Follow the Yellow Brick Road...

This weekend, while some of us are being entertained by Jerry Lewis doing his bit for "the cause", I'd thought I'd change the subject for a bit and talk about the Wonderdul World of Oz. Next year will be the 70th Anniversary of the MGM classic "The Wizard of Oz", but did you know there was a sequel made to the film that put Judy Garland on the map?

"Journey Back To Oz", a production of the legendary Filmation animated studio (a company best known for Archie and Fat Albert), is an animated masterpiece that sadly has been underrated and underappreciated over the years since it first was released in 1971. Given the project's difficult history, that is.

"Journey" was one of the first projects for the groundbreaking Filmation company who would be best known for making its mark in Saturday morning television. The sequel finds our heroine Dorothy (voiced here by Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli) whisked back to Oz only to find it being ruled by Mombi (Ethel Merman), cousin to the late Wicked Witch of the West, and her wild herd of elephants. Dorothy must enlist the help of her old friends Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Man, along with some new ones, to conquer Mombi and save Emerald City.

The film was, as I said, a difficult project that took almost a decade to make, and even longer to find an audience. Production began in 1963. Most of the animation and voice tracks were completed before Filmation ran out of cash to finish the project. It was only after its successes with their subsequent television series that they finally came up with the money to complete "Journey" for theatrical release in 1971. But virtually no one came to see the movie.

It took network television for "Journey" to find its audience. To re-market the film as a potential Christmas TV event, Filmation filmed live-action segments with Bill Cosby as the Wizard, a character otherwise not seen in the original theatrical cut. These segments added to the film's 88-minute running time. "Journey" premiered on television in 1976 on ABC, and in subsequent years aired in syndication on the old SFM Holiday Network, and it is there that "Journey" finally achieved its cult status. Incidentally, when the Cosby segments were filmed, the legendary comedian was at a career-transition point, between his original "Bill Cosby Show" in the early '70s, and the "Cosby Show" that would resurrect a ratings-slumping NBC.

"Journey Back To Oz" has now been released on DVD (I rented it out for the weekend), and while it's great to see this animated film again after so many years, it does have its flaws. For one, the feature presentation is time-compressed (it has been said that the former owners of Filmation digitalized the backlong only for PAL, primarily for UK audiences, not giving any thought to their value for North America, and discarded the film elements). And also, not all of the Cosby segments are represented in the supplemental sections (this leads me to believe that some of the original network master to the extended cut has been lost). Yes, it would have been great to see the network TV version represented on DVD, but...

The rest of the supplemental features are OK, with the commentary track and brief interviews with the filmmakers.

I tried to E-mail Andy Mangels, the producer of the "Journey" DVD, but so far has not returned my query.

I wish there would be someone around who could track down a high-quality copy of the TV version for me to see again. It would shed new light on an animated classic that certainly deserves to be re-evaluated, and one that has its place in the history of the world Frank Baum created so long ago. If anyone out there has it, please let me know.

There's no place like Oz. Click those heels three times...

Lost Beatles song leaked on the Internet???

Hey, have any of you heard that new lost, unreleased song from The Beatles in the past few months? Hmmm...well, I've heard it...at least I think I have.

Putting into context...back in 1995 the then-three remaining Beatles (Paul, George, and Ringo) got together with ELO lead singer/producer Jeff Lynne to resurrect three lost demo tapes recorded by the late John Lennon in the late 1970s--"Free As A Bird", "Real Love", and "Now and Then", with embellishment and new vocals and instrumentation by the then-Three-tles, with Lynne co-producing. While we've all heard the Beatles' version of "Bird" and "Love", we never did hear that third song, "Now and Then", which was to have been scheduled for release on "Anthology 3". The Beatles did start work on it, but apparently were never satisfied with the result. For one, John's original demo had a humming noise that somehow even today's technology couldn't fix (remember, he recorded this on cassette, using crude technology of the times).

Of late, there has been talk of the now-two surviving Beatles (Paul and Ringo) and Yoko Ono showing interest in finally releasing that third "lost" Beatles song. In the meantime, there's an MP3 out on the internet purporting to be the Beatles unreleased version of "Now and Then". I have listened to it, and to me it sounds authentic like the Beatles actually did it. However, it has been said that this MP3 mix is actually the work of someone else, maybe some Beatles fan who was able to somehow copy the sound of the previous two Beatles Anthology songs, while ripping the vocals of several Beatles songs, such as the bridge to the "Abbey Road" track "Because" (if you do happen to find this MP3, it is easily detectable in "Now and Then"'s bridge).

Yes, I have heard this MP3, as well as several fan-made videos of the purported Beatles version of "Now and Then" on the Internet, and personally I cannot tell the difference between the Beatles sound and that of a clever fan. One can detect a touch of a Carrie Underwood sound in this MP3.

If infact this is the actual lost Beatles song from 1995, then this serves as a fitting coda to a legacy that has endured for almost five decades, and I not need explain it in a short blog. On the other hand, I personally would like to see this officially released by the band in some form, especially when we're on the edge of the Beatles catalog finally being issued on iTunes.

And Beatlemania goes on...

What's the delay on the Olympics?

Play that Olympic Fanfare once again. Yes, we are at the halfway point of the sport events of all sport events, the Olympics in Beijing. Ah, the thrill of all victory and making your country proud. So what's the delay, hmmm?

Well, this gripe is designed for our fans on the West Coast. First, a little math for you. Beijing is 15 hours ahead of California, so if this was 9 PM California time, it would now be noon tomorrow in Beijing. So go figure that NBC had the Olympic committee schedule the best events for prime time, so thus Saturday's gold medal victory by Michael Phelps took place at about 11:05 AM Bejing time, 11:05 PM Eastern time. While it aired live on the East and Central time zones, the Pacific and most Mountain time zones had to wait to see a delayed version of the critical match. You see, that's what the peacock network is doing with all its Olympics coverage...airing the games at times that are convenient for the audience, instead of showing it live to the entire U.S. So watching the Opening Ceremonies on the first day seemed like eating day-old stale bread. The actual ceremonies would have aired live in the early morning U.S. time had NBC played its cards right. I'm sure that when the Closing Ceremonies take place next week, we'll get the same delayed treatment as well.

So that brings us to another typo...the word "LIVE" superimposed on the screen for certain events. While it probably won't matter for East Coast viewers, it darn well matters for the West Coast. You probably have figured out that there's supposed to be a disclaimer that reads "pre-recorded for this time zone". That way, we won't have to be tricked into seeing an important event live when in fact it has already taken place. I do admit, I did know in advance about Phelps' victory before NBC aired it in California.

While NBC gets the gold medal for airing crucial parts of this year's Olympics live for the East Coast, it gets the bronze for cheating the rest of the U.S. out of our full enjoyment of a great sports spectacle.

Of course, we can't give NBC Universal all the blame since they took the liberty of using the Internet and its sister networks to broadcast a great deal of the games live. That is an achievement in itself.

If by chance NBC does decide to air the Closing Ceremony live to all the U.S., this won't be the first time I've been wrong. By the way, for those who care, the ceremony would have to air at 4:30 AM Pacific time (that translates to 7:30 PM Beijing time). All the better to use your DVRs. Unless, of course, one finds a way to break the boundaries of the Internet and finds a site where they do air live.

The competition and controversy continues. Dum-dum-da-dum-dum-DUMB!!!

A gripe with that dreadful subject

On a day where the world comes together in the greatest of all sports competitions, the Olympics, we have to touch a bit on the one subject I know you hate to hear...cancer.

This past week it was announced that "Married With Children" co-star Christina Applegate is the latest celebrity to be diagnosed with cancer (in this case, breast cancer). You know, it is the most devastating disease anyone can suffer from. One must feel sorry for Applegate and all the other luminaries who has and have suffered from this dreadful disease. Not to mention those who have died from it. I should know, because, and I'm saying this frankly, both my parents passed away from some type of cancer.

I feel even more sorry that there has not been a cure for it. But thank God current technology and science can now give victims at least a chance to survive cancer. I am amazed at the story of sportscaster Robin Roberts (ESPN and ABC) who is surviving her illness. Amazing indeed. But the battle hasn't stopped here. Technology and logic must continue to prevail if cancer is to be beat easily. It will take the know how of certain people with courage and determination if any cure is to be found.

I was watching a PBS documentary not too long ago about this doctor who had cancer but took new experimental therapy using new technology, and so far, at least at last I heard, it is working.

Medical science certainly has changed in the last decade. I wish it could have saved my parents.

Which brings me back to Miss Applegate...Christina, I feel for you. I can only wish that whatever it takes to bring you back to good health will prevail.

Let's not give up the fight against cancer. After all, it is all of our lives that are at stake.

A Sunday Gripe (on Tuesday)

This may sound kind of strange, but a "gold medal" should be given to that wonderful Hawaiian/Australian actress Nicole Kidman for accomplishing a courageous feat. As most of you fans know, Kidman has two adopted children from her former marriage to Tom Cruise, but never carried a biological child to full term (she suffered a miscarriage during the latter part of her marriage to Cruise).

On Monday, her dream of having a baby came true with her new husband, country singer Keith Urban. Kidman should be on cloud one-hundred-and-nine with her new baby girl.

Oh, in case you haven't heard by now, the baby's name is Sunday Rose Kidman Urban. Hmmm...Sunday. Never heard of a name like that before, but let's examine for a moment how a lovely word could be a name for a baby girl.

Well, Sunday is the first day of the week, and so naturally a baby being born is worthy of that name. Rose...all girls are sweet as roses, right? I think Sunday Rose is very, very befitting of a baby girl.

As for Kidman herself...well, she's a singer, right? (occasional, that is). I can just betcha that Keith Urban will call up his country music colleague, Carrie Underwood, or even Garth Brooks, for that matter, and ask them to write a great lullaby for Sunday that Kidman can sing. I won't be surprised if Stevie Wonder came up with something for Sunday for his next album.

OK, enough play-on-words for today. My personal congratulations to Kidman and Urban on their new addition to the family. Happy Tuesday to you all!

Triple Frown...again!!!

Well, I guess a good week has passed since the hype over Big Brown's loss in the Belmont Stakes that cost him the Triple Crown. This was a horse with promise. I guess it all has been said before, hasn't it? An undefeated horse with a lot of potential. Oh, to bring this into context...he held the top post position, #1, started out third throughout the race, then in the homestretch he pulled up and finished last. No horse with a shot at the Triple Crown had ever finished last in the Belmont before this.

Remember, this is the 30th Anniversary of Affirmed's big win in Belmont and the last Triple Crown winner. But, as with other recent horses winning the first two jewels (Kentucky Derby and Preakness), it has always been the "same old song".

Earlier last week Big Brown had that cracked foot. I think that's what did him in this time.

I'm sorry to say though I feel no sympathy for Big Brown, none what so ever. You see, the Triple Crown is one of the toughest challenges of any athlete, human or animal, in any sport. Each distance gets longer and the quest becomes tougher. The trophy (which would have been presented in the Winner's Circle at Belmont) is a tough prize to get. And so it goes for yet another year...what is it now? 30 years? The longest drought in history since the last Triple Crown winner Affirmed in 1978?

Certainly it has already brought bad luck to the "sport of kings" and a reputation ruined. Not to mention all the terrible tragedies that have followed each losing year (anyone remember a thing called 9/11?) I guess we're cursed again. Brace yourself...

In the meantime, let the bells toll 30 times for each year the Triple Crown has not been won. 30 years and counting. Horses, trainers, and jockeys, it's up to you to stop the streak...and perhaps help bring solace to a rapidly deteriorating sport called thoroughbred racing.

The Summer Movie Blockbuster Race

So it begins again...Hollywood is out to get your top dollar at the box office this summer. And already it is heating up. After last week's spectacular results of the long-awaited sequel "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (earning over $300 million in its first week alone worldwide), here comes "Sex And The City", taking first place. Hmmmm...that just tells you something. It sounds like the possibility of a bona-fide runaway box office smash is not very good. Here today, gone tomorrow, it seems. With the state of the economy and the outbreak of cable channels everywhere, is it any wonder the chemistry of a Hollywood box office hit isn't there? Well, it's not over yet, folks. The race has only begun. Personally, I can't wait to see "The Dark Knight" since I'm a Batman fan myself.

What a Universal surprise

As if NBC's misfortunes were not bad enough...well, what happened on Sunday was surprising indeed. Sister company Universal Studios went through a fiery time of their own. A fire destroyed much of their studio back lot. That is sad indeed considering some of the greatest films and television series ever made were done at Universal. Amongsted the casualties: much of the city settings you've been seeing in films for the past few decades, and the "courthouse" set of the "Back To The Future" films. That is sad indeed. Much of the film companies could not make their product without these great sets. Otherwise they'd spend a whole lot more going on location. Yes, it will take millions of dollars to rebuild the sets, but I can guarantee you they won't be the same.

Another bit of bad news...much of their archived films and videotapes were also lost in the fire. But here is the good news...duplicates of what was lost were made, and luckily Universal had the good sense of making back-up copies for storage elsewhere. That is very, very important, especially in an era where film preservation and restoration is extremely critical. Otherwise much of our entertainment history would now not exist for us to see.

I hope that film companies and archivists everywhere will learn a huge lesson from the Universal fire. Just making one copy of a film is not enough. You have to make several, so if one is ever lost there will be at least one more to go by. Much of what we've made since the beginning of the 20th Century has already been lost. But much of what is left can be saved if we put our minds to it.

That is your "Fire 101" lesson for today. There will be a test later.

Final Gripe of the week

In our last gripe, I mentioned about our favorite sweetheart, Carrie Underwood, communicating with her fans on the 'net. Well, it did not surprise me that now more and more celebrities are putting up official web sites. This past week, Tom Cruise ("Legend") initiated his own official site as a response to fans wanting to get a way for Jack O' The Green himself to have his own "minutes of fame" on the Internet. I think that is cool. But, one thing we all have to remember. When it comes to celebrities' official web sites, even they are like real people...they need to be treated with respect and dignity. So, say for instance, one would try and contact Carrie or Tom via their web sites. What they say can affect their lives forever (there is such a thing as "fan stalking"), so choose your kind words nicely and there should be absolutely no problem at all. We'll all get along just fine. Who knows? Maybe they will contact you personally!!!

Final note: We all have heard by now that Alexander Courage passed away last week at 88. While Superman fans will remember him for his re-working of John Williams' music for "Superman IV", he will be best remembered for the famous "Star Trek" TV theme. It was fresh in our minds when it debuted in 1966, and it still does now. May he rest in peace.

Til next week...

Carrie, Mike, and the Kitchen Sink

Trying to fit three subjects into one gripe...well, let's see how this goes.

First, if you can grab a hold of Carrie Underwood's latest album, "Carnival Ride", you are in for one heck of a ride (no pun intended). In the few short years since she won "American Idol", Carrie has become one of the greatest young entertainers since Celine Dion burst onto the scene in the 1980s. Carrie has won every single major music award, and her powerful vocals on this album are proof positive that she is definitely the next Celine. I have heard several tracks from this album, including her latest single, "Just A Dream". With all that star power behind her, she is poised to be truly a legend. And she's only 25! By the way, and for the record, she's been on "Saturday Night Live" twice--I didn't see them, simply because she didn't appear in any sketches. But wouldn't it be nice if she did on her next appearance? Or even host the show? Anyway, somewhere on the Internet she has a blog site of her own to communicate with her fans, so do your searching and check it out. Also check out her latest album.

Next, a little salute to a good friend who I (and other Superman movie fans) have had the pleasure of doing an Internet chat session some years back. Mike Matessino is truly one to help the cause of preserving movie soundtracks and contribute his input on major LaserDisc and DVD releases. Some time back, I had the opportunity to see the documentary on the "re"-making of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" Director's Edition. Mike has helped to bring the first "Star Trek" movie its continuing cult status nearly 30 years after its original release. His work on numerous video re-issues of "The Sound of Music" and others has been substantial. His soundtrack work is no exception. His latest project, of course, is the reissue of the scores to all four Christopher Reeve "Superman" movies, compiled together into a box set, "Superman: The Music". The first edition was a sell-out, and the second edition, due out very shortly, promises to do just as well. I have yet to bring myself to get a copy, but when I do, it will be worth waiting for. Oh, did I mention I still have the 2000 Rhino 2-CD reissue which Mike also helped to produce? I have no intention of letting it go on eBay...not for all the rice in China! Hopefully for a future blog I'll ask Mike what would be the one soundtrack or DVD project he'd like to tackle the most.

Finally, and here's the "Kitchen Sink"..."Juno". This award-winning but highly overlooked film is a must-see. It's not to be seen for the plot (a troubled teenager gets pregnant and wants to give away her baby), but for the quirkiness and funny moments that make this a great film. Ellen Page (in the title role) really takes on teenage life to the hilt! The supporting cast (headed by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner) helps to propel the story. I'd check it out tonight, if I were you.

Whew! Three gripes in one. Never thought I'd get that far. See ya later.

Is the game show genre dying?--(Part II: Concentrate, now)

In a previous gripe, I talked about the possible demise of the daytime game show in the light of the recently announced Daytime Emmy nominations...in fact, game shows in general, whether it be daytime or nighttime.

We have a further problem here...one called NBC, a network that's languishing in 4th place in the ratings. I mean, here is a network that somehow helped to revive the nighttime game show with "Weakest Link", "Deal or No Deal", "1 vs. 100", etc. But what could possibly be done to raise the Peacock network's ratings?

This year, NBC is poised to do something in the ratings. They have the Beijing Olympics coming this summer, and next February, Super Bowl XLIII. Now, what new show could possibly top the latter, if not follow it?

Well, you see, there's this property that NBC has been sitting on for the past 15 years, a game show they themselves own the rights to. It was created by Jack Barry, a game show pioneer whose own career was nearly destroyed by the game show scandals of the 1950s, but redeemed in the '70s when he created "Joker's Wild", a show he hosted until his death in 1984.

It's a game show built upon a simple children's game idea of matching and remembering, then solving a rebus puzzle in order to win prizes. Too old to remember, "Concentration"?

The original version ran from 1958 through 1973, with hosts ranging from Hugh Downs to Ed McMahon to the late Bob Clayton. A mere few months later two other legendary game show pioneers, Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, brought the show back in syndication, with new elements added but retaining the spirit of the original show (yes, I remember vividly that version with Jack Narz). And finally, in 1987, "Classic Concentration" (made by the same Goodson/Todman production team) made its debut with Alex Trebek, who by that time was in his third year hosting "Jeopardy". But yet again, new elements were added but without destroying the spirit of the original.

This year happens to be the 50th anniversary of the debut of the original "Concentration". Having seen all three versions of this in my lifetime, I can tell you this is one of the greatest game shows ever on television, and one that was ahead of its time.

Since the last version of "Concentration" went off the air in 1991, NBC has made several attempts to bring the show back, but to no avail. And yet, "Concentration" fever is out there, its spirit remaining in all new board games, hand-held games, and even on the Internet.

Now, having said all of that, the question is, don't you think the time is right for NBC to finally update this show to the high standards of game shows of today, such as "Deal or No Deal", or even "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire"?

I think so. Here's how the new "Concentration" might be like: of course, you have to start with two contestants playing the classic game. To save time, put 20 squares on the board instead of 30 (for the earlier versions) or 25 (for "Classic"). Of course, add prizes like trips or cars, or even cash. The winner of the first game will meet the winner of the second. Then, here's where it gets exciting...the end games would have no tiles to match, but a "Weakest Link"-type end game where whoever solves the most puzzles goes on to something like "The Final Match" for a grand prize of $100, 000!!! Won't be surprised if this new format gets to a "million dollar tournament". Now that would really raise NBC's ratings.

Who would NBC have in mind for a producer? I can think of two...the producer/creator of "American Idol", Simon Fuller, and the man who unsuccessfully brought "Weakest Link" to the U.S. (also on NBC), Phil Gurin (who, incidentally, has since gone on to produce more successful shows and specials).

The format? One hour long, of course, beginning with ten episodes just to keep in line with the budget.

And the host...I'll give you a hint...she (yes, she!--watch out, Anne Robinson) would be the perfect host for the new version, one who won "American Idol" herself, and the first such winner to win all three major music awards. I won't mention her name, but...

...you guys figure out all the rest. As for the guys at NBC, take note of this blog!!! You might just have the ultimate revival of a classic. Will "Concentration" return in 2009? It's up to you, NBC/Universal.

Note in passing: NBC (or, in a sense, Universal Media Studios) owns the format rights to "Concentration", having obtained them from Barry and Enright after the legendary game show scandals of the 1950s.

P.S. If what I just said comes to pass, can anyone give me tickets to the premiere?

Is the game show genre dying?

Let's play a game for a second...can you tell me how many game shows were on television in 1975? Answer: 26. That is the most number of game shows in any one season in television history.

Yesterday, the Daytime Emmy Award nominations were announced. Only three game shows were nominated, and, I'm sorry to say, the most popular game show ever on television, "Wheel of Fortune", is not on the list (yes, it has never won an Emmy in the 33 years it's been on, that's an even longer losing streak than Susan Lucci, who by the way, was not nominated this year again). The three game shows that were nominated are "Jeopardy!", "Cash Cab", and "The Price Is Right".

The lack of nominees is proof positive that the daytime game show is on its way out. Out of all those popular game shows we grew up on ("Pyramid", "Press Your Luck", "Hollywood Squares", to name a few), "Price" is now the only network game show left on daytime television. The rest are either syndicated or on cable networks. But the fact is, people are now turning to talk shows like "Regis and Kelly"and "Montel". And this fall, even more talk shows will pop up, all trying to dethrone "Oprah" as the top of the talk show heap.

People are becoming no longer interested in daytime game shows simply because of changing times and habits. They're finding these shows no longer entertaining and interesting.

Now notice I was talking about daytime game shows. Nighttime is a different story altogether. You see, on the other hand, we're seeing more and more of the nighttime game shows like "Deal or No Deal", "American Idol", "Don't Forget The Lyrics", etc. But even that genre is becoming less interesting too. The lower the ratings for some of these nighttime game shows are, the more likely they'll use celebrity editions (that's what doomed the British import "The Weakest Link" in the U.S.). The logic behind these nighttime game shows: to boost ratings. Apparently Fox is getting more mileage from developing nighttime game shows. Take a look at their recent "The Moment of Truth". The more "truth" (read: primetime talk trash), the better their ratings will be.

But from the looks of things, if this trend does keep up, the game show genre will go the way of the "do-do", as other television genres like the Western and Variety show kinds have gone.

Is that your final answer?

Shaky Tuesday

For decades upon decades, residents of California have been trying to prepare for the "next big quake", which, according to a report out on Monday, could hit within the next few years. But are we truly educated enough to even educate ourselves to survive what has been called "The Big One"?

I think most of us learned our lesson from the San Francisco Earthquakes of 1906 and 1989. Times do change, and so does the technology needed to strengthen our buildings to withstand major earthquake damage. I don't know if there's precise science out yet to accurately predict when the next quake will hit, but we're trying.

The one thing we really need to worry about is the San Andreas Fault, which lies in the middle of a great deal of California. Like all earthquake faults, it is unstable, but at a certain point in time it will gather enough energy to move, thus creating the next quake.

So does it mean residents have to move away from the fault to safer ground? I'll leave it up to them, but now is as good as time as any to really do our homework and study up big time on how to prepare for an earthquake, no matter where it hits. Yes, it can happen anywhere on this lovely green planet. Of course, the Internet is now adding to the vast world of information check-points available.

I can sympathize with those who ever survived an earthquake, because I actually felt the 1989 S.F. quake from all the way in Sacramento, CA, where I was at the time.

So go ahead, mentally enroll yourselves in "Earthquake Survival 101". As the saying goes, "forewarned is for-armed".

Friday Fly-Away

Before we fly away for another week, let me tell you a bit about all those airlines lately. Airline after airline after airline is going under. I'm sure you've heard about that. Only one thing is behind this...competition. So many airlines flying cheap these days that there's really no need for other expensive airlines to operate. That's how it is these days when planning a vacation. You want to spend as little money as possible. That has been the weakness behind such airlines as Aloha (boy, did we literally say 'aloha', didn't we?). I betcha these bankrupt airlines will make the surviving ones chuckle a bit. They know the one thing that works these days...low prices.

Which brings us to another issue...airline safety. Recently, American Airlines (and to some small extent, Southwest) has been cancelling flights out of concern for the airlines that are being inspected for flaws and safety. While it's too bad about the cancellations, maybe checking those planes is a good thing in itself. Who doesn't remember all those airline disasters over the decades? I won't bore you with one particular one. But all the better to make sure their aircraft is A-100 percent safe for you to fly. Every air craft has to be flawless to the letter. At least the airlines have learned from all those crashes. Gee, I hope you fly those friendly skies safely.

True, flying isn't like it was before, but these days, you have to make sure everything, and I mean everything, is OK before you step on to that plane. Good work, guys who are still operating. I wish them all friendlier skies in the months and years to come.

Now it's time for me to fly on out of the Internet until next week. Take care! And make sure you're still worthy of those wings!

A Vita-blog

Long before there was Dolby Stereo, DTS, or SDDS sound, there was Vitaphone. Vitaphone was a primitive process that employed sound-on-disc, the chief challenge to sync up disc to film. I'm sure you have heard all the stuff about this on the Internet, so I'll spare you what you may have heard before, and say it really was the beginning of the end of the silent movie era.

I finally had a chance to look at the new DVD of "The Jazz Singer", the original 1927 film that propelled Al Jolson to success, and certainly I was blown away by the restored and remastered picture and sound...the print sharp (with a few unavoidable anomalities), and a soundtrack almost free of pops and scratches.

Now let me tell you that "The Jazz Singer" is not the kind of experience you think. Despite all the hype over the decades that this was the first ever sound picture, it is really a silent film with sound segments. But what few there were (and I enjoyed watching them on this DVD, too) began to spell THE END for silent films. Because of this, other studios would notice, so why fiddle with what would become obsolete?

Not everyone's up of tea, but because of its significance in film history, this is truly a DVD set that should be enjoyed again.

Warner/Turner should be commended for an excellent job reviving this film for new generations. For me, it was a trip back in time when sound (albeit mono, nonetheless ANY sound) was the "new phase" for motion pictures.

Al Jolson, if you were here, you haven't seen or heard nothing yet!

Oly-Oly-Uh, Oh!

Not since 1984 have I heard such controversy over an Olympic games. I'm talking about what's going on in San Francisco and the possibility of the U.S. boycotting the upcoming Beijing Olympics. Sure, there are always going to be political issues keeping things out of check, but come on, world! What have we come to since 9/11?

We pretty much learned our lesson from our boycotting the 1980 Moscow games, and Russia boycotting the 1984 L.A. games. Or, at least, I hope so.

The Olympic games were built around one thing...to bring our entire world together and fight for the glory of sport. To show the world that we indeed are totally one. Why can't every country see that very fact? Every four years, each country is supposed to set aside their differences and prove that we have a chance to show how strong we can be as one world.

The Olympic games have begat true champions over the decades, a lot too numerous to mention here in a brief blog. And there will be again. But without the U.S. taking part, it won't be much of an Olympic games at all. All the same when NBC is involved, the fourth place network languishing in the ratings (more about that in a future gripe)...remember, when we boycotted the Moscow games, NBC boycotted them too.

Whatever happened to unity and friendship? For the answer, stay tuned whenever we get on the ball and participate in Beijing.

What's up with UA, lately?

Tom Cruise may be one of the biggest stars and movie makers in Hollywood, but right now he's finding that trying to bring a legendary studio back to prominence is not easy.

He and his studio, United Artists, are currently filming "Valkyrie" under "Superman Returns" director Bryan Singer, about a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Unfortunately, it is the latest in a series of bad luck runs for the nearly 90-year-old studio, the very studio whose existence got turned upside down by the legendary 1980 flop "Heaven's Gate". First, some film that had been shot was said to be damaged during processing. Then, the film got delayed several times--it had been scheduled for release this fall, but has recently been moved up to February of next year. And all this coming off the heels of last year's "Lions For Lambs", another box office flop.

UA has had a rich, rich legacy since it was founded in 1919. However, recently it has been difficult to find the right chemistry to produce a film that audiences will remember, and the award community will recognize. True, such UA films as "Around The World In 80 Days", "Rocky", and "Rainman" (which, incidentally, co-starred Cruise) have gotten the Best Picture Award honors, but time and fate have not been kind to UA since it started up again last year.

It can be safe to say UA does have some tough competition out there...and it is those very studios that are trying to be the next UA. How about Lionsgate, the independent studio founded in an earlier form by late director Robert Altman? Lionsgate has the same motives as UA, but they have found a way to make money by not investing so much in their pictures, yet keeping the studio quality values to make a box-office hit.

If UA is to be on the same level as Lionsgate and other major studios, they should evaluate their pictures before they are made, to map out the kinks, attract both top and raw talent, and create a smooth production free of trouble before even one frame of film is shot. UA has to have a definitive plan of action. Maybe then people will start going to see UA movies again, and the studio will once again find its once former glory.

OK, Mr. Cruise, that is your mission. This blog will self-destruct in five seconds.

Charlton Heston: A Brief Appreciation

Actors are born to be legends. Then there are those that are trademarks of Biblical epics. "Ben-Hur" and "The Ten Commandments" are two such films. Millions of people have been touched by these great films. Certainly, there was no other talented actor than Charlton Heston. This last week, Heston became one with the God he had exalted so much on screen.

Heston's performances in these and other great films were, without question, among the best I have seen in my lifetime. One brings to mind the Red Sea sequence in "Commandments". Heston pulled off a performance that was way ahead of its time. The image of the parting of the Red Sea and his classic line, "Behold, His mighty hand!!!" remains fixed in the minds of all who were inspired by the story of Moses.

The Chariot race in "Ben-Hur" has been copied by so many filmmakers, including George Lucas. But again, it was Heston's performance that won out. He certainly deserved his Oscar for that performance.

Let's not forget the original "Planet Of The Apes" and that final scene with the Statue of Liberty. No one can picture a science-fiction classic without Heston and his struggle to adapt to a futuristic upside-down Earth.

I urge you to go to your video store and see these three great films again, and you will look at a man who was, and is, amongted the last of a breed of legendary actors whose performances surpass success. It is very rare for something like this to happen in motion pictures.

Thank you, Mr. Heston, for all you have left us to enjoy.

See ya later.

Some fast bucks

Hello, folk! Yes, after a season away from the keyboard, I am back with a whole new round of gripes for all to see. Hope you had a great holiday season and Easter (boy, it came early, did it!).

Well, without even trying to do any advertisements for anyone, over the past few months I have found ways to make money on the Internet. OK, we've all heard that before. Everyone these days is trying to make that fast buck on the World Wide Web. Even that guy with the question mark on his shirt, Matthew Laslo, would agree that you can indeed make some big (well, OK, some) dough.

If you think the subject of today's gripe is Internet scams, well, you're wrong. Let me tell you there are ways...legitimate ways, to make money. I won't mention any site names (as again, it would imply I'm doing advertising), but here are a few wise tips.

First, remember that many of the sites ask you to do surveys, while others want you to try out certain services (legit). Second, make sure they are reputable and trusted (many of these sites are approved by certain authorized agencies). Third, when you sign on for a site, make sure they're not asking for your money first. There are sites out there that charge you to do surveys. But it should be the other way around...they pay you to do that! Next, after going through the legal stuff they require you to see, remember this rule of thumb...the more difficult and longer the survey they offer you is, the more you get paid. Some sites pay you cash almost on the spot (most of the time you have to have a certain limit of money accumulated before you can redeem), while others pay you points to redeem for prizes. Now, if you join a points program, remember, don't expect to get the whole "9 yards" right away...it takes time. It also depends on what you want to try out and what you want to use on their web sites. By all means, sign on to as many legit survey sites as you want...the more the merrier. Beware though...don't go on a site that will rip you off!

If you play it right, you just might be earning cash. Again, and I say this from experience, don't expect to get hundreds of dollars a week. Just learn what to expect and go from there, and I can guarantee you will enjoy the Internet even more with no problem whatsoever.

Whew! Time for me to start getting my baseball fill for this weekend. Check you out hopefully with a new gripe next week!