Wednesday, November 24, 2010

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Animalympics

There are certain childhood memories that, when I look back on, seem so amazingly joyful that it's almost too much to handle in that moment. Hardened stress-driven New Yorker that I am, being able to experience perhaps a small millisecond of childlike joy just shoots a laser beam right through my jaded soul.

Bittersweet is perhaps the best word to describe the feeling of nostalgia, as it is both heart warming and heart wrenching to think that at one point in your past, things seemed truly magical.

Sometimes those instances still occur, but because most adults are so preoccupied with worldly things, it's not so easy to hold onto. Hence, the flashback, and its appeal to me; because for once, I can revel in the glory that was childhood, and try to keep it alive....at least for a little awhile.

Now that you've dried your tears of this sentimental interruption, let me focus your attention on the latest (emphasis on "late" - and completely justified. Since it's the day before Thanksgiving, this qualifies as a Friday...right? Right.)

FLASHBACK FRIDAY


Animalympics was one of the VHS movies we had that we weren't sure how we acquired. It's possible that Grandma saw it one day at the video store and decided that since it was a cartoon and featured animals participating in Olympic-themed sports, that it was instant gratification.

By george, was she right.

  • First of all, it was a parody - and given that we were a snarky family, this was immediately a plus.
  • Second of all, it has the voices of Gilda Radner (of SNL fame), Harry Shearer (of The Simpsons Fame) and Billy Crystal (you could tell he was a big deal since even I knew who he was.)
  • Third of all, it was goofy. There's an alligator boxer, a Japanese penguin gymnast and an Italian octopus bobsled team called the "Calamari Brothers." Yeah. Awesome.
  • And finally, it had a great soundtrack. By people that were not Disney.
I was trying to fall asleep the other night, but I simply could NOT get these moments out of my mind. I remember watching this video over and over again, and constantly being swept away.

But it's just a cartoon, you say!

Ahhh, but there's no such thing as just a cartoon......


This is how the movie opens - can I begin to try to explain how fucking amazing this looks? Possibly not, it's mostly because you're not 10 anymore. Shit sucks, don't it?

Little did I know, the animators who worked on this film had some pretty impressive resumes: Brad Bird (Pixar, The Iron Giant), Roger Allers (The Lion King), and Steven Lisberger (writer and director of Tron, and I you can definitely see the influence here.) I was a geek before I even knew what it meant!

 

California neon ocean hallucination trip. As a kid you were flabbergasted, mystified, perhaps a tad bit frightened, yet completely enthralled with the images that were being played across your TV screen. The only thing that's changed is the lack of a VCR.

 

For some reason unbeknownst to me, no one has posted this song with the visuals from the actual movie. For those of you that were not fortunate enough to see, just picture this - Million Dollar Man + Wild Boar = Ski Champ - while you're listening.


Let's face it; coming off the 70s, there had to be some disco in here. I have to admit, I was a BeeGees fan, so this delighted me beyond words. But even if you don't like disco, or dancing animals getting it on, it's still pretty damn catchy.


I leave you with a final gem; the song itself is a bittersweet trip into something that whispers like nostalgia, makes your stomach float as if on air, and your mind imagine that for a suspended moment in time, you really are away from it all.

This is the stuff that childhood dreams are made of.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

You + Me = $500 Worth of Free Books

This is a little bit different from my usual ranting, but when it comes to books, all time stops for the matters at hand.

Thanks to a tip from Indy Grrrl, I recently discovered that Chronicle Books is holding a contest exclusively for bloggers (yeah, I guess I would consider myself one; sure): Post a wish list of $500 worth of books and get entered into a drawing to win them all.

Needless to say, I'm all about this, and spent the latter part of yesterday drooling over the list you see below. But I'm a generous one, and like people to read what I'm reading, so if you comment on this posting and I happen to win, you could get all these specially, handpicked books too!

So if you share the same odd taste in books as yours truly, get on this shit.




So Crazy Japanese Toys!

 TARA'S UNKOSHER LIST OF BOOKS

So Crazy Japanese Toys!

By Jimbo Matison
Foreword by Rodney Alan Greenblat
When huge alien spiders or ocean-dwelling mutant dinosaurs hell-bent on destruction decide to pay a visit to humankind, they always seem to stop in Japan first. So Crazy Japanese Toys! showcases a cast of totally cool, totally sugoi ...    MORE



ACME Catalog

ACME Catalog

From Warner Bros.
Text by Charles Carney
Iron birdseed, anvils, fake holes, and more—for years The ACME Company has been the sole purveyor of the fine products used by Looney Tunes characters. Chronicle Books is proud to present an exclusive catalog featuring ACME's must-have, ...    MORE



Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers

Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers

By Robert Schnakenberg
On the heels of Secret Lives of Great Authors, Great Artists, and Great Composers comes Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers—an uncensored look at screen legends ranging from D. W. Griffith and Frank ...    MORE



The Doorbells of Florence

The Doorbells of Florence

By Andrew Losowsky
These alluring photographs of doorbell panels in Florence, Italy, inspired stories that imagine the lives of the people who dwell at each address. Charming, whimsical, and elegant, each story is a perfect match for its photo, balancing the ...    MORE



Olive, the Other Reindeer

Olive, the Other Reindeer

Written and illustrated by J.otto Seibold
and Vivian Walsh
Olive is merrily preparing for Christmas when suddenly she realizes "Olive... the other Reindeer... I thought I was a dog. Hmmm, I must be a Reindeer!" So she quickly hops aboard the polar express and heads to the North Pole. And while Santa and ...    MORE



America's Doll House

America's Doll House

By William L. Bird, Jr.
From the Star-Spangled Banner flag to Dorothy's Ruby Slippers, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History is home to some fascinating objects. In fact, one of the most fascinating of these, and one of the most ...    MORE



Secret Lives of Great Artists

Secret Lives of Great Artists

By Elizabeth Lunday
In the tradition of our best-selling Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents (120,000 copies in print), here are outrageous and uncensored profiles of the world's greatest artists, complete with hundreds of little-known, ...    MORE



Secret Lives of Great Authors

Secret Lives of Great Authors

By Robert Schnakenberg
In the tradition of Quirk's bestselling Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents (100,000+ copies in print), here are outrageous and uncensored profiles of the world's greatest writers, complete with hundreds of little-known, ...    MORE



You Know You're a Writer When . . .

You Know You're a Writer When . . .

By Adair Lara
You know you're a writer when
. . . You'll never forgive your parents for your happy childhood.
. . . The doctor tells you that you have terminal cancer and you think, "I can use this."
. . . You accidentally sign a check with ...    MORE




Writer's Workshop in a Book

Writer's Workshop in a Book

Introduction by Richard Ford
Edited by Alan Cheuse
and Lisa Alvarez
Since 1969, the prestigious Squaw Valley Community of Writers has helped develop the art and craft of many who are now household names. Instructors such as Michael Chabon, Mark Childress, Diane Johnson, Anne Lamott, Robert Stone, and Amy Tan ...    MORE



The Writer's Toolbox

The Writer's Toolbox

By Jamie Cat Callan
Designed by a longtime creative writing teacher, this innovative kit includes a 64-page booklet filled with exercises and instructions that focus on a "right-brain" approach to writing. Sixty exercise sticks—First Sentences, Non Sequiturs, ...    MORE



TCM Classic Movie Crossword Puzzles

TCM Classic Movie Crossword Puzzles

By Turner Classic Movies
Foreword by Robert Osborne
Film-themed crossword puzzles from Turner Classic Movies are a wildly popular feature in its Now Playing viewer's guide, received by 160,000 subscribers each month. Collected here for the first time are 80 challenging and ...    MORE



The Indiana Jones Handbook

The Indiana Jones Handbook

By Denise Kiernan
and Joseph D'Agnese
For every fan who's dreamed of cracking a bullwhip, rescuing lost treasures, and evading giant runaway boulders, The Indiana Jones Handbook offers all the tips and tricks of the adventurer's trade. Complete with step-by-step ...    MORE




Hollywood Glamour Pack

Hollywood Glamour Pack

By Turner Classic Movies
Foreword by Robert Osborne
Introduction by Molly Haskell
You save $11.95!
Leading Men
7 x 9 in; 240 pp; 200 color and b/w photographs
Paperback
Leading Ladies
7 x 9 in; 240 pp; 200 b/w and color ...    MORE



The Star Wars Poster Book

The Star Wars Poster Book

By Stephen J. Sansweet
and Peter Vilmur
One of the very first Star Wars posters had no images at all—just enormous block letters that announced, "Coming to Your Galaxy This Summer: Star Wars." The rest is history. Now, 28 years later, the 350 most amazing Star ...    MORE




Picture Show

Picture Show

By Dianna Edwards
Foreword by Robert Osborne
Turner Classic Movies may be best known for running the timeless films we never tire of watching, but behind the scenes is another treasure few get to see: a vast archive of posters from more than seven decades of movie making, including the ...    MORE



Wookiee Cookies

Wookiee Cookies

By Robin Davis
Boba Fett-Uccine and Princess Leia Danish Dos are just the beginning when the Force is with you in the kitchen. Wookiee Cookies is your invitation to fine culinary experiences in the Star Wars frame of mind. From C-3PO Pancakes ...    MORE



What's Your Poo Telling You? Activity Book

What's Your Poo Telling You? Activity Book

By Anish Sheth, M.D.
and Josh Richman
Illustrations by Peter Arkle
and Matt Johnstone
Celebrate the wonderful diversity of poo, pee, and farts with this one-of-a-kind, action-packed activity book from the authors of the best-selling book What's Your Poo Telling You? Featuring humorous illustrations and an ...    MORE



Urawaza

Urawaza

By Lisa Katayama
Illustrations by Joel Holland
Japan has a way of thinking that is just . . . different. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Tokyo-born journalist Lisa Katayama's collection of urawaza (a Japanese word for secret lifestyle tricks and techniques). Want to ...    MORE



Bedside Dream Journal

Bedside Dream Journal

With this handsome journal, recording one's dreams (and the inspiration, introspection, and wonder that grows from them) has never been easier. Complete with a dream glossary and helpful instructional text to guide the user toward more ...    MORE





Curious Lists

Curious Lists

Charming, comical, and unquestionably curious, this encyclopedic journal of unusual list topics is the perfect kick-start for creative minds of any age. Featuring whimsical illustrations and room for creating over 300 personalized lists on ...    MORE



Gratitude

Gratitude

Keep a daily record of life's little blessings with this keepsake gratitude journal filled with a year’s worth of insightful prompts, inspiring quotes, and ample room for reflecting on all the things that make life great. ...    MORE


The Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Egyptian Book of the Dead

Translation by Dr. Raymond Faulkner
Introduction and commentary by Dr. Ogden Goelet
Preface by Carol Andrews
Foreword by James Wasserman
For millennia, the culture and philosophy of the ancient Egyptians have fascinated artists, historians, and spiritual seekers throughout the world. Now, this reissue of a Chronicle Books classic brings to light once more the legendary ...    MORE
 
52 Ways to Nurture Your Creativity

52 Ways to Nurture Your Creativity

By Lynn Gordon
Illustrations by Karen Johnson
Feed your creative muse with these 52 little bites of inspiration. These portable cards are perfect for artists of all kinds, especially those who like to color outside of the lines. ...    MORE
 
Drop Dead Cute

Drop Dead Cute

By Ivan Vartanian
Drop Dead Cute showcases the work of 10 cutting-edge female Japanese artists whose art combines the pop charge of Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara with a thrilling personal mixture of sweetness and power. This next wave of painters ...    MORE
 
The 1000 Journals Project

The 1000 Journals Project

By Someguy
Foreword by Kevin Kelly
Voyeuristic. Inspirational. Entertaining. One thousand blank journals are currently circulating throughout the world, beckoning contributors who find the journals by chance on trains, in cafĂ©s, and anonymously left on doorsteps. Artist ...    MORE

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