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Tag Archives: Fifties
RIP Kirk Douglas
He really hung in there! Not to be flippant or crude but I thought he already passed away like in the Aughts. Kirk did bring us a slug of good movies that I often caught on TV: Spartacus, The Vikings and Paths to … Continue reading
Sixty-five years of progress in miniaturization
That stack of 62,500 punchcards represents 4.5 MB of data circa 1955. I remember my dad doing his CS homework/projects on those things in the early Seventies! Today, my current iPhone Xs holds over 14,000 times that much information and … Continue reading
C’est ne pas un LEGO
The LEGO store gave this out to us VIPs as a gift after spending a certain amount, I can’t remember how much. This set which creates a model of the core 2 x 4 brick (it doesn’t work like one … Continue reading
MAD goes into zombie mode after 67 years
I initially didn’t think anything was happening to MAD itself when comedian and senior editor Dan Telfer announced being laid off via Twitter. Then the deluge of news began about how the beloved satirical magazine was “ending” after 67 years. MAD‘s death … Continue reading
1959: NASA introduces America’s first astronauts
Even if not everything in the movie or book, The Right Stuff, is completely true, I think most Americans know the story about the Mercury Seven. Back when the US was trying to catch up to the Soviet Union, military test … Continue reading
1959: Barbie makes her debut
A good place to start on the history of this iconic doll is its own episode on The Toys That Made Us which is also intertwined with the Mattel Corporation’s story. There’s another show on Hulu with the words “tiny waist” in … Continue reading
The Platinum Age of Television by David Bianculli
If you’re a fan of Fresh Air, then you are probably familiar with the author since he’s the TV Critic and sometimes guest host. I usually tune out the last 5-10 minutes of the show anyway because I tend not to … Continue reading
The Death of Stalin: Acquired Taste
My final entry for Marx’s birthday. It’s late but I still want to write about seeing this at the nearby discount theater which never ceases to amaze me in what they carry. Believe it or not, The Death of Stalin is … Continue reading
RIP Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis was one of those comedians you usually found funny when you’re a kid and as you get older, his schtick becomes lame. With him though, there was the addition of his unbearable actual asshole self you’d catch in … Continue reading
The Founder: Must See
The Founder is primarily about Ray Kroc, the man behind what McDonald’s became until his death. It also entails the two brothers (Mac and Dick) who created the original restaurant Kroc hijacked and transformed into an empire that still feeds … Continue reading
The Wanderers digitally restored
I only remember seeing some parts of The Wanderers when it was on HBO around 1980, I think. By today’s standards, it would be a PG-13 movie due to the violence. According to its history, the movie tanked upon release but … Continue reading
RIP George Martin
Obviously he was the man who earned the coveted “fifth Beatle” spot because he produced every major record of theirs but one. Although I don’t worship at the feet of the Beatles, I always respected George Martin, his production skill and … Continue reading
Hail, Caesar!: Wait for Netflix or rent
I’ll start off with a disclosure statement or confession…I am not nor have I ever been enamored of the Coen Brothers. I think they’re hacks who are twice as crappy as Tarantino. Makes sense, there’s two of them. I hate The … Continue reading
Trumbo: Must See
You may not know Dalton Trumbo by name but you’ll know the movies he wrote the screenplays to: Roman Holiday, Spartacus, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, Exodus and Kitty Foyle. He was also a highly-paid screenwriter whose career was devastated by the Red Scare … Continue reading
Bridge of Spies: Worth seeing
Spielberg and Hanks team up again to cover the next chapter of American History after Saving Private Cliché back in 1998, aka Spielberg Americanizes Stalingrad. Still, I couldn’t help but like this little Thriller-Drama-History puff piece despite it playing fast and loose … Continue reading