Crazed Fanboy's Most Memorable Moments, 2000--2009 As submitted by PCR writers, compiled by Chris Woods FIRST COFFEEHOUSE FILM REVIEW From 2004, a write up on the first Coffeehouse Film Review (later
known as Tampa Film Review) that was founded by The Guzzo Brothers
and took place at Romeo Coffeehouse Studio 1515.
As if things weren't already hard enough. A recent news item went out on several news sites over the weekend that the websites most likely to carry malicious downloads are....get ready....pop culture sites!!
AOL's page listed the top ten most dangerous ones, but none of the URL's listed seemed likely to warrant a visit from our circle--although one had "Tim Burton" in the title. HOWEVER....they were all configured to respond to typical search engine inquiries, like searches for famous movie celebrities and pop stars.
One of our Readers Comments posters noted that after last Friday, even after this page downloads, something else keeps downloading for quite a while afterwards that caused him/her to distrust us. There is no reason for concern.
Friday afternoon, the new episode of RadioActive Television was posted here causing a lengthy "buffering" time that kept modems hopping long after the homepage was viewable, whether the movie was started or not. That's because the video continues to download even after it's started playing. It stops when the video is completely downloaded into your browser. I'm working on a different configuration to prevent this.
Please know that I hand-code this site entirely and there is nothing sneaky or malicious going into your computer that I myself included or intended.
As a first step toward establishing a newly-oriented PCR, my co-editor and I are endeavoring to produce a weekly video to debut in this space on Fridays. After the debut, the videos will be archived in the appropriate section and the PCR homepage will return to normal.
First up: a new episode of Radioactive Television! This is only the fourth episode produced for this series (I'm counting "Episode Zero", as I like to call it, that I did at Public Access ten years ago).
A saucy female detective takes an assignment to stand guard at a grave site on Halloween. What seems at first like an unusual but easy gig quickly turns into something diabolical.
Note: I'm still working out the video system configuration. If clicking on the Play arrow fails to load the video, try refreshing the browser. ---Nolan
WHAT'S NEXT
POSTED BY NOLAN B. CANOVA, TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2010
We as a country are in a unique transitional period. Analog to digital. Standard Definition to Hi-Def. 3-D movies are more pervasive than in any previous era, and though I think it's another transient fad, there's continuous talk of 3-D television. Cell phones are getting so hi-tech, it's ridiculous. While a "Jetsons"-type existence is only partially realized (we have wall TVs now, sure, but no personal flying vehicles or robot servants, dang it all), as far as entertainment goes, technically-speaking, we're approaching Star Trek levels a little ahead of schedule.
But content-wise, I don't think we've progressed all that much. Remakes, "re-imaginings", and recycled plot lines account for way too much output from Hollywood. "Reality Television" -- which is cheap and can pretty much write itself -- has taken over most of prime-time television. Not ALL, of course, but too much. I, for one, cannot see American Idol and its ilk lasting much longer.
So, what's next? We certainly have the technical ability to realize just about anything. Now all we need is new ideas. Or maybe, more specifically, a maverick producer in Hollywood willing to put money behind some new ideas.
I spend considerable time surfing video sites to see what the independents are doing and it reaffirms my faith that creative people are out there doing interesting things. You have to dig for them, but they're there. The underground always was the incorruptible last bastion of creativity in any era.
I have NOT lost faith that someday, hopefully sooner than later, when everyone's tired of the status quo, something crazy will break through the monotony to break up the monotony.
I was never a huge fan of the comic strip Little Orphan Annie (later abbreviated to just Annie). Even when I was a kid it seemed like a dated concept. Something I didn't get from, say, Blondie.
However, it is noteworthy that this 86-year-old strip is ending. Its syndicator decided that with only about twenty papers left still carrying it, it was time to call it a day.
The final strip ends weirdly. From the AOL press release:
In her final appearance in the funny pages today, the gutsy redheaded orphan didn't receive a happy ending or a warm reunion with her deep-pocketed benefactor, Daddy Warbucks. Instead, the last "Annie" comic strip left readers with a murky cliffhanger: the plucky, pupil-less girl is stuck "somewhere in Guatemala" with a dangerous war criminal named the Butcher of the Balkans.
"And this is where we leave our Annie," the final frame reads. "For now -"
The article did go on to inform that the strip would continue online. With so many newspapers folding, I can see that as a popular--if maybe not as profitable--end game for most existing comic strips.
I was more an admirer of Jimmy Dean than an outright fan, but I wanted to note that the legend of country music and breakfast sausage has passed away at the age of 81.
I do remember being impressed with his song "Big Bad John" back in the day (50s? 60s?) and his many appearances on talk shows of the day (e.g., Mike Douglas).
Dean created and marketed a breakfast sausage bearing his name that went nation-wide in 1969 and continues to this day, although Dean sold the company to the Sara Lee Corporation in 1984. The current marketing gimmick is very ingenius, a deliberately low-budget-looking affair that started a few years ago with "daddy" Sun -- an actor in a mascot-like costume -- telling his daughter he needs to hurry to work to "light and heat the earth". An instant hit, it built upon that theme and more actors were cast in mascot-like costumes representing the Sun and planets who relate about breakfast in their "office". The original actor still plays the Sun.
Anyway, I digress. To fans of classic folk and country music, Jimmy Dean will be sorely missed.
Please consider making a donation to help support Crazed Fanboy! Click on the "donate" link below and give whatever you can. I sincerely thank you for any and all consideration.---Nolan
Crazed Fanboy.com is a Tampa-based fan outlet for many creative endeavors, including, but not limited to, independent film, video, music, original artwork, and media commentary.
To send me anything like books, posters, VHS tapes, CDs, or DVDs for review or to simply correspond non-electronically through regular mail, please send all relevant material to:
CRAZED FANBOY
P.O. Box 13991
Tampa, FL 33681-3991
Otherwise, if you have any questions, email me at nolan@crazedfanboy.com. I appreciate your support.
Sincerely,
Nolan B. Canova