| Archives of Nolan's Pop Culture Review | ||
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 LA FLORIDIANA Will's Key West Adventure -- Part One by William Moriaty | ||
THIS WEEK'S MOVIE REVIEW "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" by Mike Smith | ||
ODDSERVATIONS An Afternoon at the Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase by Andy Lalino | ||
SPLASH PAGE Is Political Outsourcing Corporation Centralization With Media Hype?....One-Shots by Brandon Jones | ||
THE GREAT BENZINI On Comics by Ben Gregory | ||
MATT'S RAIL Edgartown Excitement....The Masters of Horror is Back! by Matt Drinnenberg | ||
MIKE'S RANT Tedd Webb....Bush Speak....You're Out!....Jaws 30....More on Moore....Meet The Beatles, Part 21 by Mike Smith | ||
LETTERS | ||
Established A.D. 2000, March 19. Now in our fifth calendar year!
Number 221 (Vol. 5, No. 25). This edition is for the week of June 14--20, 2004.
New faces. New sections.
I wasn't even aware he was coming. The FOX news team suddenly cut into whatever talk show was on, around 10:30am or so, and we're shown a close-up of the open door of Air Force One on the tarmac. In a few minutes, here he comes bounding down the steps and up to a podium to give a rousing speech about the expected topics. Tampa mayor Pam Iorio and St. Pete mayor Rick Baker were in attendance (and mentioned by Bush).
Also mentioned by Bush were the Tampa Bay Lightning ("how can one ice-skate in this kind of weather?"). The only names he muddled were one of the coaches (that I recall anyway).
Still not a Bush fan, but I've always been a sucker for the pomp and circumstance of a visiting dignitary, no matter who it is.
He waxed on about the war in Iraq and our expected turning over of the government reigns in about two weeks. He thanked the troops. It was a good speech; that's about all I have to say about that.
As the official driver of the Tampa Bay Lightning bandwagon, I'd like to
let everyone know that there is still some room left if you want to jump on
board. Most of Tampa Bay have already joined us, but were still waiting
for the last remaining holdouts.
It's been lonely over the past several years as I drove the bandwagon
around town by myself. It's nice to have some company at last.
Until recently, most residents thought that the Stanley Cup was the name of
the 32-ounce beer that you could buy at a Bucaneers game. They also
thought that a power play was how you got promoted at work and a slap shot
is what you drink at a bar.
I used to have to stand on the street corner and hand out free
tickets. Most people didn't know they were for a hockey game. Whenever I
asked people if they wanted to see the Lightning, most looked up to the sky
and wondering how I knew that a summer thunderstorm was on the way.
There's no such thing as free tickets anymore. In fact, bring a briefcase
full of money if you want to see one of the playoff games. Just watch out
for the police. They've had to wipe off the dust from the scalping laws
and go after those who prey upon the huddled masses that have recently
gathered on our bandwagon.
I'd like to extend my congratulations to the Lightning on winning the
Stanley Cup. Now that Tampa Bay has hockey fever, I'll have the bandwagon
ready for next season so I can welcome our latest fans.
June Romeo Coffeehouse Meeting
With my frequent traveling companion, Gus Perez, in tow we headed out once again to see how the filmmakers in the area wanted to play with our heads this month at the Romeo Coffeehouse Film series at 1515 W. 7th Ave. in Ybor City. Pleasant surprises include running into old filmmaker friend Mark Nash and later, David Vogel. Also Jeania Ingle and Shade Burnett from Clearwater's Filthy camp were in attendance.
More good news is you won't hear me bitching about the sound system this time, the gremlins finally got sorted out.
First up was "Pressing Fences" (don't have producer info, sorry), a short...uhh....joke of some sort I guess, about a man leaning into what looks to be a barb-wire type fence along the highway. I mean he's really pushing with his back into it. After several minutes, it finally flops over and our man walks away. The End. OooooKaayyy. (RT: about 5 minutes)
The next two flicks I'd waited a long time to see, due to bad luck I always seemed to miss and both by Katie Damien.
Just Due [Katie Damien] played at the 4th Renegade Film Festival (Saints & Sinners), but I missed it there due to hobnobbing in the lobby too long. The setting is the old west and two gun-slinging sisters are talking about how they're going to handle some tough business that day. Suddenly, a shout from an abusive landlord/boss awakens them...and us...to the fact that this just is a daydream. The two sisters are charwomen, scrubbing floors on their hands and knees for a drunken, redneck jerk. They escape this harsh reality by whispering little bits of their wild west fantasy to each other. As the abuse grows and tolerances are tested, the fantasy threatens to become reality. Highly recommended. (RT: about 10 minutes)
Vanity Mirror [Katie Damien] also played at S&SIV, but I only saw a part of it. This was a little bit more of an abstract experience for me, but still intriguing. A woman, seemingly haunted by visions of stalkers and self-mutilation, finally acts out some self-destruction via her broken mirror. Hard to follow in what can be the occasionally noisey atmosphere of the coffeehouse, so I'm afraid that's about all I got out of it, but still worth a study! (RT: about 10-15 minutes)
Sheep's Clothing by Crazed Fanboy's own Jason L. Liquori debuted in Apopka last month, this month in Ybor. Jason was expected to attend the screening, but severely bad weather interrupted his journey from Orlando and he was forced to cancel. A private eye (Liquori) is following an attractive young woman whose shady habits are suspect. She is seen meeting in secret with a minister of some sort who's also suspected to be having some sort of affair. Many paths lead to a climax one night at the woman's house where the minister is witnessed tying her to the bedposts for what could be kinky sex. As the full moon rises, the true nature of their relationship is revealed as the..ahem...animal in the woman is exposed. First Date [Tom Mott]. An older man, just getting in from a night on the town, gets on the phone with his buddy to tell him about a date he just had with an older woman about his age. It's almost touching how excited he his as he ruminates how long it's been since he's felt so giddy over a date. However, he carries a dark secret and seeks advice from his friend: Should I or shouldn't I tell her my secret? (it's a gender-bender thing). We cut to the woman, also getting home, seemingly very happy with the night's proceedings. As she starts to undress and goes to the bathroom, it looks like there are TWO people here with gender-confusion issues!! Good for a big laugh and Highly Recommended. (RT: about 5-10 minutes)
A big surprise was Walter Romeo (Coffeehouse owner) entrusting me with some very interesting footage he shot himself. You'll be hearing more about that very soon. Mum's the word for now, though!
One night, not long ago, while toiling away at the hell-pit of despair of my part-time employment, a young lady walks in half-covered in colorful tattoos and body piercings. I inquired, as I am wont to do occasionally, as to where these markings were acquired. She told me she works at Shiva's Pain, 1514 W. 7th Ave, in Ybor City---in other words directly across from the 1515 Romeo Coffeehouse! I told her I'd be in the neighborhood that week (at the above-reviewed Film Series, in fact) and get her and her co-workers some free publicity. She seemed quite tickled at the prospect.
Monty's been here a couple years and business is decent. (Lauren W. -- the girl I met at 7-Eleven -- While there are tattoo shops all over the place, this is the first I've personally visited, because of a young lady named Lauren. I myself have no tattoos and no desire to obtain one, BUT, I very much respect the art-form more than I did during my youth. And a very interesting crowd hangs out down there in Ybor! Ha ha.
George W. Bush visits Tampa
Guest Editorial on the TB Lightning
June Coffeehouse Meeting
I Visit Shiva's Pain
Plus....The Dr. Paul Bearer database begins.
And....A special letter from a Tampa radio legend...
George W. Bush was within three miles of my house this morning (Wed, June 16th). It's one of the idiosyncracies of my living that close to MacDill Air Force Base, now Central Command for middle-east operations, my whole life.
Guest Editorial
The TB Lightning bandwagon
By Dan McDonald
by Nolan Canova
Click on images to enlarge 
Gus Perez and Mark Nash catch up on current affairs. 
Gus hadn't been gone two seconds when David Vogel appeared--ha ha. David and Gus are working on a horror film. 
The Coffeehouse screen itself just before show time. The blue is a default projection. 
Jeania Ingle and Shade Burnett do this homo-erotic vampire thing in front of me that was extremely hot! 
Yours truly, left, with the genial and accomodating owner of the Romeo Coffeehouse, Walter Romeo.
Jason obviously loves the classic detective noir movie as every shot and every note of music seems to be an homage to classic Bogart, et., al. I don't think Bogie ever tackled a case like this before though! A fun ride and also Highly Recommended. (RT: 12 minutes)
Meanwhile, across the street at Shiva's Pain...
View from the front door of Shiva's Pain. Gus P. and Lauren W. are talking in the background.
Shiva's pain is actually a little more than a "tattoo parlor" as it turns out, it's also a bit of an art gallery. Many donated works hang on the walls. The owner, Monty Montantez, points out that these are not necessarily tattoo desings, they're more for inspiration. However, if a customer wanted any design in the place as a tattoo it can be had for the asking.
Typical tattoo application booth. This is the one Gus is standing in front of in photo at left.Monty, and several others I've spoken to in Ybor City have been relaying concerns over the negative business impact Channelside has had on many businesses in Ybor.) Prices are competitive, and all health and safety procedures are strictly adhered to. (Monty comments most all tattoo parlors, including his, exceed safety guidelines by a generous margin to ensure compliance--and repeat business!)
Close-up of the work done on Lauren's arm. Prices run the gamut for all sizes of tattoos both big and small; Monty says ones similar to Lauren's can be gotten for around $400.
I usually illicit a chuckle when I remark to young tattoo fans that my earliest memories of people with tattoos were pretty much prisoners, sailors, and vagabonds. Of course, in the last 15 years especially, this art ("skin art") has taken on a new relevancy for self-decoration(?) purposes, most noticably (but certainly not exclusively) among the "goth" crowd. And many of them find Ybor irresistable.
Monty's ear job. {Close-up inset.)
One last laugh was on me. I was in the process of getting email addresses (to send them this link) and mentally conspiring to sell them on an ad banner when all but Lauren denied having a working computer, let alone internet access. So there is no website to plug, this is it, right here! Their only internet exposure. In light of that, I was generous with space as this may be the only thing they have to link to, which is fine by me.
Meet Lauren W. (she's the one on the right). More of the art works that adorn the walls of Shiva's Pain. 
From left, owner Monty Montantez, Yours truly, Lauren W. First and last sight upon arriving and departing: Pete's wild car. I don't even know what it is, but I like it. Pete, an employee who declined any other publicity, allowed me to take this photo.
