Going on Holiday Break

Rod Serling
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Well, everyone - I hope your Bogart Birthday celebrations were happy, and to take a cue from our little stuffed pal, I think I'm going to make this a meme next year. (And include Rod Serling, also born on 12/25 - sorry for the omit, Roger).

On this note, I'm going to take a little break from the blog - I'm working a conference this weekend, and quite frankly, my creative juices are in a slump. Oh, sure, I could always engage in a meme...or make dumb comments about dead presidents running for office...but I think I'm going to store up some energy, and do a "best of 2008" podcast after the 1st of the year. (I'll even throw in a trailer for the first six months of Record You Should Own).

You'll also learn the new title of the podcast, which is not one of the following phrases:

• Better Than God and Half the Cost
• Mike Sterling's Self-Help Hootenanny
• What Fresh Hell Is This?
• I Can't Believe It's Not Podcrapular
• Golf Shirts A Go-Go
• Name That Stain

Thanks a bunch, and see y'all in 2008!

The Doctor's Titanic Adventure

(NOTE: I will try to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible)

To be honest, I didn't have high expectations for Voyage of the Damned - coming off the major disappointment that was "Last of the Time Lords", it seemed like a continuity - and historical - nightmare. Although "Time Crash" did provide some hope, quite honestly...I thought that Russell T. Davies simply had burned out. In fact, I ended up watching The Christmas Invasion on Christmas Eve, just to put myself into a festive mood.

Luckily, having viewed Voyage of the Damned on the Beeb's own electronic online video player, I can say...Mr. Davies, you've redeemed yourself, oh so slightly.

In fact, even though the ship is named Titanic, this story takes place on contemporary Earth - the Titanic being an alien ship used to visit "primitive cultures". (Mr. Copper, an "expert" on Earth culture, is one of the best things about this episode). The Doctor finds himself involved with Astrid - a waitress played by Kylie Minogue. You see the beginning of some light banter, some flirtation, with the Doctor taking a well-deserved holiday after an extremely busy year. Soon, however, the story takes a darker turn - think of the Adams-esque whimsy providing light moments in a story that combines The Poseidon Adventure with the Baker-era Robots of Death, and you won't be too far from the truth.

(And I'm not exaggerating about that last reference - the Heavenly Hosts are extremely reminiscent of that story, from their design to their behavior. So much so that you almost expect one of them to say, Please do not throw arms at me. Granted, as the plot plays out, we soon learn that the motives behind the goings-on within the ship are...well, not as noble as robotic freedom. Plus, there's another sequence which is a logic puzzle reminiscent of Pyramids of Mars. It's good that there's references to other stories that aren't so blatantly obvious, providing a nice subtle thread of continuity. Plus, a subtle Blake's 7 nod.)

As the number of survivors decreases, we find the Doctor and Astrid becoming closer...so much so that, in certain shots (and this is my major quibble with it), Astrid is framed as being a Rose Tyler surrogate. (I really wish that the production staff would let go of their slightly fan-wanky obsession with her. It's almost as annoying as Mike Sterling's constant championing if the incredibly lame All-Star Batman & Robin come. Ok, we understand how you feel...but you need to let it go). Although the relationship "works" in the story...the way it is handled feels forced. It's one of my minor quibbles with Mr. Davies' writing - at times, he throws away solid motivation in order to be "charming".

(There is one moment, however, that knowing Mr. Tennant's personal situation at the time of feeling....seems extraordinarily poignant. Probably one of the top 10 television moments of 2007).

Ultimately, like much of Season Three (available, along with the other mentioned stories, through our Amazon store), this is a dark, forbidding story with flashes of humor. In fact, when the story cannot seem to get any more darker...we get the last ten minutes, which are absolutely beautiful. I wish I could describe what happens without spoiling it...but in many ways, serves as one of the major themes of Davies' run. At first, we see one character seem to demonstrate redemption...but we find that he doesn't. In fact, quite the opposite is true...

But back on Earth...well, it seems to show that possibly the Doctor doesn't want so much gratitude, as to see that people have been affected by him. Seeing the Doctor beam as a character announces, "I'll make you proud of me, Doctor"...was well worth the price of admission.

Personal Favorite - the Season Four Trailer at the end. Key highlights include, "I need a mate"/"Well, you're not mating with me, sunshine"...scenes from the Agatha Christie episode...and a nagging feeling (not a spoiler, just a feeling) that we'll be seeing the return of this gentleman.

Note: Thanks, Tony, for linking to these YouTube posts. Watch it before it goes away!

Happy Bogart's Birthday

Bogie
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Quite frankly, I'm burned out on Christmas.

It's not just the commercialism or the competition with other holidays - it's the alleged "war on Christmas", as well as an increasing hype about a holiday where you're supposed to be nice...but screw everyone else the other 364 days in the year.

However, I have come up with a great alternative - today, I am celebrating Humphrey Bogart's birthday.

Unlike the birth of Christ, we have historical records proving that Bogart was born on December 25th. In addition, let's face it - he's just plain cool. (Non-PC cigarette in his mouth notwithstanding).

He's a man whose work is stellar. He has overcome many obstacles, including being named "Humphrey". In addition, he doesn't take any guff from anyone. Maybe - just maybe - he is the man our country needs to unite and live as one. This year, I'm forgoing the usual holiday cheer...and celebrating a man who can serve as a beacon of hope for us all, regardless of religious belief, or of none.

So, everyone, my apologies...but best wishes for a happy Bogie's birthday!

Wikipedia entry

IMDB entry

Bogie's Official Web Site

Tribute Site

Bogie: A Celebration of the Life and Films of Humphrey Bogart

The. Best. Bogart. Film. Ever.

The. Other. Best. Bogart. Film. Ever.

Watch Bogie's final film, Beat the Devil, online

Download Bogie's final film, Beat the Devil, through a Public Domain Torrent

To Get You In The Holiday Spirit

Just thought I would spread a little holiday cheer by basically, well, cribbing videos from You Tube.

First, a little excerpt from the Extras Christmas special/series ender (which I never quite got into the same way I enjoyed The Office.) This is a nice little guest star role from some guy in some obscure science fiction show I've never heard of:

Next, some Chicago-style sketch comedy from my favorite local access show. (WARNING - you might not want to show this to the little ones):

In the same spirit of my last blog post:

And finally, because Christmas is not complete without Morey Amsterdam (from an old show I watched a lot as a kid):

...because everything's cooler with Morey Amsterdam. If you don't like Morey, you hate America. And kittens.

5 Reasons Why I Love Mythbusters

Mythbusters
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

As the holiday season approaches, I find myself grateful for the many blessings bestowed upon me. One of which is the discovery of Mythbusters, the show that works hard to reveal the truth behind many misconceptions. This is the only reality show that I watch on a regular basis, and taking a cue from another, irregularly updated blog, here are my five reasons for loving the show.

1. The understated, droll humor of Jamie Hyneman - Let's face it, if it weren't for his relative groundedness and down-to-earth demeanor, the show would be extremely over the top. His bio reveals a man of diverse experience; think of him as a younger, sexier James Randi. Adam Savage may be the assertive, go-get-'em leader, but Jamie easily serves as the practical counterpoint.
   
2. It promotes science and reason in a realm of the supernatural - when several prime time shows openly acknowledge a "debt" to psychic phenomena (such as Medium and Ghost Whisperer, this show emphasizes the scientific method over supernatural fakery. The team tests urban legends and other misconceptions, and quite frankly, it makes science cool again.
   
3. Kari Byron - She's smart. She's attractive. She's a redhead. If she weren't already spoken for - and she also loved Doctor Who - I would so write embarrassingly gushing blog posts about her. She and Kristen Bell are in the running for "cutest female geek pin-up queen"
   
4. Episodes now center around themes - for example, a recent show took on comic myths such as changing in a phone booth, whether punching someone can leave a ring imprint on their face, and whether a grappling hook can make a car turn suddenly. They did an episode around airplane myths. Now, it's more than just the typical here's-a-myth-let's-bust-it; they actually proved that it is more dangerous to use a cell phone while driving than driving under the influence.
   
5. The stunts range from the mundane to the F**** Yeah! - when you use a jet airplane to knock over a car, plane, and school bus, or use a decoy seal to attract sharks...or even fire random stuff out of a cannon, you know that if Mythbusters were a comic, Chris Sims would be on that like Mike Sterling on Swamp Thing. Trust me, you won't see this kind of wanton mayhem and destruction on, say, The Bachelor.
   

So this holiday, once you get your gift cards, or some horrible gift that you need to exchange...take my word for it. Buy one of the many Mythbusters DVD sets (as well as other items) from our store. Catch it on the Discovery Channel. You'll thank me later.

A Mild & Crazy Guy

Imagine, if you will, those heady days of 1978 - my best friend, Bob, had a portable 8 track tape player. In between repeated listening of KISS, we came upon a tape that was pure comedy gold...for a ten year old.

Steve Martin's A Wild & Crazy Guy helped me develop a sense of humor. It's unique mixture of knowing irony, slightly intellectual edge, and sheer silliness is something that I took on and never let go. Even now, I tend to integrate various bits into my conversations - having a cat buy $5,000 worth of cat toys. Believing that you learned enough philosophy to screw you up for the rest of your life. And, as a ten year old, pretending (with his friends) to be a pair of swinging Czech brothers. (The Catholic school powers-that-be absolutely hated me for it). And The Jerk seemed to be a great transition of Martin's stand-up style to the big screen.

Anyway, it was in that spirit that I approached reading Born Standing Up. I was hoping that it would, at the very least, provide some insight into Martin's thought processes, and serve as part memoir/part autobiography/insightful tale of a comic's mind.

Well, it does....but although I liked reading it, I really felt distanced from Martin.

In interviews, Martin has said that this book felt more like a biography than an autobiography, simply because that part of his life was so long ago. It's a quick, easy read as he discusses how he pulled seemingly disparate interests such as magic, bluegrass, and comedy into a heady brew. (Imagine Dave of Dave's Long Box on chamomile, and you have some idea of the tone). However, for something that played a very important role in his professional career, Martin seems to lack the joy of even remembering that time in his life. When Jerry Lewis wrote about his work with Dean Martin, there was a palpable sense of love, nostalgia, and acceptance about that period of his life; with Steve Martin, it seems way too distant, and even a harsh contrast with his film work. Even in a non-traditional piece like David Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner, one can see how much Steve enjoys himself; there's a lack of that enjoyment in this book.

Still, it's worth reading - if you are a fan of comedy, if you like Steve Martin, it's worth spending the few hours reading it. Or, better yet, listen to A Wild & Crazy Guy or watch The Jerk. At the very least, you'll get a decent laugh.

Recommended.

Movies I Wanna See

Read This Blog - Get Free Stuff!

really big hypno kitty
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

You know, I am grateful that this blog has a small audience. So much so that I wish I could reward you in some small way...

...and now, I can get my wish.

For my friends, I put together a PDF 2008 Calendar, easily printable on regular white paper, and consisting of various personal photos. Some are electronically manipulated, some have wacky captions. (The photo of my cat is an example; however, that photo is not part of the calendar).

So how do you get your hands on a copy, you may be asking yourself? Well, please feel free to e-mail me at blogthispal (at) gmail (dot) com [making the appropriate substitutions] with the word CALENDAR in the subject, and I'll e-mail it to you. (It's about 2 MB in size - and my regular blog pals, please let me know if you want a copy. I would normally go ahead and send it; I just don't want to flood people's mail boxes with it).

In addition, if you have a blog, please feel free to link to this note, and I'll send you a calendar. (You are also welcome to request a copy in the comments, but please note - for some people, like Roger, I have e-mail addresses. For others, not so much). Yes, it's a cheap way of driving up traffic, but let's face it - isn't it worth it?

And finally, if you're looking for some cool free (and free with paid bonuses) tools, let me link you up to some places that can help you make 2008 even more productive! (Or, at the very least, so productive that you have more time to spend on the Internet).

(NOTE: Many of these are free - there is one where I am an affiliate, and will mention it towards the end. This is not a paid advertisement for any of these services. Your mileage may vary).

One good place to great free planning materials is DIY Planner - they have open source templates, as well as other cool tips and tricks.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a mixture of tech and general life enhancers, you can't go wrong than to visit Lifehacker.

If you ever saw my workspace, you will soon learn that am obsessed with sticky notes, and I frequently use AT Notes to put electronic "stickies" on my desktop and laptop screen. You can do alarms, make them transparent, and all sorts of other stuff.

Need an online to-do reminder list? Then check out Remember the Milk. (It's free, and you can get a "paid" version with some further bells and whistles). I use it to keep track of the various and sundry things that I need to do...and you can also get widgets for various sites, like Google Calendar...

...or my favorite home page, Netvibes. You can use it as a feed reader, e-mail checker) a podcast listening post, torrent guide, and is a great all-in-one site. (You are able, through registering, to keep your settings so that you don't have to reset everything). You can even get "universes" with plenty of feeds and links. It's an organized geek's dream!

Finally, if you're looking to set up multiple tasks, and need an easy, e-mailable way to do it, try Backpackit.com. You can upload files, forward e-mails, and have everything for key projects in one nice, easy to access place. There's a basic free version - I am an "affiliate" (just click on the image below to find out more).

Now, understandably, I've just thrown a lot at you...but keep in mind, all but one of the above are free. And no matter what, you are more than welcome to link and/or e-mail me, and you keep the free calendar. (And like I stated before, I am not receiving any benefits from all but one of the above recommendations - I'm hoping that I'm not throwing my credibility away. At least, what little there is of it).

Thanks for reading, and I promise - more comics/book/DVD reviews in the near future!

5 Easy Steps to Becoming a Better Comics Advocate

Recently, there's been a lot of brouhaha over...well, it seems like you can't surf the comics blogosphere more than five minutes without some controversy arising. In fact, it seems like any discussion degenerates into name calling, trolling and flame baiting, and just plain rude behavior.

Reminds me of some of my adventures in St. Louis....so much so that I am here to provide some insight. Normally, this kind of training would cost some money, but for you, the reader, I am providing these insights free of charge. (Besides which, what kind of blogger would I be if I did not provide actual content). So consider these my five rules for becoming a better advocate for comics.

Normally, I start my trainings with an interesting video, and here's a clip that, I think, will help teach you the difference between an argument and a rant:

Now that we've established what an argument is, we can move to the five basic rules:

1. Always argue facts, not feelings - If you are discussing hot button issues, it helps to have some idea of what you are talking about. When discussing an issue, it is always easier to come from a rational, more fact-based perspective, which is much harder to argue.
2. Never get personal - When it comes to opinions, it is easier to substitute a title or insult than go for a rationale. After all, on the Internet, we're not facing each other, but a blank screen. If someone got in your face and accused you of, say, owning Jim Nabors records, would you flame back....or slowly walk away? It should be about the argument, not your character.
3. Study your opposition - This is where it gets kind of cool, where you learn how to deflate any counterpoints by knowing what your opposition will say before they say it. But Gordon, you may ask, isn't that rather too much for discussion on the Internet? Not at all, especially since you can find most attack tactics right here.
4. Stay focused - after all, if you don't stay focused, Mike Sterling will be able to raise enough funds to allow Communists to smuggle puppies. This is where you would remind me that this is about comics, not about Mike Sterling. He's a big guy, and can defend himself. You can see this in blogs that, well, lump a certain category of comics fans in a specific category. You know where and who they are.
   
5. Finally, always act in a way that attracts allies - The main difference between two people in a knock-down, drag-out fight and one person ranting at another? When both people fight, nobody wins. When one person rants, the other naturally acquires allies...because they're taking the moral high ground.
   

Admittedly, I've adopted a semi-patronizing tone in the above note, but it's to make a point. The blogosphere is big enough to encompass every kind of belief, from the most insipid to the most inspired. Disagreements are bound to happen. But it doesn't mean that we, as bloggers, comics fans, and human beings, decide to let our worst impulses run rampant.

Thanks for allowing me to share, and I return you to your regular blog enjoyment.

Too Many Knots to Untangle

Baby Nite Owl 02
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Well, just wanted to check in with everyone with a few blog-related items:

First, as you'll notice on the right hand side of the blog, things are looking a little more cleaned up and organized. I'm looking to learn some CSS/XHTML/coding issues to make the blog a little more presentable. I've played with new Blogger Templates on a test blog, and quite frankly...if I had no idea what I was doing, I would love it. I know a little HTML, and quite frankly, I like customizing and tweaking. Having been inspired by the Chicago Bloggers Meetup group, I'm actually looking to making the blog more reader friendly.

In addition, I recently recorded a podcast interview with the inimitable Lefty Brown, and one of the things he asked for the formal name of my podcast. In that regard, look for a slightly revamped podcast - with a formal title - in January 2008. (It'll kick off with that month's Record You Should Own, and I have three ideas for a title). But be sure to give Lefty's "Left Side of the Dial" a listen when it comes out - you will definitely enjoy it. Plus, he's a great blogger.

Also, I now have Skype, so if you would like to talk - or if you can record such conversations, and would like to do a joint podcast - drop me a line. You'll be glad you did.

Finally, as mentioned on Lefty's podcast, here are the records I'm listening to...and I think you'll dig 'em.

When Spidey Comes Marching Home Again

For a short period, I had decided to withdraw from massive crossovers both from Marvel and DC. Part of it was, admittedly, financial, but most of it was getting burned out from the constant barrage of "must-read" miniseries that threatened to change the status quo. However, bolstered by the presence of The Road to Civil War and Marvel's Civil War trades at the local branch of my public library, I decided to check them out. The worst thing that would happen is that I would find it an average read.

The good news is that, even after all the hype, there are some good ideas in this crossover. The bad news is that they occur in a sloppily written, almost incomprehensible mini-series. So much that I am grateful to have adopted Greg's principle of "don't spend money on books just because they're there".

It all begins in the Aftermath of the Kree-Skrull War, as leaders from the Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Atlantis, Wakanda, and the Inhumans, (as well as Dr. Strange) meet at the behest of Iron Man. There, he outlines a grand strategy in the wake of the conflict: a collective pooling of super-heroic resources to stop such incursions in the future. Unfortunately, although two of the leaders tell Iron Man to reconsider (and walk away), the rest decide to form a "shadow alliance" or Illuminati, to monitor and make decisions "in the common good." (Or, what they determine to be "the common good.") The Road to Civil War does a slightly poor job in set-up after the Illuminati tale - a cool story about Dr. Doom's quest for Thor's Hammer (a clever idea), followed by Tony Stark recruiting Peter Parker to "insure" that Stark's plan comes to fruition. (There's even a clever layering of information about past crossovers, insuring that the conspiratorial vibe helps reinforce the "need" for drastic action)

However, the actual Civil War miniseries is remarkable in one way: its uncanny structural resemblance to DC's Kingdom Come.

Now, I am not accusing Mark Millar of plagiarism - which, I learned in high school, is an academic crime. The theme of "the nature of heroism" and "how to make better good guys" isn't exactly new to comics. However, both series eerily share story beats - the amateurish mess-up that costs lives; the conflict between government & super heroes; two formerly friendly colleagues becoming almost bitterly opposed; the semi-divine "wild card" who suddenly emerges; deaths used as motivators towards action; the erection of a special "prison" for those who do not cooperate; and, of course, a lot of punching and fighting.

However, the major difference is that Kingdom Come's plot tends to develop slightly more organically, and does not seem as haphazard. Civil War, on the other hand, is much more by-the-numbers in nature. (I will not buy the argument that the tie-ins are necessary to understanding Civil War - by definition, a mini-series needs to be self-contained and able to stand on its own. That is the difference between DC's 52 and Countdown).

Finally, the most dissatisfying aspect of Civil War is the ending. Kingdom Come ends on a slightly hopeful note - metaphorically, the gods come down from Olympus to work with humanity, rather than serve as its protectors. In Marvel's version, after all of his Machiavellian efforts, Tony Stark realizes his dream: a "super power for the twenty-first century" with a superhero team in every state. Because, to put it sarcastically, the Masters of Evil would threaten Idaho's potato industry, so they need their own super-team. (Just kidding, Idaho).

But more importantly, Civil War is a demonstration of what happens when editors impose changes on characters without considering whether those changes are required - or even inherent in the character. With J. Michael Straczynski publicly expressing his concern over the Spider-Man "One More Day" arc, Joe Quesada should be reading this as a sign that he is taking the wrong approach with Marvel's books. Unfortunately, rather than serve the characters, Marvel is serving the whims of its writers, almost independently of its readership base.

And when that happens, both sides lose.

Not recommended.

Open Letter to Sherri Shepherd

Dear Ms. Shepherd,

First, I want to just say that I enjoyed your performance on Less Than Perfect. OK, I watched it mostly for Sara Rue, but you were a great part of that show. It must have been really tough working with Andy Dick and Eric Roberts on a daily basis, so I have to commend you. I'm not a big fan of The View, but my mother and my aunt watch your show daily. (Plus, working with the other hosts must be a dream compared to working with Mr. Dick and Mr. Roberts)

However, you've come under fire for making some recent - as well as past - uninformed comments. Normally, my tendency is to make some pithy-yet-sarcastic crack, such as, "You put a couple of extra spoonfuls of stupid in your coffee this morning, didn't you?" However, that's not fair to you...in fact, your comments real demonstrate the major problem we are having in this country.

Basically, this country suffers from a distinct lack of critical thinking skills.

My fellow blogger Greg, of Delenda Est Carthago and Comics Should Be Good, recently wondered aloud why more people seemed to be afraid of gay marriage, but not of impending illiteracy. Mostly, I suspect, it's because reading and writing actually take some work - it means moving past one's own assumptions and actually being challenged. It is a lot easier to stay in the "safety" zone of prejudice than to move forward. It's one of the reasons why I have a real problem with Ellen DeGeneres - she publicly cried over giving up a dog after breaking the adoption agency's rules, yet caved when it came to supporting the WGA Strike. One is a personal distress where she had to take some responsibility; the other has greater implications for public welfare and she chose to avoid responsibility.

Consider two game shows that are incredibly popular. One - Deal or No Deal - could be easily dismissed as Jeopardy for dumb people. However, that is an insult to Jeopardy, Alex Trebek, fans and former contestants, including near-twin Roger. This contempt for basic evaluation reaches its nadir with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, which openly shows its contempt for anything resembling adult, contemplative thought. (The answer is yes, I am smarter than 5th grader, because I refuse to accept anything blindly without considering known fact as well as other opinions)

Case in point, Ms. Shepherd - I recently read The God Delusion, a book by noted atheist Richard Dawkins. As someone who is a Jesuit-educated Catholic, I have my issues with the Church, especially a Pope more concerned with turning back the clock than the spiritual welfare of his congregation in an ever-changing time. Am I going to become a full-out atheist? No - short version: the universe is too orderly to have happened randomly. But conversely, the skies did not open, I was not struck down by lightning. I was open, and found...some good arguments, but nothing convincing.

My advice, Ms. Shepherd, is to read more books. Books that you normally might not read, and that may actually have ideas counter to your own. You could order some through this blog's bookstore...but since you have a child, why don't I suggest taking him to the library? Libraries have tons of great resources, and more importantly - they allow you to explore different areas of thought, to stimulate your imagination, and more importantly - to paraphrase a famous thinker, how attacking reason can be bad theology.

(For you atheists out there - I may not totally agree with you, but I see where you're coming from. Keep fighting the good fight. I'm a sympathetic ally)

Thanks for reading, Ms. Shepherd.

Your pal,
Gordon

P.S. Again, I am really, really sorry you had to work with Andy Dick and Eric Roberts. I hope the experience wasn't too traumatic.

Closet Treasures

Picture this - it's a gloomy early Sunday afternoon, and I'm helping my mother clean out her closet. Mostly, it's for her to organize her accounting client files (for either shredding or preparing for tax season) and to make room for my aunt's collection of Pepsi memorabilia.

Suddenly, we both come across a black leather suitcase - too small to hold much more than a legal pad, but containing a plain, brown envelope. As we opened it, we found several canisters of 8MM film, as well as open rolls. It was no surprise to either myself or mom - it was tucked away in the back of Dad's closet, and we decided that we should have them transferred to DVD at some future point. It was slightly hard to believe - my father's Polish/Lithuanian upbringing usually did not include the seeming frivolity of recording moments. Even growing up, privacy seemed to be the major coin of currency, eschewing the spotlight in favor of a strong work ethic. But despite that, I decided to take charge and look into the cost of transferring the films.

When I got home, I made a big mistake - I used the Internet as my first source of information. When I could not find what Walgreens would charge, I waded through a plethora of sites which offered no up-front rates, but which promised to deliver. An equal number of sites warned against "film to DVD mills", so in frustration, I turned off my computer, grabbed a small flashlight and magnifying glass, and began examining the films.

I admit, I was looking for blackmail material on my aunt and uncle. (At the very least, I hoped they were not stag films - try explaining that to some clerk. Or even, possibly, that I had either of these missing Doctor Who stories.) What I eventually discovered...was interesting, to say the least. A silent film complete with intertitles, but with no introduction. A film involving animals running around. A documentary entitled "Undersea Life." But the last two - a film with no title directed by James W. Horne (who directed in the early part of the 20th century), and an Abbott & Costello short entitled "Oysters & Muscles") - really started my head spinning.

First, there was a good chance they were not my father's - after all, he tended to watch only war, Western, and gangster movies. Plus, he did not have a projector to show these movies, which were a little too early for him. (The Abbott & Costello short was released in 1948). And then it hit me...

...these, in all likelihood, were my grandfather's films, in a pre-digital attempt to build a library.

And at that point, I felt a little less awkward about being such a pop culture fan. Turns out - it runs in the family.

[POSTSCRIPT: I spoke briefly with Mom - she thought it might be best to get the film duped, and see if there might be a film society/organization that can determine the films' value, if anything. If any of you intrepid readers know of anything, please don't hesitate to e-mail me]