The Johnny Bacardi Show

Watched Bride of Frankenstein AGAIN last night, even though it was on AMC, a channel which I will go to great lengths to avoid whenever possible due to its movie-hostile stance. Even though it's a little stagey sometimes, there is just so much going on in the direction (that crazy, quick-cut-jittery Whale direction during the big laboratory scene, to name one example) and the incredible performance by Ernest Thesiger, who conveys more with a smirk or a lifted eyebrow than many actors have in their entire career, that I never get tired of seeing it. Anyway, this morning I was directed by Mark Evanier to a website that spotlights treasury-sized comics of the (mostly) 1970's, many of which I actually still own (the Christmas with the Super Heroes, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, Conan: Red Nails, others)...well worth checking out. But, being the curious sort, I thought I'd click on a link or two and find out more about the site's creator, who turns out to be a graphic artist named Robert J. Kelly, and among his wonderful works is a series of movie posters, done solely for his own enjoyment, or, in his own words:

"...I came up with the concept of producing a series of posters for the films, pretending as though they were being re-released in theatres. I wanted to have them be a combination of retro and modern design styles. I kept thinking, what would catch my eye while walking through a theatre lobby?"

And as fate would have it, I was once again beholding the countenance of Elsa Lanchester as the monster's unfortunate would-be Bride! At right here is three more of the posters, click to see it bigger, and you can go here to see the rest.

Let's see, what else can I talk about...

Had to work tonight at the radio station: high school basketball tournament game you know, so no plans were made to go out and do anything. Hence my presence on the 'Net on a Saturday night. I've got a double feature of Knockaround Guys and Domino waiting for me in the living room, when I get tired of typing.

Went on eBay today and purchased four issues of DC's Manhunter comic, to augment my purchase of #6 a few days ago. There were also a typically (typical for my comics shop, that is) incomplete set of back issues at my LCS which I put back to purchase when they have a 25% off sale later next week. And so my back issue hunt has begun, and it looks like I'll be a regular Manhunter reader, for the time being anyway. I've already pre-ordered #'s 20 and 21 from DCBS. Someday I'll get interested in a comic BEFORE it's had 19 issues come out... Among my recent casualties, i.e. comics I decided to stop buying, were Loveless, Catwoman, and Legion of Super Heroes, with Testament getting a last-minute reprieve.

Last weekend, I took advantage of the going-out-of-business sale at the Sam Goody's in nearby Glasgow to get DVDs of The Concert For Bangla-Desh and the T.Rex/Marc Bolan/Ringo film Born to Boogie for 30% off apiece. I'd already seen Boogie, but had never seen the Harrison benefit before although I do own the box-set soundtrack which came out in 1971. Great stuff, with Billy Preston, Bob Dylan, and good old Ringo getting nice spotlights.

Caught the new Justice League Unlimited episode earlier tonight- pretty good, for the most part. I must have missed, or perhaps forgot in the hiatus between new episodes, about what happened to incapacitate Gorilla Grodd. Lotsa chuckles as Flash and Luthor do a Dr. Fate-enabled "Freaky Friday" and switch minds, and the JLA struggles to contain Lex in Flash's body, and Flash struggles with leading the Secret Society of Super Villains.

You've probably seen this already, but someone made a short film starring none other than the Busty Battler herself: Power Girl. And it's pretty good, too- the actress cast as PG really looks like her, the costume looks really good as well, and even though it has porn-film-like production values (in fact, it looks so much like a porno that I got a little nervous watching it at work the other day) it's still often amusing and worth checking out. Beware- if you, like me, have a pokey internet connection it will take a small eternity to load up.

In past years, I've made Oscar (TM) predictions, even though I've rarely seen most of the nominated films. That's the case again this year, but I don't think I'll try to predict. I'll probably get around to seeing many of the nominees eventually, especially Good Night and Good Luck and Syriana, but that's a ways away. I do have History of Violence in the Netflix queue, though, so when that's released I'll see it ASAP. Capote sounds interesting, and I'll probably see Brokeback Mountain eventually as well. I'll be watching the ceremony tomorrow night, for sure. Hope Tom the Dog will be blogging it!

If you've been reading me for a long time, you may recall that I waxed effusive several times about the Marvel/Atlas heroine, Venus, a favorite of mine since she reappeared in a 70's issue of Sub-Mariner. I found a great cover gallery and info page about not only Victoria Nutley Starr, but all the Marvel/Atlas/Timely books. I had not seen all the Venus covers before, but this site has 'em- including the cover at left, click to see close up.

Oyasumi nasai, y'all.