It's the Girl in the Red Truck, Charlie Brown

According to the internet there are over 50 Peanuts TV Specials and movies. Although I'm a big fan of Peanuts, I have made no attempt to watch them all. My impression is that they're mostly cash grabs by TV execs, rather than genuine creations from Charles Schulz.

Having said that, when I heard there was a Peanuts special that tried to blend animation with live-action footage, I had to see it for the bizarre "this can't be real" aspect of it.

I'm not going to say it's terrible... I'm not going to say it's terrible... For some reason it centers on Snoopy's brother Spike - despite the title clearly referring to Charlie Brown as if he's involved - and it's very boring. The key take away is that in this special almost nothing happens at all. I don't know who they thought this was going to appeal to. The main conflict is: a boyfriend signs his girlfriend up for an audition and she's mad because she wasn't consulted. Is that really going to draw in the kids? I'm an adult and can't care less. If you don't want to go to the audition, don't go. Nobody cares, get over yourself.

As I mentioned before, I would like to chalk this up as a cash grab with little input from Charles Schulz but that's not the case. He wrote and produced it. One of the things he most wanted people to know was that it was in production before "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" came out. In other words, the idea for mixing animation with live-action wasn't lifted. Noted. He also said of this film, "I wanted this to be my Citizen Kane, but it's not."

The Band - King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

 

In considering posting "King Harvest" (the alternate version) for this day, I thought, "Can I really post that video again?" I thought I had reposted it a million times, I felt I had. But a cursory search shows I've somehow never posted it. I don't get it.

It surely deserved to be posted every Fall.

What sets the alternate version apart is the guitar solo. The high note goes up to the line that separates music and noise and possibly crosses it. The puncturing ringing in the ears underscores the feeling of the song: pain, suffering, hopelessness. The playing is on the edge just as the man in the song is on the edge.

The History of Music Videos

 

Polyphonic guides you through a full history of music videos. I find the research, knowledge and editing to be so impressive.

Above you will find the series from the beginning and going to near the end of the MTV era. It is at that point - the early 2000s - where I personally lose interest. If you're interested in watching the full history/series, you can find that here. 

Popcorn in Bed - Forrest Gump

Cassie and Carrie watch "Forrest Gump."

You can read my thoughts on the theme of the film (or one of the themes of the film) here.

New Neil Breen Trailer - Dire Duplicity

The trailer for Neil Breen's new film "Dire Duplicity."

I'm not sure but it seems, in this film, Neil Breen is playing Fantasy Neil Breen - the world's greatest secret agent, soldier, hacker, computer scientist, terrorist.

Late Show - Top 10 Things That Sound Romantic When Said by Barry White

If you've been following this blog, you've certainly seen this before. But it bears repeating and this is the officially-released isolated clip.

Does it bother anyone else that the category is "Top 10 words" but then some of the entries are phrases? I'll try to get over it.

JAZZERCISE...