VIRUS WARNING: E-mail from CNN!!!

I don't know about the rest of you but I received an e-mail that looked to be an advertisement from CNN promoting their on-line videos. I had an uneasy feeling because I had received a e-mail the previous week mentioning CNN on-line, but the content on that e-mail was "Did you see this on CNN?" and a link that WASN'T to CNN. I deleted that. I tried to click on one of the on-line video headlines. A security warning came up saying the link was to a VIRUS!

Earlier in the week I was getting badly constructed e-mails from Ad Age that supposedly went to their videos. Ad Age has never mentioned on their website or other e-mails that they had on-line video.

I thought I should warn some of you of this virus carrying e-mail going around.

KBUG Magazine Ad from 1980

KBUG was a radio station in Springfield many moons ago. It was at 1060 AM where KBFL AM is now. In this ad that ran in Springfield magazine in January of 1980, they are promoting their news format. They had also been "Music of Your Life" (as KBFL is) and a disco format. This ad is creative however it has two flaws. It stereotypes the other stations listeners (which can be okay) and it is aiming at advertisers rather than listeners. BTW, I'd like to dance with Ms. Grinder.

I Didn't Like The Dark Knight (but it didn't suck as bad as I thought it would)

In March, I predicted the Dark Knight would suck. This was based on the publicity photos I was seeing of Heath Ledger playing the Joker. I had a feeling this was going to be like that Hallie Berry/Catwoman movie a few years back. I took some flack about it from some fanboy. Last week, I decided since this has been a very popular (or unpopular) post, I would do the honorable thing and see The Dark Knight.

THE DARK KNIGHT DOES NOT SUCK - BUT I STILL DIDN'T LIKE IT. It was a very good, well-crafted, scripted and shot film. The cinematography is well worth the ticket. Heath Ledger's Joker is creepy and, at times, funny.

It still isn't the Batman I grew up with. Most of the The Dark Knight script was influenced by comics made after 1986. The exception was a story I remember reading when I was ten years old in a Batman digest. The story was from 1973 an entitled "The Joker's Five Way Revenge."

Even that story didn't have the body count of this film (However, there have always been rumors about the Joker in this story, which may have explained the Joker/Ledger quoting the line from Brokeback Mountain and his "nurse" disguise).

One thing missing that the previous film and TV versions, (Okay, I've still not seen Batman Begins) except for the movie serials, had that was a trademark of the comic books for many years - giant, working models of everyday items. I would have loved for Ledger to have killed several innocent bystanders with a sign in the shape of a giant ear of corn. He would have then said to Christian Bale, "I know. My humor is corny."

See I grew up preferring the stories of the 40's - 70's. The artwork by Dick Sprang (see above) and Carmine Infantino (SP) coupled with what one DC writer referred to as "the Chamber of Commerce Batman." It was this Batman that was on the TV show in the sixties and Saturday morning cartoons of the seventies. The Batman of my childhood doesn't sound like he gargles Draino. Actually he sounds like the mayor on Family Guy.

Also, once more (some one posted a comment that agreed with me on this) I ask "Why did the Joker look like he put his make-up on in the back seat of a school bus on a bumpy road?" I prefer the dyed skin concept from the comics.

However, I like the idea of a villain centered movie. How about DESDINOVA THE SUPER VILLAIN OF THE OZARKS movie?

Have a Great Weekend (with the Weekend Girls)

A Studio ad from April of 1977 for a film called the Weekend Girls. Sorry that there isn't a listing on IMDB for this. I'm also sorry it is crooked.

I'd like to thank Jason (of Life of Jason) and Busplunge for mentioning my blog on their blogs this week. Busplunge found both Les Crane's Desdiderata and National Lampoon's Deteriarata (sp) on You Tube.

I'm Going Door To Door Trying Find Friendly People To Talk To

A few weeks ago, a young guy came to the door. He was covered with tattoos and not exactly clean. He claimed to be a college student majoring in communication and was "required to go door to door, trying to find 1000 friendly people to talk to." He told me he wanted to go into radio. I was ready to explain to him that he should really concentrate on a career in television or cable technology, when his story became more outrageous. He told me that it was a "law" that he would have to have a two year internship at a radio station or he could (Are you ready for this?) sell magazine subscriptions. Why this doofus picked selling magazines is beyond me? Then, the story got goofy.

The money he earned would pay for his participation in a "special student project." He and other students from other American colleges were going to the BBC to film a remake of the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail "in memory of the original film's star John Gleezz, who died last year." You probably are ahead of me, but the chaps name is John Cleese and he is still living ("I'm not dead yet!"). Also. if the BBC wanted to pay homage to a legendary comedian, why would they have a bunch of American kids do it as a reward for selling magazine subscriptions?

I tried to get rid of the kid by telling him that I worked in radio, thinking he would see his story was not washing with me (Of course, washing was a foreign concept to this guy). Instead he tried to talk shop using strange terms for audio technology that he was making up as he went. I know this because the terms changed from "digital ominogragh" to "digital opthometer." I told him that must be "something new" and this bonehead said, "It was invented by the rapper P. Daddy." I assume that P. Daddy is really P. Diddy or Sean "Puffy" Combs or the late Bo Diddley (I wonder if they knew the late John Gleezz).

I didn't buy any magazines from this idiot nor did I buy any from the frightened and fidgety girl who came to the door the next week. While, I'm laughing at this, the sad reality is these kids are involved in something very ugly. Here is an article from the Houston Press about door-to-door magazine sales. From this article, I realize the guy was using something called a "dirty canvas," which sounds correct seeing he was dirty himself. Basically, it is a false story (I don't know if mangled names of celebrities are part of this or not). Also threats are part of the life of these poor kids. Thinking back on the girl's mannerisms, I would say her bosses told her that she had to sell some magazine subscriptions before she could have a bathroom break (that was kind of how she acted).

This is a scary read folks, but I thought I should bring it to your attention. I've also been wanting to tell about that goofy guy for weeks.

KY 3's Fred Miller Passes Away

If you grew up in the Ozarks, you remember Fred Miller and his OP art-flashing-animated weather map on KY 3. Mr. Miller died this morning at age 86. He was a weather man on KYTV from 1961 to 1995. Here is KY 3's tribute complete with some great video (watch for the help he gives Joe Hickman on sports).

Okay, Okay! I'll Go See The Dark Knight - If I Have Time

It has become one of the most read post on this blog of all time (Maybe the post about the Seeds song featured in the Axe commercial the most read. It is probably more popular). In March, I said that "I Think The Dark Knight Would Suck." I gave my opinion why and also admitted preferring the 60's TV show over all other versions. From photos I was seeing of Heath Ledger's Joker makeup I was not getting a good feeling.

Then I received an angry post from a Dark Knight-Fan named andrew (with a lowercase "A") who took me to task for judging the film before I even saw it. There was even a thread on the IMDB message boards about me (it has been deleted - Mwu-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!).

I watched the trailer the other night at Campbell 8 theater before Get Smart (which I recommend) and I've decided, to be fair, I'll try to see The Dark Knight for a review. Are you happy, nerd boys?