tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46074639836325848452024-03-01T17:07:26.092-08:00Uncommon JournalismUncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-1750344935410223682021-04-15T18:23:00.000-07:002021-04-15T18:23:06.366-07:00A Tribute To The Totally Tubular Songs of 1981!<h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">Join Jazzy James and Kit-Kat Kristen as they reminisce on top tunes from 40 year ago!</span></span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-f171a6ff-7fff-ead1-b65f-03a3f5193955" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QSc7i3um2sY" width="640" youtube-src-id="QSc7i3um2sY"></iframe></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;">By:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">@UNJournalism</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: x-large;">Y</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">es, as hard as it may be to believe, 40 years have elapsed since 1981 — a year that brought us some of the most iconic pop, rock and R&B songs ever. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">While we here at the Fresh Faces Frightening Fun Facts podcast tend to focus on cinematic sojourns of yesterday and today, for this installment we’ve instead turned our attention to the airwaves of four decades ago — and needless to say, ‘81 had no shortage of bangers (as the kids say today) across the musical genre spectrum.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From industrial-goth to double-entendre-laden funk to singer-songwriter schmaltz to immortal arena rock anthems, there was a little something to please </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everybody </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">when it comes to the biggest and baddest hits of ‘81. And, naturally, Jazzy James and Kit-Kat Kristen have no shortage of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nostalgic </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">musings and tantalizing trivia to complement those </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rockin’ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tunes from the Reagan years.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">totally tubular twosome </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for a radical retrospective, where such bodacious topics and musings as the following are broached:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Just how did the ultra-depressing theme song from an ultra-depressing movie like </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arthur </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">become a top radio hit in the first place?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— What makes the early work of The Cure so eerily enthralling and enchanting?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— Is there a darker, more sinister meaning behind what is arguably Phil Collins’ most beloved song?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— Scientifically, is it even possible to tell The Go-Gos and The Bangles apart?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— What long-abandoned intro hook employed by songs like Red Rider’s “Lunatic Fringe” are SORELY missing in modern day rock music (and DEFINITELY needs to be brought back?)</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— Is Rick James a prototype for Prince, or vice-versa?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Just how many GREAT old-school rock and roll staples are included on the soundtrack to 2010’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let Me In</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— What does Sprite and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pac-Man </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have to do with Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes?”</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— And, perhaps most important, what all-time rock and roll classic released on Halloween 1981 does both Jazzy James and Kit-Kat Kristen agree is the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">undisputed king of karaoke night</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Make sure that side ponytail is on tight and you’ve got your most dapper fishnet tank top on hand — this is one blast from the past you’ll DEFINITELY want to crank at full volume on your Walkman, dudes and dudettes!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://archive.org/details/unj-1981-podcast" target="_blank"><span style="color: #f4cccc;">DOWNLOAD</span> <span style="color: #cfe2f3;">THE</span> <span style="color: #f4cccc;">AUDIO </span><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">PODCAST </span><span style="color: #f4cccc;">HERE!</span></a></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/w200-h168/UNJLogo.gif" width="200" /></a></span></div><p></p>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-80502811379588414172021-02-11T10:58:00.003-08:002021-02-11T10:58:41.672-08:00A Very Freddy February! Ranking the Nightmare on Elm Street Movies<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join Kit-Kat Kristen and Jazzy James as the take a walk down memory lane — or, more accurately, a walk down </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elm Street</span></b></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0e6d677-7fff-a410-4d1e-e6950b671e0e"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uOofGfCvxXc" width="640" youtube-src-id="uOofGfCvxXc"></iframe></div><br /></span><span><a name='more'></a></span></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee; font-family: courier;">By:</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">@UNJournalism</span></span></a></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">W</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hen it comes to iconic slasher movie villains, very few — if any — have had the lasting legacy of one Freddy Krueger, the ubiquitous star of six canonical </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nightmare on Elm Street </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">films, a meta-laden deconstruction made </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">before </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">meta-laden deconstructions were cool, a crossover with a certain hockey mask-sporting genre stalwart and at least one full-fledged remake/reboot to date.</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And of course, that’s to say nothing of all of the OTHER appearances the notorious Springwood Slasher has made over the years, popping up in everything from a syndicated TV show to a Nintendo video game to talking dolls that drew the ire of concerned parents coast-to-coast (who wouldn’t want their kids playing around with a character oft-described as “the bastard son of a thousand maniacs,” anyway?) </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s no denying the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elm Street </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mythos has had quite the impact on pop culture over the last 30 years (and counting.) And with another frigid and formidable February in full swing — and it being </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">peak </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">gaudy red-and-green sweater weather, at that — what better time to reflect and reminisce on the Freddy Krueger filmography? Join Kit Kat Kristen and Jazzy James as they wax nostalgic on the exploits of cinema’s most beloved burn victim and cherished child murderer, along the way touching upon such pertinent topics as:</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Where, if any, did the universally reviled 2010 </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elm Street </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">remake go </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">right</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Was the video game that killed Spencer in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Freddy’s Dead </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more entertaining than the ACTUAL </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elm Street </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">game that came out on the original Nintendo Entertainment System?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Is it technically apropos to call </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a proper “body horror” movie?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— In a movie notorious for its </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">overall campiness</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, what’s the one </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ultra-campy </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">performance from </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that Jazzy James thinks STILL doesn’t get enough credit?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— In what ways did the work of Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">possibly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">influence </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wes Craven’s New Nightmare</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Did </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Home Alone </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">directly or indirectly rip off the ending of the first </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elm Street </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">flick from 1984?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Will there </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ever </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">be a soundtrack as awesome as the one </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">had (and is it really all that controversial to say Tuesday Knight was a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">way </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">better Kristen Parker than Patricia Arquette?)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— And, of course, which cult-favorite character actor from </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does Jazzy James share a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very special </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">collegiate connection to?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s nearly an hour of whimsical insights, tantalizing trivia and sometimes irreverent recollections of one of the greatest horror franchises of all-time — and dare we say it? — one countdown that’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">well </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">worth staying awake for ...</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/elm-street-podcast-audio" target="_blank"><br /></a></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/elm-street-podcast-audio" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">DOWNLOAD</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> THE</span><span style="color: red;"> PODCAST</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> HERE!</span></a></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s0/UNJLogo.gif" /></a></div><p></p></span>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-48094599588685498492020-12-28T03:34:00.002-08:002020-12-28T03:36:33.338-08:00The Top 20 Albums of 2020<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From sugary synth-pop to crushing post-grunge ‘90s revivalism, these are the releases that made the year that was </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hop, bop and headbang</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></b></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4e9734b8-7fff-dc03-545d-f2f4a8e86fa9"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZsZvw6MeNvrXjPIzymIHI3rjyuZOhWKyeX1wkNlMr0nPgHyUMKgxSDsGFzPOTaKZ55I_AZmycBelhFMY1NWjuDnwz-7nHlawNp6Ny2AI4KRb5_aEUdPJCZ75zkAayqJLQ-dhusFUxdqK/s520/20Albums2020.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="520" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZsZvw6MeNvrXjPIzymIHI3rjyuZOhWKyeX1wkNlMr0nPgHyUMKgxSDsGFzPOTaKZ55I_AZmycBelhFMY1NWjuDnwz-7nHlawNp6Ny2AI4KRb5_aEUdPJCZ75zkAayqJLQ-dhusFUxdqK/w640-h468/20Albums2020.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><span><a name='more'></a></span></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #999999;">By:</span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> James Swift</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">@UNJournalism</span></span></a></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-large;">Y</span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ou know, if a buncha’ dweebs and elitists at </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rolling Stone </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Village Voice </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can declare themselves authorities on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">good musical taste, </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">why shouldn’t we here at </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">appoint ourselves the same self-ordained </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">privilege</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Below, you’ll find our </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">official </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">countdown of the 20 best albums to assail our cochleas in the year 2020, running the gamut from jolly synth-pop jaunts to crestfallen chillwave classics to post-grunge, retro-revivalist ‘90s college rock epics. Of course, musical taste is intrinsically subjective, but let’s be real here — do you really value the judgment of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NPR </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pitchfork </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">over our fearlessly independent, non-corporate </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">literary criticism</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our thoughts </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">precisely</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. So how about you plug in your earbuds and give a listen to the absolute </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">best </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the tumultuous year that was had to offer on a strictly </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aural </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">level?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">20</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“All The Damn Vampires EP” by All The Damn Vampires</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With a moniker inspired by the cult classic teen bloodsucker romp </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lost Boys</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, you’d expect the vibe from All The Damn Vampires to be </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">80’s-tastic </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to the max. And there’s no denying that this six-song retro-revivalist release does the Reagan years proud, with a super-synthy sound that’ll have you hankering for a trip to Orange Julius in no time. Especially noteworthy is the opening bopper “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XqDanKgjtU" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saturday</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” — not only is it one of the best synth-pop tracks of the year, it’s probably the greatest song Tegan and Sara never recorded.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">19</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Patterns In The Static” by The Classic Crime</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The vastly underappreciated post-grunge/pop-punk outfit from Seattle returned in 2020 with “Patterns in the Static,” a delightfully straight-forward 12-track banger that feels remarkably like something you would’ve blared out of your Honda Civic in 2003 — and that’s a compliment, by the way. Somewhat reminiscent of the pre-Obama work released by Silverchair, The Killers and Fallout Boy, there isn’t a subpar song on the entire album; and the lite-emo touches are very tastefully done, especially on nostalgia-heavy tracks like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd8NFQ4A1A4" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Summer of ‘92</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf-h21nr6hA" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Water’s Edge</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">18</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Death in Venice Beach” by The Bombpops</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">San Diego may not have the Chargers anymore, but at least they still have this top-notch post-post-punk band to call their own. The double shot of co-vocalists Poli van Dam and Jen Razavi brings a unique, velvety melody to “Death in Venice Beach,” a rip-roaring release highlighted by tracks like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ljtNfqHq9A" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zero Remorse</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7YEFju2p8k" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notre Dame</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” which call to mind the aural cross pollination of NOFX and Letters to Cleo. Anybody who has the audacity to claim pop punk is dead would be wise to give “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDfegpUArHA" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Radio Silence</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQP8s9tjlrY" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blood Pact</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” a listen — indeed, the band is almost keeping the sub-sub-subgenre alive single-handedly.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">17</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“New Arrows” by Personality Cult</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You wouldn’t exactly expect one of the year’s best post-punk albums to come out of North Carolina, but apparently, 2020 is that kind of year. This release from Dirtnap Records is pretty much 24 minutes of unsquandered sonic potential, the kind of rollocking, riff-heavy rock and roll you could only imagine if The Buzzcocks grew up in Ric Flair country. The band however, isn’t afraid to get darker, more abrasive and even a little more experimental, though: indeed, tracks like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI0gWeRkCM0" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sharp Edges</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6vjnIXZ7uw" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5-30</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” almost crossover into a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">quasi-groove metal territory</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, offering the perfect counterweight to the Cocksparrer-in--Carhartt bravado of toe-tappers like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WRd-EGBPoE" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dissolve You</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GJfpZiwLvQ" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nothing To Do With It</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">15</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Joyridin’” by Hard Target</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Spirits” by Hard Target and Wess Nyle</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say what you will about 2020 as an amorphous collective, at least we got not one but TWO stellar, full-length albums from Hernando County, Florida’s most accomplished Caucasian rapper out of it. The earlier of the rapper’s two releases — a feature length duet with country rock crooner Wess Nyle — is certainly the darker and more abrasive, with working class dirges like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP4dJmBT_Vk" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">45</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vmbGXu9viU" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stuck in the Mud</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” eerily portending the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">wealth </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of socioeconomic challenges wrought by the looming coronavirus. Meanwhile, the aptly-titled “Joyridin’” is an album every bit as jaunty as its namesake would lead you to believe — indeed, with such delightfully catchy ass-stompers as “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszYRVgPIgc" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chevy Truck</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EYN-u6NTiQ" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">America AF</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdijrqXmXZ0" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hodor</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” Hard Target has pulled off a one-two hick-hop punch that Kid Rock could only dream about. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">14</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Mr. Old School” by Clarence Carter</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With all due respect to Stevie Wonder, I think it’s safe to say that Clarence Carter is America’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">true </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">national treasure when it comes to blind, African-American soul singers. The industrious Alabaman beloved for his raunchy and risque showstoppers once again brought the expected goods with January’s release “Mr. Old School,” containing such </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">self-explanatory </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ballads as “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTA_Rcl4r4o" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">G Spot</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “Y</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L_HCe-xigc" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ou Gotta Grunt</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” But there’s a bit more versatility to Carter’s latest than you might expect, however: indeed, tracks like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thtpmx6CVtI" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You’re Worth The Risk</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD7NYAekmyE" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s What The Blues Is About</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” come off as some of the most </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crushingly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">heartfelt tunes of 2020, with “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idSm_ZR4HDk" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Christmas Party</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” no doubt destined to become a holiday favorite — you know, pending you spend the Yuletide season with a lot of perverts, naturally.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">13</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Titans of Creation” by Testament</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the great unsung monoliths of metal music, Testament never made it anywhere close to the level of international fame and renown as did groups like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. However, with a line-up consisting of three of the heaviest hitters in all of heavy metal — sandpaper-throated Chuck Billy, drum-pounder Gene Hoglan and six-string snapper extraordinaire Steve Di Giorgio — perhaps it shouldn’t be </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">surprising that 2020’s “Titans of Creation” stands out as the year’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">best </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">old-school thrash offerings. With song titles like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4KIWRR7d2I" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WW III,</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF2hIrXq2ss" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Night of the Witch</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLdZHxdrKK0" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ishtar’s Gate,</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” you know </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exactly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">what you’re getting as soon as you plug in your headphones — and that thing, of course, is glorious, traditional, no-frills, tinnitus-baiting speed metal, just the way Old Scratch prefers it. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">11</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“The Cold Dark Somewhere” by Dated</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Halloween Lofi” by Dated</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You may not fancy yourself a fan of darkwave lofi chillhop — or even know what darkwave lofi chill-hop is — but after giving Dated a try, you most likely will be. Not content with merely giving us </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">two </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ultra-moody and atmospheric full-length releases, the Ontario-based lofi wunderkind gave us </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">two of them </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in the year that was, starting with July’s “The Cold Dark Somewhere,” an entrancing, slow-moving chillhop instant classic that made the middle of summer feel icier than a winter breeze in John Wayne Gacy’s crawl space. Naturally, Dated followed that up with an even more </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">atmospheric </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">release, the self-explanatory “Halloween Lofi,” released with about three or four weeks of lead-in time to Oct. 31. Granted, you may not </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">think </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">songs with titles like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0g2wgzqI4E" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Autopsy Romance</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Jlp2Cb9G4" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Dungeon Church</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” would lend themselves to beautiful, haunting, piano-driven, lite-industrial, urban-gothic ditties — but hey, you’ve been wrong about a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lot of things </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in your life, haven’t you?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">10</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Electric Heart” by Roxi Drive</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s no denying that Brighton virtuoso Roxi Drive has </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all of the musical </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chops to have been a FM radio queenpin back in the 1980s. From the opening salvo of “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QbD_5Ws_us" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Electricity</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” one can’t help but reminded of the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">best </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from synthpop royalty like Susie Q and Kim Wilde — indeed, on a note-for-note basis, Roxi might just have the best vocals in the synthwave game this side of Dana Jean Phoenix. Meanwhile, stellar songs like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlKvi7x2sLc" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All My Dreams</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAnSGen9FCI" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Night Waves</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_0-4TiEaWo" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Video Fantasy</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” perfectly recapture the zeitgeist of mid-80s electro-pop music, to the point you have to wonder if you </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">haven’t </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">already heard tracks like ”</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqQ8PlXYEo0" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Running Away</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYuSEVImAlI" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dangerous</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” in a random teen sex comedy like </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Last American Virgin </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Spring Break</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Excellent end-to-end albums like “Electric Heart” are proof that synthwave is far from being a dead genre — indeed, with so many great records of the like released in 2020, I think it’s safe to say the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">past is here to stay</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">09</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Dryve” by Dryve</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Few albums express the merits of the old “keep it simple, stupid” mantra quite like Dryve’s eponyomous release. Barely clocking in at 22 minutes, this super-solid synthwave release calls up the vocal talents of Brisbane’s mononymous Hunz on three tracks, including the album’s closing spectacular, “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZqZCY7rF3M" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Come Undone</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” which almost sounds like Robert Smith at his most cheerful merrily prancing through a rousing, quasi-disco curtain-closer. But that’s not to say Dryve doesn’t also have some impressive musical dexterity of his own. In fact, not only are tracks like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alF-YqBMvWg" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looker</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myn4vo1j--A" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Online</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” some of the best synthwave instrumentals of the year, they might just be some of the catchiest </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">quasi-poppy </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">music you’ll hear coming out of 2020, regardless of the genre trappings.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">08</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Foreign Dreams” by BT-84</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Released in January, “Foreign Dreams” certainly held its own against a deluge of top-notch synthwave/retrowave/outrun releases throughout the calendar year. As soon as the opening track “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKqOy_5ZDXs" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So Far Away</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” starts pumping through your earbuds, you just </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">know </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you’re about to get walloped by a retro-revialist tour de force, and “Foreign Dreams” only gets more </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eighties </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more awesome </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from there. The simplistic, synth-driven structure of tracks like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1TqlAdjJeo" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drive All Night</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj7h0bwUg1s" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maybe Someday</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2YvUDMZ9AY" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Losing My Mind</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” belies a hard-to-describe forlornness, this nostalgia that feels more </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bitter </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">than bittersweet — make no mistakes, amidst the wailing electric guitar shrieks and the thundering faux organ blasts, there’s some genuine </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">emotion </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">undergirding BT-84’s latest — a feat made all the more impressive considering it’s virtual an </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all-instrumental </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">album. And if the concluding track “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3bSPpZELko" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Danielle</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” doesn’t have you feeling angister than a teenager with a fresh pimple on prom night, I don’t know </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">what would</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">07</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Monsters” by The Midnight</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even before 2020’s “Monsters” dropped, The Midnight were already considered one of the undisputed titans of the international synthwave scene. The L.A.-based trio’s mythos continued to evolve with that afore-mentioned new album, a Counter Records release that smacks more of mid-90s, dial-up internet ephemera than it does the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">typical </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reaganomics and cocaine trappings the subgenre usually finds itself wedded to. As anticipated, the one-two vocal punch of lyricists Tim McEwan and Jamison Lyle radiate like a million neon pink lights from start to finish, with Jupiter Winter lending some feature guest talents on </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZXV2FNfjmw" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the album’s title track</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. All it takes is one listen to songs like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzex-nN2yM0" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">America Online</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeCPQBRpiHA" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prom Night</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7y8F-2lZwQ" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Train</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” to release the intrinsic greatness of The Midnight — indeed, at this point, they’re pretty much on the precipice of becoming this generation’s Duran Duran.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">06</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“A Thousand Lives” by At 1980</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quite possibly THE all-star synthwave crossover spectacular of the year 2020. That’s apparent by t</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quSW6omrDkw" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he very first track on the album</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in which retrowave/outrun it girl Dana Jean Phoenix brings the proverbial house down, and if that wasn’t enough </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sheer </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">synth force for you, take a wild guess who guest stars on </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sst4Gn-AA8" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the very next track</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Yep, none other than TimeCop1983, sporting smoky vocals so sweltering, it makes Ed Sheerhan’s randiest performances sound like church choir practice. At 1980, however, may have saved the best for last on “A Thousand Lives.” Just when you think nothing can top “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnPQ5g1VwJQ" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Run Away</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” (featuring the haunting lilt of Camille Gelment), the album hits you right in the face with “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwue71K7jvU" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Neon Sun</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” — a beautiful, slow-moving ballad that isn’t just one of the ten best synthwave tracks of the year, but mayhap one of the ten best tracks you’ll hear in 2020 in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">any </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">genre.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">05</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Dream Warriors” by Taurus 1984</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a year absolutely glutted with outstanding synthwave and synthwave-adjacent albums, I can’t think of any subgenre release that shined brighter than the sophomore outing from Taurus 1984. </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WeazPfw0Iw" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The title track</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> might just be the be-all, end-all retro-revivalist singalong instant classic of the year, featuring a rousing chorus referencing everything from Corey Feldman vampire movies to the third (and, obviously, best) </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elm Street </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">flick. And that tantalizing toe-tapper is followed up by yet another poppy mini-masterpiece, the dreamy, wistful “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFPyU1VQE-Y" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Invisible Summer</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” which, as the kids these days say, hits quite a bit different in this, the age of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mass quarantine</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. With tracks running the gamut from ethereally ambient (“</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OAxwOyshY4" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ghosts</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”) to delightfully dancey (“</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ_f05BahkU" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Home”</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) to almost </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AOR</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-tailor made (the exquisite “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVEMe_fRi84" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Callin’ You</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” which is accessible enough to be a genuine crossover pop success) there isn’t a lull in “Dream Warriors” in the slightest — indeed, this is about as smooth an </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outrun </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ride as you could wish for in the pothole-strewn musical landscape that was 2020.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">04</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Life Forms” by Kupla</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How fitting it is, considering everything that’s gone down in 2020, that one of the great unsung musical heroes of the year would be some self-trained pianist from Helsinki? Make no mistakes about it, “Life Forms” is far and away the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">best</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and most progressive chillwave album you’ll hear in ‘20, a towering, lo-fi masterpiece that stands out as one of the most emotional and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">revelatory </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">works spawned by COVID-19 so far. From the delightfully dreary opening track “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LA7WL-e5zE" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eons</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” — which might as well be the theme song for every rainy day at Starbucks ever — to the instantly entrancing closer “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdIybNsX0PQ" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Safe Haven</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” this is a rare 16-song release that is sans </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">an </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ounce of aural filler. That, and it’s one of the most diverse chillwave albums you’re likely to hear this </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or any other </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">year for that matter; indeed, it’s downright mind-blowing to realize that a haunting, slower-paced </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unsentimental </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ballad like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOn-tz0whyk" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Those Were the Days</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and the hyper-minimalist, nigh </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Age</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-ish “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy0ljzYqeiE" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last Walk</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” are the handiwork of a single musician. Keep an eye on this Kupla kid — this is one Fin I guarantee is </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">going places</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the years ahead.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">03</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Q36” by The Rentals</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Rentals’ sprawling ode to space-age paranoia probably wasn’t </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">designed </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to reflect the stir-craziness of a post-COVID society, but tracks like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkfKujfyUlY" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forgotten Astronaut</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLtHKOAHSck" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conspiracy</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” nonetheless seem to capture the coronavirus </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zeitgeist </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">about as well as any music released this year. And if nothing else, you have to give Matt Sharp and pals credit for harnessing what has to be one of the most </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bizarre </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pop cultural muses in recent memory — of all things, the album is modeled around William Peter Blatty’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ninth Configuration</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the criminally-underappreciated </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Exorcist</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quasi-sequel about an insubordinate astronaut sent to a facility where the inmates </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">literally </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">run the asylum. Unlike most contemporary concept albums — especially the more </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">avant garde </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ones — </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Q36 </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">doesn’t feel like overwrought artistry simply for overwrought artistry’s sake, with the 16-track album equally palatable as an </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">epic </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">single-session listen or broken up as a’la carte songs. And if there’s a better title for </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">any </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">song released this year than “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taupuK6oND4" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elon Musk is Making Me Sad</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” I owe you a free soda of your choosing.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">02</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Danzig Sings Elvis” by Danzig</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s the album we always knew we wanted but never thought we’d get. For decades, fans and non-fans alike have noted The Misfits’ frontman’s uncanny vocal similarity to a certain fried peanut butter and banana sandwich connoisseur, and to be frank, I’m just kinda’ surprised it took </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this long </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for the inevitable to happen. Rather than being a super-gloomy, abrasive, quasi-metal riff on the King’s classics, however, Danizg plays </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">against type on the recording, crooning through Presley staples like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4V5etbOmpU" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pocket Full of Rainbows</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6huuF8PMJY" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Girl of My Best Friend</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” with an almost </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lugubrious, mournful </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tone searching for ANY kind of succor. One can’t help but pick up on the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">desperation </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of tracks like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7sw7WnFaf4" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Loving Arms</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip7gioUvnjs" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Young and Beautiful</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” and the end result is one of the most peculiarly moving albums you’re likely to hear </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this or any other calendar year</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Forget Fiona Apple’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">horrifically </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">overrated “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” — when it comes to quintessential quarantine albums, this intimate, scaled-back and (dare I say it) </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vulnerable </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parade of cover tunes might just be the most unexpectedly charming musical release of 2020.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">01</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Inlet” by Hum</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How fitting it is that 2020’s best album came </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">out of the blue</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> — and from one of the most criminally underappreciated alt rock heroes of the 1990s, to boot. While Illinois’ Hum garnered some measure of MTV success with their breakout song “Stars” — a college radio staple that’s probably more famous today for being berated by </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beavis and Butt-Head </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— the group never really reached that transcendent level of crossover success. Call it grunge, call it shoegaze, call it space rock, call it whatever the hell you want, there is </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">no denying </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that this album moves with a timeless fluidity that makes it feel like it could’ve been released in 1992 just as easily as it could’ve been a product of 2002, 2012 or 3022, for that matter. The epic opener “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjBosga1kMY" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Waves</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” sets the tempo for this stellar 55-minute rip into the fabric of space and time itself, with lingering mini-operas like “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRdXXkcVEvA" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Den</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” and “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3s6D0Exbjo" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Desert Rambler</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” frequently sidestepping into psychedelia, sludge metal and even a little bit of dream pop here and there. And if you think Hum </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can’t </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">still churn out radio-friendly toe-tappers, one listen to the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">instantly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">enthralling “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSHBtsPxEP8" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Step Into You</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” ought to let you know these fella’s haven’t lost a step in the last quarter century. For all of the naysayers who think traditional, guitar-driven rock and roll music is deader than rotary phones, just give album-closer “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgDbEEvDW3o" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shapeshifter</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” a listen and I promise you, you’ll be rethinking the genre’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">premature burial </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">instantaneously; not only would this thing have been an album of the year contender </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in 2020</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it would’ve been right up there in ‘94, as well. </span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gkJ6AvW9upPhyrNpsKTPQR4CkQY6jvUuO7QDRCz9lTpQABoV1RYO6vmqRHfP5u6NT_Mv8N7y3sWPry2J08P-mUk6bU154VeDc_ngIuXX06d1vq5K1tOi4ssNHnjc4d4FAkbLMKGzP_MZ/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gkJ6AvW9upPhyrNpsKTPQR4CkQY6jvUuO7QDRCz9lTpQABoV1RYO6vmqRHfP5u6NT_Mv8N7y3sWPry2J08P-mUk6bU154VeDc_ngIuXX06d1vq5K1tOi4ssNHnjc4d4FAkbLMKGzP_MZ/s0/UNJLogo.gif" /></a></div></div></span>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-90870958757856729302020-12-16T06:48:00.001-08:002020-12-16T06:48:59.509-08:00Book Review: “COVID-19: The Great Reset” (2020)<span id="docs-internal-guid-63e4c8ce-7fff-d7da-8598-0bc2304ce536"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Despite the criticism, the tract from Klaus Schwab and Thierry Malleret remains frustratingly nondescript when it comes to post-coronavirus solutions.</b></span></span></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZxb_HTkxx81kwjNgNQ5inngvz4Q04mNtTqKHNWTCCuz77plE6FwE1x1MR-PMwaER4gLhuat5XTawb8Jz9QhqtYduaS6ruMEPpPMB9rKDAU3Z-yfcHwru4N1Ksjv7EgIm6cnNuI68wRa0/s452/Screen+Shot+2020-12-15+at+10.46.38+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="452" height="585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZxb_HTkxx81kwjNgNQ5inngvz4Q04mNtTqKHNWTCCuz77plE6FwE1x1MR-PMwaER4gLhuat5XTawb8Jz9QhqtYduaS6ruMEPpPMB9rKDAU3Z-yfcHwru4N1Ksjv7EgIm6cnNuI68wRa0/w640-h585/Screen+Shot+2020-12-15+at+10.46.38+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: courier;">By:</span><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en" target="_blank">@UNJournalism</a></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">O</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ne can’t help but feel that the right-of-center rancor directed at </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Covid: 19: The Great Reset </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">stems largely from people who never bothered actually </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reading </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the treatise from Klaus Schwab and Thierry Malleret in the first place.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that’s evident by the scores of negative comments on the book’s Amazon page. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The top-rated review calls the book “a plot to subvert American democracy.” Another one-star review describes the tome as “opportunistic malfeasance by the Davos ‘elites.’” Yet another one-star review sums up the title as “a pro-communist piece of trash” that “tries to sway the reader into NWO thinking.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then there’s the all-caps diatribe against the tome penned by an individual assuming the nomme de plume JailBreakOverlander — “COVID IS A HOAX AND THIS SHOWS JUST THAT, COVID WAS USED AS THE MACRO RESET. TO STOP EVERYONE IN THEIR TRACKS, SO THE ELITES CAN REDIRECT AND TAKE CONTROL OVER ALL NATIONS.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Such caustic comments may lead you to think that </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Great Reset </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is something of an Orwellian guidebook to erecting a technocratic totalitarian state. Alas, the</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> actual </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">book is far less interesting — and descriptive — than all of those disparaging Amazon “reviews” lead on. Ultimately, there’s hardly anything in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Great Reset </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that hasn’t already been said by the likes of Thomas Friedman </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">decades earlier</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Rather, what we get is yet another manifesto urging greater </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">multinational </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cooperation to combat climate change, with a few quasi-interesting predictions about the impact of COVID-19 on international supply chains sprinkled sporadically throughout the same-old, same-old conjecture about “deglobalization” and “robotic process automation.” It’s a book that makes some interesting observations here and there, but unfortunately, the authors never really seem to roll their myriad musings into a singular point — indeed, if the title actually </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">meant to be a dystopian despotism how-to manual, its bullet points are far too vague, and unconnected, to be of use to any aspiring autocrat. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Front the outset, it’s apparent that the scope of the book is far too broad, with a scant 200 pages nowhere near enough room to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">thoroughly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mull such nuanced and intricate topics as the economic decoupling of the United States and China, the rise of the surveillance state and the ever-expanding reach of big tech — all key public policy issues that could easily serve as the basis of their </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">own </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">post-COVID dissertation. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If there’s anything of a nut graph to the book, the authors make it known fairly early on. “Societies could be poised to become either more egalitarian or more authoritarian, or geared towards more solidarity or more individualism, favoring the interests of the few or the many.” The problem, however, is that Schwab and Malleret never really cut into the specifics of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">how </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">post-COVID societies could traverse those divergent paths, instead giving readers the usual ill-defined warnings about the perils of biodiversity loss and urban planning failure. At certain points, it almost feels like the book is a bit of a bait-and-switch, with the authors </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">seemingly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">only using the COVID-19 topic as a springboard to yammer on and on about their </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">desires </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for global action on climate change. Really, you could just reread </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hot, Flat and Crowded </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— penned in 2008, mind you — and get about 80 percent of the same arguments posited by </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">treatise. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s not to say that the book doesn’t have </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">some </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">interesting components to it, of course. One passage of note involves the authors’ suspicions regarding modern monetary theory (MMT), which they suggest is a one-way ticket to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hyper currency depreciation</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“MMT runs like this: governments will issue some debt that the central bank will buy. If it never sells it back, it equates to monetary finance: the deficit is monetized (by the central bank purchasing the bonds that the government issues) and the government can use the money as it sees fit,” the authors state. “The idea is appealing and realizable, but it contains a major issue of social expectations and political control: once citizens realize that money can be found on a ‘magic money tree,’ elected politicians will be under fierce and relentless public pressure to create more and more, which is when the issue of inflation kicks in.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeah — not exactly a resounding endorsement of perpetual quantitative easing, is it?</span></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfg7TeWpH4_DH641BM3qxy3dLfJEj4kX8EUMqZHk53RRTRygnquCff4HgG9xzeWPGdVmscdZU1JNMr5LD5-vKJRsQogr2z8DaFqoNvJHXpBj4twxYSfiGBKH-qysTDpanJgs1tz_rr3-2x/s521/Screen+Shot+2020-12-15+at+10.46.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="455" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfg7TeWpH4_DH641BM3qxy3dLfJEj4kX8EUMqZHk53RRTRygnquCff4HgG9xzeWPGdVmscdZU1JNMr5LD5-vKJRsQogr2z8DaFqoNvJHXpBj4twxYSfiGBKH-qysTDpanJgs1tz_rr3-2x/w559-h640/Screen+Shot+2020-12-15+at+10.46.09+AM.png" width="559" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: black;">Whatever the opposite of a Gordian knot is, it's probably this diagram.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indeed, the book’s sections that are focused strictly on the economic ramifications of COVID-19 are easily the most insightful and enlightening aspects of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Great Reset</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as the authors make their case for why the coronavirus crisis spells the end of “neoliberalism” as we know it as well as the death knell for “market fetishism” as a whole. It’s not until the book migrates into discussions about the far-reaching impact of the pandemic on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">systemic </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inequalities that the authors seem to lose their focus, as they hop to and fro on concepts like “biographical availability” and “market-oriented” public benefits without bothering to make a sustained, concrete case for or against any </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">specific </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">public policy initiative. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The section on the geopolitical consequences of COVID-19 are similarly disappointing, with the authors gloom-mongering over a potential “global order deficit” that could witness the dissolution of the European Union, the mass failure of petrostates around the world and — of course — heightened tensions between the United States and China.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“If we do not improve the functioning and legitimacy of our global institutions, the world will soon become unmanageable and very dangerous,” the authors warn. “There cannot be a lasting recovery without a global strategic framework of governance.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, therein lies the biggest problem of the entire book — the fact that the authors fail to even outline a rudimentary sketch of what that “global strategic framework” </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">could </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">resemble. The best Scwab and Malleret can do, it appears, is simply </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ask </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that nuclear-armed rivals do a better job communicating with one another — the kind of it-goes-without-saying </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">non-solution </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that makes you wonder </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">what </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they’re teaching people at Harvard and the University of Fribourg, exactly. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Following a brief discussion about the intrusive digital tracing measures enacted by countries like China and South Korea, the authors soon delve into a fairly boring conversation about the impact of quarantine and lockdowns on mental health and traditional service sector employers — all stuff you’ve already heard about, and more in-depth, elsewhere. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The section on industrial resilience in the face of COVID-19, however, is pretty engaging, if only for the authors’ fairly blunt — and hardly arguable — assertion that “big tech” was the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">biggest </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">winner in the fallout of the pandemic.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“During the pandemic, as companies and their customers alike were forced to go digital, accelerate online plans, take up new networking tools and start working from home, tech became an absolute necessity, even among traditionally reluctant customers,” they write. “For this reason, the combined market value of the leading tech companies hit record after record during the lockdowns, even rising back above levels before the outbreak started.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Inevitably, the book would have to at least obliquely address the civil unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s death, which they suggest “reflect the urgent necessity to embark on the Great Reset,” further arguing that there is a “systemic connectivity” between epidemiological risks and societal risks. Indeed, the authors drive home two key talking points concerning that particular juxtaposition of public policies: “Our human actions and reactions are not rooted in statistical data but are determined instead by emotions and sentiments” and “as our human condition improves, our standards of living increase and so do our expectations for a better and fairer life.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hardly controversial takes, for sure, but once again the authors never really go out of their way to further expound upon the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">direct </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">initiatives and internationally-informed solution sets </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">believe are the cures for what ails us epidemiologically </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or socially</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Rather, they simply default to their vague preferences for “greater collaboration and cooperation” and “shared intentionality,” sans the need to elucidate on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">what precise course of actions </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are required to achieve such lofty ideals. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps the most shocking thing about “The Great Reset” comes in the final few pages, in which the authors more or less paint COVID-19 as a comparatively minor pandemic when pushed shoulder to shoulder — or, perhaps more accurately, protein to protein — with such virological disasters as the Spanish flu and the Plague of Justinian. Still, the authors contend that while the coronavirus is far, far less deadly than the Black Plague or HIV/AIDS, its challenges are nonetheless different than any encountered in human history. Which, ultimately, leads to this interesting — yet, once again, infuriatingly nondescript, summarization:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It does not constitute an existential threat or a shock that will leave its imprint on the world’s population for decades. However, it does entail worrisome perspectives for all the reasons already mentioned; in today’s interdependent world, risks conflate with each other, amplifying their reciprocal effects and magnifying their consequences. Much of what’s coming is unknown, but we can be sure of the following — in the post-pandemic world, questions of fairness will come to the fore, ranging from stagnating real incomes for a vast majority to the redefinition of our social contracts.” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By the time I wrapped up </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Great Reset</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it became clear to me that something so unparalleled and impactful in modern geopolitics could not be properly addressed </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this early on</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the pandemic. In many ways, we’re still feeling the gravitational effects of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and if our top socioeconomics specialists </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">still incapable of penning the definitive tome on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">subject matter, it’s reasonable to assume that we won’t have </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">truly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">comprehensive, historical literature on the political and cultural repercussions of the coronavirus crisis for decades and decades. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As an early shot in the dark — the book was published in midsummer, just months after the COVID-19 crisis became entrenched in America — </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Great Reset </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is interesting, no doubt, but as an obvious polemic it’s simply too </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">abstract </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and directionless to serve of any profound significance, as either an analytical screed </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a conjectural blueprint for intragovernmental policy.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As an off the cuff response to the global crisis, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Great Reset </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">isn’t a boring read, but as a call for sociopolitical action, I’m afraid this one is a considerable disappointment. And for those who are </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">still </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">convinced that the book is meant to serve as some sort of one world government handbook, I have to ask — how in the hell would </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">anybody </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">be able to build a monolithic global hegemony out of directions so indistinct.?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Forget describing </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Great Reset </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is a nefarious endeavor — for a book with ideology </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">inchoate, the term nebulous is a far more </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fitting </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">descriptor. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s0/UNJLogo.gif" /></a></div></span>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-34911048887322989122020-12-14T17:31:00.000-08:002020-12-14T17:31:33.614-08:00The Spook Show Must Go On<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>The resolute owner of metro-Atlanta’s Folklore Haunted House recalls establishing effective alterations to maintain a safe and spectacular haunt season in 2020 — and has hopes to revert back to “normalcy” in 2021.</b></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv0kmf8bFiCzKaKtiFBbp0uRCzEyNcStm8OSymshR6Dmg7ecJznDS5G-8qgQkC_EhsYO9k-I7blPRWlfF5OFfrIhaU99afxezIKFOY0hYxiAAdAieUXp2sbXTxe77jzHt-_kQ0xEbCkXE/s1155/Folklore.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1155" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv0kmf8bFiCzKaKtiFBbp0uRCzEyNcStm8OSymshR6Dmg7ecJznDS5G-8qgQkC_EhsYO9k-I7blPRWlfF5OFfrIhaU99afxezIKFOY0hYxiAAdAieUXp2sbXTxe77jzHt-_kQ0xEbCkXE/w640-h474/Folklore.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;">By:</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Kristen M. Gilotti<br /></span><a href="mailto:kmg0128@hotmail.com" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kmg0128@hotmail.com<br /></span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/movielass128?lang=en" target="_blank">@movielass128</a></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-07aec306-7fff-58c8-19ba-1039141d3c50"><br /><p style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">A</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">s</span> 2020 concludes, it is impossible to not hark back to unhappened events due to the novel coronavirus. During the summer of this unparalleled year, renowned conventions centers like Dragon*Con, Days of the Dead Atlanta Part 2 and Atlanta Comic-Con were all cancelled. To make matters worse, <i>Halloween Kills</i>, the 12th installment in the <i>Halloween</i> franchise, was postponed to Oct. 15, 2021.<br /><br />When autumn arrived, there were major concerns regarding the ability to operate vibrant haunted houses. However, the Star Wars and horror fanatic, devoted husband, father, grandfather, pet owner and Atlanta resident Daniel Riker took full accountability and adhered to strict guidelines during the 11th season of <a href="https://folklorehauntedhouse.com/">Folklore Haunted House</a> – after all, spooky attractions are the epitome of celebrating Halloween.<br /><br />“We started back in January and we work diligently all year to get where it is,” Riker stated. “We thought we weren’t going to run. The state had mandates and safety restrictions toward haunted houses.”<br /><br />Unlike previous seasons, Riker also pointed out that the health and safety protocols in 2020 required more effortful processing and strategic planning.<br /><br />“We put a lot of time and we dealt with various tasks. The main thing was to get the extra medical personnel and the cleaning crew to clean the surfaces touched. There were things that we didn’t want to do, but we didn’t have a choice. Life doesn’t always work the way you want it.”<br /><br />The reputable “Atlanta’s Must-See Haunted House,” located on 5389 N. Main St. in Acworth, Ga., provided hand sanitizers in the gift shop, ticket booth and cue lines to prevent the highly spreadable and deadly COVID-19. Temperature checks and masks were also mandatory for the 50-60 cast and crew members and thousands of diverse patrons. Additionally, 6-foot social distancing was required while on the premises of Folklore Haunted House. <br /><br />Although there were scare actors pinned to certain areas to ensure more space, staggered admittance, decreased hours of operation and only two attractions (The Manor and Asylum ’67) as opposed to three, Riker noticed that staff members and patrons took venturesome approaches to the limitations and altered guidelines. <br /><br />“They were double-edged happy to be there,” he said. “The crew and customers were happy, everyone was suffering from cabin fever all year.”<br /><br />The relieved Riker not only sympathized with the patrons, but also with the actors because most of them discovered that working at Folklore Haunted House was very therapeutic. <br /><br />“It’s fun to be campy, weird and horrifying characters. In real life, we are freaks, but at the haunt, we are normal! Whenever people are at the beach wearing white t-shirts, I’m in a black t-shirt with a logo sign promoting the haunt,” he chuckled.<br /><br />As if Folklore Haunted House was not peculiar enough, Riker even added miscellaneous events to escalate the entertainment for the “not so normal” season. The featured shows included: “Attack of the 1980s” on Sept. 26, “Ladies Night” held on Oct. 9, “Veteran’s Night,” which was beneficial for the military on Oct. 15, “Send in the Clowns,” where evil clowns obnoxiously took over on Nov. 1 and “Glowstick Fright Nights” during the dark and deceiving evenings on Nov. 6 and Nov. 7.<br /><br />All of the effervescent events were successful; however, Riker reminisced about his teenage years and nostalgic horror more closely with “Attack of the 1980s.” <br /><br />“Horror was different back then,” he said. “You had screaming victims, partiers, big hair, scrunchies and bad lighting. You played 1980s synth music. All the horror movies had horrible soundtracks from the 1980s.”<br /><br />Folklore Haunted House’s version of the 40-year-old decade consisted of bland cinematography in both haunts prepped to align with dull lighting from the early 1980s. There were also cameos from various cult ‘80s classics. “It was whatever we could get licensed for,” Riker added.<br /><br />Once the unforgettable 2020 haunt season ended, Riker had one word – resilient - to describe how he felt coping with audacious tasks in order to create a horror attraction during COVID-19.<br /><br />“It wasn’t a normal show and it was difficult to deliver the terror with restrictions, but we were happy to do it,” he explained. “It made us adapt and overcome a safe show for our customers without compromising the safety. We had to sit back and think a little more and had the demeanors to put on a show.”<br /><br />Riker’s zealousness toward horror also persuaded him to perform holiday shows for Toys for Tots and even expand Folklore Haunted House. However, with COVID cases surging, it was devastatingly decided that “Christmas Nightmares” will not run this December. <br /><br />“It’s very sad not having it. ‘Christmas Nightmares’ has gone on for 10 seasons.”<br /><br />On the other hand, Riker already started inventing new ideas and frights for the 2021 season. The sedulous owner anticipated a sense of “normalcy” for Folklore Haunted House during the upcoming year. <br /><br />“We plan to go back to three attractions. Sideshow stuff will also re-open, such as the shooting gallery, photo ops, more on the gift shop and any entertaining activities for the crowds,” he said. “We also want the actors to interact more with the customers and get away from the pop scares.”<br /><br />In addition to leading Folklore Haunted House, Riker’s notable horror credits consisted of portraying several walkers in seasons one, two and three on AMC’s <i>The Walking Dead</i>, the unswerving horror/drama television series elaborating life after an unforeseeable zombie apocalypse. He also worked on similar productions, such as: <i>Teen Wolf</i> (2011) and <i>The Vampire Diaries</i> (2009). He even appeared in several horror/drama/thriller/mystery popular films, like: <i>The Crazies</i> (2010) featuring <i>Night of the Living Dead’s</i> George A. Romero, <i>Zombieland </i>(2009) starring Emma Stone and <i>Serenity </i>(2019) with Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway as the main cast.<br /><br />Riker has been passionately involved with the entertainment industry since the early 1990s. Before relocating to Atlanta, he began his career up north building props and costumes for television and small films, while appearing as an extra, stand-in and doing technical work. His current role as an armor/weapons crew member varies from one project to the next.<br /><br />“This is my main living. I coach the actors in armor on television shows or movies – shield, protection, protective covering guard,” he analyzed.<br /><br />The confident crew member continues to achieve his endeavors in the horror world. He eventually wants to be recruited for voiceover work because <i>Scooby Doo</i> was his favorite cartoon as a kid. However, Riker must provide tremendous effort because those types of roles are uber-competitive. <br /><br />“It’s hard to get in,” he stressed. “The industry involves a lot of people.”<br /><br />But if Riker can meticulously run a haunted house during COVID-19, there is significant potential to land anywhere he desires – much like the myriad ghouls and goblins that haunt his venerable spook show every year, <i>he simply will not give up.</i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s0/UNJLogo.gif" /></a></div></span>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-65455399430169635522020-12-04T05:00:00.001-08:002020-12-04T05:00:40.496-08:00Ho, Ho HORROR! A Celebration of Creepy Christmas Cinema Classics<span id="docs-internal-guid-a905fc8a-7fff-bf3f-e896-fd8b2988f60d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Home Alone </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Night of the Comet </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a fond look back at the Yuletide favorites that inspire just as much </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">terror and dread </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as they do mirth and merriment</span></b></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D-JSyCLYxkg" width="640" youtube-src-id="D-JSyCLYxkg"></iframe></div><br /></span><span><a name='more'></a></span></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-weight: 700;">By:</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: courier;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">James Swift</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">@UNJournalism</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">K</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">i</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t-Kat Kristen a</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nd Jazzy James return for yet another vodcast, this time taking a look at a slate of seasonal favorites with a pronounced horror vibe — even if you can’t really call some of these movies “horror films” in the strictest, traditional sense of the term.</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As part of the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ho, Ho HORROR </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">festivities, join us for a nearly hour-long video special in which we shoot the breeze and discuss such long-argued cinematic questions as whether or not </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Die Hard </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">truly IS a Christmas movie, if Linnea Quigley’s deer-antler impalement in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silent Night, Deadly Night </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is the scream queen’s finest onscreen movie death and seriously — what, supposedly, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">wrong with that one doll on the Island of Misfit Toys?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Along the way, our co-hosts also touch upon such holly, jolly digressions and Yuletide tangents as ...</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Whether or not </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Wizard of Oz </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is truly a cursed film (or, failing that, an abstruse metaphor for late 1800s monetary policy?)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— James’ deep, dark secret involving a certain 1997 straight-to-video cult classic (hint: it includes the old cassette tape switcheroo with a certain movie starring Michael Keaton as a CGI snowman.)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Which holidays </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">should’ve </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">served as the anchor points for a never-realized </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nightmare Before Christmas </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sequel (no, one of them isn’t Columbus Day, in case you were wondering.)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Now that we’ve had three decades to consider the matter, what </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the best song on the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Night of the Comet </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">soundtrack?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— What cult classic slasher movie — unironically — contains James’ all-time favorite Christmas song?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Where does the 2009 version of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Christmas Carol </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">starring Jim Carrey excel where previous adaptations of the Dickens’ classic faltered?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— How exactly does the infamous “no feeding after midnight” proviso from </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gremlins </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">work as an applied biomechanical principle?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— What iconic Christmas movie creature does Kit-Kat compare to — of all things — the primary antagonist of the Tobe Hooper horror flick </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Funhouse</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— And, perhaps most importantly, when you look at them objectively, is there really </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">much of a difference between the central plot points of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Home Alone </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halloween</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Make sure you have plenty of eggnog on hand for this one, folks — and, as always, feel free to download the podcast in audio-only form via the link below. Hey, it beats listening to “Last Christmas” for the four-millionth-and-seventeenth time, doesn’t it?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/ho-ho-horror-final-audio"><b><span style="color: red;">DOWNLOAD</span> <span style="color: #04ff00;">THE</span><span style="color: red;"> PODCAST</span><span style="color: #04ff00;"> HERE!</span></b></a></span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/w200-h168/UNJLogo.gif" width="200" /></a></div></div></span>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-65636202589136510932020-12-03T04:24:00.001-08:002020-12-03T04:24:51.235-08:00Review: “Bane: Holding These Moments” (2020)<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; white-space: pre-wrap;">Director Dan Elswick’s documentary represents a riveting swan song for the beloved hardcore band</span></b></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b6736b96-7fff-92d5-e896-6b94dcf977d5"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdbnrqFJL-FXwsbSmocZW0bYtUFcAhS2b7gOLxUolEn6iQYerfft3YOyJKBzNHU58D7QT761RAun_YFwewhSTvIYavXHXw5p-NGDqvD0UFtcgPHxRqCRjUiGsKDmbuBRVIhUUMPeqwGI3/s520/BaneHoldingGIF.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="520" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdbnrqFJL-FXwsbSmocZW0bYtUFcAhS2b7gOLxUolEn6iQYerfft3YOyJKBzNHU58D7QT761RAun_YFwewhSTvIYavXHXw5p-NGDqvD0UFtcgPHxRqCRjUiGsKDmbuBRVIhUUMPeqwGI3/w640-h468/BaneHoldingGIF.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;">By:</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> James Swift</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">@UNJournalism</span></span></a></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">P</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">erhaps the most surprising thing about </span><a href="https://www.holdingthesemoments.com/" style="font-family: georgia; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bane: Holding These Moments</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">isn’t what’s included in the movie, but what is omitted. Despite Bane being one of the most revered straight edge bands of the 21st century, the term “straight edge” itself isn’t uttered once in the entire 100-minute-plus runtime of director Dan Elswick’s documentary. </span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One can only imagine how confused the casual observer is when seeing scene after scene of band members sporting those enigmatic black X’s on their hands, only to have the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">implicit </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">meaning of the iconography never expounded upon. Nor do you hear much about the clean-living, drug-free punk rock ethos in the film’s interviews with scores of Bane supporters, who have an odd tendency to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">only </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">describe their sound as “hardcore.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It’s a peculiar narrative choice to intentionally skirt away from the straight edge aspect of the group’s music and lifestyle, since that’s a hallmark that clearly distinguishes Bane from scores of other post-punk outfits that emerged from the late 1990s. Indeed, judging from the interviewee selections in this film, one might assume that Bane was more or less catering to vegan bakeries and the Make-A-Wish set — not that the old Minor Threat principles can’t likewise be in play there, of course.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With that perplexing editing choice out of the way, however, it’s hard to find too many faults with </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holding These Moments</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which chronicles the beloved Massachusetts-based act’s 2016 farewell tour. Ultimately, the film never reaches the brilliant heights of, say, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another State of Mind</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but it never devolves into shameless hagiography, either. For fans of the band, this is an absolute must-see, and even if you’ve never heard of them before you’re likely to enjoy the bulk of what </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holding These Moments </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has to offer … pending you’re not averse to lyrics like “give more, give everything, give blood” being shouted by a buncha’ sweaty New Englanders, naturally. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As any good “rockumentary” would, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holding These Moments </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does a very good job of laying out the origins of the group, particularly how Bane was cobbled together from miscellaneous bands such as Converge, Aggressive Hate and Backbone. After an amusing sequence explaining the art of “gang vocals,” we learn that the band was almost called Summer’s End — a near-moniker that was discarded after the band </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">literally </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">thumbed across the word “bane” during a random perusing of a thesaurus. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s a lot of great home video clips sprinkled throughout the documentary in addition to the professional-grade footage of the band eating large quantities of doughnuts in Las Vegas (you know, in between the actual concerts and all.) Along the way we learn that Anthony Moreschi of Ten Yard Fight screamed “shit your pants” while doing gang vocals on one guest spot with the group, while the band — as a plurality — write off </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It All Comes Down To This </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as one of the worst-sounding hardcore albums ever, even if it does include their big breakout song “Can We Start Again.” </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s a great scene where the band slogs through the hurricane-drenched streets of Houston for a show, which is followed by an even more entertaining look back at Bane’s 2000 tour with Death By Stereo and Adamantium. We get to watch them shoot Roman candles at each other (in one especially amusing anecdote, one band member recounts spending $100 on fireworks and then being unable to rent a hotel room), leap off random bridges and even rearrange the letters on billboards to read such charming phrases as “free internet porn.” There’s even a scene where the band sings a rousing rendition of “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” with a homeless individual — albeit, with the actual audio muted, almost certainly because it would've cost the filmmakers too much money to actually </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">license </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the rights to Poison’s power ballad favorite. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The band took a decisively different approach for their 2001 release </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give Blood</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. As frontman Aaron Bedard put it, the recording ethos on that one was simply “let’s just hit ‘em and get the fuck out of there.” That led to a tour with Hatebreed and Poison The Well, which is mostly glossed over — and for good reason. The filmmakers wisely chose to spend more time focusing on the death of Steve Neale, which in turn spawned the side project Silent Drive and the still-somewhat-unsung 2004 album </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love is Worth It</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From there it’s a potpourri of non-sequiturs: the band playing at a strip club in Louisville (complete with their name misspelled as “Dane” on the marquee), a scene where a five-year-old with cancer goes for the gentlest stage dive in the history of rock and roll music and a cursory overview of the band’s 2014 tours in Europe and Indonesia. After expounding upon the origins of the #boynamedscout hashtag, the movie cuts back to 2005 and retells the production process behind </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Note</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then the band talks about playing gigs in Japan and South America and naming songs after random soap operas because they, apparently, have a hard time coming up with song names. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Things do take a more emotional turn, however, particularly when Bedard talks about how his experiences being sexually abused in his youth inspired the track “Wrong Planet.” We get to watch the band celebrate </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t Wait Up </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">making it on the Billboard Top 200, then we learn how Bedard recruited the band’s latest bassist— James Siboni of Casey Jones fame — almost entirely through text messages. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The last 30 minutes of the film focus almost exclusively on the band’s last three or four shows, including a gig at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia that features guest appearances by a plethora of former band members. In one particularly powerful moment, the camera lingers on the tear-soaked faces of the crowd, all chanting “I will come back for you” in unison, knowing full well that they’ll never get this opportunity again in their lifetime. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultimately, the film concludes with the band’s final, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">final </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">show at The Palladium in Worcester, Mass. on June 18, 2016. It’s an especially emotional night for Siboni, considering his mother died of cancer just days before the concert. Following a moment of silence, the band chainsawed their way through an epic, 24-song setlist, as their adoring fans chant “Thank you Bane” and douse the bandmates in Silly String at the very end of the performance. Thanks to the magic of YouTube, the entire two-hour-plus show </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV3M49VI4N8" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">streaming online right now</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> — and to say Bedard and the boys tore the house down would be a crude, crass and insulting understatement, for sure. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While the film doesn’t have the comprehensive scope of a documentary like </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Salad Days </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">American Hardcore</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it nonetheless does a commendable job demonstrating what made Bane unique in the pantheon of post-post-hardcore acts — although, by that same token, it would’ve been nice to see the filmmakers delve a little bit deeper into the Bane fandom itself. Indeed, some of the most powerful scenes in the documentary revolve around big, burly, tattooed-up punk rockers weeping en masse — clearly, there’s something </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">incredibly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">personal that reverberates about Bane’s music, and it would have been interesting to glean some more insight from the band’s fans about what </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">think makes their music so unique and appealing.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a character study, the documentary never digs too deep into the lives and pathos of the band members, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, the whole point of the film is to capture the ephemerality of a specific tour, and in that case, the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exigent circumstances </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are just as pivotal to the story as the personalities. And with so many different band members to focus on — the final sum comes out to an easy dozen or so musicians — it would’ve been difficult (if not impossible) to give all of the bandmates an equal share of the screen time. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultimately, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holding These Moments </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is a well above-average rockumentary that may not reach the lofty standards set by, say, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Decline of Western Civilization</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but it nonetheless does a great job of illustrating the band to those unfamiliar with their work as well as the die-hards who know every word to “Count Me Out” and “Swan Song.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re even remotely keen on Bane’s music, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holding These Moments </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is without question a must-see, as soon as possible. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on your penchant for lyrics like “does growing old mean growing strong enough to kill your sentimental side?”, but I have a suspicion that even those who generally despise hardcore music and the straight edge scene may enjoy this one </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">despite </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">their prejudices heading into it. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After all, no matter what kind of music you’re into, we can all relate to a story about father time sneaking up on us and the pain of pulling the cord on a dream you realize is no longer tenable. The title </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Holding These Moments</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, clearly, wasn’t an arbitrary choice on the part of the filmmakers — and how fortunate we are that the cameras were around to capture a farewell tour so contradictorily elegiac and exuberant. </span></span></p><br /><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;">Rating:</span></b><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B+</span></span><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s0/UNJLogo.gif" /></a></div></span></span></div>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-26526191898497639862020-12-02T05:30:00.001-08:002020-12-02T05:30:42.100-08:00Blu-Ray Review: “The Other Side of Madness” (1971)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;">The Film Detective’s 50th anniversary re-release shines a spotlight on one of the lesser-known Manson-inspired exploitation movies of the early 1970s</b></span></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-9e8a0c73-7fff-0316-6d36-a6a2a98db7c1"><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8p2w1IsautobcLijpjLgTkTIR1cV6hYNgq073d7GQ1gTdmj3zkFHL_Y0RzyzbllTbiEW7vD6A_sAkpFWiEvjVuiYiYkInUhUg07Slz6PJFLA4IQPy8L9vocO9YodAs5CJQ2JM7vN509ES/s520/OtherSideGIF.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="520" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8p2w1IsautobcLijpjLgTkTIR1cV6hYNgq073d7GQ1gTdmj3zkFHL_Y0RzyzbllTbiEW7vD6A_sAkpFWiEvjVuiYiYkInUhUg07Slz6PJFLA4IQPy8L9vocO9YodAs5CJQ2JM7vN509ES/w640-h468/OtherSideGIF.gif" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;">By:</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> James Swift</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">@UNJounalism</span></span></a></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">I</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">n the vast pantheon of Charles Manson-inspired movies, 1971’s </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— later re-released as </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Helter Skelter Murders </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— remains one of the lesser known, even to hardcore cult cinema afficianadoes. </span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">With The Film Detective’s 50th anniversary Blu-Ray re-release of the film, however, Frank Howard’s unorthodox docudrama finally has an opportunity to garner a wider audience — even if it does come a year and some change late for the 50th anniversary of the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s no denying that the 4K restoration of the original 35mm print looks impressive. Indeed, the film’s black and white cinematography already looked pristine back in the VHS era, so to see it given such a beautiful transfer here is certainly a feast for the eyes. Even if you don’t like the structure or execution of the film itself, you can at least appreciate it for its artistic merits; for a pre-</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Texas Chainsaw Massacre </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exploitation outing, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">looks downright avant-garde, with aesthetics comparable to the finest European neorealist works of the late 1960s. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s lofty praise, but it’s certainly deserved. The opening scenes of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">call to mind the best works of Antonioni and Rossellini, with perhaps a smidge of that Bergman glow thrown in there for good measure.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There is virtually zero dialogue in the first ten minutes of the movie. Rather, the camera lingers on an atmospheric wide shot of Beverly Hills, with a chorus of chirping crickets interrupted by the abrupt, metallic sounds of gunfire. From there, the movie segues into an exceptionally funky, hippie-dippie opening song with the credits superimposed over an image of a spider devouring moths in a web.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Howard’s exquisite camerawork is even more evident in the movie’s next scene, which focuses on two bored females making shadow puppets on a jailhouse wall while Manson’s “Mechanical Man” (“Because I have my family to look out for, I am a mechanical boy,” the abstruse lyrics go, “the past is an illusion, postulated mocked up through confusion”) pumps and pulsates over the imagery.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Producer Wade Williams no doubt knew the cinematography was far and away the best aspect of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. When the film was first released, he told the few media outlets that even </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">acknowledged </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the film’s existences that it was made using “Auramation” — in his words, a “</span><a href="http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/54482" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">special cellular film treatment designed to heighten or depress the emotions of the viewer by subliminal monochromatic suggestion</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whether or not that’s true or mere marketing puffery, I suppose, is an aside (for the record however, Howard later admitted that it was all made up.) “Subliminal monochromatic suggestions” or not, the camerawork in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— particularly, the use of shadows and contrast — is among the most </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">beautiful </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you’ll ever see in a microscopic-budget exploitation from the era.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, it would be a bold-faced lie to say that the acting, pacing and structure of the film </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">matches </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the quality of its cinematography. From a narrative perspective, the movie is a jumbled mess, haphazardly cutting between flashbacks to the Spahn Movie Ranch (which actually WERE filmed at the Spahn Movie Ranch, less than a year before it was burned to the ground) and some </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">stilted courtroom sequences. One moment were watching hippies skinny dipping and smoking grass at an impromptu hillside rock and roll concert — complete with our Manson stand-in giving pro-rape lectures and saying things like “women are only storehouses for love” and “she’s not complete until she’s filled” while his acolytes snort various controlled substances up their nostrils — and the next, we’re watching what feels like the slowest, most lethargic episode of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People’s Court </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ever filmed. (As a side note, the movie was filmed while the murder trial </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">still ongoing, so a lot of the key details of the homicide case present in subequent Manson family members aren’t present in this one.)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There isn’t even any references to Sharon Tate until almost the 30-minute mark of the movie — via a scene that includes a faux Technicolor transition that comes off as more hokey than striking — but the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">visualization </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of Manson’s race war reveries does produce arguably the most memorable moment of the entire movie: an apocalyptic dramatization of the prophesied “Helter Skelter” uprisings depicting a squad of black paramilitary forces gunning down white women at random, then firebombing the homes of the elderly and stealing tires and lawnmowers from a nearby department store. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After another scene in which Manson expounds upon his indecipherable preachings — at one point going on a monologue about how “Satan is god and god is Satan” — the film reverts back to black and white for an extraordinarily creepy scene in which his acolytes slowly slink their way through Cielo Drive a’la the ghouls in the original </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Night of the Living Dead</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Compared to other Manson movies, however, the depiction of the notorious murders is relatively tame, with the killings shot in a slow, plodding manner from very oblique angles. Most of the violence is never actually shown on screen, but implied through disembodied sounds — and what blood is spilled before the camera certainly doesn’t ring all that realistic. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The film’s somber, unflinching finale is ultimately too unemotional to really be described as sadistic — as would be the case in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">other </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">films such as 1997’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Manson Family </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or 1984’s pioneering “found footage” shlocker </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manson Family Movies</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It seems like the bulk of the grand finale just involves the murderers pacing around these humongous interiors aimlessly, and to say the acting leaves a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lot </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to be desired would be putting it mildly (indeed, the actors herein don’t even know how to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">stab </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">convincingly, delivering blows that would barely be enough to carve up a pancake, let alone a coffee heiress.)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The film, however, does end on a high note of sorts. After all of the murders are over, we watch the perpetrators mop up all of the bloodspill in a scene that certainly radiates a sense of consequence and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">guilt </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that most exploitation movies from that era lacked. And the movie’s parting shot — a lingering close-up of Tate’s corpse, with Manson drolly stating “If I am dead, you are dead” over the soundtrack — is genuinely chilling. (Of course, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">film’s disclaimer afterwards — warning the audience about recreational drug use </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">possibly </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">leading to mass homicide — </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tend to cushion </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">emotional blow considerably, however.) </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In that, it’s difficult to describe </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as a “good” movie in a truly objective sense, but one thing is for sure — it’s definitely an </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">interesting </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">movie and one that never becomes </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">too </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">stationary for its own good. There are obviously much better and more effective movies out there about the murders, but this one definitely holds its own thanks in no small part to its captivating cinematography — which, again, looks downright </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">awe-inspiring </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in The Film Detective’s stunning 4K transfer. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for the Blu-Ray special edition itself (</span><a href="https://www.thefilmdetective.com/madness" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">priced at $29.95, whereas the standard DVD special edition is priced at $21.95</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), you really can’t complain about the extra features contained herein. In addition to two great mini-documentaries featuring insight from Williams, the Blu-Ray set also includes a bonus CD featuring </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">actual </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">music from Charles Manson and a 12-page booklet with an essay penned by German filmmaker Alexander Tuschinski. Among a litany of interesting tidbits about the film’s production (the director actually </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">met </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with Charles Manson while he was in jail to ask his permission to use his music in the movie, and in the courtroom scenes, there actually are a few moments where you can see the legal team that actually </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">involved in the murder trial), Tuschinski does about a good as job as anyone describing the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">artistic </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">merits of what, on the surface, seems to be yet another exploitation cheapie.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“The combination of elegant black and white cinematography, voice-over monologues, music and various effects creates an almost hypnotic feeling in many parts,” he writes. “The resulting coherent structure is a testament to director Frank Howard’s skills at improvisation.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I wouldn’t go as far as Tuschinski does in describing the film as a low-key </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Hollywood </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">classic on par with </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Easy Rider</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, there’s no denying that </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is indeed an impressive artistic achievement.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, whether or not that </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sheer </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">visual impact is enough to override the film’s shortcomings when it comes to narrative structure, acting and pacing is something the viewer will have to decide for him- or herself. At the end of the day, you may not enjoy </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as a complete motion picture experience, but strictly in terms of aesthetic presentations? It’s no doubt one of the most </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unexpected </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">visual tour de forces in the history of American exploitation films, and for that reason alone it’s </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">likely </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">worth going out of your way to experience at least once. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b>The Verdict:</b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While the film itself certainly falls into the doldrums here and there, The Film Detective packed enough bonus material into the package to make the re-release of </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a worthwhile acquisition for any hardcore, Manson-ploistation enthuasiast — or anyone with a penchant for </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">obscure and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">artistic grindhouse-caliber flicks largely forgotten by the ravages of time. As long as you’re not expecting an acting tour de force, you’ll likely be able to appreciate </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Other Side of Madness </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for its visual qualities alone. It might not be a great film, per se, but it’s certainly a </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">great-looking </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">film, with vivid black and white imagery that looks nothing short of spectacular in high-gloss 4K resolution. </span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;"><b style="background-color: black;">Rating:</b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>7.1 </b>out of<b> 10</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s0/UNJLogo.gif" /></a></span></div><p></p>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-10842403587813173122020-12-01T06:10:00.001-08:002020-12-01T06:10:15.866-08:00The Great LiMu Emu Swindle?<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;">Meet the Texas writer who believes the ubiquitous insurance mascots may have been swiped from his own 2016 tome</b></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-c31feae5-7fff-ae6b-c09e-fe22fccc95a2"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KqknCFijmE1ehkJXhDoP8xVJs4n54KUEIa3ADFMLp6hPQc4q1YmBJwPvZuUlFrsOiqWjy7Vm0AQbycRPNNYeMNk9wgT3Vp19SoXWfybxOx2oDvCDF-RA_jFZaDnHpA9QtIVIU7HXmu8x/s1360/LimuEmuSwindle+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1360" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KqknCFijmE1ehkJXhDoP8xVJs4n54KUEIa3ADFMLp6hPQc4q1YmBJwPvZuUlFrsOiqWjy7Vm0AQbycRPNNYeMNk9wgT3Vp19SoXWfybxOx2oDvCDF-RA_jFZaDnHpA9QtIVIU7HXmu8x/w640-h362/LimuEmuSwindle+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;"><b style="background-color: black;">By:</b></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: 700;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">@UNJournalism</span></span></a></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">I</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">f you’ve watched any NFL game over the last two years — or for that matter, any type of primetime television programming — you’re likely well-acquainted with the characters LiMu Emu and Doug. A pastiche of the time-tested buddy-cop trope a’la </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Starsky and Hutch </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CHiPs</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the two spokescharacters for Liberty Mutual — the Boston-headquartered insurance Leviathan with more than $43 billion in consolidated annual revenue in 2019 — tend to gad about in bright yellow shirts while getting caught up in all sorts of wacky, pop culture-referencing misadventures, in the process always driving home the company’s corporate tao in easily digestible 30-second chunks. </span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, the big variable in the ad campaign is the notion that one of those characters just so happens to be a humongous flightless bird. Indeed, it’s a fairly novel concept for a multi-million-dollar ad campaign that comes complete with </span><a href="https://twitter.com/LiMuEmuDoug" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its own in-character Twitter page</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> — that is, until you realize that a Texas writer already drummed up the idea four years before the first LiMu Emu commercial hit the airwaves.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“The idea started from a joke I heard where a man asks a genie for a tall, beautiful chick with long legs and big eyes and the genie gives him an ostrich,” recounts James Hold, a prolific Houston-area scribe who’s bibliography contains a deluge of pun-tastic offerings with titles like “Remember the Aloe, Moe” “Have Ring Will Travel” and “A Cat of Many Colors.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Hold started putting pen to parchment — or, perhaps more literally, finger to keyboard — the end result was a 2015 short story called “Incident in the Guadalupe Mountains,” which focused on a character named O’Ryan and his ostrich compatriot. Apparently, Hold had quite the fondness for the duo, since he followed that up with several more stories revolving around the pair. Those yarns were ultimately tied together into a 2016 compilation called </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Incidental Contact</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> — a good three years, mind you, before the San Francisco advertising firm Goodby Silverstein and Partners came up with the concept for LiMu Emu and Doug. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I paid them no attention at first since I generally mute all commercials or change the channel,” Hold recalled. “It was only when my sister mentioned it to me that I took notice.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As you’d expect, Hold wasn’t exactly thrilled by what he saw. Indeed, even now, he says he feels pangs of anger everytime the commercials air. (An aside, but it’s not that Hold is alone in that sentiment — an apoplectic rant against the commercial mascots on </span><a href="https://thecrankycreative.com/ad-review-liberty-mutual-limu-emu-ads/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the website </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Cranky Critic</span></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has over 300 comments from individuals likewise bemoaning the ad campaign as, among other pejoratives,”super annoying” and “a sad example of what the advertising industry has to offer.”)</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hold listed the similarities between </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dynamic duo and the one that inundates the airwaves on, seemingly, a daily basis. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Both have medium builds, wear beards — not at first, but later in the series O’Ryan sports whiskers — and they exhibit eccentric, somewhat offbeat characteristics,” he said. “Both talk to their bird companions constantly as though they were real people … which, in O’Ryan’s case, she is, a human female trapped in a bird’s body.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hold said he made several efforts to reach out to Liberty Mutual about the similarities — be they adventitious or otherwise.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Each time, however, Hold said his efforts have proven fruitless.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“In April 2019, I sent a postal letter to the advertising and public relations department of LiMu explaining my situation,” he said. “I stressed that I did not want to cause trouble and only wanted to find out if it was coincidental. And whatever the case, it would be polite of them to somehow, somewhere, acknowledge the existence of my prior work.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hold said he received no replies from the perennial </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fortune 100 </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spotholder.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“Finally, using my wife’s Facebook account, I posted the same inquiry pointing out the similarities to my book,” Hold said. “The post was immediately taken down and my wife was blocked from further posting.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Granted, Hold noted that he doesn’t have any tangible proof that Liberty Mutual or its advertising partners ever read his tome. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I mean how would you prove it?” he said. “However, I feel the fact they refuse to answer my inquiries and blocked me from their Facebook account must indicate something. After all, if it is all a coincidence, why don’t they say so?” </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reached out to the ad firm behind the Liberty Mutual mascots. Representatives of Goodby Silverstein and Partners, however, never responded. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nor was the trademark correspondent for LiMu Emu and Doug — for those wondering, the official United States Patent and Trademark Office serial number for the characters is #88288096 — all that interested in speaking on the matter.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">also sought trademark representative Nadya Sand of the Atlanta-based firm Alston and Bird, LLP for comments. As of the time of this article’s publication, Sand had yet to reply to the inquiry.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Nor have the local newspapers or consumer advocates on television in Hold’s neck of the woods shown much interest in his Sisyphean struggle against the multi-billion-dollar insurance behemoth.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">One thing Hold said he certainly isn’t pursuing, however, is any form of legal action against LiMu or its advertising affiliates.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“I can’t afford a lawyer, I’m retired and living on a fixed income,” he said. “I asked around but nobody will handle my case pro bono.” </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Still showing a penchant for the wordplay, Hold noted that he couldn’t find any lawyers willing to take up the case that are “pro any of the other guys in U2,” either.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hold brought up a lawsuit from 2005, in which professional wrestler Dean Roll accused Miramax, LLC of infringing upon his “Shark Boy” trademark — this, days before the release of the film </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">That particular case dragged on for two years, with the parties ultimately settling out of court for an unspecified amount. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Even if legal action was on the table, Hold said it’s unlikely any suits would prove effective — lest you forget, he’s an ex-meter reader hailing from Missouri City and the other guys reported more than $133 billion in assets at the end of last year.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Still, Hold said he’s not looking for an easy payout. Rather, he said he just wants “a civil, polite and public acknowledgement” from the LiMu monolith that </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ostrich odd couple came along before theirs did. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“My book will sell or fail on its own merits, I just don’t want a potential reader to stumble across it and think I’m ripping LiMu off when I was there ahead of them,” he said. “I just want a fair playing field is all.”</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/w200-h168/UNJLogo.gif" width="200" /></a></div></div></span>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-70860203588868957572020-10-15T12:47:00.000-07:002020-10-15T12:47:44.900-07:00Ranking the "Halloween" Movies From Worst To Best!<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;"><i>Counting down through four decades of arguably the greatest slasher film franchise of all-time — just in time for the All Hallow's Eve season!</i></b></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qd7GHirBVMY" width="640" youtube-src-id="Qd7GHirBVMY"></iframe></div><div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><i>Join Uncommon Journalism's James Swift and Kristen M. Gilotti as they reminisce on 42 years of Michael Myers-spawned cinematic chills!</i></span></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></b></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b style="font-family: georgia;">By:</b><span style="font-family: georgia;"> James Swift</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en" target="_blank">@UNJournalism</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;"><b>I</b></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">t's time for another edition of </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">The Fresh Face's Frightening Fun Facts</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> starring </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Uncommon Journalism's </i><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Jazzy" James and "Kit-Kat" Kristen — or, in this case, the hitherto-unmentioned ex-wife of a certain Haddonfield psychiatrist, Dr. Sam(antha) Lewis.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Which, of course, can mean but one thing, kids — it's time to reflect, reminisce and rank ALL 11 <i>Halloween </i>movies, just in time for the Samhain season!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Along the way, James and Kristen — err, Samantha — discuss such mystifying Michael Myers-centric topics as:</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— What's literally the ONLY good thing about <i>Halloween Resurrection</i>?</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— Just what WAS the best song on the <i>Halloween 5</i> soundtrack?</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— Would <i>Halloween 3</i> had been better received by the moviegoing masses had it featured Donald Pleasance in the leading role instead of Tom Atkins?</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— What's the bizarre connection between <i>Halloween 4 </i>and, of all things, <i>Free Willy 2</i>?</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— Which nurse in <i>Halloween 2 </i>(1981) really was the hottest (you know, besides Lance Guest?)</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">— And, perhaps most importantly of all, what's the key ingredient that differentiates the iconic 1978 original from the legion of slasher films that followed in its wake?</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It's the perfect vodcast to get you in the mood for Oct. 31 — or as P.J. Soles might say, TOTALLY in the mood for Oct. 31!</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">By the way, if you prefer your chinwagging about The Shape in audio form, you can download the podcast for FREE at the link below:</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/halloween-countdown-audio" target="_blank">DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE</a>!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpjBi3MV61kw_jk7c2e_d9jPYgqonZLh83wStXRjHZKqS4JoadZGPtkwu7XQONcaij1nd_6-o0qT3x20YBjNQFrnSOTNTM_AedOCPFrOD53NaSfe7yYQ9lzT2ksUvspAe3gQko8zhTnKM/w200-h168/UNJLogo.gif" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-64312375003136594552020-09-15T13:18:00.001-07:002020-09-15T13:18:33.157-07:00Academic Horrors!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With classes back in full swing, what better time to revisit the genre classics that prove once and for all that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">scholastic scares </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will never go out of style in the cinematic medium?</span></b></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/B-yly4qtjQM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B-yly4qtjQM?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>“Kit-Kat” Kristen and “Jazzy” James relive some of the most terrifying, education-themed horror movies of all-time, from flicks focused on telekinetic teens to VHS-era favorites centered around alien-possessed biology teachers!</b></span></span></div><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By: </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift</span>
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<a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en">@UNJournalism</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">L</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">et’s face it, having to relive our high school years would be a nightmare come true for most of us. The awkwardness, the acne, the algebra — throw in all the unannounced trigonometry quizzes and nighttime driving restrictions and you’ve got a scarier set of circumstances than a double date with Leatherface and Hannibal Lecter.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps that’s why so many beloved horror classics — as well as a number of lesser-seen and lesser-acknowledged genre offerings — take full advantage of the intrinsic creepiness of the classroom and the innate horrendousness of the hallway. From elementary school playgrounds to the sororities and fraternities of college campuses, our vestibules of education seem to be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a perfect </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fit for all sorts of spooky and scary shenanigans, and few films prove that theorem accurate quite like the ten movies discussed by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s James Swift and Kristen M. Gilotti. From early 80s’ hokum like </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Final Exam </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to unparalleled ‘70s classics like </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carrie</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “Jazzy” James and “Kit-Kat” Kristen exchange class notes on such obvious test material as:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Which </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goosebumps </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">novel reigns supreme in the expanded R.L. Stein literary universe?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— What’s the biggest difference between </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let Me In </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let The Right One In </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(and how do both movies make some VERY big changes to the book written by John Lindqvist?)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— If </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christine </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was remade today, would it be a demonically-possessed Uber ride?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— What’s the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one thing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">keeping Kristen from enjoying </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Craft</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as the unalloyed mid-90s cult classic it is?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— What was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">REALLY trying to say about adolescent development?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Of all the accolades awarded to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Scream</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, what’s the one aspect of the movie seemingly </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">no one </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ever brings up (that they totally should, like, for sure?)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">— And, perhaps most importantly of all: how exactly do you condense the title “Fresh Faces’ Frightening Fun Facts?” into ONE social media hashtag?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh, and one more thing: thanks to the power of Skype, this latest edition of the recurring </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feature comes to you in VODCAST form, so now you can actually watch Kristen’s remarkable Piper Laurie impersonation with your own peepers. And not to give anything away, but don’t be surprised if you see a cameo appearance or two by a certain, iconic ventriloquist’s dummy … </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dummy</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And as always, feel free to download the podcast in MP3 form anytime you want at the link below — that is, if you’re not too chicken ...</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/academic-horrors-podcast">DOWNLOAD THE “ACADEMIC HORRORS” PODCAST HERE!</a></span></span>
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</div>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-50380242456229488182020-08-06T11:45:00.002-07:002020-08-06T12:38:21.034-07:00Summertime Scares<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">Heading into the dog days of August, Uncommon Journalism's James Swift and Kristen M. Gilotti discuss several horror classics with a decisive </span><i style="font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">seasonal </i><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">bent</span></span></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F5ePgd_3GLk" width="640" youtube-src-id="F5ePgd_3GLk"></iframe></div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="courier" size="5"><b>From <i>The Texas Chainsaw Massacre </i>to <i>The Lost Boys</i>, James and Kristen pay homage to the genre favorites that (dis)embody summery horror</b></font></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><font><b style="font-family: courier;"><br /></b></font></div><div><font><b style="font-family: courier;">By:</b><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></font><font face="georgia">James Swift</font></div><div><font face="georgia"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en">@UNJournalism</a></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">W</span></b><span style="font-family: georgia;">hen one thinks "horror movies," one typically thinks fall — you know, with all of those tie-ins to Halloween and all. But when you really zero in on the genre, it becomes fairly evident that many all-time classics are sans dead leaves, jack o'lanterns or the need for parkas altogether. </span></font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">In fact, some of the most beloved horror films out there are actually set during the warm weather months — indeed, you could probably write an entire college thesis on genre masterpieces that are set <i>entirely </i>in the confines of summer camps alone. </font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">And as we all slog through the sweltering dog days of August, what better time to reflect on the horror movies that call to mind the <i>core </i>conceptualization of cinematic summertime scares? </font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">Join Uncommon Journalism's James Swift and Kristen M. Gilotti for over an hour of discussion on the horror films that <i>immediately trudge up </i>the eerie ephemera of summer, from such obvious selections as <i>Jaws </i>and <i>Sleepaway Camp </i>to more unorthodox selections, such as <i>The Funhouse </i>and <i>Cujo</i>. </font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">Along the way, James and Kristen debate such philosophical, cinematic profundities as:</font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">— Can <i>Summer Camp Nightmare </i>can rightly be classified as "<i>Ernest Goes To Camp </i>meets <i>Red Dawn?" </i>as James insists?</font></div><div><font face="georgia"><i><br /></i></font></div><div><font face="georgia">— Did they <i>really </i>intend for the werewolf in <i>Silver Bullet </i>to look THAT much like a bear?</font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">— What did 2017's <i>It</i> get historically right about 1989 that nobody ever gives it credit for? (hint: it involves chronologically accurate arcade games as a plot device.)</font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">— And, perhaps most pressing of all, what 1985 cult-classic demonstrates, once and for all, that red-headed naked punk rocker zombies are <i>the absolute best kind of zombies</i>? </font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">Come for the unabashed praise of Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, but stay for Kristen's awe-inspiringly spot-on impersonation of the wacky aunt from the first <i>Sleepaway Camp</i> movie — trust us, it's worth the download <i>alone</i>. </font></div><div><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><font face="georgia">Speaking of, you can download the latest and greatest <i>Uncommon Journalism </i>podcast for free, anytime you want, at the link below:</font></div><div><a href="https://archive.org/details/summertime-scares"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/summertime-scares">DOWNLOAD THE "SUMMERTIME SCARES" PODCAST!</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LQbzMgnU0nLtxIvIBJ6x9GqWej-VTC-d2p5fUHDb0ojGkSDTj-VUbwdwiEoEKrvBSTIPnjlZg8ocqjb4_4DARV2NbPsYz_vaK9sy_gc8UKq1ZcwjYg7WJ2xppMjLPrm0o9TjOyNr-2mw/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LQbzMgnU0nLtxIvIBJ6x9GqWej-VTC-d2p5fUHDb0ojGkSDTj-VUbwdwiEoEKrvBSTIPnjlZg8ocqjb4_4DARV2NbPsYz_vaK9sy_gc8UKq1ZcwjYg7WJ2xppMjLPrm0o9TjOyNr-2mw/s0/UNJLogo.gif" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: courier;"><i><b style="background-color: black;">Uncommon Journalism, 2020</b></i></span></div>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-22618021789680027202020-08-01T17:58:00.002-07:002020-08-01T18:55:14.253-07:00Reminiscing on 35 Years of 'Weird Science' <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black; font-family: courier;"><b><font color="#cccccc" size="5">Uncommon Journalism's Kristen M. Gilotti waxes nostalgic on one of the most beloved cult classic comedies of the '80s</font></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25v8dfCJfk4W7lXwsoji_7E7ei1AMRyYbO04bmWu4EY-Fa3TaTfQc2ibsLp4AFy30p8nCp7thR0FDpUzsIc2YdZW7RYRxFJXNHeKXgiv5TCISARMm0MkS9M7ch0CLn25gwFyn7b17tKl1/s520/WeirdScienceOne.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="520" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25v8dfCJfk4W7lXwsoji_7E7ei1AMRyYbO04bmWu4EY-Fa3TaTfQc2ibsLp4AFy30p8nCp7thR0FDpUzsIc2YdZW7RYRxFJXNHeKXgiv5TCISARMm0MkS9M7ch0CLn25gwFyn7b17tKl1/w650-h475/WeirdScienceOne.gif" width="650" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><font face="courier" size="5">A heartfelt ode to John Hughes' iconic 1985 sci-fi farce, three and a half decades later...</font></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><font face="courier"><span><a name='more'></a></span><br /></font></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><font face="courier">By:</font><font face="georgia"> </font></span></b><font face="georgia">Kristen M. Gilotti</font></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><a href="mailto:kmg0128@hotmail.com "><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">kmg0128@hotmail.com</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; line-height: 1.44; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/movielass128?lang=en" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">movielass128</span></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="georgia"><br /></font></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-4d8057fe-7fff-451b-036c-7b7d260ae275"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><font face="courier" size="6">T</font></b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he world of fiction is often an amusing reverie, considering all the ups and downs one experiences when encountering reality. Daily life occurrences include diverse adventures and rewards, but also rejections, failures and other types of conflicts. But as <i>Weird Science </i>protagonists Gary Wallace and Wyatt Donnelly demonstrate, amazing turnarounds do indeed happen — even if you have to <i>create them </i>yourself.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is utterly mind-blowing how one of my favorite comedy and fantasy movies, directed and screenplayed by John Hughes, was released on Aug. 2, 1985. When I was introduced to </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weird Science</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I was captivated by how zeroes turned heroes Gary and Wyatt transformed from unpopular outcasts to sophisticated social experts in just one weekend; and what better way to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the beloved cult classic than by analyzing the film's most iconic (and hilarious) scenes?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The film offers several great comedic moments: snowing in the bedroom, freezing Wyatt’s grandparents in the closet and even altering Gary’s father’s mind to the extent where he was unaware that he had a son. However, the four scenes that I will elaborate focus on Gary and Wyatt’s changing personalities and lifestyles — additionally, they are also the most entertaining and memorable highlights of the movie.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEmr734XWYTn1M5RURJ_uQzJ5DJZzCqCph-QuVgeXEJ3BjS7zl2SSinMNkCHLvXgFY9un1CJN-XpZRljhTZDqDZQp_FfcZce9Caxsq4KePq5t9esP6tibvnph57uVu59omzdClGHZdRLo/s520/WeirdScienceOpener.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="520" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEmr734XWYTn1M5RURJ_uQzJ5DJZzCqCph-QuVgeXEJ3BjS7zl2SSinMNkCHLvXgFY9un1CJN-XpZRljhTZDqDZQp_FfcZce9Caxsq4KePq5t9esP6tibvnph57uVu59omzdClGHZdRLo/w650-h475/WeirdScienceOpener.gif" width="650" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font face="courier"><b>Well, it certainly gives new meaning to the term "computer dating!"</b></font></td></tr></tbody></table><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><font face="courier">The "Birth" of Lisa!</font></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><font face="courier">G</font></span></b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt;">ary and Wyatt face a ‘reality bites’ situation as Ian and Max, their main tormenters, humiliate them in front of Deb and Hilly, their current crushes, on a Friday afternoon at Shermer High School in Shermer, Ill. By the way, the school and town are also feaured in John Hughes' other movies, such as </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sixteen Candles</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Breakfast Club</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That same night, inspired by the 1931</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">classic </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Frankenstein</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Gary suggests creating a woman on Wyatt’s computer to aid them with their antisocial lives. Although reluctant about the idea, the boys gather their self-esteem and hack into a government computer system, cut out body parts from </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Playboy</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> magazines and reproduce the brain of Albert Einstein. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The computerized invention ties in with </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weird Science’s</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> famous tagline, “If you can’t get a date, make one!” Gary and Wyatt also hook up electrodes to a doll on top of a Life board game and place bras on their heads to ensure more power — Gary insists that wearing the bras are “ceremonial.” After experiencing some illegal and untidy actions, the boys create Lisa, a perfect dream woman with magical powers. Gary and Wyatt are initially dismayed, but they soon realize that Lisa is the beginning of their new life. On a side note, Lisa got her name from an Apple Computer — one of the first personal devices to have a graphical user interface — which was released on Jan. 19, 1983.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiw24jrD3iPMXJP4UvlYSLUWiJfNbSuAuP9PtUZisKerGfC5E5CwXblo91-iKp3rMYKnekiETKJa0aIqY86OnCiCliTGjGDX4WMYVM-22_7g7kaMp3L0VFuSVRCro7MBR8xQ_bQbSSO8T/s520/WeirdScienceTwo.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="520" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiw24jrD3iPMXJP4UvlYSLUWiJfNbSuAuP9PtUZisKerGfC5E5CwXblo91-iKp3rMYKnekiETKJa0aIqY86OnCiCliTGjGDX4WMYVM-22_7g7kaMp3L0VFuSVRCro7MBR8xQ_bQbSSO8T/w650-h475/WeirdScienceTwo.gif" width="650" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font face="courier"><b>Jeez, John Hughes sure had a fondness for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=552PLnE61TM">these jazz club scenes</a>, didn't he?</b></font></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><font face="courier">The Trip to The Kandy Bar!</font></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><b><font face="courier">G</font></b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ary, Wyatt and Lisa attend </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Kandy Bar</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a dive pub in Chicago. Lisa uses her powers to manipulate the patrons believing that the boys are 21-year-olds and urges them to have a great time. At first, Gary is uptight and socially awkward, resulting in intense silence and puzzled glances from the older men. After a few cigars and shots of Blind Dog Bourbon, Gary loudly converses as a jive pimp (based upon Richard Pryor movies that John Hughes watched in his spare time) until closing at </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Kandy Bar</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Afterwards, Wyatt clumsily drives them back home without a learner’s permit. This uproarious scene was Lisa’s clever, but also deceiving way to loosen up the boys.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUo1hyphenhyphenIdQ8FGiWodxOd_ZC2jK8MiMlNzNfcQwAZYQVCkYrDkMzQRk-dW-KtEkJm7gDgWzKjlOwF-EEyOXgmBNVAzNK2zgmAcTRIIL9DhFYlRMLRK4UHqvUnxNpoH4HOTITjfvF8SF1paqJ/s520/WeirdScienceThree.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="520" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUo1hyphenhyphenIdQ8FGiWodxOd_ZC2jK8MiMlNzNfcQwAZYQVCkYrDkMzQRk-dW-KtEkJm7gDgWzKjlOwF-EEyOXgmBNVAzNK2zgmAcTRIIL9DhFYlRMLRK4UHqvUnxNpoH4HOTITjfvF8SF1paqJ/w650-h475/WeirdScienceThree.gif" width="650" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font face="courier"><b>Is it really a party unless Michael Berryman shows up unannounced?</b></font></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><font face="courier">The Party Scene!</font></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><font face="courier">I</font></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: georgia;">will</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt;"> now critique the wild party at Wyatt’s house that occurs the next evening. By this point, Gary and Wyatt’s new appearances and behaviors are dramatically emphasized as they wear stylish clothes, spike up their hair and are now able to publicly show affection toward Lisa, particularly in front of Ian and Max. The bullies are now obsessed with the striking woman and apologize to Gary and Wyatt by attempting to make a deal: they can date Deb and Hilly, while Ian and Max have Lisa. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although Gary and Wyatt refuse to give her up, they show their former tormenters how Kelly LeBrock's iconic character was created. Unfortunately, the invention fails, which causes chaotic incidents at the party: house accessories fly in the yard, people get stuck in the television, the kitchen turns blue, and a real Pershing II medium-range ballistic missile appears in the house. Wyatt is hysterical and Lisa scolds the boys for forgetting to hook up the doll, but most importantly, for being unwilling to stand up for themselves. My favorite "lesson-learned" quote from Lisa in </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weird Science</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is when she said “You had to show off. When are you gonna learn that people will like you for who you are, not for what you can give them?"</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afterwards, Lisa uses her mystical powers to invite obnoxious biker mutants into Wyatt’s house. She believes the boys have confidence and accountability; however, they have already locked themselves in the closet. The mutants break the door and taunt Gary and Wyatt for being petrified and uptight. When the intruders hold Deb and Hilly hostage, the boys use their willpower to defend themselves and the party guests. They steal the mutants’ weapons, curse at them, and courageously force them to leave. When Gary — thinking he has a water gun — fires at the chandelier, he and Wyatt realize that they defeated their worst enemies and have become popular studs. As a romantic result, Deb and Hilly reciprocate their feelings for them and the boys are flattered to finally be in love.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6gW59TsbWK3yAxCMiN3hy-ZO2UD-pSgA7Lw5xdJg3iUcVYBij9_wkhYi4z5ViM0KecYXDlpPzhC2bynbEqQMHSn59rpFOhz2RRQbC53d13_xdqDW9pzJmJ5pNlge7EEqDbav5Bxz0c2H/s520/WeirdScienceFour.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="520" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6gW59TsbWK3yAxCMiN3hy-ZO2UD-pSgA7Lw5xdJg3iUcVYBij9_wkhYi4z5ViM0KecYXDlpPzhC2bynbEqQMHSn59rpFOhz2RRQbC53d13_xdqDW9pzJmJ5pNlge7EEqDbav5Bxz0c2H/w650-h475/WeirdScienceFour.gif" width="650" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font face="courier"><b>But really, who HASN'T wanted to turn one of their siblings into a turd monster at some point in their lives?</b></font></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><font face="courier"></font></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><font face="courier">The Grand Finale!</font></span></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><b><font face="courier">T</font></b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">he fourth and last scene of the film involves karma and sadness. On Sunday morning, Lisa turns Chet, Wyatt’s arrogant older brother, into a farting, fly-eating, blob-like monster. This uncomfortable transformation is payback for hostility towards Wyatt, blackmailing him for money and other torturous actions. Although Wyatt is relieved that Chet’s aggressive behavior ceased, he insists that he can not remain a blob. “It would ruin Christmas,” he explains to Lisa.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gary and Wyatt sorrowfully confess about their new girlfriends to Lisa, who tearfully does not want to bid farewell, but is also relieved that her mission with the boys is successfully accomplished. Lisa magically disappears and the house returns to normal with all the utilities and furniture scrambling back to their former places. Additionally, Chet converts back to his human, militaristic self. The now strong-willed Gary and Wyatt ponder about what happened the past three days before Wyatt’s parents return from being out of town, completely unaware of all the incidents.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocVGjumqZGFlCf2UxLKa2x5_dLuWdsu4DTs_ViyPksvASpjB7Hn-Ks3l2bnUhpAR3mnPrjvERqWnuDzh2u6eoTD7XTBjy0mmw9GKtVsBM0KV1iHzYloVFPDaZ3fRgyrYmThbYvUxOdoxJ/s520/WeirdScienceCloser.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Oh, Gary. We're ALL disappointed in you ..." border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="650" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocVGjumqZGFlCf2UxLKa2x5_dLuWdsu4DTs_ViyPksvASpjB7Hn-Ks3l2bnUhpAR3mnPrjvERqWnuDzh2u6eoTD7XTBjy0mmw9GKtVsBM0KV1iHzYloVFPDaZ3fRgyrYmThbYvUxOdoxJ/w640-h468/WeirdScienceCloser.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font face="courier"><b>Oh, Gary, we're ALL so disappointed in you ...</b></font></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><font face="courier">W</font></span></b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt;">hether I’m watching </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weird Science</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or listening to the upbeat soundtrack, including the title song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm-upHSP9KU">“Weird Science” written and performed by Oingo Boingo</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvZrDbD58io">“The Circle” by Max Carl</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzlfTb-tZh8">“Turn It On” sung by Kim Wilde</a>, I’m still a crazed fan. </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weird Science</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> provides so much nostalgia and I always look forward to this charming comedy/science fiction film. I value the fictional story because I was somewhat introverted in high school. I always envisioned of what it was like to be more outgoing and brave by magically transitioning in a day. I wondered how the fantasy would turn into reality….or, like the heroes in <i>Weird Science</i>, if I should be more cautious about what I wished. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a fun fact, I had the pleasure of meeting Anthony Michael Hall, who respectively portrayed Gary Wallace, at Dragon*Con 2012. He was very professional, energetic and appreciated the compliments I gave him on his work for the film. When it was time to pause for a picture, I irresistibly shouted out, “I can’t believe this!” His actions involved patting me on the back and giving a flirtatious smile before I squeezed through the other overcrowded lines in the Hall of Fame.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDVJRV-26VHJhN0aDMxhSBQYwyghHu2k7hvmLDYKDo8tkzZ827x2kOxo_RSzpolrnbhd9SMI1HCUnc8qSfGAAxP6E9xxabIIMbZfxd6Cs5tauvTOBEBhQv3cmP8Ef3Guw8LJ9pkh1ajqE/s200/UNJLogo.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDVJRV-26VHJhN0aDMxhSBQYwyghHu2k7hvmLDYKDo8tkzZ827x2kOxo_RSzpolrnbhd9SMI1HCUnc8qSfGAAxP6E9xxabIIMbZfxd6Cs5tauvTOBEBhQv3cmP8Ef3Guw8LJ9pkh1ajqE/w200-h168/UNJLogo.gif" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><font color="#cccccc" face="courier"><b><i style="background-color: black;"></i></b></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font color="#cccccc" face="courier"><b><i style="background-color: black;">Uncommon Journalism, 2020</i></b></font></div><p></p></span></div>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-21853079240872043192020-06-25T19:42:00.001-07:002020-06-25T19:43:53.758-07:00Ranking the “Friday the 13th” Movies!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism’s </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift and Kristen M. Gilotti count down the seminal slasher series — and wax nostalgic on what makes the movies so beloved to this very day.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Reflecting on 40 years of cinematic carnage — and the indelible footprint the Jason Voorhees mythos has left on American pop culture.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">By: </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift, Kristen M. Gilotti</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">@</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">UNJournalism</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:UNJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></a></span>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">t this point, what more can be said about the long-running </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday the 13th </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">franchise?</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apparently, a good hour and a half’s worth of </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nostalgic musings</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. In a special 90-minute podcast, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism’s </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift and Kristen M. Gilotti countdown all 12 movies in the iconic horror series, along the way reflecting on all of the motifs, ephemera and pop cultural memories spawned by the Jason Voorhees mythos.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, this being a live, one-take, off-the-cuff recording, there were some flubs here and there. Demonstrating Her nigh encyclopedic knowledge of the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">franchise, Kristen quickly noted two misstatements. One, the name of the actor who portrayed Demon in the infamous </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday the 13th Part 5</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is Miguel Nunez, Jr. (</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT4LqTNcBe0" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yes, he of </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Juwanna Mann </span><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fame)</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and not Miguel Ortiz — which, as a serendipitous coincidence, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_(wrestler)" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wikipedia says is the real name of a famed Mexican pro wrestler better known by the stage name </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halloween</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Secondly, Deborah Voorhees (yep, her real name) appears to have spent most of her post-</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">career as a journalist, not a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. As an interesting side note, she’s currently hard at work directing a new film — a movie about a deranged Jason admirer stalking famous </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">F13 </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">actresses titled, fittingly enough, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/13Fanboy/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13 Fanboy</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And as for James' gaffes, miscues and general inarticulations? Well, we’d be here all day counting those up — indeed, feel free to send </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a list of inaccurate utterances and we’ll be sure to include them as received.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s no easy task distilling an hour and a half of wistful </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">recollections into one 500-word blurb, so I guess it’ll probably be easier to tease some of the highlights of this particular convo:</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— How the box art for </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday The 13th Part 7 </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kept Kristen out of grocery stores when she was a child</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Why James is pretty much the ONLY </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A New Beginning </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">apologist on the planet</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— What the original </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">said about the changing of the sociopolitical guards in American culture</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Why those seemingly pointless up-close yo-yo and popcorn popping scenes in </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part 3 </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">may not have been so pointless</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— And, perhaps most importantly, which </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">movie is the king of them all? No spoilers, but this particular countdown ended in a tie … the kind perfect for a hockey-mask-clad, mongoloid mass murderer to use to kill off oversexed teens in the wilderness, of course</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those of you that prefer your audio in podcast form, we here at </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have you covered. You can download the full 90-minute interview, in its entirety (for free!) at the link below:</span><br />
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<a href="https://archive.org/details/friday-the-13th-countdown-audio" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday the 13th Countdown </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">podcast </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whether you’re a hardcore horror dork that knows all the words to “</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRUB5taG3xw" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love is a Lie” by Lion</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or just a casual fan curious about the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">greater </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pop cultural ramifications of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Friday </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">series, there’s surely something in the conversation to tickle just about anybody’s fancies. And if absolutely nothing else?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My goodness, will listening to this thing make you </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yearn </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for the 1980s again … </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and bad</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b style="background-color: black;">Uncommon Journalism, 2020</b></span></i></div>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-41443265958238136512020-06-05T06:27:00.001-07:002020-06-05T06:27:02.050-07:00“Friday the 13th” — 40 Years Later<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: x-large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Celebrating four decades of the movie that made slashers a staple of American cinema</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">From the Carter Administration to COVID-19, the Camp Crystal Lake saga continues to ripple across pop culture</span></b></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b>By:</b> </span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Kristen M. Gilotti</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">kmg0128@hotmail.com</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/movielass128?lang=en" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">movielass128</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">A</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">fter exhausting months of perilous encounters, summer has arrived. But — doing my best Crazy Ralph impersonation — the life-threatening COVID-19 and warnings have not ceased! As I celebrate the 40th anniversary of <i>Friday the 13th</i>, I also want to take the time to elaborate on some similarities with the plot’s reopening of Camp Crystal Lake and town kook Crazy Ralph’s “stay away” warnings to the current regulations of 6-foot social distancing and other protections when stepping outside into the infected world.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b style="background-color: black;">And by "present," I guess they meant<br />"40 years ago, actually."</b></span></td></tr>
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<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Friday the 13th</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, released on May 9, 1980, first takes place in the summer of 1958 where two horny camp counselors sneak away from the gathering campfire to “have time for themselves.” To me, the acting is hilarious for a killing scene, particularly when the unseen assailant accosts them and they try to act innocent. It is an “already caught” situation where the inevitable happens and concealment and guiltless behaviors are useless. Rather than the unknown killer only reprimanding the counselors, their punishments are a stomach stab and slash of the throat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The film moves to the present day — as fate would have it, also Friday, June 13 — and new camp counselor Annie enters a local diner and inquires about Camp Crystal Lake. The plot begins to thicken as Crazy Ralph warns Annie about its “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1g1ZB4WNhw">death curse</a>.” Annie’s ride to the camp, a friendly truck driver named Enos from the diner, also convinces her to reconsider the job and explains why the camp is purportedly cursed: the two murders from the beginning of the movie and a boy’s tragic drowning in 1957.<br /><br />Obviously, Annie ignores the horrific stories and continues to “Camp Blood.” Annie then hitches a ride from a suspicious driver, who intentionally passes the entrance to Camp Crystal Lake. These are her last moments as she frightfully and clumsily jumps out of the car and tries to hide in the woods. The assailant catches up and slits her throat. <br /><br />Seeing any coronavirus parallels? To me, this scene ties into the continuation of COVID-19 cases rising on a daily basis. Although essential places (e.g., salons, gyms, coffee shops, etc.) reopened, COVID-19 still lingers on and there are major warnings about taking precautions to avoid it as the month of June begins.<br /><br />As the movie’s famous tagline “<a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZmI2NmM5YTgtY2I4Yi00NmU4LThhYmUtZDA0MTFjNDY2YmNlL2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzExMDQ3MDc@._V1_.jpg">They were warned, they are doomed, and on Friday the 13th, nothing will save them</a>” promises, counselors Alice, Brenda, Bill, Jack, Marcie and Ned are all terrorized. <br /><br />Of course, Crazy Ralph tries to warn them that the camp is cursed and they will all die, but they ignore him and continue to unload the supplies and set up the cabins. They even encounter disturbances such as witnessing a figure watching them in the woods and having to kill a snake that was placed in one of their cabins (by the way, the snake used in the film was real, <a href="http://www.californiaherps.com/films/snakefilms/FridayThe13th.html">and so was its on-camera dismemberment.</a>)<br /><br />Again, these incidents link to the COVID-19 warnings — where citizens refuse to listen and still travel place-to-place.<br /><br />In particular, the various acts of slaughter also strike my attention when watching one of my favorite horror movies. On the same stormy night, the counselors in <i>Friday the 13th</i> are killed in the following creative and bloody ways:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">🔪 </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>Ned</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> – <i>Throat slit</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">🏹 </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>Jack</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> – <i>Pierced throat via an arrow through the bed</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">🪓 </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>Marcie</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> – A<i>xe slammed on her head</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">😱 </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>Brenda</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> – <i>Blinded by a light and thrown through a window</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">🏹 </span><b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bill</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> – </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pinned to a door by several arrows</i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b style="background-color: black;">Speaking of people who could really use some<br />hand sanitizer ...</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From there, it is obvious that our last surviving camp counselor must end the massacre — and, per genre convention, that the identity of <i>Friday the 13th’</i>s unseen killer finally be revealed. In the conclusion Alice meets Mrs. Voorhees, the camp’s former cook, and she goes into a tangent on how Jason, her son, drowned in 1957 due to lack of supervision. She also criticized Steven Christy, the camp’s owner, for reopening the place, despite the traumatizing incidents. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The conclusion of </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Friday the 13th</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> brings insanity and uncontrollable rage between Mrs. Voorhees and Alice on how nobody paid attention to the warnings. She and Alice wrestle aimlessly and hit each other with a paddle and a frying pan — and in any way they can think of — to maintain the madness. Such is oddly relatable in 2020 — after all, with the social restrictions due to COVID-19, all that cabin fever and confusion can lead to excessive craziness!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I always enjoy the ending where Alice gathers her energy and the camera focuses up-close on the two angry but fearful faces, right before she decapitates Mrs. Voorhees with the machete. Obviously, the main objectives of the story are finished; however, there is an unexpected surprise when a deformed boy attacks a traumatized Alice under the water the next morning. She still survives but knows the boy (presumed to be Jason) is on the loose and that Camp Crystal Lake will be cursed for an extended period of time — if not always. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Forty years later, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Friday the 13th</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> remains one of the most popular horror movies of all-time. And due to binge-watching nowadays, I was able to pay more attention to the nuances of the plot, the different grotesque killings and, of course, tie the story into what is currently happening — or about to occur — in June 2020. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Going back to the craziness of COVID-19, I think </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Friday the 13th</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> mirrors that modern day fear of “public” being open ... </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">but the horror being far from over</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span></span>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b style="background-color: black;">Uncommon Journalism, 2020</b></span></div>
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Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-48680518010580468382020-06-03T05:28:00.003-07:002020-06-03T05:28:40.729-07:00Wyss Decisions<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avoidance and Ambition — Amanda Does it All</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Chronicaling the career of actress Amanda Wyss, from fending off Freddy Krueger to confronting the real-life nightmare of COVID-19</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>By:</b> Kristen M. Gilotti</span><br />
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<a href="mailto:kmg0128@hotmail.com" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">kmg0128@hotmail.com</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/movielass128?lang=en"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">@</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">movielass128</span></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;">T</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he talented actress scarcely avoided the villainous Freddy Krueger in 1984, the psychotic and pig-nosed killer Caleb in 2010 and she continues to remain safe from the untreatable COVID-19 in 2020. Green-eyed, cat lover, amazing aunt to her nieces and nephew and Los Angeles resident Amanda Wyss maintains strong endeavors with her acting career today.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmi5nyUk5w1Zw4RaY3dkZgNIcricFM-uIq61lSR9sLqeCHwqLtHTy6CrHcXXI39yL_SBk0HpVRl0-en4d3EedHsnCzwKDwJedk76e7DObvtXiynyoxMek2-rPn9DM3DGYS0Ee5s787yMs5/s1600/WyssPullOut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmi5nyUk5w1Zw4RaY3dkZgNIcricFM-uIq61lSR9sLqeCHwqLtHTy6CrHcXXI39yL_SBk0HpVRl0-en4d3EedHsnCzwKDwJedk76e7DObvtXiynyoxMek2-rPn9DM3DGYS0Ee5s787yMs5/s1600/WyssPullOut.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throughout the years, Wyss has starred in various productions, running the gamut from horror to drama to comedy to westerns.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">"I think ultimately I just love a great script and a well-written character that challenges me," </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wyss commented. "</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that can be in any genre. The horror community has been incredibly kind to me. But, I have to say, the best roles I have had been mostly in dramas."</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Born on Nov. 24, 1960, and originally from Manhattan Beach, California, her passion for acting began when she studied theatre at El Camino College, then attended the Lee Strasberg Institute for two years. Wyss had the pleasure of attending school with such actors and directors as Larry Moss, Gene Bua and Stuart Rogers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wyss’ notable horror work includes her portrayal of the energetic but gullible Tina Gray in Wes Craven’s <i>A </i></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nightmare on Elm Street, </span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he 1984 genre classic that also starred Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp and Johnny Depp. Wyss is perhaps most remembered for her final scene in the film — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcrTqof683A">which remains one of the bloodiest deaths in horror history</a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I learned how to survive a rotating room, LOL," s</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;">he explained.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> "That whole sequence really came out well. We rehearsed a lot for that scene. It was precisely choreographed and we shot it in bits and pieces. We had to get it right the first time because once the blood was introduced there was no going back.” </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once Wyss got into the groove, she did not feel trepidatious and was able to bypass any injuries. “I don’t think my well-being was of paramount concern. But, that said, it was shot in precise movements. There were no cowboy moves or people improvising. So, I think that is what kept everyone safe.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Nightmare on Elm Street</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is now (unbelievably) 36 years old, Wyss recalled the close connections with her co-stars and was delighted to be part of an ideal horror/slasher film. “I made lifelong friends. My scenes from the movie have been on the Oscars many times, which is sort of cool. And a photo of Wes Craven and me hung in the Directors Guild in L.A. for many years.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prior to and after </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Nightmare on Elm Street</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Wyss was offered roles in more comedic fare as the level-headed Lisa in </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fast Times at Ridgemont High</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1982) and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Better Off Dead</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1985) as Beth Truss, sharing the screen alongside John Cusack and Curtis Armstrong. Different television work and enrollment in drama school prepped the dedicated actress for </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fast Times at Ridgemont High</span><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in particular.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">She also smoothly transitioned from horror to comedy when filming </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Better Off Dead</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I shot them one right after the other, with only one month in between," she recounted. "Some </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">characters are much harder to shake than others. I was able to let Tina go quickly. Working on </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Better Off Dead</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was a lot of fun. We laughed constantly. There were so many talented comedic actors that I got to play with. I learned a lot."</span></div>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After she finished </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Better Off Dead</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Wyss filmed </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silverado</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (1985), a western/drama movie starring Kevin Kline, Kevin Costner and Danny Glover. Wyss analyzed how </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Silverado</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was one of her favorite experiences when working in a movie.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It was magical!" she exclaimed. "New Mexico in the winter was gorgeous. The script was beautiful. The cast and crew were amazing. We had a lot of fun together!”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The entertaining '80s decade ended, but Wyss continued to fulfill her dreams. Needless to say, she re-entered the horror industry in the new millennium — and still escaped the villains — in movies like </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Graves</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2010) and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ID</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (2016). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGOg2wtL0tm1sU44_CG7dEQ2wyGWC-GAAtBF7G88F6mQARY6xcX6rswjdHDHjx-8zo2vjleFVp6kdu3u_bIRjN4dm3EP03e0n2rK9JWsLe6BJIbY9-Lomx_vYAqKaAjN9XpOhxASHkAkT/s1600/WyssPullOut2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGOg2wtL0tm1sU44_CG7dEQ2wyGWC-GAAtBF7G88F6mQARY6xcX6rswjdHDHjx-8zo2vjleFVp6kdu3u_bIRjN4dm3EP03e0n2rK9JWsLe6BJIbY9-Lomx_vYAqKaAjN9XpOhxASHkAkT/s1600/WyssPullOut2.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I had a blast working on </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Graves</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I mean Tony Todd as The Preacher, come on! And I adore Bill Moseley, too," she stated. "</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The role of Meredith in </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ID</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is one of my favorite roles to date. I loved the challenge of bringing her to life. I also have a thriller called <i>Hunter’s Moon</i> that just came out on most platforms. It was fun to play the mom in this indie."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of Wyss' more recent projects was 2019's <i>Badland</i>, another western film that reconnected her with <i>Big Legend </i>(2018)<i> </i>writer/director Justin Lee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“He called and asked if I wanted the role of Alice. I leapt at the chance. It is such a wonderful character. Very rich and complex. I love westerns and it was fun to get back in the saddle, so to speak.” </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The actress discussed how she's keeping herself preoccupied amidst the COVID-19 pandemic — a real-world nightmare she considers more terrifying than anything that haunted her on the silver screen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“No offense to Freddy Krueger, but COVID-19 is much scarier. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are so many unknowns that make it stressful," she said. "</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m staying home. If I go out, I wear a mask and gloves if needed. I’m reading a lot. Cooking, exercising, taking MasterClasses, more cooking, LOL. Zooming with family and friends. We have had a few game nights on Zoom, which were fun."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking of, reading is a major extracurricular activity in Wyss’ eventful life. That explains why she would take the following three items when stranded on a deserted island: a book, reading glasses and sunscreen.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wyss also does a lot of yoga, meditation, cooks, travels and hangs out with family and friends. She's also appeared at numerous conventions — Dragon Con, Days of the Dead, Mad Monster Party, among others. Unfortunately, 2020 does not look very promising for meeting and conversing with new and current fans.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I am extremely grateful that I get to do what I do. I don’t know if there will be any conventions this year," she sadly added. "Not sure how it can be done safely."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As unpredictable as the 2020s are shaping up to be, however, it seems apparent that an actress as ambitious and versatile as Wyss still has many more roles ahead of her.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indeed, she's currently doing her first audiobook recording and is also set to voice a character in an animated series. The adventurous actress currently has two movie roles lined up, although the projects may be pushed back to 2021.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">And, of course, there's always the allure of the small screen. While horror fans may know her best for being preyed upon by a certain fedora-sporting ghoul, Wyss has also had appearances on television programs like <i>Highlander</i>, <i>Charmed, Dexter </i>and <i>C.S.I.</i>, among many, many others. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hopefully, TV will get going soon,” Wyss concluded.</span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Uncommon Journalism, 2020</span></b></div>
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Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-39711445874023947612020-06-01T00:00:00.000-07:002020-05-31T21:26:13.867-07:00An Unsolved Case<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney Candidate Recounts a Confounding COVID-19 Experience</span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kDsohGl0jvU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kDsohGl0jvU?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Georgia lawyer Jason Hasty unfurls a knotted story of contracting the coronavirus — and with it, social media persecution — in an exclusive </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">interview</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b></b></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>By:</b> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Swift</span><br />
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<a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</span></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism" style="text-decoration: none;">@UNJournalism</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">T</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he narrative told by <a href="http://jrhasty.com/contact-us">Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney candidate Jason Hasty </a>is no doubt a fascinating one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What’s known for sure is that the 54-year-old Martinez, Georgia attorney was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this year. As to how he contracted the disease, however, remains a mystery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Was he infected at a worship service in Bartow County in early March, where dozens of churchgoers likewise contracted the coronavirus in one of the state’s most severe “super-spreader” incidents?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or did he acquire the disease from his terminally ill father, who displayed an array of strange symptoms at a hospice facility in Cobb County?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“My mom was extracting from the back of my dad’s throat, it was a green-looking worm or spaghetti-looking stuff,” he recalled. “The nurse said ‘I don’t know what that is.’”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adding another layer of intrigue to the story, Hasty claims that, since then, his late, leukemia-stricken father’s medical records have been destroyed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">But perhaps his exposure to the disease was even earlier than that — he recounts a meeting in February with a homeless defendant from Richmond County who appeared to be deathly sick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The jailers in the courthouse, they didn’t want to bring him out,” Hasty recalled. “He was slumped down in his wheelchair, his mask was half off … he just looked horrible.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">In between those incidents there were funerals, trips to Louisiana and a visit to the State Capitol in Atlanta to turn in election qualification paperwork — where Hasty stood in line amidst cramped quarters for roughly an hour and a half.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">All situations, he said, where he could have picked up the coronavirus — or potentially spread it. As the case with the very disease itself, questions abound, but answers, seemingly, are impossible to pinpoint.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Still, that hasn’t stopped sundry social media gadflies from labeling Hasty as a “patient zero” of sorts, with some going as far as personally blaming him for the deaths of others.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even worse, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">actual </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">media outlets seemed to be making the same allegations. He recounted a particularly brusque — and syntactically unwieldy — headline from one publication, which reads “<a href="https://www.augustachronicle.com/news/20200325/second-person-dies-from-cartersville-church-where-evans-man-with-coronavirus-attended">Second person dies from Cartersville church where Evans man with coronavirus attended</a>.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“When I looked at how they had presented it, I just felt, wow, it made me feel like ‘gosh, OK, make a note, maybe I don’t talk to this one,’” he recalled.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thankfully, more scrupulous new media outfits like </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Uncommon Journalism </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">still adhere to that old reporting maxim “let them speak for themselves.” And for a story with as many twists and turns and loose ends and hypotheses as the one told by Hasty, nothing short of a nearly hour-long video interview truly suffices to </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tell the whole tale </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here ...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><b style="background-color: black;">Uncommon Journalism, 2020</b></i></span></div>
</div>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-42242596708886789022018-01-26T06:59:00.001-08:002018-01-26T06:59:57.643-08:00The Sights and Sounds of the 2018 Georgia March For Life Demonstration<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;"><i>Uncommon Journalism</i> speaks with anti-abortion proponents at Atlanta's largest pro-life demonstration of the year. How do they respond to accusations the movement is anti-women, and how do they feel about the prospects of abortion law reversals under the Trump Administration?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>More than 1,000 demonstrators turned out for the 2018 Georgia March For Life in Atlanta. And they had plenty to say about what they believe are media-propagated misconceptions and allegations their cause is <i>intrinsically </i>misogynistic.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>By:</b> James Swift</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/UNJournalism?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Funcommonjournalism.blogspot.com%2F">@UNJournalism</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">I</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t sounds like the whirring of a helicopter blade, but the loud "whooshing" emanating from the speakers at Liberty Plaza is actually the sound of a 12-week-old fetus' slowly thumping heart. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a few moments of silence, a lone bugler performs "Taps." </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That's the cue for the thousand-plus pro-life demonstrators who gathered outside the Georgia Capitol Building on Jan. 19 to line up for the annual March For Life. The 2018 event marked the 45th anniversary of the initial anti-abortion demonstration in Washington, D.C., held roughly a year after the Supreme Court of the United States decided </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Roe v. Wade</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. The demonstration in the nation's capital remains the country's largest (indeed, </span><a href="https://heavy.com/news/2018/01/march-for-life-crowd-size-how-many-attended-2018/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 people gathered to hear President Donald Trump give the keynote address before the National Mall</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">), but many more anti-abortion advocates marched at more than</span><a href="http://marchforlife.org/march-life-2018/local-march-for-life-events/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> 50 simultaneous locally-orchestrated events</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> across America that same afternoon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.grtl.org/">Georgia Right to Life</a> (GRTL) Executive Director Zemmie Fleck coordinated the demonstration in Atlanta. She tabbed the estimated attendance at the event around 1,500 people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"My No. 1 reason for being pro-life is that God gave me life and he saw fit to sustain my life [and] provide an adoptive family for me," the 53-year-old Cumming, Ga. native said. "My mother died when I was about five months old ... <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I understand from God’s word that he loves life and he creates life. No one should take it."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Demonstrators - many carrying signs with slogans like "Women </span><i style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do </i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Regret Abortions" and "Planned Parenthood, America's Shame" - looped around the Georgia State Capitol. The symbolically silent, one-mile march began on Piedmont Ave., with a police escort leading the way towards the rally's terminus down Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There isn't a cloud in sight, and for mid-January in Georgia, the 60 degree weather is downright balmy. There's still a giant "G," representing the Georgia Bulldogs logo, painted on the middle of the plaza lawn - <a href="http://uncommonjournalism.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-sights-and-sounds-of-2018-ncaa.html">no doubt a holdover from the NCAA College Football National Championship festivities from two weeks earlier</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Prior to the march, teenagers in bright orange vests collected signatures for <a href="http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20152016/154874.pdf">a state constitutional amendment that would recognize "personhood" at the moment of fertilization</a>. One by one, a series of speakers took turns standing in front of a Georgia Right to Life banner, delivering sermons while keyboardist Kurt Scobie conducted a dirge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Many of the speakers led prayer sessions, with some condemning <a href="http://www.politifact.com/new-jersey/statements/2012/mar/18/chris-smith/chris-smith-says-more-54-million-abortions-have-be/">the estimated 60 million abortions</a> that have taken place in the United States over the last 45 years as another Holocaust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"It's not, oh God, a political issue," stated Georgia Right to Life President Ricardo Davis. "It is a <i>heart </i>issue of man."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">More than one presenter brought up <a href="http://biblehub.com/jeremiah/1-5.htm">Jeremiah 1:15 </a>as the ultimate <i>raison d'etre </i>for the pro-life movement. "Before I formed you in the womb," keynote speaker Dr. James Merritt - former Southern Baptist Convention president and star of the weekly televangelist program <i>Touching Lives</i> - reiterated the gospels, "I <i>loved </i>you ... Jesus is so pro-life, he gave <i>his </i>life."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then there was the speech by 26-year-old Davis Posey. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I was conceived in rape - my birth mother was raped at just 13-years-old," she told the somber crowd. "Having rape exceptions in laws tells me personally and people like Rebecca Keasling, Ralph Davis and Trayvon Clifton that our lives hold less value and less worth. We need to be punishing the rapists, not these innocent babies."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And the audience - nearly half of them children and teenagers, with some holding cardboard signs scrawled with messages like "a person is a person, no matter how small" and "protect the tiny humans, love the moms" - mournfully nodded their heads in approval.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>REPRESENTING</b> State lawmakers Sam Teasley (R-Marietta) and Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners) were among the dozen or so legislators to make an appearance at the 2018 Georgia March For Life. (<i>Photo credit James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">Church <i>and </i>state</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">U</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">nderneath the gold dome of the state legislature, about a dozen elected officials and agency spokespeople gathered for a reading of Gov. Nathan Deal's proclamation declaring Jan. 19 "Respect for Human Life Day" in Georgia.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"An individual's value is not contingent upon age, race, gender, ethnicity, ability or level of development," Karen LaBarr, GRTL Director to Personhood Alliance, read the official declaration. "It is imperative to preserve the rights of of all Georgians, including the elderly, those with disabilities and those who are not yet born."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Count State Rep. Scott Hilton, a Republican representing Georgia's 95th District, among the true believers. </span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“For me, the issue is really personal," he told <i>Uncommon Journalism</i>. "We have a child with a disability and there are so many in that community that receive a diagnosis like that and children, unfortunately, are aborted at that stage. As a parent of a child with a disability, it has been such an incredible blessing in our life, and he really means so much to us.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hilton, whose district largely comprises Peachtree Corners and parts of Duluth, Norcross and Johns Creek, explained his rationale for being pro-life.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I think science has shown from the moment it all comes together there at conception it is a life, it can feel pain," he said. "</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Life, God says, is precious, so that life is precious, and that’s kind of what I believe.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">He said he believes the pro-life cause will make "some strides" under the Trump Administration. "I don't think we'll see a full repeal of <i>Roe v. Wade</i>," he said, "but there's a lot of things that we can do incrementally to make some changes and move the ball down the field."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Hilton disagrees with pro-choice activists who declare pro-lifers to be anti-women.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">People say that women have a choice, but when it comes to sort of life or death, I think an unborn life matters," he said. "So I think you can’t throw that aside - I think it’s important we value that life that hasn’t been born yet.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">However, Hilton said he has no animosity towards women who have abortions. "It's a difficult decision to make, it's traumatic," he said. "So I think they deserve all the love and support that we can possibly give them to kind of get over that and move on with a positive life from there."</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">NOT INTERESTED IN POLITICS </span></b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">"You can regulate laws all day," said demonstrator Pivotal Sales, "but it does not give credence to the change of heart." </span>(<i style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Photo credit James Swift</i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">)</span> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">A black and white issue</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: black; color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ccording to <a href="https://oasis.state.ga.us/oasis/webquery/qryITOP.aspx">data from the Georgia Department of Public Health</a>, an estimated 29,551 abortions involving in-state residents transpired in 2016. The overwhelming majority - at about 18,000, representing 62 percent of </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">all</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> abortions in Georgia - involved black mothers.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the majority of the marchers in Atlanta were Caucasian, a sizable contingent of black demonstrators - perhaps representing as much as a third of the total turnout - also made their voices heard.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I think the biggest misconception is that it's a white movement," said 41-year-old South Fulton, Ga. rally attendee Pivotal Sales. "And that there's no space for the African-American voice in it."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another misconception about pro-lifers, she said, is that the cause isn't concerned about the well-being of children <i>after </i>they're born. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Often times, those who will take care of the life before the child gets here don't necessarily advocate for the life once it's here," she said. "We have the school to prison pipeline, and we have the miseducation system and just the way that people are disenfranchised, I think it's important to understand that it's not a before-the-womb issue and then discard the life afterwards."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Sales said her anti-abortion stance is a "salvation issue," not a matter of politics. "</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t think that man has a right to determine life or death," she said, "that comes from God.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Nor does she think the abortion dilemma can be solved <i>entirely </i>through legislative means. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"You can regulate laws all day, but it does not give credence to the change of heart," she said. "So laws can change, but you cannot change hearts. Left-wing, right-wing, until the heart of man is converted, until man takes on the heart of God, that won't necessarily shift."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">She said God is forgiving of women who have abortions. "His grace is more than enough, that there are those praying for you and that the future will hold something brighter," Sales said. "The child has returned to the creator of its soul ... we understand the pain that comes along with it, to make different decisions next time."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As to whether the contemporary pro-life movement has a pronounced anti-woman bent, however, Sales put it thus. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"You have the #MeToo movement, #ItStopsHere, all of those things, #TimeIsUp, that are right now pro-women," she said. "I think that's a very delicate topic and I think that any time you deal with pro-women or anti-women, you have to be careful as Christians because we have to be pro-Christ first."</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>NO EXCEPTIONS</b> "While a lot of the circumstances surrounding the life of a woman who is going to have an abortion are very sad and very tragic," said marcher Abigail Cochran, "it doesn’t justify killing an innocent human being.” </span>(<i style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Photo credit James Swift</i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">The youth vote</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">"I</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> believe that all human life is sacred and should be respected," said Royston, Ga. resident Ava Brown. The 18-year-old was mum when it came to politics - although she did say she believes a <i>Roe v. Wade </i>reversal is possible under Trump - but she definitely had plenty to say to those who accuse the pro-life movement of being misogynistic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"They think it does not give them a choice in whether or not to keep the baby," she said. "I say it is very pro-woman, because cases have shown women usually regret having an abortion, anyway."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Those sentiments were shared by 23-year-old Abigail Cochran.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“A lot of the misconceptions are that we’re anti-woman and we’re not," said the Tunnel Hill, Ga. native. "We’re very pro-woman and we don’t want any woman to live with the regret that she has killed an innocent human being. And while a lot of the circumstances surrounding the life of a woman who is going to have an abortion are very sad and very tragic, it doesn’t justify killing an innocent human being.”</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, Cochran said she doubts federal abortion laws will be overturned anytime soon.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I’m quite a skeptic, especially about the Republican Party in general," she said. "But I’m hopeful that we’re seeing a change from the grassroots, that more people are becoming pro-life and recognizing the truth about abortion.”</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nor does Cochran believe women who have abortions are eternally forsaken. </span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-af41cbd0-3013-6c0f-155a-fdbccdf6a76c"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“There is hope and forgiveness from that sin," she said, "all they have to do is repent and trust Christ.”</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>A MINORITY MATTER?</b> Georgia Department of Public Health data indicates black mothers represented two-thirds of those who underwent abortion procedures in the state in 2016. </span>(<i style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Photo credit James Swift</i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">)</span></span></td></tr>
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<b style="background-color: black; font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #999999;">A different kind of women's march</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">M</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">isconceptions abound about the pro-life movement in America, said Patty Varner, 66, of Duluth, Ga.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“They don’t think that we’re loving and concerned about everybody," she said. "We do. We</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> care about babies as well as the mothers who are carrying the babies. Our faith tells us to love one another, so we want to extend that love to everybody.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Varner strongly disagrees that being anti-abortion is intrinsically anti-women. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-af41cbd0-3019-2dd6-e93f-aa130df465d4"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“It seems like everybody is anti-woman today, not only the pro-life movement, but everybody, everything else,” she said. “Women have gone crazy thinking that everything is against them, which on some points, that’s true. I don’t think, once again, that it’s anti-women - I think we’re concerned about all women ... w</span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">e’re trying to give them a choice other than killing a baby - to keep a baby, to adopt it out. We’re for women, we believe the Lord made us all."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">March coordinator Fleck had a similar opinion on the matter.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-af41cbd0-3020-db63-50e6-71d5ed947eff"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“We are highly misunderstood in the fact that women say we are not promoting their rights, but we are taking them away,” she said. “That’s absolutely not the truth. We are working to protect women in various areas - we, ourselves, work in the area of legal protection.”</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fleck and Varner both said they are optimistic about the chances of abortion laws - on both the state and federal level - being overturned. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I believe that the federal abortion laws were created under false pretenses and that there was a lot of legal recognition with the abortion situation that was false," Fleck said. "I am very hopeful about changes."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Varner said she was even more assured of abortion legislation repeals. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-af41cbd0-3026-e5c1-42d5-ce1fca585233"></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-af41cbd0-3026-e5c1-42d5-ce1fca585233"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I think we have a president now who is pro-life, which is a big deal right now in Washington, D.C.," she said. “With his support and a lot of other people in Congress who are Christians [who] believe in pro-life, and with the appointment of the right Supreme Court justices, I think we have a good chance of changing things."</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b>TAKING THE STREETS</b> An estimated 1,500 people participated in the 2018 Georgia March For Life - a sum about seven times larger than the turnout for the following day's March for Social Justice and Women in Woodruff Park. </span>(<i style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Photo credit James Swift</i><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">Afterbirth</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">T</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he demonstration concluded a little before 3 p.m. A half hour later Liberty Plaza - despite the abnormally warm weather, still speckled with mounds of snow and sheets of ice from a winter storm earlier in the week - was virtually deserted.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Media penetration at the event was practically nil. A few local TV stations sent solo cameramen to capture some B-roll, yet hardly any of the major Atlanta print publications even bothered covering it - the <i>Atlanta Journal-Constitution </i>not withstanding, <a href="http://www.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/anti-abortion-activists-rally-downtown-atlanta/ntDJoAgfkdV4Vww5cdjTnM/">whose write-up reduced the 1,500 attendees to a suspiciously vague "over 200" and featured two extensive quotes from <i>pro-abortion </i>onlookers but only a single, sentence-long proprietary quote from a lone <i>anti-abortion </i>marcher</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meanwhile, the next day's Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women in Woodruff Park - <a href="http://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/atlantas-2018-womens-march-small-compared-to-others-nationally/85-509568139">which <i>did </i>only draw a scant 200 people</a>, representing barely one-seventh of the turnout for the Georgia March for Life - received significant ink from legacy media like the aforementioned <i>AJC </i>and <i>The Atlanta Voice</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nor did the <i>Power to the Polls </i>gathering later that evening draw a larger crowd than the Georgia March For Life. <a href="https://www.theatlantavoice.com/articles/womens-march-2018-atlanta-women-make-their-voices-heard/">According to one estimated headcount for the event</a> - headlined </span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">by keynote speeches by Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and #MeToo progenitor Alyssa Milano - the attendance was barely <i>two-thirds </i>that of the anti-abortion demonstration the day before.</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A cursory glance at the reader comments on the AJC write-up demonstrates the rancor <i>many </i>feel towards Atlanta's pro-life community.</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Abortion, Republicans' favorite tool to get the one issue sheep to the polls," wrote an especially acerbic commentator under the moniker <i>Buttercup23</i>, "all while voting against every bill that comes forward helping children."</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anonymous online detractor <i>curt49 </i>wasn't any softer on the anti-abortion crowd.</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Great they care for the unborn. That's the easy part," the keyboard critic wrote. "What are they doing for the ones they made sure came into this world? Education? Healthcare? Daycare when mom goes to work?"</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alas, despite the acidity directed towards pro-lifers - <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/2014/03/09/snl-skit-hammers-pro-life-activism-viciously-stereotypes-politically-involved-conservative-men">almost <i>always </i>depicted in film and television as foaming-at-the-mouth religious zealots</a> - those same anti-abortion crusaders are hesitant to belittle or degrade those who not only support abortion, but <i>actually </i>undergo the procedure.</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I want them to know they are loved," Fleck said. "God does not condemn them, he loves them. Because we’re all sinners, we all make mistakes. And there’s healing, emotional healing, if you accept the fact Jesus loves you and forgives you for taking a baby’s life.”</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The GRTL executive director said she was equally nonjudgmental.</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-af41cbd0-3062-1db8-01c5-8db1a77498f8"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I personally pray for them every single day, because I can only imagine the difficulty that they have in living with that in their past," Fleck said. "</span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">But there is hope for them and they are welcome through many of the pregnancy resource centers and other organizations who will minister to them, give them counseling. There are many, many women who have lived with the fact that they did abort their child, but they have come through that and they are here today, supporting our efforts.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">And under the bright, azure skies of Atlanta, a peculiar silence fills the air where, just 30 minutes earlier, more than a thousand people had gathered. Not a single discarded pro-life poster remains in Liberty Plaza; in fact, it almost seems like no one had been there <i>at all</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i>(All photo credits James Swift)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><b><i>Uncommon Journalism, 2018</i></b></span></div>
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Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-77025842542515413252018-01-11T17:26:00.001-08:002018-01-11T17:42:42.635-08:00The Sights and Sounds of the 2018 NCAA Football National Championship<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Reliving the splendor and the sorrow of an all-SEC national title game, smack dab in the heart of college football country.</b></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XEz3de722ww/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XEz3de722ww?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe></div>
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<b style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The 2018 NCAA National Championship had it all: thrills, chills, spills and one of the most unforgettable endings in the history of college football. And if you thought the game was thrilling on TV, you should've seen what it was like being there <i>live</i> as it happened.</span></b></div>
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<a name='more'></a><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">By:</b><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> James Swift</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/UNJournalism?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@UNJournalism</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">I</b></span>t's called "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gulch_(Atlanta)">The Gulch</a>" - a "P"-shaped sliver of concrete and asphalt abutting the CNN employee parking lot and an old railroad line. The cavernous lot looks more like the delivery zone for a heavy industrial plant than a tailgating hotspot, but the view is hard to beat - directly ahead is the $2 billion, <a href="http://uncommonjournalism.blogspot.com/2016/08/where-gridiron-and-gentrification.html">freshly opened Mercedes-Benz Stadium.</a> For those who didn't mind the $90 parking fee, it wasn't a bad place at all to begin the 2018 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football National Championship Game, held Jan. 8 in Atlanta.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although the game itself didn't start until 8 p.m., revelers were filing into nearby Centennial Olympic Park at noon. While the 35 degree Fahrenheit weather wasn't optimal, it was still an improvement over last week's temperatures, which at times, dipped into the teens. With the wind chill factored into the equation, some days it damn near hit zero. By comparison, the game day weather was <i>almost </i>balmy - regardless of the frozen over water fountains.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The fairgrounds were a smorgasbord of corporate synergy, as booths with representatives from Dr. Pepper, AT&T, and Allstate dotted the hinterlands. A series of uniform food tents encircled the periphery of the park. Hard cider, Jamaican jerk chicken and Cajun platters were all offered; those with more routine tastes could settle on a standard Chick-fil-A meal, now upcharged to $7 a sandwich. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although the big game itself featured the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs, that didn't stop attendees from wearing the colors of <i>other teams</i>, collegiate and professional, to the festivities. Amid the football fanatics sporting Nick Chubb and Damien Harris jerseys, one could also spot guests in Georgia Tech, Northern Illinois, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars regalia. One even showed up wearing a <i>full </i>Louisiana State University tiger costume. Naturally, old Herschel Walker jerseys were ubiquitous, as were attendees donning houndstooth scarves - or, as some are keen on calling it, "<a href="https://trademarks.justia.com/864/50/bamaflage-86450644.html">Bamaflage</a>."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the main stage a DJ keeps spinning a mash-up of stadium rock staples. "More Than a Feeling," "Don't Stop Believing," a carefully edited version of Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog" with the word "son of a bitch" slyly bleeped out - the usual stuff. A disembodied announcer promotes something called the "world's first college football escape room," which <i>might </i>have been inside one of the many ESPN-branded, V.I.P. only booths set up around the makeshift campus. Meanwhile, Alabama and Georgia students gathered in a Taco Bell sponsored cheering section off to the side of the towering (40 foot? 50 foot?) video screens. Unlike the rest of the plebs, their section was lucky enough to have several heating spires - a precious luxury as a chilling rain began to fall around 3 p.m., just in time for the Darius Rucker concert.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sure, waiting in the freezing rain for five hours might sound like an eternity, but it's just a drop in the bucket compared to <i>37 </i>years. After all, that's how long the Bulldogs' faithful have waited for <i>this </i>return to the NCAA Championship Game. Not only was 77-year-old Atlanta native Charles Doyle around to see UGA win <a href="https://www.footballstudyhall.com/2016/5/31/11817802/1980-college-football-season-georgia-penn-state-pitt-nebraska-florida-state">the 1980 National Championship</a>, he was one of the few attendees alive when Georgia won <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1942_Georgia_Bulldogs_football_team">their <i>first </i>claimed national title in 1942</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Doyle, <a href="http://uncommonjournalism.blogspot.com/2017/01/one-last-day-at-dome.html">who wore a slightly modified version of the same snazzy ensemble he adorned for last year's NFC Championship Game</a>, recalled listening to Bulldogs games on the radio with his grandfather during World War II. He has especially vivid memories of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charley_Trippi">Charley Trippi</a>, the 1946 Maxwell Award winner who was nicknamed "The Quintuple Threat" for his ability to run, pass, catch, punt <i>and </i>play on the defensive side of the ball.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"That name stayed with me all the way until I got old enough to play football myself," Doyle said. "That's the game I love - that was my first love, before I had a wife."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A victory for the Bulldogs that evening, he said, would be a moment fans in "all four corners of Georgia" would cherish for their rest of their lives. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And if UGA pulled out the win tonight, what were <i>his </i>plans?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I am going to crack a bottle of champagne and take the cork out of another one," he said with a jubilant grin, "and drink both of them."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiz_2DjzT3QEpXPwCZ0PpUMxCVSZvxnyNngwstUw3owHyPlds905tLK2wZNR3HD441Ni9CD2VHoL4Ozt9yzv0Dii5NyqrrEEo6orFLOOqYSqOCN_nZoC1O5tXsf6aMIEFoDs-aHj6SqVK/s1600/IMG_0706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiz_2DjzT3QEpXPwCZ0PpUMxCVSZvxnyNngwstUw3owHyPlds905tLK2wZNR3HD441Ni9CD2VHoL4Ozt9yzv0Dii5NyqrrEEo6orFLOOqYSqOCN_nZoC1O5tXsf6aMIEFoDs-aHj6SqVK/s640/IMG_0706.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">A LONG TIME COMING</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Charles Doyle, 77, is among exclusive company in "Bulldogs Nation." Not only was he around for Georgia's 1980 National Championship win, he was alive when UGA won their <i>first </i>NCAA title in 1942. (<i>Photo Credit James Swift</i>)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;">Stand in the Place Where You Live</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">C</b></span>onsidering the big game was held in Atlanta, it's not surprising some Alabama fans appeared apprehensive heading into the park. Alas, despite the historical bad blood between the two Southeastern Conference (SEC) juggernauts, fans of the two schools got along rather well. Bulldogs and Crimson Tide supporters posed for photos with one another and shared cigarettes with concession workers. They both joked with the the assault-rifle lugging police officers in and around the park ("We already know Alabamans go <i>both ways</i>," one cop commented on a jaywalking Tide fan) and received tips on ticket scalping from the clearly bored security personnel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With so many passionate fans (not to mention so much overpriced, yet easily attainable alcohol on the premises) all clumped together, the largely amicable and carefree mood was a bit unexpected. It didn't take long, however, to notice some big distinctions between Bulldogs and Crimson Tide loyalists.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Bulldogs fans, by and large, had a convivial, if not outright exuberant, demeanor. Many attendees had literally waited their <i>entire lives </i>for the game, and after almost four decades of disappointment, merely <i>getting </i>to the Championship was in and of itself a de facto victory. That the underdog "Dawgs" had an opportunity to claim their first college football crown since 1980 against the <i>very same </i>team <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_SEC_Championship_Game">that prevented them from participating in the 2013 National Championship</a> made it all the more tantalizing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Contrast that with the disposition of the aggregate Alabama fan. Perhaps the Crimson Tide faithful weren't <i>more reserved </i>because they were stuck in "enemy territory" (or had their umbrellas taken from them at the front gate), but because all of this National Championship stuff was simply <i>business as usual</i>. Keep in mind, this is a team that's won <i>four </i>NCAA titles since Barack Obama was in office, with a win tonight giving them their fifth national title over the course of a decade. They're not <i>ecstatic </i>to be here, they <i>expected to be here </i>from the first day of the season.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Embodying that stoic commitment to excellence is Darrell Oden, a Birmingham, Ala. resident who has been a fan of the Crimson Tide for more than four decades. He said he still gets worked up thinking about <a href="http://www.rolltide.com/news/2008/11/28/FRIDAY_FLASHBACK_Alabama_25_Auburn_18_Dec_1_1979_.aspx">the 1979 Iron Bowl</a>, when Bear Bryant's squad bumped off arch rivals Auburn 25-18. "Great days," Oden said without cracking a smile. "Great days."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His inexpressive disposition sharply contrasts with the bubbly UGA sorority girls prancing about the park - almost all of them shining their pearly whites through their Taylor Swift-red lips.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oden said he has no hard feelings against Georgia fans. "They're hospitable, they're good people," he said. "They're alright." In fact, he said he wouldn't even be </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">that </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">devastated if the Bulldogs defeated his beloved Crimson Tide. If his team <i>has </i>to lose the National Championship, at least they'll be losing against a fellow squad from the Deep South.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I'll be sad," he said, "but at least it's still in the SEC."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And almost perfectly displaying that classic Alabama "lunch pail" ethic, Oden described his rather staid celebratory plans <i>if </i>Alabama won the game. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I'm going to party for a little," he said, "but I've got to go to work in the morning."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>BUSINESS AS USUAL</b> Long-time Crimson Tide fan Darrell Oden said he didn't plan on celebrating Alabama's National Championship win <i>too much </i>- after all, the Birmingham, Ala. resident had work in the morning. (<i>Photo Credit James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="background-color: black; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Shiny Happy People</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">T</b></span>he last time Alabama played against Georgia was 2015, when the traveling Crimson Tide visited Athens, Ga. and steamrolled the Bulldogs <a href="http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=400603879">38-10</a>. Alabama also won two meetings in <a href="http://www.winsipedia.com/games/georgia/vs/alabama">2008 and 2012</a> against Georgia, who haven't</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> bested the Tide on the gridiron since Sept. 2007. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The final score there, rather ominously, <a href="https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-ending-of-this-2007-alabama-georgia-game-was-eerily-similar-to-the-ending-of-the-national-championship-game">was 26-23</a>, UGA.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By 7 p.m. - just an hour before kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium just a few blocks away - Centennial Olympic Park was about as vacant as it had been all day. Blame that on the freezing rain; outside of a lone Atlanta Fire Department tent (complete with a heated air vent tube and several vaping EMTs), there was <i>nowhere </i>for attendees to seek refuge from the elements.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The hum of helicopters could be heard shortly thereafter. As if the massive road block along Northside Drive wasn't a big enough clue, <a href="https://idahostatejournal.com/sports/national/police-secret-service-prep-for-trump-at-atlanta-title-game/article_f8a72ee7-67d1-51b2-8870-730ab96d220f.html">the <i>thousands </i>of law enforcement officers</a> swarming in and around the vicinity was indication that President Donald Trump had officially made his arrival at the Championship Game. Astute onlookers may have even noticed several snipers on top of the buildings adjacent to the park.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The rain subsided an hour later, however, almost as if the gods of the gridiron themselves turned off the great celestial sprinkler in the sky. The fans began trickling back into the park; by kickoff, more than 10,000 people had made their way towards the park's center stage and its enormous (and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescreen#/media/File:Telescreen.png"><i>1984</i>-esque</a>) high-definition screens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is no official estimate for the number of people who visited Centennial Olympic Park for the game-viewing party, but 20,000 may not be an inaccurate guess. Meanwhile, an unscientific poll of the constituents of the event probably would have put the ratio at 80 percent Georgia supporters, 20 percent Alabama fans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And in just four hours, those Bulldogs fans - the ones who have been <i>starving </i>for a championship for nearly four decades - were on the cusp of experiencing the joyous exorcism of 37 seasons worth of disappointment <i>or </i>the single most heartbreaking loss in school history.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was the moment UGA supporter Nathan Jacob had been waiting two decades for. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"We're witnessing history tonight," the 20-year-old Atlanta native said. "A win tonight would mean a lot, not to me, but more the city itself, because of the altitude, the magnitude of the game."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUS4rGcMKQctLD8oMK213V4sulFk-diB3w5FwegYmc1K75ZHDmvCSwIfXnsvUCtHUTlotYSgKE0LpJEHx_TZ2YYXcD-bqzBbVtr7FzHMpccLRMQLk6oSFXM5MMX2LBzH5cpbyqeNwIVsu/s1600/IMG_0707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUS4rGcMKQctLD8oMK213V4sulFk-diB3w5FwegYmc1K75ZHDmvCSwIfXnsvUCtHUTlotYSgKE0LpJEHx_TZ2YYXcD-bqzBbVtr7FzHMpccLRMQLk6oSFXM5MMX2LBzH5cpbyqeNwIVsu/s640/IMG_0707.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>FOR LOVE OF THE GAME</b> Atlantan Nathan Jacob, 20, said he harbored no grudge against Alabama or its fan base. "It's all love with football," he said. "It's just a game where you get to have fun." (<i>Photo Credit James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;">This One Goes Out To The One I Love</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">H</b></span>eading into the big game, both Alabama and Georgia had one loss on their records - each to Auburn. <a href="http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=400933932">Alabama's loss to the Tigers</a> pushed them out of the SEC Championship Game, which pitted Georgia against Auburn in a rematch that, this time around, <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/12/3/16728846/georgia-auburn-sec-championship-game">the Bulldogs easily won</a>. In the four-team playoffs, Georgia just <i>barely </i>got past the Oklahoma Sooners in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Rose_Bowl">one of the most thrilling Rose Bowl games ever played</a>, while Alabama exacted revenge on the team that defeated them at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_College_Football_Playoff_National_Championship"><i>last year's </i>National Championship Game</a>, Clemson, by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Sugar_Bowl">a 24-6 margin</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both teams got to the big dance through a combination of stellar defense and a steady rushing attack. It's the second national title game appearance for Alabama starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, while it's the first for UGA QB Jake Fromm - the true freshman who stepped up to the plate after starter Jacob Eason went down in the first game of the season.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ace up Georgia's sleeve, so to speak, is its one-two rushing combo of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, two talented halfbacks who routinely did their best Bo Jackson in <i>Tecmo Bowl </i>impersonations on luckless defenses throughout the SEC and abroad. Meanwhile, the Tide have their own terrifying twosome in the form of Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough, who combined for 18 touchdowns and 1,796 rushing yards throughout the season.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As expected, defensive play was the name of the game for the first quarter. Fromm was intercepted by Alabama defender Tony Brown on the Bulldogs' first drive, but a missed field goal meant the Tide would give UGA the ball back without putting any points on the scoreboard. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The two teams would exchange punts before Georgia recorded the first field goal of the game in the opening minute of the second quarter. Georgia's defense would force an Alabama three and out, with Bulldogs kicker Rodrigo Blankenship netting a 27-yarder to make it 6-0 Georgia with about seven minutes left before halftime. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alabama would have to punt two more times before Georgia's Mecole Hardman scored the first touchdown of the game on a one-yard run with just seven seconds left on the clock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a comfortable 13-0 lead heading into the second half, not to mention Alabama's seeming inability to pass the ball for half an hour, the UGA faithful treated the halftime Kendrick Lamar performance like a <i>warm-up </i>for the inevitable National Championship celebration.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then, Alabama brought in <i>the Hawaiian</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>GET HYPED</b> The UGA faithful definitely had their heads held high at halftime; the Bulldogs entered the third quarter with a 13-0 lead. (<i>Photo Credit James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;">Talk About The Passion</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">B</b></span>efore the National Championship Game, pretty much the only thing Tua Tagovailoa was known for was the time an Alabama fan asked online whether or not "<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/alabama-fan-concerned-language-barrier-hawaiian-qb-article-1.3493395">the language barrier</a>" would hurt his ability to communicate with his teammates. The 19-year-old 'Ewa Beach native largely served as a clean-up pitcher for Jalen Hurts during the regular season, stepping in as reliever once Alabama had already amassed sizable leads over the likes of Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Mercer. His regular season numbers, while decent, were hardly anything MVP worthy. In seven games, he managed to rack up eight touchdowns and just 470 passing yards.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Needless to say, subbing him in for Jalen Hurts - who had 25 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 yards passing and running the ball over the season - was one of the biggest gambles of Alabama head coach Nick Sabin's career.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But the payoff was almost immediate. Tagovailoa hit Henry Ruggs III for Alabama's first touchdown of the game at around the nine minute mark of the third quarter. While Georgia would make it a 20-7 lead via an 80-yard Mecole Hardman pick up on the ensuing drive, from there on out it was <i>all </i>Alabama.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alabama kicker Andy Pappanastos hit two field goals to make it 20-14, Georgia. And then, with 3:49 left in regulation, Tagovailoa struck again, this time nailing Calvin Ridley for a 7-yard touchdown strike. The follow-up kick tied the game 20-20. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Georgia couldn't get their offense going on their next drive and punted the ball away. Alabama's offense managed to creep down field, with Pappanastos lined up for a game-winning 36-yard field goal with just 0:03 left in regulation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The looks on the faces of the stunned and silenced crowd said it all. After building up a 20-7 lead, the Bulldogs had choked <i>yet again</i>. And Alabama - the veritable Goliath of the college football world - was just seconds away from squashing David <i>in his own backyard</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still, a loud, proud and steady chorus rose up from the Centennial Park crowd. Hoping against hope, thousands of Bulldogs fans began chanting "block that kick" over and over again. And when Pappanastos <i>finally </i>went for that game-clinching kick - he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR03vXUFpWM">Ray Finkled</a> it <i>wide right</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The crowd <i>exploded </i>into a cacophony of cheers. Somehow, someway, the game was headed to overtime. And victory - if but for a few fleeting moments - <i>simply felt inevitable</i>.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>CRIMSON REIGN</b> Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 in overtime to claim their fifth National Championship since 2009; Centennial Park attendees were showered in crimson streamers just moments after the Tide scored the game-winning touchdown. (<i>Photo Credit James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;">Everybody Hurts</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">T</b></span>he coalesced scent of barbecue chicken, cigar smoke, marijuana and spilled whiskey hung in the air as the ceremonial overtime coin toss commenced. Alabama won and elected to defer, meaning Georgia would get the ball first.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For those unfamiliar with the NCAA's overtime rules, it can get a bit convoluted. Unlike the O.T. regulations in other sports organizations, it's not exactly sudden death <i>per se</i>. Indeed, both teams get at least <i>one </i>chance to put points on the scoreboard. In this scenario, Georgia would start the drive at their opponent's 25 yard-line. <i>If </i>they scored a touchdown or made a field goal - and Alabama <i>couldn't </i>on their subsequent possession - then the Bulldogs would be National Champions. But <i>if </i>Georgia didn't walk away with any points, and Alabama recorded a touchdown <i>or </i>a field goal on their first overtime possession, then the Tide would win the whole she-bang.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nick Chubb collected four yards on Georgia's first two plays. And then, Jake Fromm got sacked for a 13-yard-loss - pushing Georgia all the way back to the Alabama 34. That meant bespectacled kicker Blankenship was on deck to boot a 51-yard field goal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The crowd took a collective sigh as Blankenship whacked the pigskin. And they <i>erupted </i>in cheers as soon as the referees raised their arms in the air, signalling the field goal was <i>good</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Georgia had the lead, 23-20. <i>If </i>the defense could stop Alabama on the next drive, the Championship was theirs. But if the Tide scored a touchdown? Then Alabama would become kings of the NCAA world <i>yet again</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alabama's offense lined up at the Georgia 25. Tagovailoa dropped back in the pocket. He scanned downfield for an open receiver, and he got <i>drilled </i>by Jonathan Ledbetter and Davin Bellamy for a 16-yard loss.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The crowd roared. Three more outs, and the 37-year drought is <i>over</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's second and 26 at the Alabama 41 - damn near midfield. Tagovailoa gets the ball, he peers down the sideline and he targets an open man, receiver DeVonta Smith. Smith catches the pitch and he breaks free. He's <i>still </i>running at the 20. The 10. The five. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He just sauntered into the end zone. Alabama wins the game, 26-23.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bright red fireworks explode in the sky. And a shower of crimson streamers rain down on the crestfallen Centennial Park attendees.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not only did they lose the National Championship (in the process, squandering a 20-7 lead), they lost in <i>overtime </i>in their home state, just 72 miles west of Samford Stadium in Athens, Ga.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And if that wasn't bad enough? As the devastated Bulldogs' faithful began filing out of the park with their heads hung low, the P.A. system started blaring the <i>ultimate </i>insult to injury.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Deep in the bustling heart of the financial and cultural capital of the entire Southeast - not to mention the Bulldogs' own backyard - "Sweet Home Alabama" <i>echoed </i>throughout Downtown Atlanta.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><b>BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR? </b>Although stunned by Alabama's come from behind victory, many UGA fans have no hard feelings against the Tide or the school's supporters. "I have nothing I will say bad about Alabama," Doyle said, "because they're our boys and guys, too." (Photo Credit James Swift)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: black;">It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: black;">I</b></span>t's a cliche, but for once, it's actually an apt description. Heading down Techwood Drive, one literally <i>could </i>hear a pin drop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Red and black bedecked fans marched down the streets, totally silent. They either didn't notice the AR-15-toting police officers doing traffic detail or were too dejected to care. There was the occasional jawing between opposing tribes - more than one "we'll kick your ass <i>next year!</i>" was overheard - but for the most part, the beaten and battered Bulldogs fans were still stunned and <i>speechless</i>. In a blink of an eye, <i>37 years' worth </i>of penned-up joy vanished into thin air. Instead of exorcising the demons of seasons' past, the UGA faithful experienced the most demoralizing loss in the 126-year history of the school's football program. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As it turns out, "their year" ended the same way it has for the last 37 seasons - with dashed dreams, and a dire, desperate yearning for <i>an end to the misery</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As crushed as they may be, however, some Bulldogs fans foster no ill will towards the triumphant Tide. Jacob, for one, says he has no hard feelings against Alabama, nor their fans.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"It's all love with football," he said. "It's just a game where you get to have fun."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The sentiment is echoed by Doyle. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I have nothing I will say bad about Alabama, because they're our boys and guys, too," he said. "And when I say my prayers, I ask my Heavenly Father to bless all the guys who play that contact sport."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While Doyle may not have had the opportunity to crack open those two bottles of celebratory champagne like he hoped, he still says he is grateful to see UGA make it <i>this far</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I'm still going to feel good because they were <i>there</i>," he said. "They have earned their spot tremendously. It has shown all over Georgia, and other states as well."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.georgiadogs.com/news/2017/11/16/football-31-uga-seniors-to-be-honored.aspx">With more than 30 seniors exiting the team in the offseason</a>, the odds of Georgia returning to the Championship Game in 2019 may seem a tad <i>too </i>ambitious. But, then again, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR03vXUFpWM">the know-it-alls at </a><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR03vXUFpWM">ESPN</a> </i>said UGA didn't have a prayer of making it to the <i>SEC Championship Game </i>this past season, let alone all the way to the NCAA title game.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Only time will tell if the Bulldogs rebound or regress. Despite the loss, however, at least UGA fans can <i>say </i>they were there to witness one of the most thrilling college football championship games in history. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And you better believe they're </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">already </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">anxiously </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">counting down the days until Sept. 1 and the first game of the 2018 campaign. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hope springs eternal</span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">everywhere else, but in UGA country?</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Hope doesn't even bother showing up until </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">fall</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Uncommon Journalism, 2018</span></div>
Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-82224910146171973372017-11-18T14:50:00.002-08:002017-11-18T14:50:11.046-08:00Courting Controversy: An Interview with One of Ireland's Most Infamous Escorts<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Who <i>is </i>the woman behind the viral GAA sex scandal video? 'Fifi' bares all in this exclusive <i>Uncommon Journalism </i>interview.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>THE WOMAN OF THE HOUR: </b>'Fifi' became an overnight sensation when footage of her performing a raunchy act at a Gaelic Athletics Association celebration went viral. In an exclusive interview with <i>Uncommon Journalism</i>, she tells a different story than what many publications in Ireland have reported - and admits that the Ballyragget incident was her first time engaging in prostitution.</span></td></tr>
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<br /><a name='more'></a><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">By: </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Geraldine Comiskey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:GeraldineComiskey@gmail.com">GeraldineComiskey@gmail.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/GerComiskey">@GerComiskey</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2tqMuT9lP2hbKWK4lvKdbLFVRKWzIVH1xKyhGe8gIUX1Dw3TFIBLi97ELFni3pnrKMBv3YxAC8V5iQlKQ7QS1CMsKdwZPYME7_RFJ4Cy_j_J8XQvs2yLBzn94fDTCA36zzpHD_F6qdM_/s1600/ComiskeyLineOne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2tqMuT9lP2hbKWK4lvKdbLFVRKWzIVH1xKyhGe8gIUX1Dw3TFIBLi97ELFni3pnrKMBv3YxAC8V5iQlKQ7QS1CMsKdwZPYME7_RFJ4Cy_j_J8XQvs2yLBzn94fDTCA36zzpHD_F6qdM_/s1600/ComiskeyLineOne.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>S</b></span>he shocked a whole nation and gained international notoriety with her raunchy antics at a party with sporting champions in a rural Irish village.<br /><br />The naked blonde known only as “Fifi” was seen dipping her massive breasts into their trophy – and performing a sex act on a semi-naked young man – at an after-hours party in a local pub in late October.<br /><br />The footage, <a href="https://www.thesun.ie/news/1718046/shocking-images-emerge-of-revellers-from-wild-celebration-party-with-strippers-after-kilkenny-gaa-club-lifts-county-final-cup/">which went viral</a>, showed male members of Ballyragget-based St. Patrick's Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA) celebrating their team’s victory over neighboring village Graigue Ballycallan. Both villages are in the rural heartland of County Kilkenny where the sport of “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurling">hurling</a>” is the main sporting activity. For many residents, the local team's' victory in the Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship was the most exciting thing that had happened in the area – until Fifi and another naked blonde woman showed up.<br /><br />A police investigation was launched after Fifi told journalists she was paid €400 for sex . The local sporting organization, Kilkenny GAA County Board, is also holding a separate inquiry into the matter.<br /><br />Even the local Catholic clergy got involved, <a href="https://www.buzz.ie/gaa/priest-offers-confession-people-involved-ballyragget-scandal-259785">with parish priest Father Tom Murphy denouncing the debauchery from the pulpit at mass the Sunday following the incident</a> – he also suggested that the young men might want to go to confession after their night of sin.<br /><br />Now Fifi reveals more about her life in an exclusive <i>Uncommon Journalism</i> interview.<br /><br />She had previously told reporters that she was an Italian accountant from Naples who had taken up stripping because it paid better than her old career – and was more fun.<br /><br />But Fifi (who still refuses to reveal her real name) painted a picture of a rather less carefree life - and she claimed that the Ballyragget party gave her her first taste of prostitution.<br /><br />Fifi laughed when she was reminded of the event, which she said was not her first. She added that she had been very busy with clients since then but wouldn’t reveal details.<br /><br />However, speaking in Italian – which she admitted was <i>not</i> her native language – Fifi told a very different story to the one she had told reporters interviewing her in English. “I know a little Italian”, she said. “If you speak softly-<i>softly</i>, I can understand.”<br /><br />In response to questions in Italian, she said she had grown up in Romania and spent a lot of her life in Germany. Her only connection with Italy was that she believed her father came from Naples.<br /><br />When asked what she had done for a living before taking up stripping and prostitution, Fifi said she had worked in various jobs in “offices and restaurants” in Germany – she didn’t mention accountancy this time.<br /><br />“Some of my friends invited me to come to Ireland. I came to Ireland two years ago. I came because I was offered work as a babysitter. In Dublin, yes. It was not well paid. I was paid little – little! I had to do everything in the house for little.”<br /><br />She soon switched to a more lucrative career: stripping at lads’ parties such as the one in Ballyragget. "Some of my friends suggested it [stripping]. It was fun and I got paid.”<br /><br />Her page on the <i>Escort Ireland</i> website describes her as “naughty and hot,” aged 33, five-foot-seven with a natural 40E bust and a shaved pubic area.<br /><br />But Fifi says her introduction to prostitution happened at the Ballyragget party, which locals claim was a 21st birthday party which just happened to coincide with the victory celebrations.<br /><br />Fifi says she never dreamed that she would be performing a sex act on a young man in front of his friends that night. It had all started innocently enough when she and her friend were hired to strip, and Fifi gamely agreed to dip her massive boobs in the championship cup.<br /><br />Asked how she felt, stripping off while surrounded by a large number of young drunk men, she said “there were 20, 25 lads – they were nice. It was all fine.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And as to how she felt about being a prostitute as opposed to a stripper? “It’s not bad,” she said.<br /><br />Asked if she thought the fee of €400 (which she claimed she was paid) was very little for stripping, let alone providing sexual services, she said "yes, it was little, but it became something more! It started with me stripping. They took photos."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"After a short time, it became something much bigger!” she laughed.<br /><br />While her Escort Ireland profile lists a wide range of sex acts including oral sex without a condom, she strongly denied that she performs without a condom. “No! Never without a condom. There are many girls – thousands of escorts – who do that. I don’t do it. No! Never!”<br /><br />However, she admitted she was worried about her health if she continues to work as a prostitute. “Yes, it does worry me sometimes.”<br /><br />She said she worked alone, for herself and with friends. She was based in an apartment in Kilkenny when she was hired to attend the Ballyragget party, but shortly after that she said she was moving to Cork. Her Escort Ireland page lists her current location as Mallow, County Cork – but as of Nov. 8, 2017, she said she was now living </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“near Athlone” and was planning to move to Belfast shortly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />She said she didn’t know if her parents, sister and brother back in Romania were aware of her Irish career. “My mama and papa – they wouldn’t be in agreement with [her current career].”<br /><br />Had they seen the footage of the Ballyragget party? “I hope not.” But it was all over the papers and the internet. “They don’t read the papers," she said. "They don’t look at the internet.”<br /><br />She said she had not been questioned by <a href="http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=5416&">Gardai</a> and didn’t expect to. “I have done nothing wrong.”<br /><br />However, Fifi said she would gladly accept “normal work” - and would love a television presenting gig.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><i>Unncommon Journalism</i>, 2017</span></div>
Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-26687625755932828692017-10-07T15:57:00.001-07:002017-10-07T15:57:48.382-07:00An Indie Game Designer Survivial Guide<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Uncommon Journalism</b> speaks with two software developers about the trials and tribulations of making - and monetizing - independently-produced video games in the iPhone era.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>THE NEW GATEKEEPER </b>Steam, the world's largest PC gaming digital distribution platform, is praised for allowing indie developers an opportunity to market their software - and condemned for its laissez-faire approach to quality control and lack of support for up-and-coming developers and publishers.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>By:</b> James Swift</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en">@UNJournalism</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>B</b></span>ack in the 1980s, if you wanted to play a video game you'd just hop on down to the local arcade with a roll of quarters and blast away <i>Space Invaders </i>to your heart's content. In the 1990s, practically every major retailer in America sold <i>some </i>kind of video game, be it home console cartridges, CD-ROM discs or portable units. And if you wanted to get your game on in the 2000s, GameStops were about as ubiquitous as Starbucks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But in the wake of the iPhone's release in 2009, how people play - and purchase - video games has radically changed. According to <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/the-global-games-market-will-reach-108-9-billion-in-2017-with-mobile-taking-42/">Newzoo's 2017 Global Games Market Report</a>, mobile gaming now represents 42 percent of the entire video gaming market, with its annual segment revenue of $46.1 billion eclipsing both the total PC video game sales ($29.4 billion) and traditional dedicated console sales ($33.5 billion) anticipated for this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, the type of hardware <i>most </i>consumers are using to get their game on isn't the only paradigm shift over the last decade. Today, digital game revenues now account for roughly 87 percent of <i>all </i>video game sales - a projected sum that comes out to about $94 billion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alas, despite the monumental uptick in video game sales, the great leap to mobile gaming and digital downloads hasn't exactly been a boon for game designers and publishers. While the direct download route certainly saves money on physical distribution costs, many companies large and small have struggled to turn a profit in the digital realm. Case in point? While about 370 million games were downloaded via Valve Corporation's Steam digital distribution platform last year, the median sales volume averaged out to a little more than 6,000 sales per game. In the end, <a href="https://galyonk.in/steam-sales-in-2016-def2a8ab15f2">the average game released on Steam generated just $25,000</a> - not exactly stellar numbers when <a href="https://galyonk.in/steam-sales-in-2016-def2a8ab15f2">the aggregate mobile casual game costs <i>at least </i>$50,000 to develop</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But that hasn't deterred many small-time developers - including some <i>one-person teams </i>- from trying their hand at independent gaming greatness. Recently, <i>Uncommon Journalism </i>spoke with two indie game developers about what it takes to finance, create and ultimately distribute their own software in today's digital download economy - and what casual players and up-and-coming game designers alike can expect (and learn) from their latest product launches.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>KICKING IT OLD SCHOOL </b>Esperware Interactive's <i>Anathema</i>, targeted for a 2019 release, is a loving tribute to the heavies of late '80s and early 90's action-platforming, such as <i>Castlevania </i>and <i>Ghouls 'n Ghosts</i>. (Photo courtesy Esperware Interactive)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Castlevania</i>, Alabama</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span></b>hen most people dwell upon video gaming hotbeds, the suburbs of Birmingham, Ala., probably aren't the first thing that comes to mind. But <a href="https://twitter.com/esperware?lang=en">Esperware Interactive</a> is looking to put The Magic City on the gaming map with their latest project, <i><a href="https://www.anathemagame.com/">Anathema</a></i>, which pays homage to one of the most beloved old-school arcade-action franchises of all-time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"When we first started development at the end of 2014, it was very much a straight to the point <i>Castlevania </i>clone," said lead project designer and developer Matthew Lucas. "You had the slow, trudgey movement, everything to the 'T' pretty much was <i>Castlevania</i>."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fan feedback on Steam, however, convinced Esperware to make some alterations. "We revamped it, we tried to make it faster and we looked at inspiration from other games," Lucas said. "It feels familiar, hopefully, but it hopefully feels like its own thing at times, or most of the time."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The current incarnation of Esperware has been around for about three years. Earlier, Lucas' crew produced a handful of games under a different company name, including a puzzle game for mobile platforms. Before that, Lucas produced a full-fledged fan game titled <i>Castlevania: The Bloodletting</i>, itself inspired by a cancelled Konami game planned for the ill-fated Sega 32X platform.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although inspired by titles like <i>Symphony of the Night</i>, Lucas said <i>Anathema </i>- which revolves around antagonist Aurora Delacroix, who is graced with "the divine powers" of Death itself -<i> </i>isn't just another pixel art <i>MetroidVania </i>imitator. "We're more level by level based, similar to <i>Super Castlevania IV, Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, </i>the old <i>Ninja Gaiden </i>games on the NES," he said. "We're going for a more arcade game type of game, rather than the game where you explore and power-up and adventure through."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lucas said both the pre-rendered graphics and voice acting - which includes talents like Aimee Smith of <i>Freedom Planet </i>fame and video game voiceover veteran Duffy Webber - help differentiate <i>Anathema </i>from similar titles. He anticipates the final product - slated for a 2019 release - to include about a dozen levels and offer roughly two hours' worth of gameplay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Counting testers and additional freelancers, Lucas said about 10 people are working or have worked on the game (which, as of summer 2017, he said was around 25 percent complete.) "Since we're mostly just three people on the main development, it's a little slower than we would like," he said, "but we would rather take our time and do it right than just rush it out."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lucas described the process of getting the game listed through Steam's Greenlight program, the predecessor to the Steam Direct developer program that went live in June 2017. "You had to pay $100 and list your game and get enough community support and votes that people would be interested in buying your game," he said. "There's not really a set amount of votes you have to have, though, it's always been a big grey area." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being an indie developer has its pros, Lucas said, providing the freedom to go against the grain of industry trends and conventions. "We can make the game the kind of game we want to make without having to answer to a publisher," he said. "You can see your visions come to life and I feel like there's more reward that comes with the risk." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still, Lucas said money constrains "every aspect" of the game development process. "It makes you keep your projects a little bit smaller in scale," he said, "and generally, less people are willing to give you a chance." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As far as funding streams go, Lucas said Esperware is targeting a hard $14.99 price point. If they choose to go the downloadable content route, he said the extra levels will be provided <i>gratis</i>. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"We do not believe in microtransactions, subscriptions, season passes, ads, any of that," he said. "We like the old-school way of 'you pay for a game, you own it, you play it.'"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lucas said the company also plans on selling a game soundtrack to subsidize development costs. And while Esperware hasn't committed to a crowdfunding campaign yet, he said he does believe it will be utilized as the game draws nearer to completion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"We have talked about Kickstarter, but that's in the distant future," he said. "Right now, we're just funding it out of our own pockets, from our day jobs."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>LIGHTING IT UP </b>The recently released <i>Glyph's Apprentice </i>isn't just the first offering from inSPIRE Games, it's the first game ever designed, developed and produced by Scott Kingdon - who was also the lone programmer to work on the title. (Photo courtesy inSPIRE Games)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A One-Man Show in Canada</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>W</b></span>hen Scott Kingdon says <i><a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/592120/Glyphs_Apprentice/">Glyph's Apprentice </a></i>is "his game," he means it - not only did his own imprint, <a href="http://www.inspiregames.co/">inSPIRE Games</a>, produce it, he was the <i>sole employee </i>to work on the project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"This is my first foray into the video game market," he said. "It was just me, and occasionally my stepfather, who's also a programmer, would help out with some of the more technical details."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The one-player PC title, which was released in early 2017, is the first full-length game Kingdon has developed. "I was a website developer before, and I did that working on various contracts, mostly for the government, in different departments," he said. "I've always had a passion for telling stories and technology, and I just thought video games are the perfect fit for that ... I just knew I couldn't ignore my desires anymore, I had to make that leap."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kingdon certainly aimed high in his first outing as video game designer. His debut title is a complex puzzle game in which players have to transform "raw energy" into specific patterns using a wide array of in-game tools. Kingdon describes the gameplay as similar to coding, albeit with a less perplexing interface. "It's a deeply engrossing solving game, using simple programming to animate game objects," one inSPIRE Games Facebook post describes it. "There are over 70 levels, each with a near infinite number of solutions."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kingdon said he spent about seven months working on the core elements of the game. Perhaps indicating just how complex and intricate <i>Glyphs' Apprentice </i>is, Kingdon said it took him even longer - a full year - to complete the game's tutorial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In sharp contrast to the genre's routine <i>Tetris</i>-inspired components, players in <i>Glyph's Apprentice </i>are tasked with assembling virtual energy-mining contraptions, which closely resemble cybernetic arms. In action, the game takes on a unique rhythmic quality - representing, perhaps, what automated assembly lines in the world of <i>Tron </i>might resemble.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Whereas other puzzle games are mostly about twitch action and pure reflex skills, Kingdon said <i>Glyph's Apprentice </i>is more cerebrally demanding - indeed, he imagines some players sinking hours into solving just <i>one</i> of the game's almost six dozen stages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I think a lot of people like that you have to use your creativity and your intelligence," he said. "It's a visually interesting game, and [players] really like how the game challenges you."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Like Lucas and his Esperware compatriots, Kingdon launched the game via Steam's Greenlight program. He hasn't turned to crowdfunding or downloadable content as a revenue stream, but he said he is open to possibly porting the title to mobile platforms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kingdon, however, isn't content with resting on his virtual laurels. Indeed, he's already started the groundwork on his next game, which he described as a more ambitious space adventure. "There's a steep learning curve," Kingdon said. "Making video games on your own is extremely hard, [but] <i>Glyph's Apprentice </i>taught me a lot, and that was what it was meant for."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the advent of digital download gaming and online distribution networks like Steam has been a boon for developers like Kingdon, simply being able to sell games directly to consumers hasn't solved one of the most difficult aspects of indie game publishing - garnering <i>publicity</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although designing and developing </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Glyph's Apprentice </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was a daunting task</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, Kingdon said advertising the title is where the </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">real </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">challenge kicks in. "It's hard to make a game," he said, "but the marketing is even harder."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Game Over?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>T</b></span>he <a href="https://twitter.com/Steam_Spy/status/908305432858513409">data provided by digital download watchdog </a><i><a href="https://twitter.com/Steam_Spy/status/908305432858513409">Steam Spy</a> </i>doesn't paint a rosy portrait for small-time developers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From 2015 to 2017, the volume of titles classified as "indie games" released on Steam exploded from 450 to 1,107. Alas, while overall sales have increased by nearly 50 percent (going from 1.9 million downloads in 2015 </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to 2.8 million in 2017), median sales have dropped from 229 to 155 per title, while median revenue has plummeted by nearly three-fourths. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the aggregate indie game publisher could expect to net around $1,248 in Steam revenue two years ago, the median projection today is a paltry $341.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-reaches-new-concurrent-user-record/1100-6431895/">more than 12 million users</a> purchasing <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/263003/Steam_Spy_Last_year_the_paid_Steam_games_market_hit_35_billion.php">more than $3 billion worth of software each year,</a> Steam is far and away the largest digital distribution channel for PC gaming, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-04/valve-lines-up-console-partners-in-challenge-to-microsoft-sony">with some estimates giving it north of a 75 percent market share of all PC gaming sales</a>. In a rather ironic twist of fate, some industry analysts have likened <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/10/03/valve-pulls-200-shovelware-titles-from-steam-shutting-down-developer">the high volume of software flooding through Steam</a> to the avalanche of "shovelware" <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19821212&id=L2tWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q-kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1609,4274079&hl=en">that buried the Atari 2600</a> in the early 1980s. And much the same way a surfeit of subpar titles crippled that platform, <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/JoseAntonioAndujar/20170927/306592/Steam_Bye_bye_Indie_developer_welcome_copycat_games.php">many video game insiders are now fearful that a glut of lackluster games on Valve's platform is lessening the likelihood that quality independent games will find an audience</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still, </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Steam Spy </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">founder Sergey Galyonkin says the Steam Direct program is a marginal improvement over Greenlight. "In my opinion, the intent here is good: let anyone publish the game and have a chance to succeed," he said. "The issues arise from the slow process of post-moderation. I think Valve should focus on better tools for users to report bad agent (fake games and so on.)"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although Galyonkin considers Steam's the most accessible platform for indie developers, he also said fledgling game designers and publishers would be wise to diversify their distribution plans. "Small-time developers are already in a disadvantageous position," he said, "so it makes sense for them to hedge their bets and think about mobile platforms and consoles."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But there are certainly many Steam-powered success stories, such as <i>Stardew Valley</i>,<a href="https://stardewvalley.net/"> a farming-RPG developed by a sole programmer who invested four years into the project</a>, and <i>Cuphead</i>, <a href="http://www.cupheadgame.com/">a 2D action-shooter passion project brought to life by two Canadian siblings who worked on the title for almost seven years</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"<i>Cuphead </i>might not be the best bullet-hell/platformer but it sure stands out thanks to amazing visuals," Galyonkin said. "<i>Stardew Valley </i>looks bland at best, but its deep gameplay and author's dedication to the community are what made the game successful."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Designers don't necessarily have to strive for a perfect balance between style and substance, Galyonkin said. The critical and financial success of the aforementioned games, he said, is proof that indie games don't have to be all-around technical masterpieces to earn rave reviews - or rake in tremendous sales. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I think it's vital to nail one thing perfect than many things just good," he concluded. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Would </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Cuphead </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">do as well with 8-bit retro-graphics? Would <i>Stardew Valley</i> succeed with slightly less good gameplay? I don't think so."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Uncommon Journalism</i>, 2017.</span></td></tr>
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</div>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-47590877812522487652017-06-22T17:04:00.001-07:002017-06-22T17:18:05.561-07:00A Video Game Valhalla (With No Quarters Necessary)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Uncommon Journalism</i><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">speaks with the co-founder of Atlanta's Southern-Fried Gameroom Expo about the appeal of retro gaming to old school hobbyists and iPhone-weaned youngsters alike.</span></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>By: </b>James Swift</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en">@UNJournalism</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>C</b></span>lose to 100 people squeezed themselves into a side room at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel on the morning of June 10. Onstage was video gaming royalty - <i>Pac-Man </i>world record holder <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flj8qbuR-Mc">Billy Mitchell</a> and Twin Galaxies founder <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Og-oeXpWU&t">Walter Day</a>, both of whom were featured prominently in the 2007 documentary <i><a href="http://uncommonjournalism.blogspot.com/2015/06/a-video-interview-with-billy-mitchell.html">King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters</a></i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In between them stood a five-foot, box-shaped object draped underneath a dark-colored veil.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dressed in a speckless white suit, Mitchell - who supplied bottles of his company's hot sauce for <i>every </i>single attendee at the weekend-long <a href="http://southernfriedgameroomexpo.com/">Southern-Fried Gameroom Expo</a> - recounted a visit to the Nintendo of America headquarters in Seattle in the 1980s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Anytime I spoke of it, people just scratched their heads and didn't remember anything," he reminisced</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The guys who we traveled there with, who were there in the break room with us, I said 'remember when we played </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sky Skipper</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">?' - 'no, no' - so I mean there was nobody even to speak to of it."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The "lost" game Mitchell referenced is a 1981 Nintendo arcade title that was never mass-produced. While emulated versions of <i>Sky Skipper </i>have leaked on the Internet, only a scant few gamers were ever afforded the opportunity to play the game as originally intended.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That is, until that afternoon in Atlanta. E</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">nter Alex Crowley and Whitney Roberts of the <a href="https://www.skyskipperproject.com/">Sky Skipper Project</a>. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>THE BIG REVEAL </b>From left, Alex Crowley,<br />Whitney Roberts, Billy Mitchell and Walter Day marvel<br />at the refurbished <i>Sky Skipper </i>arcade cabinet.<br />(Photo Credit: <i>James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I never thought in my wildest dreams that this little game would take me all the way to the good old United States," said Crowley, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/OWLT509">a Britain-based YouTuber</a>. "I'd seen pictures of <i>Sky Skipper</i> - fliers, black and white fliers and marquees - but I'd never actually seen a full-sized, upright cabinet, and I didn't even know if it existed."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few years ago Crowley connected with fellow Nintendo-enthusiast Whitney Roberts. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcyzk-uoSkc">They soon joined forces to bring the 36-year-old coin-op back to life</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Getting the boards was the first major accomplishment," Crowley told the audience. "There were many times where we didn't know if we were actually going to be able to finish this, and even put it on stage for everybody to see." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The lights dimmed and Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra" - a.k.a, the theme from <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i> and the longtime entrance theme of pro wrestler Ric Flair - started pumping through the audio system.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"We went through, we rebuilt an extra monitor, we rebuilt an extra power supply, Alex brought his extra board set," Roberts said. "The only thing we did not duplicate was the cabinet itself, and I don't know if we would live through another one of those." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The crowd counted down. Three. Two. One. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Roberts and Crowley gently yanked off the black sheet. As soon as the arcade game's bright, baby blue veneer became visible, the audience howled. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"We have contact," Crowley declared. "It lives."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What's Old is New Again</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>THE MAN WITH THE PLAN </b>Southern-Fried Gameroom Expo co-founder Preston Burt, 36, said the annual event is one of the most "fan-driven" conventions out there. (Photo credit: <i>James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>T</b></span>he literal resurrection of <i>Sky Skipper </i>serves as something of a metaphor for the Southern-Fried Gameroom Expo as a whole. For the last four years the event has drawn thousands of old school gamers and retro hobbyists to the metro-Atlanta area, offering attendees a chance to relive the glory days of such anachronistic amusement as pinball parlors and video game arcades.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I started the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/atlpinball/">Atlanta Pinball League</a> awhile ago," said expo co-founder Preston Burt. "The network of collectors and hobbyists that I've met realized that there wasn't an expo, or games-on-location, or really any way to play games like these except in people's basements." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Five years ago, Burt and five of his friends began the groundwork on what would eventually become the Southern-Fried Gameroom Expo (SFGE.) "We did a little bit of a Kickstarter," the 36-year-old Gainesville, Ga. resident said. "I had some support because I do have a podcast called <i><a href="http://gameroomjunkies.com/">Gameroom Junkies</a></i> ... we have an audience kind of built in to advertise and market this to."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first expo, held at the Marriott Century Center in Decatur, Ga. in 2014, focused exclusively on vintage video gaming - i.e., arcade offerings, pinball units and vintage home consoles. All of the machines - including a few wheeled in from Burt's personal collection - were set to freeplay mode, with the admission fee negating the need for attendees to bulk up on spare change before hitting the show floor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://uncommonjournalism.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-pinball-giver.html">The expo changed venues to the more spacious Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel in 2016, which is just a few yards away from the new Atlanta Braves baseball stadium</a>. The move allowed the expo to add a tabletop gaming component to the festivities, beef up the number of coin-ops on display and even add professional wrestling to its official lineup of extracurricular activities (which also includes cosplay contests, musical performances and film screenings.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Last year, we had just around 3,000," Burt said. "Looking at ticket sales, I think we're probably going to be safe to say we have 3,400 to 3,500 people this year." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The First Rock Star Video Game Designer</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>A LIVING LEGEND </b>Programmer David Crane is<br />responsible for some of the most popular Atari 2600<br />games of all-time, including <i>Pitfall! </i>and <i>Kaboom!</i><br />(Photo Credit: <i>James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>T</b></span>he expo isn't just a chance for attendees to wax nostalgic on such 2D classics as <i>After Burner </i>and <i>Wizard of Wor</i>, though. It also gives a platform to some of the most illustrious figures in the history of video gaming, such as Activision co-founder David Crane, to discuss the early days of the interactive medium.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"When we founded Activision, we didn't own any arcade games or arcade licenses, so we had to create original concepts from the beginning,"<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSWB7kpCvrM&t=1s"> Crane said at a panel discussion</a>. "That was kind of the design philosophy ... we left Atari because they didn't recognize the creative work that went into a video game and treated us like nameless engineers in the back."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crane would go on to create some of the most memorable games on the Atari 2600, including <i>Pitfall!</i>, <i>Kaboom! </i>and <i>Freeway</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The Atari 2600 could render 128 colors, we used six, seven of them, maybe," he said. "People would look at it and say 'that looks so much better than your competition,' and they couldn't see why - it's a single scan line of black that made it just look better."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Programmers constantly struggled to overcome the console's hardware limitations. "Two players, eight bits, two missiles and a ball was all that it wanted to put on the screen," Crane said. "I'd spend six weeks sometimes making a new trick for what the 2600 could do and they didn't know it could do." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Often, he said Activision developed games <i>around </i>technological tricks and hardware workarounds. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He cites the cars in </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Grand Prix </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- which were 16 times larger than the tanks in the console pack-in game </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Combat </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- as among his greatest engineering feats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 1986, Crane left Activision and co-founded Absolute Entertainment. After developing the cult NES classic <i>A Boy and His Blob</i>, he largely worked on licensed Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis and Game Boy titles based on properties like <i>The Simpsons </i>and <i>Home Improvement</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"There was a tremendous amount of back-end work that you have to do," he said. "You're limited by the size of the ROM every single time ... so we're writing custom image compressors, we're writing all kinds of strange things we have to do just to make those games work, and the next console that comes out - now it's the Super Nintendo - we've got to start <i>all over again</i>."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the mid '90s and 2000s Crane mostly worked with Skyworks Interactive on "adver-games" for brands like Nabisco and Life Savers. He attempted a comeback in 2012 with <i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jungleventure/david-cranes-jungle-adventure-0">Jungle Adventure</a></i>, but the project was scuttled after it failed to meet its $900,000 crowdfunding goal. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With $1 as the floor for iPhone and iPad apps, Crane said he had serious apprehensions about the profitability - and sustainability - of small developers producing games on today's mobile platforms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Crane concluded his presentation by recounting his experience consulting on the infamous full-motion-video Sega CD release </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Night Trap </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Trap#Controversy">a controversial title that drew the wrath of Capitol Hill and lead to the development of an industry-wide video game ratings system</a>. Interestingly, the game actually began life as a title on Hasbro's never-released Control-Vision system -<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control-Vision"> a device consumers could connect to their VCRs to effectively "play" live-action video cassettes</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"It was a B-horror movie with scantily-clad women as the bait they put on those movies being eaten by vampires," <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PZaAmNi8bk">Crane said</a>. "I'm credited on that game, but I was in the office for two hours helping them out."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Patriarch of Pinball</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>THE PINBALL WIZARD </b>Not only is Roger Sharpe<br />one of the most famous pinball players in history, he also<br />helped design such classic machines as <i>Sharpshooter </i>and<br /><i>Barracoro</i>. (Photo Credit: <i>James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span>nyone who has played a pinball machine in New York owes more than a grain of gratitude to Roger Sharpe. As hard as it may be to believe, <a href="http://kotaku.com/pinball-was-once-illegal-5899281">pinball was actually illegal in many cities prior to the 1980s</a>, with local legislatures deeming the devices illegal gambling machines. In 1976, the City of New York overturned their anti-pinball ordinance when Sharpe lugged several pinball units into the council chambers and - <a href="http://www.cc.com/video-clips/8in5tp/drunk-history-pinball-prohibition">with one forecalled ramp shot</a> - proved once and for all that pinball was a game of skill as opposed to chance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"As any of us get older, we wind up thinking about things in different contexts," <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6Vu_vdUZxk">Sharpe said</a>. "In Chicago, where I grew up, pinball was illegal ... I thought about it in the context that if I had grown up any other place - let's say I had grown up in Madison, Wisc., where I went to school and pinball was around - I never would've did what I done." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sharpe isn't just a world-famous pinball player, however. In addition to literally writing <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pinball-Roger-C-Sharpe/dp/0525179755">the authoritative book on pinball history</a>, he also helped design numerous old-school classics, including <i>Sharpshooter, Barracoro </i>and <i>Cyclopes</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His children, Zach and Josh Sharpe - both of whom attended the presentation as audience members - carry on their father's legacy as two of world's top-ranked pinball competitors today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The landscape of pinball has changed dramatically since the 1990s, when Sharpe helped manufacturers such as Bally's and Midway weed through potential licenses (among other credits, Sharpe said he was single-handedly responsible for Midway picking up the rights to <i>The Shadow</i> - deemed one of the best units of the decade - over I.P.s such as <i>Stargate </i>and <i>Maverick</i>.) </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All of the major pinball companies of yesteryear, save for the Chicago-based Stern, have gone under or abandoned the market. During the presentation, Sharpe shared his thoughts on the controversial <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinball_2000">Pinball 2000</a> systems, whose market failure led to Williams' exit from the hardware business.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Do I think if Pinball 2000, if it had been allowed to survive, if that would've changed things?" he posed. "No, and I say that not necessarily emphatically - the biggest problem pinball had and still has is technicians."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With scant arcades remaining in the market, Sharpe said manufacturers are extremely limited with placement options.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Businesses out there just are not willing to invest the time and effort necessary to take care of something that - oh my God - will actually appreciate in value," he said. "There are barcades now and all these other things - if you go in and you go in front of that pinball machine and that pinball machine has lights out and malfunctioning flippers, something not working, the sound turned down, what's your reaction going to be, young or old? You're reaction is going to be 'what's everybody talking about?'"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While Sharpe said he was impressed by the newer wave of pinball games - ones that include high-definition video screens, among other innovations - he nonetheless feels less than optimistic about the business of pinball. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The problem," he concluded his presentation, "is we're not growing the market."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Why Retro Gaming Matters</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>A BLAST FROM THE PAST </b>Video game historian Walter Day compared SFGE to a virtual archaeological dig. "</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">This is a video game collector's version of scientists actually doing the research, making the discoveries and now publishing for everyone to see," he said. "Finding something that otherwise was forgotten, bringing it back to life [and] putting it all together." (Photo Credit: <i>James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span></b>hile Burt was a little too young to experience the golden age of arcade gaming, he nonetheless cherishes his experiences playing <i>Street Fighter II </i>down at the local corner shop in his youth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I remember putting my quarter up on the edge of the control panel waiting my turn and realizing I was actually good enough at the game to beat someone who was an adult," Burt reminisced. "Here I was, this 12-year-old kid, showing them who's the boss on this video game - it was pretty empowering, and I will never forget that."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While competition remains the root of video gaming - <a href="https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/esports-revenues-will-reach-696-million-in-2017/">the eSports industry is expected to top $1.5 billion by the time the decade ends</a> - Burt contends that the joy of retro gaming lies in its socializing aspects. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Retro gaming is a big phenomenon partly because people are nostalgic for their childhood youth and the people who were kids at the time want to reconnect with their past," he said. "But part of it is also because a little bit of that social atmosphere ... going to the mall and having the arcade as a place to go with your friends, that's totally lost."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Burt's sentiments are echoed by Walter Day - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APzvvG9dfuo">the referee-shirt-bedecked gaming historian who compared the expo to a virtual archaeological dig</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"A lot of you people have actually become what we can technically call historians, but it's sort of snuck up on you without you realizing, because you were just doing what was dear to your hearts," he told SFGE attendees. "This is a video game collector's version of scientists actually doing the research, making the discoveries and now publishing for everyone to see ... finding something that otherwise was forgotten, bringing it back to life [and] putting it all together."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>AN EXTRA LIFE </b>SFGE Co-founder Preston Burt says<br />it isn't just nostalgia that brought more than 3,000<br />people to this year's event - it's also the socialization <br>aspect. (Photo Credit: <i>James Swift</i>)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While most of the retro arcade and console classics can easily be emulated on P.C.s and mobile devices, Burt said playing a physical arcade cabinet or pinball machine provides an entirely different user experience - and one that's perfect for family bonding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Every year, there are kids who come who have never seen a pinball machine," he said. "So it's a chance for parents to connect and instill not only a love of gaming but a better understanding of the parents as children for their children."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although Burt said he would love to expand SFGE, he feels the Atlanta convention scene is a bit too crowded to facilitate more than one major expo a year. Still, he's already making plans for 2018's festivities - indeed, the dates and venue for <i>next year's </i>show were stamped on the aforementioned complementary hot sauce bottles each expo attendee received at the box office.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The hardest part is making sure this well-oiled machine is well-oiled," he said. "The week of the convention and the convention itself, it's making sure everybody is where they are supposed to be, the panels are being led, guests are accounted for ... and then the final hard part is, of course, helping load and unload 250-and-300 pound machines." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And as he darts around the expo floors, weaving in and out of <i>Star Wars </i>tee-shirt clad guests and vendors hawking old comic books and Nintendo cartridges - naturally, making sure to dodge any discarded cans of Monster and avoid bumping his knees on <a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4890125302_775b41e6b7.jpg"><i>Food Fight </i>cocktail tables</a> - what goes through his mind?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I can't believe I helped create this," he said. "It's really amazing to see what can happen when people come together ... all the games come from people who love to share this hobby with others and are willing to haul a 300-pound machine out of their basement. So looking at just how many people came together to make something like this happen? It's really overwhelming."</span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Uncommon Journalism</i>, 2017</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-44456933065652436532017-06-04T07:38:00.001-07:002017-06-04T07:38:36.876-07:00Is Superhero Media Making Kids More Aggressive?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Brigham Young University researchers recently studied children weaned on a steady diet of Batman, Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk - and all that exposure to superhero media <i>may </i>be influencing kids to act anything <i>but </i>heroic around their peers.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>BAD ROLE MODELS?</b> The results of a recent Brigham Young University study suggests prekindergarten children exposed to a heavy dose of superhero media may be more likely to engage in aggressive - and decisively <i>unheroic</i> - behavior with their peers. (<i>Photo Credit </i>James Swift)</span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>By:</b> James Swift</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/unjournalism?lang=en">@UNJournalism</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span>nother summer ushers in another tidal wave of comic-book based blockbusters like <i>Wonder Woman </i>and <i>Spider-Man: Homecoming </i>at multiplexes across America. This, after a deluge of similar superhero fare like <i>The Lego Batman Movie, Logan </i>and <i>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 </i>cleaned up at the box office earlier this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The superhero trend is no doubt a lucrative one for Hollywood,<a href="http://www.the-numbers.com/market/creative-type/Super-Hero"> with 2016 genre films accounting for 16 percent of <i>all </i>domestic movie ticket sales</a>. And that's just the tip of the iceberg - in 2013, merchandising sales for just <i>one </i>Marvel brand, Spider-Man, <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/superhero-earns-13-billion-a-748281">generated more than $1.2 billion in revenue</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A stroll down the toy aisle of any big box store in America demonstrates the pervasive reach of superhero branding on young consumers. The action figure aisles are glutted with plastic facsimiles of The Avengers and The Justice League; <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-toy-industry-hollywood-star-wars-2016-sales-20160212-story.html">such licensed products are now estimated to represent almost half of the nearly $20 billion a year toy industry's sales</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Throw in the cavalcade of cartoons, DVDs, video games and websites and the <i>pull </i>of today's superhero-entertainment-complex is all but unavoidable for grade-school America. Which, naturally, begs a most interesting question: what <i>exactly </i>are kids learning from the constant barrage of Superman and X-Men multimedia?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Superheroes are a very common part of children's media consumption, and parents seemed to believe that these superheroes were good role models for their children," said Lee Essig-Thunell, a Brigham Young University graduate researcher. "We wanted to see which aspects of superhero media children were noticing."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The study, titled</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10802-016-0253-6"> <i>Pow! Boom! Kablam! </i></a></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10802-016-0253-6" style="font-style: italic;">Effects of Viewing Superhero Programs on Aggressive, Prosocial and Defending Behaviors in Preschool Children</a>, was </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">published in the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">earlier this year. It was rooted</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in the work of lead researcher Dr. Sarah Coyne, whose previous studies examined, among other things,</span><a href="https://fhssfaculty.byu.edu/FacultyPage.aspx?id=smcoyne" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> the effect of Disney princess gender stereotypes on young viewers</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The data (which was part of a larger, longitudinal study on children and the media) was collected from the parents of about 200 prekindergarten children, ages 3 to 5, across four locations in the Western U.S. and the Pacific Northwest. Survey-takers were asked how often their children watched television shows, movies and DVDs depicting superhero characters and to describe the "defending behaviors" of their sons and daughters. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Those behaviors were divided into non-aggressive and aggressive subcategories. "Your child assertively, but not aggressively, defends those who are being physically bullied by other classmates," Essig-Thunell described the former. He said the latter entailed <i>utilized aggression </i>- "for example, he/she will not hesitate to push or hit the bully to put an end to the bullying." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The results of the study, however, indicates children keen on superhero media may not be as likely to display the more noble types of defending behaviors. In fact, Essig-Thunell's research suggests young children who watch more superhero media are likelier to engage in physically or relationally aggressive behavior than their peers - o</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">r, to put it another way, young superhero fanatics </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">appear </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to be more prone to being </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">bullies themselves</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Essig-Thunell said he wasn't surprised by the findings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Superhero programs have long been known for portraying high levels of violence, which have been associated with subsequent aggressive attitudes and behaviors," he said. "However, because superheroes are aggressive often for good reasons, such as saving people, we also wondered what prosocial messages children may pick up on. Unfortunately, many more children reported remembering and liking the violent nature of the superheroes."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Essig-Thunell said the age and mental capacity of the children may explain the outcomes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Even superhero media targeted towards children is normally rated TV-Y7," he said. "Therefore, the superhero content these children are viewing was not meant for them. They are less able to mentally process the media they consume. They may be unable to pick up on the more subtle moral messages the superhero media may show, instead picking up on only the superficial things they can see without thinking about it too much." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The children involved in the research were also interviewed about their superhero media consumption habits. When asked why they had a fondness for their favorite character, about 20 percent mentioned interpersonal characteristics. While the majority of those subjects handed out rather neutral responses such as "because he is cool," about 20 percent of them instead listed violent descriptors such as "<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170111131122.htm">because he can smash and destroy everything, and he doesn't care because he's a big bully</a>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although children as young as 3 can grasp that violent behavior is normally considered unacceptable, Essig-Thunell notes those same kids usually realize that superhero characters are respected and revered for engaging in that very type of behavior. Yet because they haven't developed the cognitive skills necessary to meaningfully differentiate between <i>defensive </i>aggressive behaviors and just plain old aggressive behaviors, he said that many children miss out on the prosocial aspects of all that superhero action. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Young children are especially vulnerable to confusion here," he said. "Additionally, the fighting scenes are often louder, faster-paced and more colorful than the nonviolent scenes. Their senses are much more likely to remember the more lively scenes."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Essig-Thunell said the results of the study - which did not factor in superhero exposure from other forms of media, such as video games, Internet content and comic books or the "age-appropriateness" of the content consumed - reinforces the need for parents to be "active media monitors" for their children. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Just because it's an animated cartoon doesn't mean it's for all kids," he said. "Parents can help their children to become critical consumers of the media. Talking to their children about what their favorite shows or movies are and what they like about those can help parents learn what their children take away from those programs. They can talk to their children about superhero violence, why they are violent, how are they good, what can we learn from this and when violence is or is not acceptable in our own lives."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As for potential follow-up studies, Essig-Thunell said he would love to compare and contrast the behaviors of children based upon certain archetypical characters - for example, to demonstrate how children whose favorite hero is Batman <i>may </i>behave differently from a child whose favorite hero is Spider-Man. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I think conducting this study with different age groups, including those of middle to older childhood, adolescence and even adulthood would be fascinating," he said. "It could help us see if it really is a matter of cognitive development, or if some are more prone to picking up on aggressive behaviors." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The revitalization of superheroes over the last decade would make this easier to analyze," he concluded, "as superhero media is no longer limited to a childhood experience."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Uncommon Journalism, </i>2017.</span>
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</div>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-49076283062153145172017-04-15T08:37:00.000-07:002017-04-15T08:41:51.922-07:00Welcome To The Next Level <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Texan gamer Dylan Cornelius has embarked upon quite possibly the most ambitious fan project ever - a decade long quest to play and review <i>every </i>game ever released on a Sega console.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>VIRTUAL INSANITY:</b> Dylan Cornelius, 31, is the mastermind behind <i>Sega Does </i>- an ambitious web project that seeks to review every piece of software ever released on Sega hardware. (<i>Photograph courtesy</i> Dylan Cornelius.)</span></td></tr>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-396690e0-5e77-253f-787d-21e2248936c0"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By:<span style="font-weight: normal;"> James Swift</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>D</b></span>yl</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">an Cornelius’ fascination with video games began the same way it did for many children of the 1980s.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“When I was 5, my dad came home with an Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) set - it had a Zapper, two controllers and </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” the 31 year-old recounts. “As far as I know, it wasn’t my birthday or Christmas, just a random event which made it more memorable.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weaned on Nintendo’s 8-bit console classics and </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pac-Man </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- “they let kids play on cocktail tables in the ‘80s, because parents weren’t afraid we would become little alcoholics,” he reminisced - it’s not surprising the Austin, Texas writer would eventually turn to his childhood hobby for inspiration.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I hadn’t written in about a year due to a prolonged, life-threatening illness,” he said. “When I was feeling better enough to start writing again, I figured a fun project like </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Questicle</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would help.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">That project -<a href="http://questicle.net/"> in which Cornelius took it upon himself to play and write in-depth reviews of all 700-plus NES games, as well as a litany of unlicensed titles and Japanese imports </a>- would span three and a half years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“At the beginning, I was doing one a day, but you burn out real quick doing that,” he said. “I started reviewing as often as I wanted, and I still finished fairly fast.” </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cornelius said he easily sunk several thousand hours into </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Questicle</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Despite some critics chiding him for his B-minus review of </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DuckTales </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- “I prefer other Capcom Disney games,” he explained, “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ducktales 2 </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is the better game, anyway” - he said feedback from fellow retro gaming fans was overwhelmingly positive. “I think people liked the 'quest' aspect of it and the humor,” he said. “So many game reviewers are humorless, and I’m not entirely sure why.” </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Never one to rest on his laurels, however, Cornelius soon began mulling ideas for his next major video game project. And as massive as </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Questicle </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">may have been, his follow-up truly took things to </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the next level</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Starting a New Game</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span>lthough Cornelius owned a Sega Genesis in his youth, he never really delved into the depths of the 16-bit console’s library. A self-described “Nintendo kid,” Cornelius said that beyond a few dalliances with the handheld Game Gear and the 128-bit Dreamcast, his experiences with Sega software were few and far between.</span></span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-396690e0-5e86-d56c-5893-27d1bc52853f" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So as a spiritual successor to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Questicle</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he decided to review </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">every </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">piece of Sega software ever released - a massive library of games spanning 20 years and 10 consoles’ worth of material.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I was originally going to start with the Genesis and work my way up through the Dreamcast, then I realized the Master System had a huge following in Europe and Brazil, so I thought, sure, why not?” he said. “Then I learned about the SG-1000, Sega’s first system that never came to Europe or the States - I thought, eh, fine, I’ll just review ‘em all. I’m committed.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cornelius' project, titled </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://segadoes.com/">Sega Does</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">launched in 2014. If Cornelius can keep up his two-to-three game reviews a week pace, he anticipates completing the gargantuan project in about 10 years.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He said he spends about 10 to 20 hours a week working on content for the website. That includes time spent playing the titles, writing reviews, conducting general site maintenance and producing <a href="http://segado.libsyn.com/">a tie-in podcast</a>. “The size of the game dictates how long I spend, as does my writing time,” he said. “Sometimes the words come quickly, other times I have to strain my brain to come up with simple sentences.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just how serious is Cornelius taking the project? So serious that he’s trying to become fluent in Japanese so he can play all of the games that were never translated into English. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“I studied it for two years in college, but that was almost 10 years ago at this point and a refresher course is definitely in order,” he said. “Those visual novels on the Saturn aren't going to read themselves.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>When the Physical and the Virtual Collide</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span>s of April 2017, Cornelius has made his way up to the first wave of pre-</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sonic the Hedgehog </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sega Genesis games. He’s already churned his way through a large swath of the SG-1000 and Sega Master System libraries and even knocked out a couple of early Game Gear releases.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>POWER UP: </b><i>Sega Does </i>maestro Dylan Cornelius<br /> said he anticipates his 'chronogaming' project <br />to take at least 10 years. (<i>Photo courtesy</i> Dylan<br />Cornelius.)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I can't believe </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phantasy Star</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> came out in 1987 - that game was so ahead of its time, with its sci-fi focus, female protagonist [and] three different planets to explore,” he said. “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Girl’s Garden </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for the SG-1000 is [another] great game that I wish would get re-released over in the West on the 3DS or something. It’s charming and sad in a way that few games were in the early ‘80s.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although he loves playing games on the original hardware, for the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sega Does </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">project he is primarily working with emulated .ROM files.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Collecting is ridiculously expensive these days, I don’t know how people can afford to do it,” he said. “Even mediocre titles usually run between $10-$20, depending on the system.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">The journey is going to get much more difficult once Cornelius makes it to the 32-bit Sega Saturn - a console notoriously difficult to emulate, with many games fetching exorbitantly high prices.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Every time I go to my local retro game store, any decent game runs you between $30 to $120,” he said. “The rare ones, like </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Panzer Dragoon Saga </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or <i>The H</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ouse of the Dead</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, are even worse. I’d love to have an awesome Saturn library, but there’s no way.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">To trudge his way through the system’s titles, Cornelius said he will likely have to mod his Saturn to play burned copies of games or titles stored on an SD card. “There’s over a thousand games for the Saturn in all regions - no way am I tracking them all down,” he said. “Same with the Dreamcast, I imagine, since there’s already been reports of Dreamcast game discs just not working. I don’t even want to deal with that.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, Cornelius said he isn’t above outsourcing a few duties, such as recaps of games released on Sega’s short-lived educational hardware the Pico. “If some collector out there has one with all the games and wants to review them for the site,” he said, “they can have at it.”</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Rise and Fall of Sega</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>N</b></span>aturally, Cornelius’ project brings to mind the heated “console wars” of the 1990s, in which Nintendo and Sega and fought tooth and nail for video game market supremacy. Indeed, the very title </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sega Does </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">harkens back to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7nsBoqJ6s8">the first advertising volley of the 16-bit battle between the Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES.)</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The magazines pushed it, as did Sega and eventually Nintendo through advertising, but in my own life, it was nonexistent,” Cornelius said. “I preferred Nintendo, but I liked Sega, too. None of my friends ever gave me crap for liking Nintendo over Sega. We were all just happy to play whatever video games we could get our hands on.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having extensively played both Nintendo and Sega software from the era, Cornelius is quick to note a few differences between the companies and their products. Even during the heyday of the Dreamcast, he said Sega focused on creating fast and frenetic, pick-up-and-play games while their chief competitor was more focused on crafting longer, more nuanced gaming experiences.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Nintendo learned early on that the arcade and the home console experience are two different things,” he said. “Even with games like </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phantasy Star </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for the Master System, Sega never really understood that until the Genesis. They were an arcade game manufacturer, first and foremost, so their game were shorter and more action-oriented.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107477">Although Sega hardware and software sales overtook Nintendo in the United States in the early-to-mid 1990s</a>, the company’s time at the top of video game market was short-lived. Cornelius said Sega’s downfall can be partly attributed to the company’s decision to flood the market with a deluge of hardware.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sega loves to experiment with new technology, weird peripherals, you name it - in a way, the Genesis being a huge success was a terrible thing for them,” he said. “They used all that 16-bit money to experiment with the CD format (Sega CD) and add-on technology (32x), among other things (Pico, Nomad, CDX.) This would have been fine except the guinea pigs were their biggest fans, and they were constantly getting burned.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cornelius recounts seeing the brand new 32X hardware on store shelves in 1994 with a $200 price tag. A year later, that same hardware could be purchased at Toys ‘R Us for just $20. The market failure of the Sega CD and 32X add-ons, he said, was a big factor in the 32-bit Saturn’s underperformance in the U.S. - a massive commercial flop that, perhaps more than anything else, expedited Sega’s exit from the console manufacturing business in the early 2000s.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsoG7Io6smsgD7GomQ_U_SXffsLErToGsvpEaZf6w_9QUd_BeMcKltxWMOjOYC9uZ-W6L_xyvHQ4DoZcSdMfqHqQu8THYzqB9UHx9H_MHVnFkriq8cvymcBlCs3g0kROpHKxozg3X__97/s1600/DCSidebar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsoG7Io6smsgD7GomQ_U_SXffsLErToGsvpEaZf6w_9QUd_BeMcKltxWMOjOYC9uZ-W6L_xyvHQ4DoZcSdMfqHqQu8THYzqB9UHx9H_MHVnFkriq8cvymcBlCs3g0kROpHKxozg3X__97/s1600/DCSidebar.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“By the time the Saturn came out in the West for $400, most fans didn’t want to give any more of their money to Sega so they switched to Sony’s Playstation,” Cornelius said. “By the time the Dreamcast emerged, Sega was being smarter than they had in years, but it was too late. The Ps2 began to dominate and Sega pulled out before they went under completely.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Life, Post-Sega?</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>C</b></span>ornelius, who is married and volunteers at a Christian healing ministry in his spare time, said he really doesn’t get much input from friends and family about the project - or even his fellow retro gaming friends, for that matter. Still, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sega Does </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">traffic has increased steadily since the project went online in 2014.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“In 2016, I had about 70,000 views, which was a significant increase from 2015," he said. “Pretty small for some sites, but decent traffic for a niche game blog.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His site even has staff writers now. A </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sega Does </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fan, Taylor Pinson, covers games released on the obscure Mega LD LaserActive home console, while well known retro game blogger Peter Skerritt is tackling the Sega sports beat. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sega Does </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">even managed to draw the interest of former </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Electronic Gaming Monthly </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">editor Greg Stewart, who has lent his services to Cornelius’ site as a Sega CD and Saturn reviewer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultimately, Cornelius said he wants readers - be they hardcore Sega fanatics or neophyte gamers who have never even heard of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shinobi </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shining Force </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- to walk away from his project informed, enlightened and entertained. “I hope readers who are interested in game history, whether young or old, could explore my site and get something out of it,” Cornelius said. “The SG-1000 reviews in particular are one-of-a-kind. That system does not have a lot of English coverage."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another aspect that makes Cornelius’ project unique is that it isn’t necessarily driven by nostalgia. In fact, the bulk of the games he reviews on </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sega Does </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are not only games he never played in his youth, but until recently, he never even knew existed. “I’m also coming at 99 percent of these games as a Sega newbie, so my viewpoints on these games are sometimes different than that of long-time Sega fans,” he said. “The comment section gets lively at times for that reason.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sega Does </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">still has about a decade or more of content to wade through - “I’m not a robot who can only sit at a computer screen and play old Sega games,” Cornelius said, “as a wise man once said, ‘I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does’” - that doesn’t mean the ultra-dedicated gamer isn’t already brainstorming for his </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">next </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">major video game project.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I absolutely would love to do a Sony 'chronogaming' project - Playstation 1 and Playstation 2 in particular, but if I had to choose just one, Playstation 2,” he said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I have an awesome name for it and everything, but I’m not sharing it here. I don’t want anyone to rip it off.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Uncommon Journalism</i>, 2017.</span></div>
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Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4607463983632584845.post-32505912365421599942017-02-16T06:51:00.001-08:002017-02-17T17:28:53.195-08:00The Men Behind The Mask<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Three actors who portrayed the iconic villain Jason Voorhees discuss the fraternity of <i>Friday the 13th </i>and reminisce on the glory days of slasher cinema.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>KILLING TIME </b>From left to right, Steve Dash, C.J. Graham and Kane Hodder reflect on their roles as the notorious celluloid slasher Jason Voorhees at a Days of the Dead panel discussion held Feb. 3 in Atlanta. (<i>Photo Credit </i>James Swift)</span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">By:</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> James Swift</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="mailto:UncommonJournalism@gmail.com">UncommonJournalism@gmail.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/UNJournalism">@UNJournalism</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span>s soon as guests made their way out of the <a href="http://www.sheratonatlantahotel.com/">Sheraton Atlanta Hotel's</a> labyrinthine parking deck on Feb. 3, they weren't greeted by the expected strings of elevator muzak. Rather, they were bombarded by the dulcimer tones of Metallica before running headlong into a mob of people (the males generally donning studded denim jackets with <i>Cannibal Holocaust </i>patches, the females usually clad in tattered jeans, fishnets and every hue of black lipstick imaginable) </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">double-fisting 24 packs of Pabst Blue Ribbon in the lobby.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjmSBu9lUUoYVSia_2xxadMRmPFeKu8pTS5Ge8U4kBzskBxEmDbLagTN7Z4AOdY7-gsFEmaY8hiZRA3cjVZHYy_kjJCEj0pepSvQufw1QDFM2bl0irXIgKo-gU_EZDW0kPcjddZ8LcDJH/s1600/Savini+Sidebar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="A few Things You Didn't Know About Tom Savini" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjmSBu9lUUoYVSia_2xxadMRmPFeKu8pTS5Ge8U4kBzskBxEmDbLagTN7Z4AOdY7-gsFEmaY8hiZRA3cjVZHYy_kjJCEj0pepSvQufw1QDFM2bl0irXIgKo-gU_EZDW0kPcjddZ8LcDJH/s1600/Savini+Sidebar.jpg" title="A Few Things You Didn't Know About Tom Savini" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No, these were not the visitors attending the <a href="http://nblsa.org/regions/srblsa/">Southern Region National Black Law Students Association</a> meeting. These were the merry, jolly sorts participating in this year's <a href="http://www.daysofthedead.net/">Days of the Dead</a> horror convention. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And these are <i>unmistakably </i>the most hardcore of the hardcore horror fanatics. Not content with merely cosplaying as their favorite celluloid psychopaths, those waiting in line at the ticket booth compared and contrasted Freddy Krueger tattoos while discussing the most minute intricacies of ultra-obscure genre films such as <i>The Leopard Man</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The scent of patchouli and raspberry-tinged deodorizer spray wafted over the show floor, where merchants hawked all sorts of kooky knickknacks - running the gamut from blood spattered hockey masks and lawsuit baiting "mash-up" t-shirts depicting random pop cultural icons gussied up as moviedom's most memorable murderers to stunningly realistic replicas of mutilated cats and infant onesies depicting the mugshots of <i>real </i>serial killers like Richard Ramirez and John Wayne Gacy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the old comic books, action figures and VHS cassettes for sale garnered their fare share of attention, the <i>real </i>draw of the event was its smattering of genre movie staples offering a photo op or their John Hancock for cold hard cash. While names like Bill Johnson, Sid Haig and Doug Bradley may not resonate with the hoi polli, the Days of the Dead attendees flocked to them like teenage girls making a mad scramble at Justin Bieber. Surreal doesn't begin to describe the scene of green-haired men wearing shirts reading "fuck the world and fuck you, too" and elementary school-aged children in panda costumes rapt with attention as the co-writer of <i>Night of the Living Dead </i>showed off a framed paycheck from 1968 - all while self-described "dominatrix wrestlers" in chain mail bikinis feverishly gyrated one table over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While there were plenty of attractions to keep attendees occupied - full movie screenings and punk rock concerts and costume contests and special effects demonstrations, among others - perhaps the most popular events of all were the numerous panel discussions in which horror all-stars gathered to reminisce on the good old days of cinematic guts and gore.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And that evening, Days of the Dead attendees weren't getting just one beloved screen psychopath performing a grindhouse version of <i>Inside the Actor's Studio </i>- they were getting <i>three of them</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Unholy Trinity</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span>lmost universally <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5bWkv0eV3M">reviled by critics</a> but nonetheless a perennial box office powerhouse (<a href="http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchise/Friday-the-13th#tab=summary">earning more than $460 million worldwide across a spate of a dozen motion pictures</a>), the long-running <i>Friday the 13th </i>series more or less represents the James Bond cash cow of Hollywood slasher series. The same way numerous actors over the years have portrayed Agent 007, about a dozen men - including credited actors and uncredited stunt doubles - have donned the iconic hockey mask (and sometimes, burlap sack) of franchise anchor and serial oversexed teenager slayer Jason Voorhees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Three of the most memorable actors to ever put on the Jason regalia - part two's Steve Dash, part six's C.J. Graham and the only man to portray the character more than once, Kane Hodder - took the stage for a reunion and free-floating chit-chat on opening night at Days of the Dead 2017, each sharing personal recollections of their respective experiences beneath the ghoulish goalie mask.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That is, except for 73-year-old Dash (birth name, Steve Daskewisz), a former New York cop turned movie stuntman, whose tenure as Mr. Voorhees preceded the unveiling of the horrific hockey equipment in <i>Friday the 13th Part 3</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I got called one day for a job - there was this guy they hired to play Jason on <i>Friday the 13th Part 2</i> and his name was Warrington Gillette," Dash recounted. "He was going to go through a window ... he said he was a stunt man, but when it turned out he had to go through the window, he was scared shit."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The stunt coordinator asked Dash if he was up for portraying Jason instead. He drove all the way to Connecticut for what he believed was his <i>big acting breakthrough</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I said 'holy shit, I got a lead role in the film,'" he reminisced. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alas, the title role in the film that was initially dubbed <i>Jason </i>wasn't exactly what Dash had anticipated. He recounted the words of stunt coordinator Cliff Cudney. "'The whole deal is you wear this bag and you kill all these kids that are having sex and then, at the end of the film, then they kill you ... and you have no lines.'"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still, Dash soldiered through the shoot, in which cast and crew had to rough it through freezing filming conditions and sleep in unheated cabins. Such a miserable experience, Dash turned down an offer from Paramount to reprise the role in <i>Friday the 13th Part 3.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>A CANONICAL CROSSOVER? </b>Jason Voorhees actor <br />Kane Hodder has a quick chat with Adrienne King - the <br />actress best known for lopping off Mrs. Voorhees' head <br />at the end of the original <i>Friday the 13th</i>. <br />(<i>Photo Credit </i>James Swift)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"If I would've known then what I know now, I would've taken the job because I would've made a lot of money like Robert Englund," he said, referencing the man who made a mint portraying Freddy Krueger in eight <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street </i>films.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fellow stuntman - and one time Culver City, Calif. Chippendales dancer - C.J. Graham was likewise brought in as a replacement Jason for <i>Friday the 13th Part 6</i>, which, incidentally, was filmed in nearby Covington, Ga, in the mid 1980s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The first dailies come back and unfortunately, he didn't resonate with quite the physique they were looking for," Graham said. "It is kind of a Cinderella story, you know, but I knew what I was getting into when they pulled me back to [Paramount producer] Frank Mancuso's office." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kane Hodder, 62, is the only actor to portray Jason in more than one film. In fact, he played the character in four consecutive movies, beginning with 1988's <i>Friday the 13th Part 7</i>. Hodder made quite the impression on the director of that film, John Carl Buechler, while working as a stunt coordinator on an earlier horror flick titled <i>Prison</i>. When asked to put live nightcrawlers on his body while portraying a zombie, Hodder one-upped directer Renny Harlin by stuffing a dozen <i>real worms </i>into his mouth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Buechler was instrumental in getting Hodder the Jason role. He even paid out of his own pocket to bring Hodder in for a screen test. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Because there were a lot of stunts to do in this particular movie, I think that's what helped put me over the edge," Hodder said. "I loved playing the character, and would've done it for free."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Becoming Jason</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A</b></span>s the first actor to portray the notorious <i>Friday the 13th </i>killer (discounting, of course, Ari Lehman's seconds-long appearance as the character at the end of the original film), Dash more or less had <i>carte blanche </i>when it came to creating Jason's mannerisms. From the get-go, he didn't think the antagonist should've been much of a sprinter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"They wanted me to run a certain way," he said. "I said 'no, I'd rather lope.'"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The burlap sack get-up was quite problematic, Dash recalled. With only one eye hole slit into the mask, he wore a patch for several days to help himself get acclimated to losing peripheral vision during filming. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It wasn't until <i>Part 2</i>'s climactic scene - in which "final girl" Amy Steel does in the villain with a mean machete blow to the jugular - that Dash said he felt like he was portraying a <i>true movie monster</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The only time that it came to reality with me that I <i>was </i>a character was when we were in Jason's lair," he said. "I had to develop - and I wasn't intentionally developing - the character ... I was just <i>being </i>Jason."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Apparently, Dash's menacing disposition made a big impact on the film's leading lady. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Amy Steel wouldn't talk to me for the whole shoot," he said. "The first time I talked to [her] was 25 years later."</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>AN ACCEPTABLE IMITATION </b>A fan dressed as Jason Voorhees mugs it up for the camera at the 2017 Days of the Dead horror convention in Atlanta, Ga. (<i>Photo Credit </i>James Swift)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By the time Graham came on board, Jason Voorhees was already one of Hollywood's most famous (and feared) villains. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fplk4zHOpBQ">Considering the opening sequence of <i>Friday the 13th Part 6 </i>pays homage to a certain Universal Monsters masterpiece</a>, perhaps it's not surprising he found inspiration for the character via the horror classics of the 1930s. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"It was more of the Frankenstein factor of the old Boris Karloff days, the curiosity factors," Graham said. "The powerful force that was unstoppable, no matter what you put in front of that person."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before filming on <i>Part 7 </i>began, Hodder rewatched all the films in the series. He said he took elements of each previous Jason and incorporated it into his portrayal - albeit, with quite a few touches of his own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For starters, he decided early on that Jason should've been played more zombie than human - so that made running a big no-no. He also sought to introduce a few body language quirks to <i>non-verbally </i>express the character's ill intentions - primarily, by breathing rapidly and puffing out his shoulders instead of simply standing still before axing, knifing or spearing his latest prey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hodder also took great strides to elicit <i>real </i>terror out of his fellow actors. Before shooting began, he said that sometimes he would wander off into the woodlands and scream into the night to <i>intentionally </i>creep out his cast mates.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Few know his unique style of method acting as well as actress Joleigh Fiorevanti, who played one of his victims in the 2006 film <i>Hatchet </i>- a <i>Friday the 13th </i>inspired neo-slasher starring Hodder as the recurring antagonist Victor Crowley. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"They never saw me live in the makeup until they were on camera, and the best scene where that is evident is where I come out and grab Jolie and the belt-sander to the face," Hodder said. "She was crying knowing I was right behind her off camera, waiting for the moment where I turned the thing on ... she was so terrified that when she turns around in the movie, she drops to her knees - and she wasn't supposed to do that - so I had to grab her hair and yank her up and ad lib a little bit." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Slaughter On the Set</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>D</b></span>ash doesn't have to think too long to drudge up his most memorable murder in <i>Part 2</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"My favorite kill was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOqvTLXZsMs">wheelchair-down-the-stairs-backwards-with-a-machete-in-the-head</a>," he quipped as the Days of the Dead audience roared with applause.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was actually a pretty intricate little stunt, he recollected. The prop itself was tied to a line traveling down the stairwell, and the rainy, nighttime shooting conditions made it even tougher to pull off. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>'THE REAL JASON' </b>Steve Dash - who didn't receive <br />billing in <i>Friday the 13th Part 2 </i>although he played <br />Jason Voorhees for virtually the entire movie - signs <br />autographs for fans at the 2017 Days of the Dead<br />convention in Atlanta. (<i>Photo Credit </i>James Swift)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"It took about a week to put that thing together," he said, "and there was no rehearsal because it was a one-shot deal."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While <i>Part 6 </i>had its fair share of memorable executions - Graham himself is fond of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1bkJY8qfGM">the scene where an unlucky sheriff has his spine folded up like an accordion</a> - perhaps the most iconic sequence of the entire film is the grand finale in which the flick's hero attempts to drown Jason at the bottom of Crystal Lake with the help of a humongous boulder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the exterior shots of <i>Jason Lives</i> were filmed just outside the city limits of Atlanta, that scene was actually shot in an Olympic-sized swimming pool in Los Angeles. Black felt was draped around the natatorium and safety divers were onset to provide Graham a steady supply of oxygen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"They dropped me in the water in normal wardrobe - and that is a real chain around my neck - and they stood me on a cinder block 20 feet down," he said. "We went down several times and finished the shot in one night."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hodder had a similar experience filming <i>Part 7</i>. He described the <i>unanticipated </i>results the first time he hopped into the pool while wearing the full body Jason costume. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I floated right on top because foam latex is so full of air bubbles," he said. "The safety divers had to attach a cable at the bottom of the pool ... and then looped it around my ankle, because when I would go underwater, I would stay perfectly upright."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although Hodder does have some misgivings about the critically maligned <i>Jason X </i>- when a New Line Cinema rep told him the concept was "Jason in space," he thought it was a joke - he does appreciates it for facilitating what he considers one of the most inspired death scenes in the entire franchise. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"At least there's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE83HUOXfh8">the frozen head kill</a> in there," he said, "that's a good one."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Behind the Screams</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>H</b></span>odder, already a huge fan of the <i>Friday the 13th </i>films, said he was utterly awestruck the first time he donned the goalie gear and tattered mechanic uniform.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"I still can think back to the feeling I had when I was on the set," Hodder remarked. "Saying 'holy shit, there's people around the world - literally - that know this character and I'm wearing the fucking mask.'"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He considers the one night of shooting in New York for the somewhat misleadingly subtitled <i>Jason Takes Manhattan </i>to be the single most remarkable moment of his 40 years in stunt work and acting. He vividly recalled thousands of spectators flocking to Times Square to catch a glimpse of <i>his </i>character.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Just imagine, you're in the costume, shooting one of the films, people know the character all over," he said. "You're standing out there by yourself, in between shots, and you just look over in one direction and they just start going fucking crazy, cheering and yelling and stuff."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Promotional work for <i>Part 8 </i>led to an appearance on <i>The Arsenio Hall Show</i> in 1989, when Hodder appeared as a guest on the program in full Jason get-up. Before filming, the host made the dire mistake of telling Hodder he was deathly afraid of his character - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xSrUgv13L8">Hall's terrified reaction when Jason yanked his hand at the end of the segment</a>, Hodder said, was 100 percent genuine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Interestingly, Graham said he also made an appearance in-character as Jason on </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The Arsenio Hall Show </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">shortly after Hodder's visit to the set. In a backstage skit set up by Paramount, he reprised the role - albeit, while wearing the old burlap sack from <i>Part 2 </i>instead of the more famous hockey mask - as a green room server. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not that he didn't have some memorable moments filming his <i>canonical </i>Jason Voorhees role. He recounted a scene where Jason plunged his arm inside the rib cage of Ron Parillo (yes, the actor who played Arnold Horshack on <i>Welcome Back, Kotter</i>), and - before the Motion Picture Association of America ratings board scissored it to shreds - yanked out his still beating, blood spraying heart. Then there was the shot where he had to bust open an RV door. The prop people merely unhooked the hinges, then Graham stepped up on a couple of crates and <i>literally </i>sent it sailing off the frame with one punch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Graham said he was treated very well during the filming of <i>Jason Lives </i>- indeed, he was one of the few cast and crew members to have his own trailer during the shoot. The antithesis of the Hollywood prima donna, however, Graham loaned out his mobile home to any weary set transportation workers who needed a quick nap; as a token of appreciation, the department let Graham keep the trailer after filming wrapped up.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An Ode to the Stuntman</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>W</b></span>hile all three men share bonds in one of Hollywood's more atypical acting fraternities, they are similarly united by an altogether different type of brotherhood - the fellowship of stuntmen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before portraying Jason, Dash, Graham and Hodder all had extensive experience as Hollywood stunt performers. Hodder alone has performed stunts in more than 100 films and television programs - including big budget offerings like <i>Lethal Weapon 3, Batman Forever, Gone in Sixty Seconds </i>and <i>Daredevil </i>- and has served as stunt coordinator in more than 40.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"This is the person who keeps everybody alive on the set," Graham remarked. "He's the general."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hodder certainly takes set safety seriously. Early in his career, he was nearly killed in a fire stunt gone awry. Nearly four decades later, his neck, biceps and upper body still display the scars of third degree burns. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Sometimes, the directors get really crazy with what they want to shoot and it becomes an art to say 'OK, that's great,' even though what they're coming up with you <i>know </i>in your mind is impossible," Hodder said. "In your mind you're saying 'we have to do it this way or else somebody's going to get killed,' but you have to present as if you are making the shot even more exciting ... it's kind of a tightrope you walk."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He brought up one of his more harrowing recent stunts - a sequence in the 2010 horror film <i>Frozen </i>in which an actress had to lie on an icy road, with a car jettisoning downhill <i>swerving </i>to avoid hitting her at the last second. "That kind of stuff is some of the most nerve-racking," Hodder said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although Dash has never served as a stunt coordinator, he has performed stunt work in more than 30 films and television programs. He said he greatly admires coordinators like Hodder, who not only are tasked with ensuring performer safety, but doing so without costing the studio extra money. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"If the budgets for these stunts is $600,000, it better not be $600,001," Dash said, "because they're on his ass constantly." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And if you're wondering what could <i>possibly </i>strike fear into the heart of a man <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9eyEJysoDw">who has the word "kill" tattooed on his bottom lip</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unmasked-Worlds-Prolific-Cinematic-Killer/dp/0985214678">whose biography touts him as "the world's most prolific cinematic killer?</a>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"If you're going to shoot for three months and you have 100 stunts, it's going to be very hard to budget, and you've got to stick to that budget," Hodder said. "Or else, those producers have no interest in hiring you for the next film."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Forget being chased through the woods by a hockey mask-wearing psychopath with a machete -<i> the fiduciary responsibilities of filmmaking terrifies even Jason Voorhees himself</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEwytHX3C_7en3JNAEc29qYFNOAh8EuzzIuxGfQ7eOjHhEra03h3SA6pcqQ1GENCbV0cmtvU6s2n_7qLBS0wuy3DJt1gnlbDdnBTOcPR0t6tvLSIDJViq4-PmlsgV2PmeMGMvAViSUyRh/s1600/ComJou+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEwytHX3C_7en3JNAEc29qYFNOAh8EuzzIuxGfQ7eOjHhEra03h3SA6pcqQ1GENCbV0cmtvU6s2n_7qLBS0wuy3DJt1gnlbDdnBTOcPR0t6tvLSIDJViq4-PmlsgV2PmeMGMvAViSUyRh/s200/ComJou+Logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>Uncommon Journalism</i>, 2017.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Uncommon Journalismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07078122544496830729noreply@blogger.com0