Ennio Morricone (1928 - 2020)

Early yesterday morning I read the breaking news that Ennio Morricone had died. Just last week I got into a discussion with someone about the great Italian film and television scorer.

Like many movie fans I was introduced to Mr Morricone's work through the "Spaghetti Westerns", such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West. Even as a kid I sensed these flicks were a little off-kilter. The vistas looked slightly different than what permeated the American-produced westerns, and the music too sounded off the usual beaten path -- there was no mistaking this for Ferde Grofé. I will now claim that director Sergio Leone's takes on the wild, wild west, were elevated, shot sky-high, by the underscoring.

Though Morricone lacked the musical range of some of his contemporaries, he more than made up for it by forging a unique sound.

His concert hall performances were well attended. Years ago my brother journeyed to Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and despite the anemic acoustics, he thoroughly enjoyed the performances as guided by the maestro himself.

Ennio Morricone was a special composer.

Bad Disney Star Wars

A friend said to me on the weekend, "you should watch one of the Disney Star Wars movies". I responded: "I should. Okay. Give me Solo."

This special offer I mentioned to another friend of mine, another friend who is probably bemused I've seen no Star Wars flicks since the painful -- the third and final of three very painful prequel films -- Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. His answer with a laugh: "You picked the worst one."

That I realized this evening, actually last evening as I'm putting this late to bed, not long after I fired up Solo: A Star Wars Story. I made it to the 27 minute mark then shut off the player. (What exactly was that? Someone said "worst"?)

Next episode: "From the 27 minute mark on."

___

First posted as "Going Solo For the Moment" on November 21, 2018.

The Art of Disconnection

___

First posted as "Connectivity: A Disconnection Notice" on November 16, 2018.

Set Concept in Brief

Once a designer gets the brief on what the set is and what size it should be in keeping with the show's budget, it's a matter of sketching out some basic concepts. In the case of Major Faultline's spaceship bridge it would consist basically of two wings or walls. So as not to be looking into a corner I added a third but smaller section. It went from there.

Above is my rough of the plan view (looking down at the set) and a basic front-on.

From there I developed the detailing in addition to locking down the exact dimensions of the set's structure.

Tight's and Fights was a web series produced between 2010 and 2012.

___

First posted as "Film Design: Tights and Fights Set Rough Layout" on November 10, 2018.

A Forever Question: More in the Middle

“Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question.”

Sir. Why do so many people look at things in terms of black and white even though gray is more common?

Canadian Crew

A picture from 1967 featuring Liberal Party of Canada politicians: Pierre Trudeau; John Turner; then prime minister Lester B. Pearson; and Jean Chrétien.

Trudeau, Turner, and Chrétien would become prime ministers of this great country.

___

First posted as "A Few Good Men - Prime Ministers of Canada" on November 7, 2018.

Friends

An advert reminded me yesterday that had I managed to watch one of those newfangled one-hour dramatic television series' of very little weight: God Friended Me.

About twenty minutes into the program I realized I'd seen this before. It's essentially a new version of Highway to Heaven, Michael Landon's family-friendly series from the 1980s, with some minor changes.

While it's nice to see people of colour in the main cast, the continuing characters read as flat -- in this one episode I've seen, of course. And it stops at one.

I can claim to have seen no more than a couple of episodes of Highway to Heaven but at the time I felt it had some style. There was some filmmaking evident in that five-year mission. God Friended Me carries that snappy dullness so prevalent in series television today.

"Oh, don't forget to wrap up with a song!" That's it. When you have absolutely nothing to say, put in a song! (Where's David Rose when you need him?)

God it was bad.

___

First posted as "Some Show Called God Friended Me" on November 5, 2018.

Jean Chrétien and Steve Paikin

Jean Chrétien, the 20th prime minister of Canada, was a special guest on TVO's superlative public affairs program The Agenda this past Tuesday evening. It was great seeing him again. "The Little Guy from Shawinigan" (Le p'tit gars de Shawinigan) was as direct and honest as ever as he took questions from show host Steve Paikin. At 84 years of age Chretien still carries the passions he so often exhibited during his long political life.

Monsieur Chrétien promotes his new book "Jean Chrétien: My Stories, My Times". To me it sounds like a good read.

TVO The Agenda: "A Storied Prime Minister"

___

First posted as "Jean Chrétien on TVO's The Agenda" o November 2, 2018.

"Wojeck" is CBC Greatness

Canadians, like Brits, like to mock their own television drama programs. "Typical BBC cheapness." How many times have I heard that? Here in Canada, that statement would probably ring out as "everything the CBC makes is crap". Of course those two national networks are not the only makers and providers of television fare in their respective countries, but you get the idea.

Wojeck aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's television network between September of 1966 and March of 1968. Season one was produced in black and white; season two, colour.

John Vernon was "Steve Wojeck", a big city coroner who worked and cared for the people. With anti-BS fervour he tackled issues such as worker safety, health standards, racism, and, radical for television drama at that time, abortion.

Photographed here in Toronto on 16mm film, Wojeck's 'eye' was that of direct cinema documentary. The approach of "realism" enhanced the often excellent scripting, giving the stories some added punch. Had the series been produced on 35mm in the more conventional, and expected, studio style, it probably would not have been as effective.

Wojeck is a great series.

___

First posted as "Sunday Fun: Wojeck Opening (First Season)" on October 28, 2018.

Picturing Brazilian Tea

Red Rose? Only in Canada, you say? Pity...

Well, my British mother would say: "That's a rubbish tea. It's from Brooke Bond."

That woke me up.

Yesterday I tried a tea from Brazil. A friend of mine from that country gave me some sample tea bags. Dr. Oetker is not a rubbish tea.

___

First posted as "A Taste of Brazilian Tea" on October 26, 2018.

Nobody Cares About What I Ate Today

Writer Claudia McNeilly would not care,

as she illustrates through explanation in the National Post:

Newsflash: No one cares what you ate today

Social Media can clog your system....

___

First posted as "No One Cares What I Ate Today?" on October 25, 2018.

Lost in the Stars Fun

Produced here in Toronto, Canada, but actually an NBC initiative, The Starlost (1973 - 1974) helped fill an epic hole left after Star Trek finished its original run in 1969 (but continuing to burn up the "stripping" markets). The program from day one was to be produced on videotape in order to save money and to allow for extensive, and inexpensive, chroma key work: enhancing sets and backgrounds in addition to the expected "space" element. NBC set up a coproduction deal with Canada's CTV network, allowing for further budget savings. It should be mentioned that Glen-Warren Productions at that time was one of the most sophisticated and well-equipped television facilities in existence; one reason why key parts of Network (1976) were shot there.

Why do I know so much about this series? As part of my ongoing research on Canadian television programs The Starlost was an obvious target. I've interviewed many people associated with its production, and ultimately wrote the insert liner notes for the show's DVD release -- which I describe here.

Whatever. In September of 1973 my space-cadet friend and I sat down in front of the colour console in great anticipation. I stuck with the series but was not disappointed when it failed to be renewed for another season.

One of the most memorable things about the opening titles -- in this case from the episode "Mr. Smith of Manchester" -- is the catchy theme music.

___

First posted as "Sunday Fun: The Starlost Opening" on October 21, 2018.

Why Would I Watch One Film So Many Times?

Bananas.

They got me thinking about Bananas, Woody Allen's classic comedy film from 1971. I realized that I've seen that picture a bunch of times: perhaps a dozen; perhaps more than any other.

On the big screen: the first time I saw it was at CFB Borden's Astral Theatre in 1974 when it was double-featured with another classic Allen, Sleeper.

On the small: I remember videotaping Bananas off of CHCH in 1982; multiple viewing ensued, often with friends.

Why would I watch one film so many times?

Bananas!

___

First posted as "Big Screen, Small Screen, In-Between Screen" on October 22, 2018.

A Man's Star Trek Amazing Story

A friend sent me the above video. For some reason, unproven, he felt that I would be interested in how some bloke discovered Star Trek (1966 - 1969).

12 Things About Star Trek That Amazed Me When I First Saw It was put together with some honesty and heart. The author's voice helps sell it.

Many of us have stories about how and when we found a television series that appealed to our senses and grabbed us by the trouser and skirt bottoms. Be it Star Trek, All in the Family, Full House, Seinfeld, Twin Peaks, Lost, and so on.

Obviously a SF series, the subject of this post specifically, has a few show-piece departments; hence the "12 Ways/Things".

___

First posted as "12 Ways Star Trek Amazed a Fan" on October 20, 2018.

Amazing Stories? Not Exactly

Steven Spielberg's television series Amazing Stories was announced in 1984. I remember listening to the radio and feeling a little excited that someone was going to produce a weekly anthology television series based -- I thought -- on the old science fiction and fantasy pulp magazine of the same name.

September of 1985 arrived promising an exciting premiere of this highly anticipated series. A couple of friends came over to my res to share in what we students hoped would be a televideo experience to write home about.

It, "Ghost Train", was anticlimactic.

"That's it?!"

"That's Amazing Stories?"

"A train and a house?"

"Steve?..."

The opening episode's paper thin story did not bode well for the series. The three of us were underwhelmed.

Just to make sure, we got together for the following two episodes: "The Main Attraction" was an extended one-gag show; "Alamo Jobe" was best described as a counterfeit edition of a Classics Illustrated comic. But a very boring one. There was no risk of it ending up well-thumbed.

We did catch another episode: "The Mission", a Spielberg-directed overwrought and too-long run-up to a ridiculous ending. That's it? "Mister Spielberg?" (It was advertised as an "one-hour special", which in television series parlance generally means "two times longer crap".)

Mister Spielberg's Fantastic Television Picture Show needed some stomp and bump....like what was seen in the pages of the 'source' pulps. Fluttering whimsy is good for an episode or two; anything more gives the audience the impression that the filmmakers don't know how to fill a half-hour "SF & Fantasy" time slot every week.

A minor quibble, but one in synch with my criticisms: John Williams' theme music was wildly inappropriate.

Over the next week or two I will be revisiting this series -- a few episodes to give me a new perspective. Hopefully my reviews here will be every bit as amazing.

Stay tuned!

___

First posted as "Amazing Stories to be Revisited" on October 19, 2018.

Pot Was Legalized Here in Canada, Oh No!

The end of a civilized Canada did not come.

Canadians did not awake with reefers dangling between dry lips.

Convenience store owners did not become instant millionaires.

Zombies have not increased in number.

And some thought it would all end....

Smoke another one, my friend.

___

First posted as "The Apotcalypse in a Puff of Smoke, Eh?" on October 18, 2018.

Saturn Through a Tasco Telescope

It was dark, and it was getting cooler. Glen and I wore our light jackets but no doubt the falling air temperature initiated our shut-down procedure for the night. In the early/mid 1970s CFB Borden was a great place for peering into the heavens. Light pollution was almost non-existent; stars and planets waited for my two-inch Tasco telescope.

That refractive lens system apparatus served me well all those years ago. My parents bought it for me in 1970 at the CFB Baden-Soellingen PX ("Post Exchange") in then West Germany for $25.00. Now I can say that that now $164.00 was money well parted with -- the Tasco did not stay in the closet. It even came with a "Sun" filter, for, you guessed it, looking at the sun. One memory I have is of standing behind the celestial device on our apartment balcony in Iffezheim observing our star.

I noticed a star burning bright high up on the horizon. (Bearing: North by North West.) Before collapsing the telescope's tripod legs, I wanted to check out that light. Glen stood nearby doing something now lost to time as I aligned and refined.

"It's Saturn!"

My observatory pal volunteered to confirm my findings. "Far out!"

Yes it was.

___

First posted as "Notes from a Dependent Brat: That Tasco" on October 17, 2018.

Face the Pumpkins

I just saw a television advert for a new movie. It sounds familiar. There was a movie in 1978 with the same title.

Halloween

John Carpenter's pumpkin head was a fine movie: a pumpkin with a brain. I have not seen the flick since 1991 -- as part of research I was doing on horror films -- but my main reaction at the time was I felt I was watching a film with some class.

What easily could have been another paint-by-numbers horror film, Halloween felt classic. As for Halloween '18: we'll have to wait and see if its filmmakers can cut out their own....

___

First posted as "Halloween 1978 - 2018" on October 13, 2018.

Lockheed Martin's Flying Brick

The National Post’s partisan afterburners light up today with a column by David Krayden on the issue of a replacement fighter for Canada’s RCAF.

The former public relations man for the Royal Canadian Air Force makes some fair points -- pick a machine and let’s go, for example -- but he is wrong, I think, on what fighter should replace our aging CF-18s.

Mr Krayden notes:

“I was working at the House of Commons at the time for the Official Opposition defence critic, who thought the decision to participate in the development, and eventually, the procurement of the F-35, was a refreshing but rare moment of common-sense, non-political defence planning on the part of the government.”

With such a purchase, what is required is not “common-sense” but an “informed opinion”. What I sense is happening is the given government has suspicions about not only the F-35 program’s ridiculous financial costs and technical problems, but the performance specs and performance data -- including maintenance and support costs. Don’t look too closely.

___

First posted as "The Lockheed Martin F-35 Is Not Common Sense" on October 3, 2018.

Happy Canada Day 2020

I am so grateful.