Sister-In-Law Erin. She's great.

So I had a really good time, watched a lot of The Office and got very little sleep. It was great seeing Jon, JB, Jake and his kids. Then there are those I didn't get to see. I would make angry cursing words but I'm sure you had your reasons. I promise not to hate you all for the rest of my life. While I was there I discovered a treasure trove of goodies from my past. Most of which I promptly threw away. Should I have burned them? It is an effort to purge the memory of She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named out of my life completely. I figure if I treat her like Rocky 5 (pretend like it never existed) then I can be sort of happy.
I DID find a fantastic old pocket watch, the ruined remains of one of my favorite x-mas gifts ever - a Book on classic horror films Jon bought me many a year ago (sorry Jon but it looked like it had been sitting in a tub of water for 10 years) and a pic of me and Jon going back to Timpview's Homecoming dance our Freshman year of BYU.

So it was a fun and fruitfull trip. I hope to come back out again this next summer and of course the ultimate goal is to move out there permenant like in 4 years. We'll see. Thanks to all for a great time.

Hawaii Jon-0

Jon and Maria came to Hawaii a few weeks ago. I'm sorry I didn't post earlier but I promptly went out of town. Oh there'll be a post about that too.
So we surfed (the above pic wasn't just a pose) in shark infested waters, we snorkled in Shark's Cove (oddly NOT shark infested waters) and we ate at Teddy's Bigger burgers. Aside from that they taught us a new game called Bang (which I highly recommend) and they put up with a game of Cities and Knights (I like parentheticals). Why does no one like that game other than Val and I? It's all these crummy purists who insist that it distracts from the "real" game. Well if you can't handle it, then something something.

Anyway, it was great to have Jon out. I hope that in the next 4 years we recieve many more visits from equally distinguished visitors. Thanks for coming out Jon. It was good times. Now LET"S DO THE FREAKING HALOWEEN CD! Call me! Email me! Anything!

Returning to My Fatherland

So in a few days (October 10-14 to be exact) I will be back in Utah for my brother Spencer's wedding. I'm way excited for him and Erin. While I am out there I want to hook up with as many of my Utah friends as possible. So here's what I'll have available.
Oct 10th I'm free all day until the evening. I think it would be fun to do lunch at the Spaghetti Factory in SLC or Tucanos/China Rirry in Provo or something. That night I have a family dinner. Of course the 11th is the wedding. My time should be open on the 12th. I would love to have a get together at my place that afternoon/evening or whatever. Please let me know where and when we can hang out and be cool. I look forward to see you all soon!

What About Bob?

Released in 1991,What About Bob? is a film about multi phobic personality Bob Wiley (Bill Murray, duh) who has a tendency to cling to his psychiatrists. Bob's current doctor pawns him off on Doctor Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfus) who has just written the best seller Baby Steps and is about to go on vacation to Lake Winnipesauke where Good Morning America is coming to talk to him about his book. His final appointment is with Bob who after 10 minutes with Doctor Marvin feels for the first time that there is hope. The breakthrough moment comes when Bob mentions that he is divorced because "There are two types of people in this world: Those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don't. My ex-wife loves him." Doctor Marvin responds with "So what you're saying is that even though you are an almost paralyzed, multi phobic personality who is in a constant state of panic, your wife did not leave you, you left her because she loves Neil Diamond." Bob is stunned when he realises that maybe his wife left him. Let the healing begin. But when Bob learns that Doctor Marvin is about to go on vacation he breaks down and follows him. Bob gains the love and admiration of Doctor Marvin's family and drives Doctor Marvin insane. Doctor Marvin tries to kill Bob and naturally Bob marries Leo's sister.

Let me start by saying that even though I love this movie I can understand why some people don't. My dad, for instance, hates it. I think it's because he is a lawyer and has been a Bishop multiple times. So what I gather is that there have been "Bobs" that have not let my dad have any peace. Can you really imagine how it must be for Doctor Marvin? Now that we are past that, we can get on with enjoying a fantastic comedy. This, I believe, marks the first Bill Murray film where he no longer is the big jerk character (Stripes, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day etc. BTW I DO love those movies). He is a very likable character. Kind, caring, funny. I think that's why we sympathize with Bob even though his behavior is outrageously inappropriate.

This movie has one of my favorite quotes ever. In the beginning of the film Bob turns to his Goldfish and says "Good morning, Gill." Not getting a response from Gill, Bob fixes the fish with a steely glare and says "I said, good morning, Gill." The delivery is fantastic. I also love when Bob tracks down Leo at the Lake and goes into his plea "Check it out! I'm really bad! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! I need! I need! I need!" There are two scenes in this movie that almost make my sweet wife...well let's just say she can't watch it when she's pregnant and there's already too much pressure on the old bladder. The first is near the beginning of the film when Bob is at the bus stop and a bus passes by. After the bus passes we see bob on the ground crawling around. The other is Bob eating dinner with the Marvins.

Something I find great in an odd way is having Richard Dreyfus for Doctor Marvin. You see, I haven't liked a single Richard Dreyfus film since Jaws. And I didn't like any before Jaws. Really Jaws is the only Dreyfus movie for me. Can you imagine if he had been picked as Han Solo? Ugh! So I LOVE having Richard Dreyfus being the victim of Bob turning the good Doctor's family against him.

Now there is one part of the movie I don't like. If the Guttman's saved all that money, why didn't they buy another dream house on the lake? They are stuck living above there store because the Marvin's bought their dream home? What happaned to all that money they saved? It get's me.

But that's not so big a deal. I can forgive the Guttman's because I assume they sold Bob his fantastic "Don't Hassle Me. I'm Local" T-shirt. Ahoy Bill Murrray fans. This movie, just like Bob, sails.

So tell me what you think. And don't forget to suggest your favorite (not Rated R) Halloween film. My pick is Night of the Living Dead.

Movie of The Month Club Thingy

OK so I want to start a movie of the month sorta deal with all of you my buddies and my enemies. And I want to run it via this blog. What I'm thinking is each month we'll do a movie and I'll post a blog about it. Then because you all want to participate, you will also watch the movie and then you can all comment about it. When you post your comments, don't forget to suggest a movie for the next month. I'll take those suggestions and make a poll and we can all vote on the next movie. Keep in mind that next month is October.

As for this month, I want to start with a Bill Murray movie. See the poll to the right.
"So let's get going. There's no other choice. God willing, we will prevail in peace and freedom from fear and in true health through the purity of our essence of our natural fluids" - Dr. Strangelove

Exploring Roy

So when I got here to Hawaii I decided it was time for a fresh start. A new me. So when people would ask I started saying that my name was Roy. I used to think that name was so sissy. The only thing I knew was I was spared the french version (LeRoy) by my mother's intervention, and that there is a town in Utah called Roy.

But lately I've been thinking of how cool that name is. Maybe I would have been popular if I had gone by that name in High School. Roy is the guy with feathery hair who plays accoustic guitar for the girls in the high school cafeteria. That being said I'll quickly mention my favorite Roys.

Roy Stalin
Roy Stalin is of course the high school hunk in Better Off Dead who stole Lane Myer's girlfriend Beth. She told Lane over the phone that she would be better off dating someone more popular. Feathery hair, plays accoustic in the high school cafeteria. Sound familiar? Roy is a Dreamboat. If he were from California he would be a California dreamboat. Roy is the reason high school girls put up with jerks for boyfriends.

Roy Orbison

My mother loves Roy Orbison more than all get out. I don't really know that much about him. I know. He's a member of the legendary Traveling Willburys. Which seems to be the most famous band I know of where no one can tell me any of their songs. All that is beside the point. I dig that he is a prolific musician but what really gets me is the growl. I'm talking about the part in the song Pretty Woman where he rolls his throat. That's sexy. I've been working on it. Also, the glasses are great. Guys can't don (Roy doesn't wear anything, he dons) eyewear like that anymore. I don't even dare try.

Deep Roy

Deep is my current favorite Little Person. OK So we all know that he was in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but did you know that he was also the "pig-brained Peking Homonculus" or "Mr. Sin", a villain with a distinct appetite for homicide, in the acclaimed Doctor Who story The Talons of Weng-Chiang? It's true. Also, he was freaking in Flash Gordon - one of the funniest movies ever - as Princess Aura's Pet, Fellini. Now don't confuse him for that silly actor in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. That ain't Deep.

Robert Roy MacGregor

Otherwise known as Rob Roy. My family swears that we are related to William Wallace as I'm sure everyone with Scottish ancestry does. Now we do have Scottish blood and my Uncle Jim tells me that we had ancesters who bled at Dunkirk, so this is as close as I can get. I don't know much about Rob Roy other than what Liam Neeson has taught me. But I'll tell you that the final sword fight in Rob Roy is the best. Of course he gets beat but you can't defeat a guy who simply grabs your blade with his hand and pulls you in to kill you.

Anyway, that's all I got. Those fantastic famous Roys and of course Roy Utah. Now you tell me that I should go with Jeremiah over Roy? Yeah, right.

The Happiest I've Ever Been! Ever!

So as many of you know every time I buy something that I want to use immediately Val makes me put it in the Christmas pile. Well this time I worked it! I sold a game Val didn't like (those silly skimpy outfits of the Marvel Comics Girls!) and used the money to buy Tiger Woods PGA 07 (I love that game too). So I put THAT in the Christmas pile and I whipped this one out. Oh my gadget I love it! Of course I picked BYU as my dynasty. I started out using the "Freshman" difficulty level to get my feet wet and promptly blew out Arizona and UCLA by 50 point margins. So I switched it up to "Varsity" and immediately lost to Tulsa in overtime. Well I'm getting better. I just learned how to do the tripple option. Which is good cause I'm not very good at passing. Crummy corners close so fast! But I use Manase and Fui like a dream. Anyway, I'm really enjoying myself. Val has had to wash several pairs of my shorts as I soil myself with delight every hour or so. Thought I would share my joy with you guys. Hey! You can come over ANYTIME to play with me!

Halloween Albums of Yore

As per the post below (I suggest you read that post first), here's the All Hallow's Eve Discography. I'll post 2007 as soon as I know what it is.

1995
1 Dead Man's Party (Extended Brass Mix) - Oingo Boingo
2 Helter Skelter - The Beatles
3 Paint it Black - The Rolling Stones
4 Life in the Gladhouse - Modern English
5 Waiting for the Night - Depeche Mode
6 Exit - U2
7 Cry Little Sister (Lost Boys) - Gerard McMann
8 Lost in the Shadows (Lost Boys) - Lou Gramm
9 Golgatha Tenement Blues - Machines of Loving Grace
10 Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
11 Stonehenge - Spinal Tap
12 Adam in Chains - Billy Idol
13 Burn - The Cure
14 Pimpf - Depeche Mode

1997
1 To the Shock of Miss Louise (Lost Boys) - Thomas Newman
2 Dead Man's Party (Original Version) - Oingo Boingo
3 Country Death Song - Violent Femmes
4 Winter Kills - Yaz
5 One Hundred Years - The Cure
6 Break on Through - The Doors
7 Dead Souls - Nine Inch Nails
8 Thriller - Michael Jackson
9 Return of the Dead Man - Oingo Boingo
10 Tainted Spooky - Soft Cell
11 Face to Face - Siouxsie and the Banshees
12 Ghost Rider - Rollins Band
13 Psycho Killer - The Talking Heads
14 People are Strange - The Doors
15 Fascination Street - The Cure

1998
1 Insanity - Boingo
2 Everyday is Halloween - Ministry
3 The Line Between the Devil's Teeth - Peter Murphy
4 The Witch - The Cult
5 Hellhole - Spinal Tap
6 Lullaby - The Cure
7 Asleep - Agnes Poetry
8 No One Lives Forever - Oingo Boingo
9 Nemesis - Shriekback
10 Spiritual High - Xymox
11 Fly on the Windscreen - Depeche Mode
12 Nowhere Girl - The B Movies
13 Eyes Without a Face - Billy Idol
14 Dreamtime - Love and Rockets

1999 (The first year we started mixing in movie quotes to the songs)
1 Murderous - Nitzer Ebb
2 When the Lights Go Out - Oingo Boingo
3 Crazy - Seal
4 The Night Comes - Billy Idol
5 A Night Like This - The Cure
6 Dressed In Black - Depeche Mode
7 Moon Over Bourbon Street - Sting
8 The Long Way Home - Faithless
9 After the Flesh - My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
10 Temptation Waits - Garbage
11 In My House - Dead or Alive
12 Spooky - New Order
13 Cold - The Cure
14 Pseudo Joy - Agnes Poetry
15 Bela Lugosi's Dead - Bauhaus
16 Somebody (J.R.s Somebody Bloody Somebody Mix) - Depeche Mode

2000 (My personal favorite)
1 Death By Stereo - Lost Boys
2 Mephisto - Depeche Mode
3 This Corrosion - Sisters of Mercy
4 Bloodletting - Concrete Blonde
5 Bloodrush - ACT
6 Flaming Telepaths - Blue Oyster Cult
7 Fill the Void - Oingo Boingo
8 A Lullaby For Caine - Sinead O'Conner
9 Dragula - Rob Zombie
10 Feed My Frankenstein - Alice Cooper
11 All You Zombies - The Hooters (Jon and I both thought the other found this song. Spooky)
12 Back From the Dead - Spinal Tap
13 Love Song for A Vampire - Annie Lennox
14 Metal - Nine Inch Nails
15 Purple Haze - The Cure
16 Stigmata Martyr - Bauhaus
17 Haunted - Love and Rockets

2001
1 Waiting for the Sun - The Doors
2 Enter Sandman - Metallica
4 Giant Robot with Bird Head - The Aquabats
5 Dracula From Houston - The Butthole Surfers (Anyone know what this song has to do with Dracula?)
6 Vampires - Pet Shop Boys
7 Ghost of a Texas Ladies Man - Concrete Blonde
8 Sweet Transvestite - Rocky Horror Picture Show
9 Grey Matter - Oingo Boingo
10 Dangerous Places - Alphaville
11 Paranoid - Black Sabbath
12 Certified - ACT
13 Nerves - Possum Dixon
14 Charlotte Sometimes - The Cure
15 Mask - Bauhaus
16 Starve - Peter Whitley
17 I Scare Myself - Thomas Dolby
18 Haunted - Poe

2002
1 Sally's Song - London After Midnight
2 Open - The Cure
3 Black Celebration - Depeche Mode
4 Carousel - Siouxsie and the Banshees
5 No Spill Blood - Oingo Boingo
6 Revenge - Ministry
7 Kaleid - Depeche Mode
8 Sinister Purpose - Zacharle
9 Science Fiction Double Feature - Rocky Horror Picture Show
10 Monster's Wedding - The Aquabats
11 Living Dead Girl - Rob Zombie
12 Nosferatu - Blue Oyster Cult
13 Dark Entries - Bauhaus
14 Black - Sarah MacLachlan
15 Psycho Magnet - London After Midnight
16 Sweet - Switchblade Symphony
17 The Only Thing That Shines - Shriekback

2003
1 Faded Flowers - Shriekback
2 Torture - The Cure
3 Strap Me Down - Leather Strip
4 Dangerous - Depeche Mode
5 Upside Down - Agnes Poetry
6 Kult Konnection - My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
7 Lovesong (Actually it's called Hate) - London After Midnight
8 Ribcage Mambo - Frenchy
9 Into the Woods - Sleepy Hollow
10 Ripple - The Church
11 Sister Madly - Crowded House
12 Myxomatosis - Radiohead
13 Return of the Phantom Stranger - Rob Zombie
14 Scarecrow - Siouxsie and the Banshees
15 Tribute - Tenacious D
16 Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon (He passed away that year)
17 The Mosquito Song - Queens of the Stone Age

2004 (The Sci-fi Album)
1 The Day the Earth Stood Still Instrumental
2 Ascension Day - Alphaville
3 Girl Without a Planet - My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
4 Martian Girl - The Aquabats
5 Haunted - Evanescence
6 They - Jem
7 Dracula's Wedding - Outkast
8 Voodoo - Godsmack
9 Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac
10 The Creature Stole My Surfboard - The Dead Elvi
11 Sanity Assasin - Bauhaus
12 Mad Love - LCD
13 Hell - Squirrel Nut Zippers
14 This Big Hush - Shriekback
15 Spanish Caravan - The Doors
16 Blood Milk and Sky - White Zombie
17 Dark - Gary Numan
18 Under a Milky Way - The Church
19 Forbidden Planet Instrumental
20 Fear of Ghosts - The Cure

2005
1 A Forest (Damian Lertora Mix) - The Cure
2 Halloween - Rob Zombie
3 Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
4 The Devil's Whip - Man O War
5 This Devil's Workday - Modest Mouse
6 Watch Me Bleed - Tears for Fears
7 Premonition - Ned's Atomic Dustbin
8 Only (Jon Madsen Down In It Mix) - Nine Inch Nails
9 Fashion Zombies - The Aquabats
10 The City Sleeps - MC 900 Foot Jesus
11 Dracula's Castle - New Order
12 Dead or Alive - Oingo Boingo
13 The Killing Moon - Echo and the Bunnymen
14 Black No. 1 - Type O Negative
15 This Protector - The White Stripes
16 A Forest - The Cure

2006
1 Nothing to Fear - Oingo Boingo
2 The Night is Young - Nosferatu
3 Splintered in Her Head - The Cure
4 Is She Weird? - The Pixies
5 Light Years - 311
6 Boogie Monster - Gnarls Barkley
7 Psychic Voodoo Doll - Deadbolt
8 Iron Head - Rob Zombie
9 Red Right Hand - Nick Cave
10 Tubular Bells - Book of Love
11 Witchcraft - Frank Sinatra
12 Scary Monsters - David Bowie
13 Torture - The Jackson Five
14 Overkill - Men at Work
15 Sell My Soul - Midnight Oil
16 Zee Deveel - Incubus
17 Hellraiser - Ozzie Ozbourne
18 I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab For Cutie
19 Straight to Hell - The Clash

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Halloween season is almost upon us and the activities and traditions to be upheld are overwhelming. Or at least whelming. Either way, it's a good thing. Many people think of Halloween as a day but I think that it has a season just as much as Christmas. The season starts October 1st of course. From that day on I listen to nothing but the Halloween CDs in my car. This used to be tedious (listening to 2 or 3 cds for a month is hard to do) but there are so many cds now that I barely manage to get through them before halloween. These are also the only actual cds I listen to. Everything else is on IPOD but a big part of the Halloween cds is the art so I dig em up and throw em in the glove compartment.

For those of you who are wondering what I am talking about, the Halloween cd is a tradition that was started in 1995 when Jon Madsen and I made a tape of great Halloween songs. When we returned from our various missions we just kept going. We call ourselves Jon R. Productions. I think. If you would like a copy of any of the previous cds (or the 2 disc 10 year retrospective) I can get those for you. Just let me know. I'll post the track lists in another blog.

This year's cd is in the works. We are still settling on a theme. I think we are going with creepy girls. Songs about witches, blind dates etc. Spooky by the Classics IV and Witch Queen of New Orleans by Leon Redbone are good examples. We still haven't decided if it will be a full on Ladies of Halloween album (every song going with the theme) or just heavily themed (like the Sci-fi album of a few years ago and last year's Hell album). Also it's been mentioned that the theme could be interpreted as only songs sung by girls. That might make it easier in some ways but I think it would actually be harder to get enough songs. If we could pull it off, a Halloween cd of nothing but female vocalists could be way awesome. Anyway, vote over there on the right on what you think we should do.

This year for Halloween I think I'm going to be the wolfman. Val bought me a black silk shirt that I wore with khakis to church. I later watched Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and I think I was dressed just like Lawrence Talbot (Lon Cheney Jr.). Last year I was Frankenstein and the year before I was Dracula. I'm trying to pay my respects to the classics.

I'm also really excited for scary movie times! I already put all my Halloweeny movies into their own book so that I can plow through them next month. I'm especially excited about the Frankenstein fest. I have about 6 Frankenstein movies all made by Universal in the 30s and 40s. However, this means I'll be spending a lot of time alone as Valerie won't watch scary movies. She calls Snow White a scary movie. What can you do?

Anyway, I hope you all have a very merry Halloween!