Greg's Blog
Monster Friday: Dracula
I wasn't a very sharp kid. I didn't get the sexual overtones in the Dracula story until much later. Like all the other monsters, Dracula had to get the girl. But for Dracula the girl was not just a snappy accessory to carry around while being chased by angry villagers, by angry city folks, by concerned scientists, or by a well-equipped military. For him it was about getting the girl to follow him. And did I suspect anything else was up Continue reading »
Monster Friday: Godzilla
Godzilla is the one of the only traditional film monsters who does not go after the girl. He directs his anger, rightly so, at the society in general. He's helped in this, of course, by being super-sized for a monster. If the Wolfman went at society, he would need at least a crowbar. Godzilla dispatches a train or a building just by now looking where he's going. So as far as any relationship with a woman, he might have serious difficulty in just picking one out of the fleeing crowd.
In a deeper reading of Godzilla, Continue reading »
Monster Friday: Hunchback of Notre Dame
Poor Hunchback. Of all my monster models, he was the one I cared about least. Much like The Phantom of the Opera, neither my friends nor I had ever actually seen the movie.
And the similarities with Phantom keep going:
- More melodrama than horror
- set in Paris (not universally known to be creepy)
- featuring a disfigured human with a very narrow skill set
- who is persecuted for his abnormality
- whose revenge includes stealing the girl
But unlike Phantom, the hunchback Continue reading »
Monster Friday: The Witch
Not much of a movie tie-in here -- just your garden-variety witch. Actually more of a zoological-variety one, due to the profligate use of the wee beasties in the scene. This is my favorite model. The detail on this just doesn't seem to stop. You got your toads, snakes, bats, rats, various invertibrae in the cauldron. There's the butcher knife, moonshine jug (hey, a gal has to party a bit, even when she's in league with the demonic), broom (transport or housecleaning device?), couple of bottles, and the keys to the cage there in the back. Continue reading »
Sherwin Williams and the Pernice Brothers
I was kinda surprised when I saw that new paint commercial - the one with the school bus, and the light blue paint, and the joyous kids who just painted their parent's flat-screen TV (ah, good times). The song playing is by the Pernice Brothers (website | wikipedia), whose happy beautiful music usually belies their sad lyrics. This song, The Weakest Shade of Blue, is no exception. Did the suits at Sherwin Williams listen to this line?
"it's ruinous and true / how this sheltered loveless life / fades into the weakest shade of blue"
Don't get me wrong, I really like the Pernice Brothers. And I'm happy they were able to get some coin. So the commercial becomes much like their music - superficially happy pretty, but darker upon paying attention.
Here's the song:Pernice Brothers - The Weakest Shade of Blue
A Bit More Spring
Maples are leafing out and their helicopters are just about ready.
Monster Friday: King Kong
King Kong has the same general story as Creature from the Black Lagoon, with the addition of marketing:
- Monster minding his own business in his little slice of monster paradise.
- Man discovers said paradise, disrupting the monster's groove.
- Monster retaliates in the only way he knows how,
by killing everyoneby stealing the girl. - Man retaliates in the only way he knows how
by establishing a wilderness areaby killing monster, and thereby rescuing girl.
Only in King Kong's case there's an additional step: Continue reading »
Namibia: Driving the Geology
Revisiting our trip to Namibia, and trying out some new video software. For some reason the day we drove from Cape Cross to Uis has stuck with me. The geology was wonderful, as was the solitude - we passed just one car on this 6 hour journey. It's 4:41, enjoy. Continue reading »
I Am Not a Jerk
Well, maybe I am -- but maybe not in the way you might be thinking. Just discovered that my contact form was not working. So if you've sent a note to me via the usually handy contact form, and been wondering why I'm such a jerk for not responding -- it's because I didn't get the mail. It's all working now. But I really don't know how long it's been down, so please resend. I may be a jerk, but I usually answer email. Continue reading »
Monster Friday: Creature from the Black Lagoon
The Creature from the Black Lagoon stands out from the majority of the monster pack. He's really the only one in the monster pantheon who is not a human (as were Phantom, Hunchback) nor who was not once a human (as were/are Dracula, Wolfman, Mummy) nor is human sized (Godzilla). He is a lot like Godzilla, and not in the guy-wearing-a-rubber-suit way. He's a reaction to human trespass - instead of nuclear, Continue reading »
