You all know the deal. That moment in a film where someone breaks out into a song or maybe it’s during an action scene when some kick-ass rock song ups the ante. It can give you chills I tell ya. With that in mind, here are my Top 20 favorite scenes in film that involve music.
Let’s start with an absolute classic from the 60s, the opening scene to Easy Rider. This Steppenwolf song immediately sets the tone to an incredible movie. Fun Fact: The term “heavy metal” was first used in this song.
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Born To Be Wild – Easy Rider
Next up is the Vietnam intro during Forrest Gump. Written and sung by John Fogerty of CCR, the lyrics fit the scene perfectly.
Fortunate Son – Forrest Gump
Great scene from the 90s classic Reality Bites. The song is the 1979 hit by The Knack. Love it.
My Sharona – Reality Bites
Ah, one of the last scenes from Back to the Future where Marty McFly breaks out Johnny B. Goode to a gym full of 1950s students who’ve never heard Rock and Roll. Timeless. See what I did there? Timeless? Never mind.
Johnny B Goode – Back to the Future
No respectable blog about music in movies would be complete without the boys from Wayne’s World singing Bohemian Rhapsody as they cruise down the street in their AMC Pacer.
Bohemian Rhapsody – Wayne’s World
Hell yes I’m including a Beatles song, especially since it’s my favorite scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. When Ferris disappears and then reappears on a float lip syncing to John Lennon, well, it’s pure magic.
Twist and Shout – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
I like The Kingsman movies, and this fight scene with Free Bird playing in the background is somehow a perfect mix.
Free Bird – Kingsman
Loved this scene so much. The Blues Brothers are playing a country bar and the crowd isn’t into blues at all. Not knowing much about country music, the boys play the only country song they know – the theme to the 1960s classic TV show Rawhide. Of course it works.
Rawhide – Blues Brothers
When Joel Goodsen’s parents leave town he has the house to himself. It was after this scene when things start to go askew.
Old Time Rock and Roll – Risky Business
Anchorman is one of my favorite comedies of all-time, and when the crew kicked into the Starland Vocal Band’s 1976 hit Afternoon Delight it was movie magic.
Afternoon Delight – Anchorman
From another great 70’s comedy, Animal House, here’s fictional band Otis Day and the Knights version of the classic song Shout. A definite highlight of the movie.
Shout – Animal House
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid made my Top 20 movies of all-time list, and this scene where Butch is taking Sundance’s girlfriend for a spin on a bicycle is great. BJ Thomas’s hit song just adds to the vibe.
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
From one of the most disturbing films I’ve ever seen, this scene from the beginning of the movie shows one of the main characters jamming with a local kid. Turns out the kid is pretty damn good.
Dueling Banjos – Deliverance
Another movie that I absolutely loved. Just like this scene, it’s a dark, twisted movie about a serial killer. Somehow, hearing Huey Lewis sing as a man is hatcheted to death fits my weird sense of humor.
Hip To Be Square – American Psycho
A classic 80s movie fo sho, The Breakfast Club is about a group of students serving Saturday detention. Being a John Hughes movie, of course there had to be a dance scene. This one is great.
We Are Not Alone – Breakfast Club
Flashdance was another great movie from the 80s, this scene came at the end of the movie when the poor girl from the streets of Pittsburgh performs for the folks judging her to see if she’s good enough to join a hoity toity dance troupe. Jennifer Beals was amazing as the dancer, and Irene Cara’s song fit perfectly.
What a Feeling – Flashdance
Quite simply my favorite song ever. I have covers by Eric Clapton, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. However, nothing really tops the original.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow – The Wizard of Oz
Finally, here’s Ducky from Pretty in Pink lip syncing to Otis Redding’s Try a Little Tenderness. Classic scene, plus any movie with Molly Ringwald is worth a watch.
I’ve written about my love of Grindhouse movies before. For those of you that don’t know, Grindhouse is an American term for a theatre that mainly shows low-budget horror, splatter and exploitation films for adults. There’s just always been something about the low budget, cheesy way these movies were made that fascinates me. Maybe it was growing up watching Chiller Theater at 11:30 every Friday night that started it all, I can’t be certain. Films like Attack of the 50-foot Woman, Psycho Beach Party and Plan 9 From Outer Space were spectacular. Oh, and those 70s films that were shown at the drive-in? Loved ’em. With this in mind I took a deep dive into YouTube looking for some vintage Grindhouse movie trailers and found some absolute gems. I also love the narrators of many of these traiIers, there’s just something about their tone and cadence that is chilling. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Let’s get down to it.
Warning: Most of these films were, by today’s standards, really really politically incorrect.
THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972)
Ah, the Last House on the Left. This movie left me flabbergasted, thrilled and disgusted. It was made with a budget of $87,000, a paltry sum even for 1972. It’s the heartwarming tale of two teenage girls who are taken into the woods and tortured by a gang of murderous thugs. Long story short the girls are murdered, one of girls’ parents find out, and what the mother does to one of the killers still makes me wince to even think about. Shockingly, most of the critics loved this movie. Even more shocking was that my date’s parents let me take her to see this.
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (1978)
Famed film critic Roger Ebert lovingly referred to this film as “a vile bag of garbage” and he was right. It’s about a woman who was raped by four men and the revenge she takes on each of them. It is bloody, gory, nasty and violently evil. Watch the trailer, don’t watch the movie.
LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH (1971)
Newly released from a mental ward, Jessica hopes to return to life the way it was before her nervous breakdown. But when she moves to a country house with her husband and a close friend, she finds a mysterious girl living there who may or may not be a vampire. Jessica’s terror and paranoia resurface as evil forces surround her, making her wonder: Are the visions real or is she slipping back into madness? Really good movie in my opinion.
THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (1976)
This may be the most little known scary as hell movie in history. Even the trailer is spooky. Forget the awful remake from a few years ago, the 1976 original was chilling. It’s about a hooded madman that stalked the lovers’ lanes of Texarkana back in 1946. And get this – it’s a true story. Without giving anything away, the ending was stellar.
VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)
One day the peaceful village of Midwich is cast into a mysterious sleep for several hours, but with no obvious consequences until all the women of child-bearing age turn out to be pregnant. Their children are all born at the exact same time and grow quickly into very spooky young people with strange white-blonde hair and eerie eyes. Good times!
SCHLOCK (1973)
Ladies and gentlemen, the mighty prehistoric ape Schlockthropus has emerged from hiding after 20-million years to embark on a full-scale rampage across a quiet Southern California suburb, leaving the police baffled and the army powerless. What will we do?
Fun fact – this movie was directed by John Landis.
THE CREEPING FLESH (1973)
A Victorian scientist injects his daughter with the essence of evil. Not even kidding. This film actually stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, two respectable actors. That’s nuts man.
VAMPIRE CIRCUS (1972)
What’s better than a circus? Why, a Vampire Circus of course. In 1825 a mysterious circus visits a Serbian village cut off from the world by an outbreak of plague, and corpses start being found totally drained of blood. Jeebus.
THEM (1954)
While investigating a series of mysterious deaths, Sergeant Ben Peterson (played by legendary actor James Whitmore) finds a young girl who is unable to speak. As Peterson joins forces with FBI agent Robert Graham (played by James Arness who later became Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke!) and scientist Dr. Harold Medford, he discovers that all the incidents are due to giant ants that have been mutated by atomic radiation. Peterson and Graham, with the aid of the military, attempt to find the queen ants and destroy the nests before the danger spreads. This movie was one of many made in the 50s that was influenced by the threat of nuclear power and atomic radiation.
MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH (1976)
Maimed by bullies at a California high school, a new student engineers acts of revenge. This movie was made before school shootings began taking place in the USA, making it even more chilling when viewed today.
THE HILLS HAVE EYES (1977)
On the way to California a family has the misfortune to have their car break down in an area closed to the public, which also happens to be inhabited by violent savages ready to attack. A Wes Craven classic whose premise has hence been copied a million times..
PEEPING TOM (1960)
This one was chilling even for 1960. It’s about a loner who works at a film studio during the day and secretly takes racy photographs of women at night. Also he’s making a documentary on fear, which involves recording the reactions of his victims as he murders them. He befriends Helen, the daughter of the family living in the apartment below his, and he tells her vaguely about the movie he is making. She sneaks into Mark’s apartment to watch it and is horrified by what she sees – especially when Mark catches her. Run Helen, RUN!
WILLARD (1971)
Loved Willard and also its follow up, Ben. Willard is a guy who was squeezed out of the company started by his deceased father. His only friends are a couple of rats he raised at home, and their increasing number of friends. When one of them is killed at work, Willard goes on a rampage using his rats to attack. Yes kids, he had a Rat Army! Willard was a weird dude.
Fun Fact: Ben (Willard’s head rat) had a song written about him by none other than Michael Jackson.Here ’tis, with the movie trailer to follow:
THE CRAZIES (1973)
A military plane crashes near a small town, infecting the water supply with a deadly virus that causes insanity and then death. The army moves in to control the situation, only for the civilians to treat them as invaders and then infect them as well. It was a lose-lose situation really.
THE LEECH WOMAN (1960)
A scientist’s wife must kill men to make the serum that keeps her looking young. That’s really the gist of it, the age old battle against, well, aging.
And here are the movie posters for each film listed. Click and scroll accordingly.
BONUS VIDEO! 1950s SCI-FI MOVIES TRAILER COLLECTION
I sat down with my crack staff here at Shoe: Untied yesterday and we attempted to come up with our favorite Christmas Movie characters, and there’s no other way to say it – it turned ugly. So much for the Christmas spirit, huh? Anyway, after much disagreement, screaming, and yes, fisticuffs, we narrowed it down to our Top 7.
Here’s our list. Feel free to tell us who we missed. And as always, we won’t listen.
1. Cousin Eddie (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – 1989)
Yep, Cousin Eddie, the “huge, beastly, bulging man” himself. If you’ve seen the movie and don’t understand that description, you weren’t paying close enough attention. The fact that Randy Quaid didn’t receive an Oscar for this performance is beyond comprehension. And to think it went to Kevin Kline for his role in A Fish Called Wanda. Blasphemy.
Favorite Quote: “You know that metal plate in my head? I had to have it replaced, cause every time Catherine revved up the microwave I’d piss my pants and forget who I was for a half hour or so.”
2. Buddy the Elf (Elf – 2003)
Will Ferrell’s awesome, innocent, hilariously inappropriate elf was a Christmas classic. The scene where he keeps calling the midget an elf makes me laugh every time.
Favorite Quote: “I’m a cotton-headed ninny-muggins.”
3. George Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life – 1946)
I’ve probably watched this movie once a year since I was 10-years old. It’s all about appreciating what you have, appreciating the here and now. Great, great movie, and Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey was stellar.
Favorite Quote: “Dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way. Show me the way.”
4. Clark Griswold (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – 1989)
Yep, the second choice from this movie. And who can forget Clark’s Christmas light display? But Cousin Eddie still makes the movie.
Favorite Quote: “If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am now.”
5. Willie (Bad Santa – 2003)
Very dark movie. Not real Christmasy. Very inappropriate. Not politically correct at all. Certainly not for children. I loved it.
Favorite Quote: “I beat the shit out of some kids today. But it was for a purpose. It made me feel good about myself. It was like I did something constructive with my life or something, I dunno, like I accomplished something.”
6. & 7. (The Wet Bandits – Home Alone 1 & 2)
Yeah, you have your classic 2 for 1 situation right here. The Wet Bandits combined were knocked out with a shovel, stepped on nails, took an air gun to the groin, hit with a staple gun three times, burned with an iron twice, took a crowbar to the chest, hit with multiple tools, took the Paint Can Pendulum to the face, landed on a car roof, fell from a burning rope, were burned with a blowtorch, were electrocuted, were hit in the face by bricks, and finally were hit in the face by a pipe which knocked them 15-feet down the stairs only to see the pipe fall on them. Whew. That Kevin was diabolical, man.
Favorite quote: “Harry, it’s our calling card! All the great ones leave their marks. We’re the wet bandits!”
So there are our Top 7 choices. Gwen over in accounting thought we should go with Gizmo from Gremlins but I thought that was just dumb. And Kody, our head of security, insisted on John McLane from Die Hard but that doesn’t seem like a Christmas Movie, just a movie that took place during Christmas. Kody is not happy.
Seems sketchy and I have a few problems with it. First, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is the best Christmas movie ever made and in not one state is it represented. That’s bogus. Secondly, some of these are not Christmas movies and anyone who thinks otherwise is confused, dumb, irrational, misinformed and quite possibly insane. Are these people high? Idjuts.
Yeah, age really creeps up on you man. Seems like yesterday I was hanging out on the mean streets of Bourneville, Ohio on my Schwinn bike with the butterfly handlebars, banana seat, sissy bar and the racing slick tire on the back. Alas, time has surged onward and here I am, writing about said times (and some other stuff) on something called the internet. But enough of that silly nostalgia. Let’s get going with some facts that will rattle your brain, shake your cranium and blow your gourd because hey, that’s what we do here at Shoe: Untied. To wit . . .
THE KARATE KID IS NOW OLDER THAN MR. MIYAGI
Yessir, Ralph Macchio, who played Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid, was supposed to be a teen in the 1984 movie. However, he was actually 22. Today, Macchio is all grown up—so much, in fact, that he’s now older than Mr. Miyagi was at the time. Pat Morita, who played Miyagi, was a mere 52-years old back then, while Macchio is currently 59. Mind? Blown.
2. THE LAST SEINFELD EPISODE AIRED 25-YEARS AGO
T’was in 1998, not even kidding. The Friends finale? 19-years ago, in 2004. And do you want to really feel old? The last Cheers episode aired in 1993, 30-years ago.
3. KIDS GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL IN 2023 WERE BORN AFTER 9/11
And to think Prince’s song 1999 once conjured up thoughts of a far distant future. Sweet Mother that makes me feel old.
4. BART SIMPSON IS 42-YEARS OLD
Bart was likely born in early 1981, which means that today he’d be 42-years old. Of course he’s always 8-years old on the show, but still.
5. KURT COBAIN WOULD HAVE BEEN 56-YEARS OLD THIS YEAR
John Lennon? 83. Elvis? 88. Buddy Holly? 87. Jim Morrison? Only 80.
6. THE FUTURE IN BACK TO THE FUTURE IS NOW 8-YEARS IN THE PAST
Remember in BTTF 2 when Marty McFly and Doc took the time-traveling DeLorean into the future? They picked a date that, at the time, seemed ridiculously far away. Who knew what the world would look like on October 21, 2015? Sure, we don’t have ejection seats, self-drying jackets, bionic brain implants, self-tying shoes or hoverboards that actually hover, but we do have other things we couldn’t have imagined like the internet, iPhones and and African American ex-president.
7. THE CHARACTER MOLLY RINGWALD PLAYED 16 CANDLES IS NOW 54-YEARS OLD
Yep. The character was 16 in 1984. do the math. Good grief.
8. THE MEDIAN AGE OF THE TRAVELING WILBURYS WAS 44
Remember how old they all seemed when they released that awesome debut album in 1988? Well, the youngest Wilbury was Tom Petty, who was just 37 at the time. Roy Orbison was the oldest, at 52. The others—Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, and George Harrison—were all in their 40s. In fact, the median age of the Traveling Wilburys was a mere 44-years old, 20-years younger than yours truly.
9. SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH IS NOW A 48-YEAR OLD MOM
Melissa Joan Hart’s oldest kid is now 18, which was 2-years younger than her character’s age when the show began.
10. MONICA FROM FRIENDS IS OLD ENOUGH TO BE A GOLDEN GIRL
Courteney Cox—who played Monica Geller—will be turning 60, which just so happens to be Blanche Devereaux’s (Rue McClanahan) age during the first season of The Golden Girls in 1985. Holy Mother of God.
11. MOST 21-YEAR OLDS HAVE NEVER USED A DISCMAN OR A WALKMAN
And they don’t even know what the hell we’re talking about when we say the names. And I won’t even mention cassette players. And hey, just for kicks ask them what a Motorola Razr is. That’ll be fun.
So there ya go. Sorry if I made ya feel old but not really.
When I first witnessed this scene in a theater I may or may not have shrieked like a 7-year old girl who saw a spider. Something about a little girl crawling down the steps upside down and backwards that chilled me to the core. This sort of thing is a million times scarier than pure blood and guts. Simply terrifying to me.
I’ve always been a fan of the horror genre, hence my love of The Walking Dead and stuff like that. And since it’s Halloween I thought it would be appropriate to list my 20 All-Time Favorite Horror Movies. You know, just for you. Oh, and for some of the videos below you’ll need to click on “Watch on YouTube” to see them. Hey, it’s a minor inconvenience.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The opening scene to this movie simply mortified me. I believe this movie was one of the first, if not the first, that used the word zombies. Here’s that opening scene . . .
Cloverfield (2008)
In my opinion, this was a very underrated movie. My favorite scene is when we finally get an up close look at the monster, right before he murders a dude. Love it.
The Fly (1958)
The last scene of this movie absolutely knocked me off my feet as a kid. For the whole movie we’ve seen the guy with the fly head, never thinking that their might be another being with a fly body. Then this happens . . .
Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
My family used to take trips to Florida, and I always thought of this scene when we’d pass a river or creek.
The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
LOVED this movie. And the scene where Richard Gere gets the phone call scared the bejesus out of me. Freaky.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Forget the hideous sequels, the original was stellar.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
There’s something about this scene when Donald Sutherland screams that is very unsettling to me.
The Exorcist (1973)
If this scene didn’t creep you out you have no soul.
When a Stranger Calls (1979)
Yep. He’s in the house.
Psycho (1960)
Of course. It has to be the famous shower scene.
The Shining (1980)
From the whole movie, one and only one scene stands out, and it’s not Nicholson’s “Here’s Johnny!”
It’s this chilling scene . . .
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1979)
This may be the most little known scary as hell movie in history. Even the trailer is spooky. Forget the awful remake from a few years ago, the 1976 original was chilling.
Alien (1979)
Even though you know what’s coming, it’s still hard to watch . . .
Pet Sematary (1979)
This is very difficult to watch. Seriously. Parents with small children should probably move along to the next movie.
The Omen (1976)
You know why you don’t know many people named Damien today? Because of this movie.
Carrie (1976)
There is no way the new version will be as good as the original. No. Way. Here’s the climactic prom scene.
Halloween (1978)
Maybe the best horror film of all-time. Absolutely terrifying.
Bonus “Death of Michael Myers” scene. Or is he?
It (1990)
Evil clown. ‘Nuff said. I swear I can barely watch this scene . . .
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Just a freakily good beginning.
Salem’s Lot (1979)
I literally had nightmares about this scene. Not even kidding.
The folks over at Mental Floss just posted the Top 50 Horror Movies of All-Time according to Rotten Tomatoes. Click here to view it.
As you guys know I’m a big dog guy. I’m also a big movie guy and TV guy. Hence, I’m a big dog movie TV guy. Anywho, I was re-watching the cinematic classic Turner & Hooch the other day and it got me thinking about the greatest dogs in television and movie history. Without further ado, here are my 12 favorite dogs ever seen on both the large and small screens. Oh, and the dogs may be of the cartoon variety because it’s my site. I’m not ranking them because all dogs are awesome. Let us begin . . .
Eddie
Eddie was Marty Crane’s dog on the TV show Frasier and he was awesome. Marty loved Eddie. Frasier? Not so much. My favorite scenes were when Frasier and Eddie had their staring contests. Eddie always won. Eddie also holds a special place in my heart because he was a Jack Russell Terrier like my beloved Sparky.
Baxter
Baxter is the beloved little pup of Anchorman main character Ron Burgundy, who bonds with his little Border Terrier companion through deeply personal conversations that Baxter, smart little pup that he is, truly seems to understand. And although that biker threw Baxter off a bridge, this tough little dog still manages to save the day at the end of the film.
Brandi
Oh man, I loved Brandi. Brandy is the iconic American Pit Bull Terrier who covers Cliff Booth (aka Brad Pitt) in kisses in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film Once Upon a Time . . . In Hollywood. She gets a truly breathtaking moment during one of the film’s climactic scenes when she attacks one of Charles Manson’s lackeys (Tex Watson) and saves Sharon Tate from a brutal murder. Incredible ending to an amazing movie.
Toto
Hell yeah Toto makes the list. The Wizard of Oz tiniest character, the little Cairn Terrier may also be its most memorable. Toto is Dorothy’s only connection to the world back home after she lands in Oz, as well as her truest friend. Toto’s feisty personality also comes in handy throughout the film, from escaping from the clutches of that nasty Almira Gulch at the beginning to pulling back the curtain to reveal the real Great and Powerful Oz at the end. As one of the best parts of one of the most famous films of all-time, Toto is one truly iconic pup.
Old Yeller
I was so devastated at the ending of this movie I never watched it again – until today. Absolutely brutal. Even if you’ve never seen the film you’ve probably heard of Old Yeller. Based on the novel by Fred Gipson, the movie is a quintessential “boy-and-his-dog” story, following the relationship between a boy named Travis and the Black Mouth Cur he adopts and names Old Yeller. Old Yeller’s warm personality and loyal devotion to Travis have sparked a love for dogs in generations of movie fans—and thanks to the film’s tragic ending, it’s still frequently referenced among the saddest dog movies of all time. The ending, in which Old Yeller had rabies and had to be put down, is heartbreaking. Tommy Kirk’s acting is phenomenal too. Click to watch on YouTube.
Lassie
Lassie isn’t just a great character, she’s a cultural icon. Played by the Collie named Pal, she’s the ultimate hero dog who will overcome any obstacle to save Timmy from that well (or whatever the emergency happens to be that day). Her influence has resulted in countless motion pictures and television shows. Plus, she’s even got her own Hollywood star. I watched Lassie religiously as a kid.
Max
Oh how I love Max. Poor guy is stuck living in a cave with the angry, holiday-hating Grinch. He never gets the respect he deserves from his asshole parent, and is even forced into plans to ruin Christmas for a whole town despite clearly knowing better. But Max shows us that for dogs loyalty to your person comes first, even when your person is a nutcase. When the Grinch finally comes to his senses at the end of the film, it isn’t just a relief for the citizens of Whoville—it’s a relief to all of us dog lovers knowing that Max’s quality of life just went up 1000%.
PS – I have no idea what breed of dog Max is and I do not care.
Daisy
If you’ve seen John Wick you know that Daisy deserved better. This Beagle puppy, who was gifted to Wick by his dying wife, plays a short but pivotal role in the film’s early scenes, ultimately leading to her death at the hands of some Russian bad guy. Daisy simply wanted to spend time loving her person, but she didn’t get to do that. However, she didn’t die in vain. Wick spends the rest of the film avenging her, and man that was satisfying to watch.
Frank the Pug
OK, so Frank the Pug isn’t actually a dog; he’s an alien disguised as a dog. He’s also an excellent spy and informant, providing the Men in Black with information they need whenever they need it. Quite frankly, Men in Black wouldn’t have been nearly as good without Frank the Pug. Frank the Pug, man. He was cool.
Marley
Ah man, this movie just about broke me. That scene where Owen Wilson’s character said goodbye to Marley was heart wrenching. Marley was a Labrador Retriever and stole the hearts of everyone in America back in 2008. He may have been billed as the world’s worst dog with on-screen antics like getting kicked out of obedience school and chewing up everything in the house, but his parents love him through it all. In return, Marley loves them back through their struggles with fertility, new parenthood and mental health issues. Like all dogs Marley was part of the family, but man that ending still hurts.
Snoopy
Who among us can deny Snoopy’s place in our national consciousness? He isn’t just one of the best movie dogs in history—thanks to his depictions in comics, on television, on stage and even as a damn parade balloon, this Beagle is unarguably one of the greatest dogs in the history of dogs. You just can’t help but laugh at his antics and especially his relationship with Charlie Brown, which is often as antagonistic as it is special and caring. Snoop’s an icon who has been providing joy for decades, and there’s no chance that’ll stop anytime soon. The little Beagle Snoopy is a legend. So, wanna see the scene where Charlie Brown first met Snoopy? Here ya go . . .
Astro
Kids, even in the distant future there exists a world where the dog steals the show. My guy Astro winningly charmed his way into the Jetson family by beating out an electronic impostor, then kept his family happy by serving as an emotional punching bag for George Jetson and a loyal buddy to Elroy. And here’s a fun fact – Scooby-Doo and Astro share the same voice actor in Don Messick. Here’s how Elroy first met Astro:
Brian
Brian is the the sardonic, sometimes drunk pet of the Griffin family in Family Guy and has long been a key part of the show’s success. Unlike Peter, who’s a bit of a dolt and is prone to getting himself into all sorts of trouble, Brian (despite his tendency to hit the bottle) injects a bit of class into a show that’s infamous for it’s lowbrow humor. Brian’s episodes with Stewie in which they travel around the world and through time are some of his finest appearances. Bottom line, Brian is my favorite character in Family Guy.
So there ye be. What are your favorite dogs from TV and the silver screen?
Honorable Mention: Buddy (Air Bud), Scooby-Doo, Pluto, Hooch, Rin Tin Tin, Cujo, Benji, and Beethoven.
I’m a big movie guy. I just love the movies and have since I was a kid. Some of my fondest memories were of my Mom and Dad telling us to put on our pajamas early on a Friday or Saturday night. That could only mean loading up into our wide-track Pontiac and rolling to the Fiesta Drive-In.
Everything was better at the Drive-In, including the pizza. And I used to love it when people would start honking their horns as it started to get dark, demanding that the movies begin.
Of course, everything was also better years later when I used to take dates there. Man, those dusk-to-dawn marathons were cool beans. One of the Unwritten Rules of the Drive-In was to not bother anyone parked in the back row. On a related note, if you asked a date, “Where do you wanna park? Back row OK?” and she said yes, well, let’s just say that was what you wanted to hear. Good times.
Sparky loves movies too, but I can only watch Air Bud and Beverly Hills Chihuahua so many times. On a related note, we watched Old Yeller once and Spark went under the bed and never came out for 3-hours. Spark hates to show weakness.
And you know what? Some movies just never touched me like they seem to touch other people. Example? Forrest Gump. Watched it, watched it again, sort of shrugged my shoulders and went, “Meh.”
So shoot me.
I LOVE the old horror movies, movies like The Wolfman and Creature from the Black Lagoon. I always looked forward to Friday nights at 11:30 when I got to stay up and watch Chiller Theater. The intro was unforgettable . . . “Out of the swirling mist . . .” Just horrifying as a kid. In fact, I’ve always loved all the old B-Movies like “Attack of the 50-foot Woman”, “Psycho Beach Party” and “Plan 9 from Outer Space.”
Just pure entertainment.
Movies are proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For instance, IMDb has The Wizard of Oz rated at #152 in its list of 250 Greatest Movies of all-time. B-W-A-H-A-H-A-H-A-H-A-H-A! Oh, and it has WALL-E at #60. B-W-A-H-A-H-A-H-A-H-A!!!!!!!
Sorry, but that’s just wrong. But on to some of my favorite movies. I’ll list them in no particular order. Let us begin . . .
Dead Poets Society (1989)
This movie, more than any other, influenced me as an educator. Robin Williams is amazing as a teacher who, shall we say, didn’t exactly do things “by the book.” Set in 1959 at the fictional elite conservative Vermont boarding school called Welton Academy, it tells the story of a teacher who inspires his students using unorthodox methods. I integrated his ideas of seeing the world through different perspectives in nearly everything I taught throughout my career. Williams, as John Keating, would have his students stand on their desks to symbolize seeing the world from another point of view, or a different perspective. Keating is finally fired, and the scene below where he is retrieving his belongings as the principal has taken over his class touches me every time I watch it. Great, great movie.
Hi Fidelity (2000)
I love almost anything John Cusack is in (ever watch Grosse Pointe Blank?Being John Malkovich?), but this is his best movie in my opinion. I know my friend Hanif Abdurraqib would agree. The movie is about a guy (Cusack) who owns a record store and details his problems with his girlfriend and co-workers. There are a lot of music references which also apppeals to me.
Favorite quote by Rob, Cusack’s character:
Rob: “Should I bolt every time I get that feeling in my gut when I meet someone new? Well, I’ve been listening to my gut since I was 14 years old, and frankly speaking, I’ve come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains.”
What can I say? I can relate.
American Psycho (2000)
My friends, I absolutely love this movie. Just a bizarre, dark, funny, twisted film. And it stars Christian Bale, one of my favorite actors. It is exactly what I prefer in my cinematic fare. I mean, how can you beat a guy hatcheting another man to death to the tune “Hip to Be Square” by Huey Lewis and the News? Answer? You can’t. And the fact that said murderee was Jared Leto makes it even better. The movie is about a Wall Street guy who happens to be a serial killer.
My favorite scene among many is when the main character, Patrick Bateman, is having a conversation with a girl he has taken back to his apartment. Since he is a serial killer, he and her are talking about two completely different things . . .
Patrick Bateman: “I think if you stay, something bad will happen. I think I might hurt you. You don’t want to get hurt, do you?”
Jean: “No. No, I guess not. I don’t want to get bruised.”
Chilling but humorous at the same time. Well, at least to me. Love it. Oh, and the scene where he chases the hooker down his apartment stairs with a chainsaw while naked is priceless.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Dude.
If you haven’t seen this movie please don’t tell me. I love this movie so much I’ve been looking for a sweater like the one worn by The Dude (played by Jeff Bridges) since 1998. ATTENTION FORMER STUDENTS: Get me this sweater! Anywho, the movie is about an unemployed Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler, referred to as “The Dude”. After a case of mistaken identity, The Dude is introduced to a millionaire also named Jeffrey Lebowski. When the millionaire Lebowski’s trophy wife is later kidnapped, he commissions The Dude to deliver the ransom to secure her release. Needless to say, the plan goes awry.
Favorite quote:
The Dude: “That rug really tied the room together.”
If you’ve seen the movie you’re smiling right now. If you didn’t you really need to see this movie.
UPDATE: I have the sweater! Thanks Amanda!
In Cold Blood (1967)
Based on the classic novel by Truman Capote, this movie chilled me to the core. The film follows the trail of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock. They break into the home of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, kill all four members of the family, go on the run, are found and caught by the police, tried for the murders and eventually executed. Robert Blake is great as one of the killers in this movie. They had heard in prison that the Clutters had a buch of money hidden in their house and just showed up, killed the entire family, and left with nothing. Did I mention this book and movie was based on actual events? In addition, the scene where they are hanged is so real you feel as if you are right there.
Here’s a quote:
Perry: “I didn’t want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft-spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat.”
Jeebus.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Yep, I love the Wizard of Oz. Always have, always will. Love everything about it. The music, the munchkins, all the characters, the message, everything. Even as a little kid I understood that this movie was telling me that it would do no good to look elsewhere for anything. Everything you ever need is right there inside you already. They used to show this movie on a yearly basis, I believe right before Thanksgiving for some reason. Whatever. I never missed it. I love the song “Over the Rainbow”, and if you’ve never heard the live version by Eric Clapton you’re missing out. Believe it or not I have 11 versions of this song in my collection, from the movie version by Judy Garland to Clapton to Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Just a stellar, classic song.
To this day, when Dorothy whispers into the Scarecrow’s ear, “I think I’m going to miss you most of all“, I get teary eyed. And as Dorothy’s preparing to leave and the Tin Man says, “Now I know I’ve got a heart, . . . ’cause it’s breaking“, if you don’t feel your heart breaking a little, well, you have no soul.
And it’s OK to admit it, folks. Those Flyin’ Monkeys were absolutely petrifying. When they tried to burn the Scarecrow to death I nearly wet myself. As a kid I had nightmares about those things. Damn you Flyin’ Monkeys!
Note: I’ve no idea if this is true, but I once read that Ray Bolger, the actor who played the Scarecrow, once worked in as an accountant or something in a large company. Legend has it he was fired for dancing in the hallway. Cool.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Quite simply, Robert DeNiro’s finest moment. No offense, Bob, but there was no way you could ever match your performance in this classic. It’s about a taxi driver who is going through some major shit, which culminates in an assassination attempt against a US Senator who is running for president. But this movie is so, so much more. I was in college at the time and this flick absolutely mesmerized me. In addition to DeNiro, it features Cybill Shephard, Peter Boyle, Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, an an ungodly performance by Jodie Foster as a teenage hooker. I can’t explain it all here, but trust me, it’s an American classic.
The best moment comes when DeNiro, as Travi Bickle, is getting ready to cause some havoc and is in his apartment looking in the mirror as he practices drawing his gun . . .
“You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talking… you talking to me? Well I’m the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to? Oh yeah? OK. ”
One of the greatest scenes in movie history, period.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
I have to admit it, one of the reasons I love this movie is because my son Kip and I have watched it approximately 75 times, and I may be underestimating that number. It’s the one movie where, if I happen to come upon it while perusing the channels, I simply cannot change said channel. I have to see it through. I’m not gonna go through the plot because you all know it’s about a high school kid skipping school and going on an epic adventure.
Highlight? Ferris crashing a Chicago parade and lip-synching to “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles.
Favorite line, by the school secretary as she describes Ferris to the principal:
“Oh, he’s very popular Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads – they all adore him. They think he’s a righteous dude.”
And he was.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Anyone who says they saw the ending coming is a lying son-of-a-bitch. Y’all know it’s about a guy who was murdered but doesn’t know he’s deceased. It’s probably the only movie I ever watched where there was a collective gasp from the audience when everyone realized, for the first time, that the character played by Bruce Willis was, in fact, DEAD. A young Haley Joel Osment was excellent as a kid who, well, “saw dead people.”
With that in mind, my favorite quote is from Osment’s character when he says . . .
“I see dead people.”
This was M. Night Shyamalan’s best movie, and he’s been trying to match its excellence ever since.
Not gonna happen.
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
My favorite Paul Newman role, and it was simply one of the most impactful movies I ever watched. Newman, as Luke, is put in a Florida prison for 2-years for getting drunk and kicking the tops off of parking meters. He gradually wins the hearts of his fellow inmates as he is gradually broken in spirit by the prison warden. Just when you think he’s beaten, though, we get a surprise and then . . . a sad but ultimately satisfying ending.
Memorable quote, by Luke of course: “Yeah well . . . sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand.”
Hoosiers (1986)
I’m a basketball coach, so of course I liked Hoosiers.
Based on a true story, it’s the tale of a tiny Indiana high school that makes it all the way to the state championship game where they face a school much bigger than theirs. There’s a great plot involving an old school coach, his alcoholic assistant, and Jimmy Chitwood, the best player in the school.
Without a doubt my favorite sports movie, period.
Favorite line (by Jimmy Chitwood) during the team’s final time-out:
“I’ll make it.”
And of course, I love this one by Coach Norman Dale:
“My practices aren’t designed for your enjoyment.”
Amen coach. Amen.
Sling Blade (1996)
When I started watching Sling Blade for the very first time I didn’t think I could stand Karl Childer’s voice for more than 10-minutes. I thought it was excruciating to listen to. But miraculously, as the movie progressed, I grew to grow quite fond of it. Billy Bob Thornton is simply incredible in this movie, as you completely buy into his character. This movie about a mentally handicapped man who befriends a young boy and ultimately protects him and his mother is just a great great story.
Memorable line:
Doyle: “What’cha doin’ with that lawn mower blade Karl?”
Karl: “I aim to kill you with it.”
And he did. Classic.
Fargo (1996)
The definition of a “dark” crime-comedy. I absolutely love this movie and it’s, in my opinion, the best Coen Brothers film ever. Period. Here’s the plotline:
In the winter of 1987, Minneapolis automobile salesman Jerry Lundegaard (Macy) is in financial trouble. Jerry is introduced to criminals Carl Showalter (Buscemi) and Gaear Grimsrud (Stormare) by Native American ex-convict Shep Proudfoot (Reevis), a mechanic at his dealership. Jerry travels to Fargo, North Dakota and hires the two men to kidnap his wife Jean (Rudrüd) in exchange for a new 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and half of the $80,000 ransom. However, Jerry intends to demand a much larger sum from his wealthy father-in-law Wade Gustafson (Presnell) and keep most of the money for himself.
Let’s just say that after that things take an ugly turn.
I can’t talk about this movie without mentioning Frances McDormand as Marge Gunderson, the pregnant cop who pursues the killers. Her performance is un-freaking-believable.
Best line:
“Yah, you betcha.”
Just watch the damn movie.
Shane (1953)
This film touched me from the moment I first watched it as a kid and instilled in me a love for movies. It’s plot is classic:
A stranger, wearing buckskin and a six shooter, calling himself Shane (Alan Ladd), rides into an isolated valley in the sparsely settled territory of Wyoming. Whatever his past, he’s obviously skilled as a gunslinger and soon finds himself drawn into a conflict between homesteader Joe Starrett (Van Heflin) and ruthless cattle baron Rufus Ryker (Emile Meyer), who wants to force Starrett and the others off the land.
Long story short, Ryker hires Jack Wilson, a legendary quickdraw, to come and challenge Shane, who is on Starrett’s side. He does, and the ending is spectacular. Shane, who has vowed to never strap on his gun again, of course does. The final showdown is what great cinema is all about.
Memorable line, from Shane himself:
“A gun is a tool, Marian; no better or no worse than any other tool: an axe, a shovel or anything. A gun is as good or as bad as the man using it. Remember that.”
If you claim to be a movie buff, watch this movie.
Once Upon a Time . . . In Hollywood (2019)
LOVED this movie. You had to understand the whole Sharon Tate-Charles Manson story to get it, and yes it was a little long for some folks, but I liked everything about Tarantino’s latest flick. The alternative ending to an horrific event from my childhood was somehow satisfying to me. The setting, the mood, the lighting, the way it was shot, it was perfect. And Pitt and DiCaprio was amazing.
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Jojo Rabbit is a movie about a Hitler Youth member who finds out his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. He then questions his beliefs while dealing with the intervention of his imaginary friend, a fanciful version of Adolf Hitler. Amazing movie with an incredible ending.
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
This is an amazing, quirky little movie about a bored magazine intern (Aubrey Plaza from Parks and Rec) who befriends an unusual guy who claims he can time travel and wants someone to go back with him. Another movie with an unforgettable ending.
Honorable Mention:
Office Space (1999) – Hilariously quirky, as only Mike Judge can do it. And how Ron Livingston didn’t become a big-time star is beyond my comprehension.
Old School (2003) – “I think I see Blue. He looks . . . glorious.”
Halloween (1978) – Sheriff: “A man wouldn’t do that.” Dr. Loomis: “This isn’t a man”.
A History of Violence (2005) – One of the greatest movies of recent years, without a doubt, in my opinion.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) – “That’s bush. Bush league.”
Night of the Living Dead (1968) – Horrifying opening scene. Just chilling.
The Chumscrubber (2005) – Little known and unheralded, but I thought it was stellar.
Alpha Dog (2006) – Justin Timberlake is great as a drug dealer in this movie.
Out of Sight (1998) – Loved this movie starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez.
So there ya go, my favorite movies. Like I said, 20-people walking out of a theater can have 20-different opinions. That said, what are your favorites?
I’d love to hear ’em.
Originally published on February 9th, 2013. Last updated on October 4th, 2020.
Yep, one of my favorite songs of all-time is “Over the Rainbow.” Sorry if you were expecting “Stairway to Heaven” or “Freebird”. I simply love “Over the Rainbow” and have my entire life. I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid and heard it as I watched “The Wizard of Oz” on television (some of you may remember that “The Wizard of Oz” aired at some point around every Thanksgiving). I love it so much, in fact, that I have several versions of the song in my collection.
That said, I thought I’d rank my favorites. Let’s get it on . . .
First, the original. The song that originally caught my ear as a kid . . .
Judy Garland
What can I say? The song touched me on so many levels, even as a youngster. It’s all about dreaming of a better place, although we all know that, in the end, Dorothy found there was no place like home.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
How can you not like this version? Fast and full of punk. I’m sure that Harold Arlen, the dude who wrote the song, did NOT have this in mind when he penned the tune back in the 30’s. I dare you not to tap your foot.
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
I love this breezy version. It obviously has an island feel to it, and it’s absolutely beautiful.
Ray Charles
Why do I like this version? Well, it’s Ray Charles. Duh. Amazing take on the song.
Eric Clapton
Simply breathtaking.
So there you have it. My five favorite versions of one of my all-time favorite songs. It’s a great tune, and if Ray Charles and Eric Clapton agree, I mustn’t be wrong.
Man, kids today have no idea of the joy of walking into Blockbuster (circa 1997) on a Friday night, choosing three movies (buy 2 get 1 free!), grabbing some popcorn and heading home to enjoy some cinematic classics like Anaconda or G.I. Jane. Our plan was always this – I got to choose one movie, my wife chose one, and then we’d agree on the third. Believe me, agreeing on the third did not always go smoothly. Anywho, here are some things I remember about those magical visits to Blockbuster:
You had to get a membership card. To not do so was considered an act of barbarism.
Everyone wanted to avoid those strict late fees. Blockbuster didn’t mess around and you’d be fined accordingly, put on double secret probation, and your first born would be taken and forced to work as a Blockbuster shelf restocker.
You could be fined for not rewinding a video. I’m not even kidding. Be kind! Rewind!
In order to return your movie, you didn’t even have to speak to a human. Just drop it in the slot, man. Also, if you were looking for a hot new release and they were out you’d ask the Blockbuster employee to check the returns box just to be sure.
Browsing the “New Releases” section was the most exciting 10-minutes of your week.
Sometimes the movies were in the wrong cases, meaning you’d get home expecting to watch Titanic only to find you’d rented Mr. Magoo. On the other hand, sometimes you ended up with a pleasant surprise if you know what I’m sayin’.
Sadly, in 2000 the CEO of Blockbuster was offered a little company for the measly sum of $50,000,000. He turned it down because he thought the company’s business plan was dumb. That company, my friends, was Netflix.
As you may imagine it was all downhill from there for Blockbuster. Sigh.
Or not. I don’t even know you. And to those people who always message me to tell me they knew this stuff all along, I have some advice for you – don’t do it. I don’t believe you.
We’ve all walked out of movies asking questions like, “Why in the hell did Mary open that damn basement door?” Movies can be confusing, man. I remember walking out of the critically acclaimed Momento wanting to pound a roofing nail into my ear with a ballpeen hammer. I hate those reverse chronology movies or movies where they jump around different time frames. It warps my delicate brain, dude. Anyway, my crack staff here at Shoe: Untied, after some extensive research, has come up with 23 of the most mind-boggling plot holes in movie history. Take a gander . . .
In Armageddon, wouldn’t it have been easier to train astronauts how to drill than train drillers to become astronauts? See? Gourd blown already. Told ya.
In Gremlins, the one thing everyone knows is that you should never, ever feed them after midnight. But isn’t it always after midnight? At what point in the day does it become before midnight? I’m getting a headache.
In Gravity, when Kowalski asks Stone to let go of him because the rope will not hold them both, that’s scientifically incorrect. It could never happen because they are both in the same orbit around the earth. A short, simple tug would have brought him right back to her. Der.
In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy escapes and his empty cell isn’t discovered until the next morning by the Warden, who yanks away the Raquel Welch poster on the wall to discover a hole. How was Andy able to reattach the poster from inside the tunnel?
Note: I may have figured this one out. If he left the top attached he could have simply let if fall back down into place. Maybe?
In Transformers, Sam has put a pair of glasses on eBay. By unfortunate coincidence, these are exactly the same glasses that the Decepticons are looking for because they contain the roadmap to where the All Spark is. However, we later learn that the Decepticons can hack into the United States military network with ease, so surely they could place a bid on eBay. Maybe they didn’t have a PayPal account?
In The Karate Kid the referee repeatedly outlines that there will be no kicks to the head allowed. This is all before Daniel wins the final fight. With a kick. To the freakin’ head. Illegal move. Johnny wins.
Come on, man.
In Edward Scissorhands, Edward carves giant sculptures. Where did the ice come from? The film is set in a warm climate. And how would he have carried them?
In Toy Story, if Buzz truly does not believe himself to be a toy and in fact a real space ranger, why would he freeze around humans like the other toys do?
In Taken, Liam Neeson’s daughter goes on holiday with a friend to France before getting abducted and being sold into the sex trade. Neeson then travels to Paris and kills about 50-people to get her back. But why isn’t the friend ever mentioned again? Does she not have any family that care about her? Sorry, Liam Neeson’s daughter’s friend.
In Planet of the Apes, the video history of the crashed Air Force ship makes it very clear that the planet is uninhabited when they landed. A race of apes develops because they had a bunch of them on board. The humans on the planet are descendants of the original crew. One question – where the hell did all the horses come from?
In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Hitler would have died if Indiana Jones wouldn’t have gotten involved. Think about it. Had the Nazis discovered the Ark it would have presumably been opened in Berlin and melted Hitler’s face off rather than some random Nazi soldier’s.
In Batman Begins water pipes burst, and sewer covers explode, all because of the Ra’s microwave emitter. But since the human body is composed of 75% water, shouldn’t everybody in the city have died when the device was triggered?
In The Hangover, Doug was on the roof for 2-days without anyone knowing. The fact is that in Vegas every square inch (with the exception of restrooms, guest rooms and employee locker rooms) in a casino is covered by surveillance cameras. There’s simply no way that Doug could have been on the roof for two days without someone seeing him and sending security to investigate.
In Ocean’s 11, where do the flyers come from that are in the bags that are carried out of the vault and into the van? Danny and Linus couldn’t have taken them down there and there is no room with the Chinese dude. They are carried out to the van before the SWAT team appears, which means they’d have to have been in the vault to start with. Huh?
In Back to the Future, things work out and Marty manages to ensure his mother ends up with his father and not him. So how come his parents, George and Lorraine, don’t remember Calvin Klein? The kid who brought them together and inspired George’s career as a sci-fi novelist, and who looks exactly like their son?
Also in Back to the Future, Biff had tried to sexually assault Lorraine in the past. However, in the future George hires him to work on his cars, forcing his wife to see him often. What the hell man?
In The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne is a world famous billionaire playboy bachelor. At the end we think he’s dead and gone but then Alfred sees him at a café in Paris. So what made him think that in today’s world where picture-sharing technology is rampant, he could disappear in plain sight without anyone recognizing him?
In Lord of the Rings, why didn’t Gandalf just ask his Eagle friends to fly Frodo to Mount Doom?
In Terminator 2: Judgement Day Arnold Schwarzenegger arrives on earth naked because “only living organisms can travel through the time machine or machines covered with living tissue.” But where does this leave the T-1000, who is made entirely from liquid metal and therefore has no tissue matter at all?
In Signs, at the end of the movie it’s revealed that the aliens are damaged by water, yet in the beginning of the movie they are running through a dew-covered cornfield at night. In addition, 71% of the Earth’s surface is water, the human body is up to 60% water and water regularly falls from the sky. This is the planet that an alien race capable of interstellar travel chose to invade?
In Independence Day, David has an idea on how to disarm the mothership. All he needs to do is boot up his Mac, write a wicked piece of code and infect the aliens’ computer network with it. But how is this virus going to be downloaded? How can a Mac be compatible with extra-terrestrial systems?
In The Martian, Watney claims that nothing sent on the mission will burn, which is why he has to destroy the crucifix which Martinez had in his personal items. Yet, Watney is often shown writing on paper in the Hab.
In ET one of the most iconic moments in the movie happens when ET and Elliott fly across the sky on a bicycle to evade capture. So at the beginning of the movie, with government agents in hot pursuit, why didn’t ET just fly away?
So, do you have explanations for these plot holes or has your gourd indeed been blown?
Ever wonder what was happening the year you were born? Me too. I even looked up what was happening the day I was born and it wasn’t too exciting. It was a Saturday, and apparently some dude named Osvald Harjo returned to Norway after 13-years in a Soviet prison camp. Meh. Anywho, if you’re between 18 and 80-years old I’m here for ya. Read on . . .
1940
First McDonald’s opens in Cali, people worldwide begin getting fatter.
Penicillin invented. Eat it, syphillus.
Morton Salt is patented.
The Jeep makes it’s debut, just in time for World War II. In fact it was made for World War II.
Hitler invades Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. It has begun.
The debut of none other than Bugs freakin’ Bunny.
I’ll Never Smile Again by Tommy Dorsey was the top song in America. Rock is still 15-years away. Ish.
1941
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor, is about to get their asses kicked.
USA declares war on Japan, Japan in some deep shit.
Superman movie released, the first of a gazillion.
Edward Hopper finishes Nighthawks, one of my favorite paintings ever.
Amapola by Jimmy Dorsey was the top song, making it two years in a row for Jimmy D.
1942
Nazi leaders attend the Wannsee Conference to coordinate the systematic genocide of Jews.
Duct Tape invented! Woot!
The Coconut Grove nightclub fire in Boston killed 491 people.
The U.S. government established the Manhattan Project, which would turn out to be bad news for Japan.
White Christmas by Bing Crosby topped the charts, and it’s still a banger.
1943
The Slinky is here! And get those plastic Slinkys out of here. The metal ones were the bomb.
The Pentagon is completed.
I’ve Heard That Song Before by Harry James was the best selling song, and I’ve never heard that song.
1944
D-Day happens as the baddest sumbitches to ever live land in France with the sole mission of kicking Nazi ass.
The Mark 1 Computer is invented and weighs a 9,445 pounds. Dead serious.
Swinging On A Star by Bing Crosby rocks the charts, and I’ve actually heard it. Take your moonbeams home in a jar and whatnot.
1945
Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan says oh hell nah and quits.
Hitler commits suicide because he was a coward and the US of A and Russia was closing in.
‘Til the End of Time by Perry Como was the top song.
1946
Electric Blanket invented, toasty comfort ensues.
Microwave oven invented, tasty goodness ensues.
It’s a Wonderful Life hits theaters, and oh what a movie it was.
First meeting of United Nations happens.
The Gypsy by the Ink Spots leads the charts.
1947
Elmer’s Glue invented! Not sure if the inventor was named Elmer.
Jackie Robinson joins Brooklyn Dodgers, and it was about goddamned time.
The Black Dahlia Murders happened in Los Angeles.
Near You by Francis Craig topped the charts.
1948
First LP (long playing album) made it’s debut! The LP was 25-minutes per side, the previous record, the 78, was 4-minutes. So, big deal.
The Polaraoid Camera was invented.
President Harry Truman ends segregation in the military, a very big deal at the time.
Buttons and Bows by Dinah Shore topped the music charts. Rocker.
1949
Silly Putty invented! I loved Silly Putty!
First Emmy Awards held and Shirley Dinsdale wins for Most Outstanding TV Personality. Wait. Who?
Cable TV introduced but it wouldn’t became popular for 30-years ish.
45 rpm record invented, and boy did I own plenty in my time. Factoid: 45s cost 72 cents in ’72.
George Orwell’s 1984 published and totally predicted the future. Love that book.
First around the world nonstop flight took place.
Riders in the Sky by Vaughn Monroe rocked the airwaves.
1950
The first Credit Card makes an appearance, intense personal debt soon follows.
Korean War begins, although it was referred to as a “conflict.” Sigh.
Saturday morning kids programming starts, and it was glorious.
Peanuts comic strip begins, Charlie Brown begins climb to immortality.
First Xerox machine produced.
Goodnight, Irene by the legendary Gordon Jenkins and The Weavers tops the charts.
1951
Super Glue is invented!
Videotape Recorder invented!
Power Steering in cars invented! I actually remember driving cars without it and it was a bitch.
Color TV introduced, and I didn’t see one until around 1963.
DJ Alan Freed coins the term Rock ‘n’ Roll in Cleveland, Ohio.
Alan Freakin’ Freed.
One of my favorite books, The Catcher in the Rye is published.
Too Young by Nat King Cole is released, is actually a great song.
1952
Velcro invented but won’t be used until its patent expired in 1978 and everyone could use it. True story.
Mr. Potato Head rears his ugly head! The first Mr. Potato Heads used actual potatoes and you just stuck the ears, nose and eyes into it. Not kidding.
Barcodes were invented but for some reason weren’t used until 1974. Life’s little mysteries, man.
The Today Show premiered on NBC and was hosted by Dave Garroway. He committed suicide in 1982. Bummer.
WWII war hero Dwight Eisenhower elected President of the USA.
Blue Tango by Leroy Anderson topped the charts.
1953
Radial Tires invented, and I’m still not sure what they are.
The synthesizer is invented, hits its peak in the rad 80s.
The transistor radio is invented.
Playboy hits the newstands with Marilyn Monroe on its cover.
The Song From Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart) by Percy Faith is the best selling song.
1954
The Pill becomes available to women, sexual revolution on horizon.
Teflon is invented.
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka occurs, Supreme Court unanimously bans racial segregation in public schools.
The Fellowship of the Ring and Lord of the Flies books are both released.
Little Things Mean A Lot by Kitty Kallen tops the charts, Rock and Roll just around the corner.
1955
Optic Fiber invented.
Bill Haley and His Comets.
I was born!
Rosa Parks refuses to sit at the back of the bus. You go RP.
James Dean dies in car accident.
Martin Luther King, Jr. leads a bus boycott in Montgomery.
Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and His Comets released and here comes Rock.
Cherry Pink by Perez Prado tops the charts although Rock Around the Clock actually the best song.
1956
Go-Cart racing becomes a thing.
The Hovercraft is invented!
Liquid Paper is invented by future Monkee Michael Nesmith’s mother and I swear to God that’s true.
Elvis Presley breaks out with Heartbreak Hotel, music as we know it changes forever.
1957
The Sugar Packet is invented! Woohoo!
Bubble Wrap is invented! Woohoo!
Leave It To Beaver debuts on CBS.
All Shook Up by Elvis Presley tops the charts as Rock and Roll takes root.
1958
The Zip Tie is invented.
The Hula Hoop is invented and a national craze follows.
The very first video game is invented. Physicist William Higinbotham created it. It was a very simple tennis game, similar to the classic 1970s video game Pong, and it was quite a hit at the Brookhaven National Laboratory open house. They had no idea.
NASA initiates Project Mercury, aimed at putting a man in space within two years. They did.
Volare by Domenico Modugno leads the charts.
1959
The Pacemaker is invented.
Barbie makes her first appearance!
The first Weather Satellite is put into use.
Fidel Castro takes over Cuba.
Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states in the USA.
The Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton tops the charts.
1960
John F. Kennedy elected President.
Psycho hits theaters, terrifies masses.
First Child Safety Seat sold.
Astroturf invented, will soon be used at Astrodome.
First Laser Beam used.
First Etch-a-Sketch sold, and I became proficient at using it. Perhaps the best ever. Seriously. I was good. Very good. Legendary even.
A French company called Feudor invented the first disposable lighter. This was named “The Stick” until eventually being bought out by Gillette and renamed “The Cricket.” “The Stick” seems somehow cooler to me.
Theme From a Summer Place by Percy Faith tops charts. Beautiful song.
1961
Slurpees are invented!
Valium is invented!
Cordless Tools are invented!
The first US astronaut, Alan B. Shepard, rocketed 116.5 miles up into space on a 302-mile trip, and more importantly made it back.
Tossin’ and Turnin’ by Bobby Lewis tops charts, Crazy by Patsy Cline is actual best song. JMO.
1962
The first audio cassette is invented.
Silicone Breast Implants are invented.
The Cuban Missile Crisis scares the bejesus out of America.
James Meredith registers at the U of Mississippi.
Marilyn Monroe dies, supposedly of an overdose.
Ohio’s own John Glenn orbits the Earth.
Big Girls Don’t Cry by The Four Seasons is the best selling song.
1963
The Lava Lamp was invented by Edward Walker, who had been a WWII pilot for England. I don’t see the connection either.
The Post Office introduced Zip Codes, which amazes me because I thought it would have happened a lot sooner.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas and a nation mourned.
Nightclub owner Jack Ruby shoots Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald on national television as he was being transported from the Dallas Police Headquarters.
Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington D.C.
Beach Music hits the airwaves as Surfin’ USA by the Beach Boys tops the charts.
1964
The Beatles arrived in the USA on February 7th, changing the face of music forever. For a nation still reeling from the Kennedy Assassination just 6-weeks prior it was an arctic blast of fresh air.
Bob Dylan hits the big-time with his powerfully and intelligently written folk music.
Harvey Ross Ball was hired by State Mutual Life Assurance Company of Worcester, Massachusetts to create something to raise the morale of its employees. Ball created the design in 10-minutes and was paid $45.00. That design was the Smiley Face.
The Ford Mustang rolls off the assembly line, and it was awesome.
Buffalo Wings were invented at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, when co-owner Teressa Bellissimo cooked leftover wings in hot sauce as a late-night snack for her son and his friends. They loved it and boom, chicken limb tasty goodness was born.
First VCR is sold for use in the home.
8-Track Tape invented, would surpass albums sales in about 10-years.
Nelson Mendela sentenced to life in prison in South Africa.
Civil Rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Cheney are murdered in Mississippi. There’s a great book about it called “We Are Not Afraid” that should be required reading for all.
US Surgeon General Luther Terry affirms that cigarette smoking causes cancer, nation basically turns a deaf year.
I Want To Hold Your Hand by The Beatles was the #1 song in the USA. They’re h-e-e-e-e-r-e!
1965
Superball invented by some dude named Norman Stingley. The ball was made of a synthetic material he called Zectron. Cool.
The first American combat troops arrive in Vietnam. Ugh.
Malcom X was murdered in Harlem.
The Watts Riots erupt in Los Angeles.
I Can’t Help Myself by the Four Tops is the nation’s best selling song and it was a good one, but . . .
Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan is the nation’s actual best song.
1966
Kevlar, the lightweight fiber used in bulletproof vests and body armour, is invented by chemist Stephanie Kwolek.
Star Trek premiers, nerds everywhere rejoice.
Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood hits the bookshelves, I read it as a 10-year old and was scarred for life. Chills, man.
First Insulin is made made in China.
Richard Speck murders 8 nurses in Chicago.
The Ballad of the Green Berets, a patriotic, pro-war song by soldier Sgt. Barry Sadler, tops the charts.
We Can Work It Out by The Beatles is the actual best song. Just my opinion but I’m right.
1967
Light Beer was invented by the Rheingold Brewery in New York State and was called Gablinger’s Diet Beer.
First ATM debuts in northern London.
Thurgood Marshall is sworn in as first black US Supreme Court justice.
Astronauts Col. Virgil I. Grissom, Col. Edward White II, and Lt. Cmdr. Roger B. Chaffee were killed in a fire during a test launch.
Rolling Stone magazine debuts with John Lennon on the cover.
Yeah, it looked a lot different back then.
Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles is released, shocking the music world.
Surgeon Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant in South Africa.
Respect by Aretha Franklin tops the charts, and I can’t argue with that one. Classic.
However, I still have to mention that Ruby Tuesday by the Rolling Stones, Somebody to Love by Jefferson Airplane, Sunshine of Your Love by Cream, Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison, For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield, Light My Fire by The Doors, Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles, and Purple Haze by The Jimi Hendrix Experience were all released this year. So, you know, take your pick.
1968
The Pocket Calculator is invented and it was amazing. I recall somebody bringing one to school around 1972 and we played with it, amazed you could punch in stuff like 919 x 77 + 505 and getting the answer immediately. It was a simpler time, kids.
Richard M. Nixon is elected president in a landslide.
American soldiers massacre between 347 and 504 civilians at My Lai. Victims included men, women, children, and infants. Some of the women were gang-raped and their bodies mutilated. It was the most shocking event of the Vietnam War.
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Robert F. Kennedy are assassinated. King is murdered on April 4th. Kennedy is shot on June 5th and passed away a day later. Shocking times for sure.
Tommie Smith and John Carlos bow their heads and raise glove fists during the National Anthem at the Olympics in Mexico City.
60 Minutes debuts.
Senator Rankin Fite completed the first 9-1-1 call made in the United States in Haleyville, Alabama of all places.
Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders are the first humans to orbit the moon.
Hey Jude by The Beatles tops the music charts, because by God it should have.
1969
Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon. I watched it with my father, then I walked into the yard and looked up at the moon, amazed that people were actually standing on it.
The Taser was invented and it still doen’t seem like we use it instead of bullets enough.
Four Manson Family members murder 7 people, including actress Sharon Tate.
Unleaded Gas is introduced into the United States.
The Woodstock Rock Festival took place in Bethel, New York on Max Yasgur’s farm.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid hits theaters, and damn it was one helluva movie. “Who are those guys?”
Mario Puzo’s book The Godfather is published.
The first in vitro fertilization of a human egg is performed in Cambridge, England.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency goes online in December, connecting four major US universities. It’s the beginning of the internet!
Sugar Sugar by The Archies, who were not a real band but a Saturday morning cartoon band, is the best selling song of the year.
Hot Fun in the Summertime by real band Sly and the Family Stone was the actual best song of 1969.
1970
Four students at Kent State University are slain by Ohio National Guardsmen during riots protesting the Vietnam War.
The Beatles break up after a decade of amazing music.
Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin both die drug related deaths.
Monday Night Football debuts.
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel tops the charts but The Long and Winding Road or Let It Be or Get Back by The Beatles or perhaps James Taylor’s Fire and Rain should have.
1971
The first email is sent by some cat named Ray Tomlinson. He said that most likely the first message was QWERTYIOP or something similar since it was just a test message. Bottom line, “That’s one small step for man” it was not.
US Supreme Court rules unanimously that busing of students may be ordered to achieve racial desegregation.
All in the Family debuts.
Jim Morrison dies in Paris, probably of a drug overdose but it’s never been proven.
Duane Allman dies in a motorcycle wreck.
Joy to the World by Three Dog Night tops the charts. “Jeremiah was a bullfrog . . .”
1972
Hamilton introduced the world’s first commercial electronic digital wristwatch. It retailed for the pricey sum of $2,100.00. Today you can get one for $12.99 at Walmart.
Hacky Sack is created by John Stalberger (an Oregon athlete) to help rehabilitate his injured knee. He also coined the awesome name Hacky Sack.
Eleven Israeli athletes are murdered at the Olympic Games in Munich by the terrorist group Black September.
Alabama Governor and presidential candidate George Wallace is shot in Maryland. He lives but is left paralyzed from the waist down.
The Supreme Court rules that the Death Penalty is unconstitutional.
Five men are arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC. We didn’t know it at the time, but President Nixon’s downfall had begun.
Time Incorporated transmits HBO, the first pay cable network. It’s only the beginning.
Atari introduces the arcade version of Pong, the first video game. The home version will come out in 1974.
M*A*S*H debuts on CBS and I loved that show.
Deliverance hit the theaters and scarred me forever. If you don’t know what I’m talking about go to YouTube, type “Squeal like a pig Deliverance scene” in the search box and wait for the cringe.
Let’s Stay Together by Al Green tops the charts, and deservedly so.
1973
Global Positioning System is invented, and I can’t believe I didn’t use one until the late 90s.
The first BIC disposable lighter was invented. Before this people had those cool silver Zippo lighters you could snap open and close. So cool.
Kawasaki released the first Jetski.
The mobile phone was invented! Motorola was the first company to produce a handheld one. On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper made the first mobile telephone call. He placed a call to Dr. Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs, his rival. Ultimate burn, man. On a related note, I think the battery life was about 37-seconds.
Answering Machines become widely popular. You youngsters have no idea of the joy of coming home, seeing that little light blinking on your answering machine, and thinking, “I have a message!”
A ceasefire is signed, ending involvement of American ground troops in the Vietnam War.
American Graffiti, The Exorcist, The Sting, Last Tango in Paris all debut in theaters. Helluva year for movies.
Skylab is launched as America’s first space station.
Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye tops the charts. Wise choice.
1974
The first Barcode appeared. It was on a pack of Wrigley’s Chewing Gum and I know not why.
Henry Heimlich invents his maneuver, and it seems odd it took until 1974 until someone thought of it.
Post-It Notes were invented. Fun Fact: They were invented accidentally when someone was trying to develop a super strong adhesive.
Erno Rubik invented his cube.
Patty Hearst, granddaughter of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army as case rivets nation.
President Nixon resigns over the Watergate Scandal.
People magazine hits the stands.
The Way We Were by Barbara Streisand tops the charts, beating more worthy songs such as Oh Very Young by Cat Stevens and The Bitch is Back by Elton John.
1975
The first Digital Camera is invented by Kodak engineer Steve Sasson.
The Vietnam War ends to the relief of many, including me since I had no interest in being drafted.
President Ford escapes two assassination attempts, one by Charles Manson follower Squeaky Fromme.
The Cincinnati Reds, known as the Big Red Machine, win the World Series.
Saturday Night Live premiers and it was spectacular.
The movie Jaws debuts and nobody wants to go in the ocean anymore.
Love Will Keep Us Together by Captain & Tennille outsells Shining Star by Earth, Wind and Fire, Listen To What The Man Said by Paul McCartney, and I’m Not In Love by 10cc and damn people were stupid in 1974.
1976
Basketball Breakaway Rim invented.
First Ink Jet Printer invented in Japan.
US Supreme Court changes its mind and rules that death penalty is not inherently cruel or unusual and is a constitutionally acceptable form of punishment.
USA celebrates its Bicentennial. 200-years man!
Jimmy Carter elected President of the USA.
Reds win World Series again, sweeping the New York Yankees
The movies Rocky and Taxi Driver premier and they are awesome. “You talkin’ to me?”
Viking I lands on Mars.
Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney and Wings is the top seller, is Sir Paul’s 109th best song. Ish.
1977
MRI is used for the first time.
President Carter pardons all Vietnam draft evaders.
Star Wars, Saturday Night Fever and Close Encounters of the Third Kind premier. Great movies all.
Elvis Presley dies at Graceland.
Serial killer who calls himself Son of Sam is loose in New York City.
Rod Stewart’s Tonight’s the Night tops the charts. Hated it. Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and Queen’s We Are the Champions were much better.
1978
Breakaway Rim first used in college basketball at the Final 4.
Microwaveable Popcorn Bag invented, wouldn’t be approved until 1981.
The video game Space Invaders is created!
909 people die as Jim Jones’s followers commit mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.
The first test-tube baby is born at Oldham Hospital in London and people freaked out.
Mass murderers John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy are arrested and the details that emerged were horrifying.
Shadow Dancing by Andy Gibb is the top song, horrifyingly. I’d pick Joe Walsh’s Life’s Been Good to Me So Far but whatevs. I’m numb to these poor song choices by now.
1979
The first Sony Walkman is sold.
A nuclear power plant accident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania happens, scares the bejesus out of everyone.
It’s Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson in the NCAA Title game, Magic wins.
The first music CD is sold and it was a collection of Chopin waltzes by Claudio Arrau but I’m sure you knew that.
The Sugar Hill Gang release “Rapper’s Delight,” most likely the first rap song ever recorded.
Hostages are taken at the American Embassy in Iran, beginning a 444 day seige.
ESPN debuts. Sports!
My Sharona by The Knack tops the charts. Shockingly, I liked it.
1980
Personal Computers began to make their way into households.
John Lennon is murdered in New York City.
Ronald Reagan elected President of the USA in a landslide.
Ted Turner launches CNN. News!
Blondie’s Call Me is the USA’s best selling song, and I cannot complain.
1981
Microwaveable Popcorn Bag hits the market, bachelors everywhere rejoice.
MTV hits the airwaves, first video is Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles (MTV used to play videos). Music!
The world sees its first official game of Paintball. Still have never played it.
Iran hostages are freed just as Reagan takes office.
Pope John Paul II is shot, survives.
President Reagan is shot, survives.
Pacman sweeps the nation!
Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes is the top seller, wasn’t that bad.
1982
Princess Grace tragically dies in a car crash in Monaco.
Michael Jackson releases Thriller.
John Belushi dies of a drug overdose.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is released and Steven Spielberg is on an absolute roll.
A permanent artificial heart is implanted in a human for the first time.
The space shuttle Columbia makes its first mission.
Physical by Olivia Newton-John is the best seller and I cannot make this shit up. Personally I’d take John Mellencamp’s Jack and Diane, The Clash’s Rock the Casbah or The Alan Parsons Project’s Eye in the Sky.
1983
Sony releases the first camcorder.
A terrorist explosion killed 237 US Marines in Beirut.
Sally K. Ride becomes first US woman astronaut in space.
The last episode of M*A*S*H was viewed by 125-million people.
Crack cocaine is developed in the Bahamas and soon appears in the United States.
Every Breath You Take by The Police tops the charts. Good tune but I’ll take the entire R.E.M. album Murmer any day and twice on Tuesday.
1984
DNA Testing is perfected.
Ronald Reagan re-elected in landslide.
Apple introduces the user-friendly Macintosh PC.
Prince’s When Doves Cry tops the charts, but I’ll take Van Halen’s Jump or U2’s Pride (In the Name of Love).
1985
Microsoft Windows is introduced.
Rock Hudson dies of AIDS.
Live Aid concerts are held in London and Philadelphia. In London, Queen steals the show.
Careless Whisper by George Michael is the top seller, incredibly, because Money for Nothing by Dire Straits and Can’t Get There From Here by R.E.M. were also released. Amazing.
1986
DNA testing is first used in criminal cases.
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, shocking the nation.
Major nuclear accident at Soviet Union’s Chernobyl Nuclear Plant.
Nintendo makes its debut, marking the day kids stopped playing outdoors.
We Are The World is recorded, featuring most of the major musical artists of the day. It’s organized by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones.
The first disposable camera was developed by Fujifilm.
That’s What Friends Are For by Dionne Warwick featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder tops the charts and oh my Lord it was awful. Especially since the songs Don’t Get Me Wrong by The Pretenders, Dear God by XTC and the album Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M. were all released this year.
1987
Prozac invented.
President Reagan and Russian President Gorbachev meet in Washington D.C.
Walk Like An Egyptian by The Bangles sells the most copies, although I preferred Suzanne Vega’s Luka or Girlfriend in a Coma by The Smiths. On a related note, 1987 was a really slow year for world events.
1988
Prozac is made available to the public.
Caller ID is made available to the public, people can now ignore people they don’t want to talk to.
Wheeled luggage with retractable handles go on sale for the first time, and HOW THE HELL DID IT TAKE SO LONG?
George H. Bush elected president.
CDs outsell LPs for the first time.
Faith by George Michael tops the charts, but I’ll take Fast Car by Tracy Chapman or the album Green by R.E.M.
1989
World Wide Web is born, porn industry explodes, dirty magazines begin an agonizing death spiral.
Nintendo Gameboy released.
Tiananmen Square Rally for Democracy is held in China, famous photo of Tank Guy emerges.
Berlin Wall opens to west, people flee from East Germany to West Germany.
Earthquake erupts in San Francisco during World Series game, killing 67 people and causing more than $5 billion in damages.
Look Away by the new and sappier Chicago ruled the charts, whilst albums like Doolittle by The Pixies, Bleach by Nirvana, The Real Thing by Faith No More, Don’t Tell a Soul by The Replacements, and The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses all included better songs.
1990
South Africa frees Nelson Mandela after 27½ years.
East and West Germany are reunited.
Reds sweep the World Series, defeating the Oakland A’s of Tony LaRusso, Mark McGwire and Jose Conseco.
The Simpsons debut on Fox and they’re still going strong 30-years later.
Seinfeld debuts on NBC.
The Gulf War begins.
Hold On by Wilson Phillips tops the charts even though Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants was released this year. Abomination I say.
1991
CDs outsell cassettes for the first time and nobody under the age of 25 will understand what that means.
The Gulf War ends quickly as the USA kicks ass in record time.
The Soviet Union crumbles, which would have been unimaginable 10-years earlier.
Nirvana releases the album Nevermind and includes the song Smells Like Teen Spirit. The song helps to popularize Grunge music.
Serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer arrested in Milwaukee.
Queen’s Freddie Mercury dies of Aids.
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams outsells all songs, including Smells Like Teen Spirit, R.E.M.’s Losing My Religion and Pearl Jam’s Alive. Ladies and gentlemen, this was something that actually happened.
1992
George H. Bush and President Boris Yeltsin of the Soviet Union declare the end of the Cold War (look it up, kids).
Bill Clinton elected President of the United States.
Spinner Wheels on cars are introduced. Spinners!
Four officers acquitted in Los Angeles beating of Rodney King; all hell breaks loose in Los Angeles.
CDs outsell cassettes for first time.
Johnny Carson’s last Tonight Show airs.
End of the Road by Boyz II Men is the top seller and I can live with that. However, I’d take the entire album by R.E.M. called Automatic For the People. I mean, Man on the Moon? Everybody Hurts? Nightswimming? Find the River? Come on, man.
1993
Paint Valley Boys Basketball wins its first SVC boys basketball title in 28-years.
The Waco Seige takes place at the Branch Davidian Complex in Texas as David Koresh and 75 of his followers perish.
The World Trade Center basement is bombed, six people die.
I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston tops the charts. As for me, I’ll take The Ugly Truth by Matthew Sweet or Dream All Day by The Posies.
1994
Apartheid in South Africa ends!
South Africa holds first interracial national election and Nelson Mandela is elected President.
Skater Nancy Kerrigan attacked 2-days before the Olympic Trials, turns out rival Tonya Harding hired the men responsible.
NFL Football Hall of Famer, Announcer and movie actor OJ Simpson arrested in double homicide after a chase through Las Angeles.
Major League Baseball players strike on August 12th, settle 232 days later.
Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain commits suicide.
Friends debuts on NBC.
Woodstock ’94 is held, lamely.
A calf is cloned, world as we know it begins downfall.
The Sign by Ace of Base tops the music charts and I cannot make that up.
1995
OJ Simpson trial begins as nation watches.
Bomb explodes at the Murrow Building in Oklahoma City as 168 people die and over 680 are injured. American terrorist Timothy McVeigh is soon arrested as planner.
OJ Simpson found not guilty, nation is split after hearing the verdict.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opens in Cleveland.
A sheep cloned as humanity inches closer to extinction.
Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio tops the charts and I’m cool with it.
1996
Unabomber arrested, identified as Ted Kaczynski.
Bill Clinton re-elected as US President for a second term.
Rapper Tupac Shakur is murdered in Las Vegas.
Braveheart beats Fargo and Sling Blade for Oscar in gross display of injustice.
6-year old JonBenet Ramsey is murdered in Colorado and nation is riveted by the case, still unsolved.
Macarena by Los del Rio tops the charts as nation hits an all-time low in its musical taste. For the love of God, Novocaine for the Soul by Eels, A Long December by Counting Crows, Follow You Down by Gin Blossoms and Radiation Vibe by Fountains of Wayne were all released in ’96. Get it together, people.
1997
Oklahoma City bomber Timothy J. McVeigh sentenced to death.
Titanic hits theaters, nation loses its collective mind.
Princess Di killed in car wreck in Paris.
Notorious B.I.G. is murdered.
Gianni Versace is murdered outside his home in Miami.
Mike Tyson fights Evander Holyfield, bites off chunk of his ear.
Something About the Way You Look Tonight by Elton John tops the charts, is clearly one of his all-time worse songs.
1998
Seinfeld airs final episode, wasn’t very good.
Google is founded.
Microsoft becomes the biggest company in the world.
Too Close by Next is the best selling record and I promise you this is the first time I’ve ever heard of it.
1999
World awaits Y2K disaster as everyone is worried computers aren’t prepared to make the switch from 1999 to 2000.
US Senate rejects President Clinton’s impeachment.
15 people die in the Columbine High School Massacre, including the two shooters who committed suicide.
John Kennedy Jr. is lost at sea in a plane crash.
The Blair Witch Project premiers, everyone loves it for some reason.
Woodstock ’99 kicks off in Rome, New York. The crowd set fires, destroys property and there were several reports of sexual assaults. A love-in it was not.
Believe by Cher topped the charts, giving her a #1 song in four straight decades. Cher, man.
2000
Y2K was nothing, turns out everyone was worried for no reason.
George W. Bush elected President of the USA in controversial election.
Survivor premiers as reality shows start to catch on.
Peanuts creator Charles Schulz dies.
Breathe by Faith Hill is the #1 song, but The Eels album Daisies of the Galaxy was top to bottom outstanding.
2001
Timothy McVeigh, American terrorist who planned Oklahoma City Bombing, is excecuted.
9/11 happens. 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people are killed.
20,000 die in an earthquake in India.
Segway goes on the market but never changes the world as promised.
Hanging by a Moment by Lifehouse is the #1 song, and I say meh. Average song.
2002
Snipers John Allen Muhammad (aged 41) and Lee Boyd Malvo (aged 17), commit murders and robberies in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Washington and Washington DC. The snipers killed 17 people and wounded 10 others total.
The Maryland Terrapins win the NCAA Basketball Championship and I couldn’t have been happier.
Elizabeth Smart kidnapped outside Salt Lake City, nation captivated by case.
How You Remind Me by Nickelback is the top selling song and I’ve never heard it.
So there ya go. Anything cool happen in the year you were born?
The album “Let It Be” by The Beatles was supposed to be a trip back to their roots – pared down, simple, no orchestration or strings, no overdubs, and no overwhelming production. They wanted the album to have an almost “live” feel. This from a band that had recorded albums like “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in which the studio work and production were groundbreaking in their complexity. Bottom line, The Beatles wanted to get back to their roots.
Here’s the album track list:
Side 1
Two of Us
Dig a Pony
Across the Universe
I Me Mine
Dig It
Let It Be
Maggie May
Side 2
I’ve Got a Feeling
One After 909
The Long and Winding Road
For You Blue
Get Back
The songs range from the silly (“Dig It”, “Dig a Pony” and Maggie May”) to the rockin’ (“Get Back”) to the almost country sounding (“One After 909”) to the beautifully legendary (“Let It Be”, “Across the Universe” and “The Long and Winding Road”). It was a truly a wonderful album in spite of the cracks that were beginning to show, fissures that would eventually tear the group apart.
Quick note – although “Let It Be” was the last album released by The Beatles, it was actually recorded before Abbey Road.
As I mentioned before, during the recording of “Let It Be” the relationships between all four Beatles was strained severely, almost to its breaking point. It was so strained, in fact, that the guys became so tired of the in-fighting they allowed manager Allen Klein (who Paul hated but John liked) to take over the finishing touches on the album. Klein ended up handing the project over to legendary “Wall of Sound” producer Phil Spector, who proceeded to completely defeat the original purpose of the album by adding orchestras and female background singers (which The Beatles had never used before) to songs like “The Long and Winding Road” and “Let It Be.” Paul McCartney has stated publicly many times that when he first heard the final product he was aghast at the results.
Years later, in 2003, the album was re-released by McCartney as “Let It Be . . . Naked” in an attempt to rectify the mistake and let the public listen to the album as it was originally intended. The result was a beautiful album of simple songs in which the voices and musicianship stand magnificently on their own.
Here’s a comparison of the original release of “The Long and Winding Road” with strings and background vocals, followed by the originally intended pared down, simple version:
Long and Winding Road (with added vocals and orchestration)
Long and Winding Road (original “naked” version)
Big difference. Sure, the first version is beautiful, but I much prefer the second one, especially since Paul wanted it to be heard that way originally. Again, all the added fluff went against the spirit of the album, which was to “get back” to the roots of The Beatles.
Let It Be Factoids:
Piano legend Billy Preston played keyboard on the album.
During the recording sessions, tensions between George Harrison and Paul McCartney, grew so heated that Harrison left the studio.
Although recorded in 1969 and released on “Let it Be” a year later, the song “One After 909” was one of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s first collaborations, dating back to 1959.
In the United States, advance orders for the album were the largest in the industry up to that point – over 3.7 million units.
Legend has it that when McCartney sang “Get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged” he was looking directly at Yoko Ono, who was in studio during the recording. UPDATE: This is not true. As seen in the recent Peter Jackson documentary “Get Back” The Beatles all seemed to get along quite well.
You’ve all heard about it. Well, those of you over 40-years of age anyway. You know, how if you play Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon simultaneously with a muted Wizard of Oz you get a mind-blowing experience? That it’s called Dark Side of the Rainbow? Well, it’s a long story but I ended up playing it for a high school class the other day and I’m 90% sure I confused the living hell out of 98% of them. I say 98% because there were 1 or 2 that sat there wide-eyed, nodding approvingly. At one point a kid asked me how in the world anyone ever discovered this phenomenon and I responded thusly:
“Well Jonah, I figure one day back in the mid-70’s some guy was sitting in his apartment stoned out of his gourd. He must have been listening to Dark Side of the Moon and watching The Wizard of Oz with the sound off. Then, at 20-minutes in, his roommates heard this: ‘Dude. DUDE! You guys have to come and see this!'”
And so it was born. Do I actually believe Pink Floyd wrote Dark Side of the Moon specifically to play alongside The Wizard of Oz? I do not. Do I believe it’s hauntingly mesmerizing to do so? I do. For those uninitiated, here ya go . . .
Note: Give it a couple minutes. It takes a bit for the movie to start.
When it’s so quiet you can hear snow falling, you’re actually hearing the static discharge of the snowflake hitting the ground. It gathers the electricity while it’s falling to Earth.
There are more castles in Germany than McDonalds in the U.S.
A graveyard is connected to a church while a cemetery is not.
Greenland sharks can become up to 400 years old and don’t reach sexual maturity until they’re 150.
Oxford University existed 250 years before the Aztecs existed. Oxford University first opened in 1096, the Aztec period was from 1345-1521. Oxford University is second only to the University of Bologna for continuous operation.
Sharks have been around longer than the rings of Saturn. The rings of Saturn formed no more that 100 million years ago, we know what they are made of, how fast they move, and the rate of decay. Sharks have been around for about 450 million years. We have fossilized records of this.
The Sahara Desert used to be under the ocean, and you can still find seashells in the sand there.
The Goonies go underground on the exact same day (Saturday, Oct. 26, 1985) as Marty travels back in time to 1955.
Ancient Egypt and Wooly Mammoths existed at the same time.
George Washington died in 1799. Dinosaurs were discovered in 1824. George Washington didn’t know dinosaurs existed.
Giraffes have the same number of neck bones as humans and mice.
“OMG” usage can be traced back to 1917.
The Earth is traveling through space at 1.3 million mph relative to the cosmic background radiation. Which means by the time you finished reading this, you’ve travelled roughly 5,420 miles through space.
Sure, we all know the story of Titanic, the “unsinkable” ship that indeed sank back on April 15th, 1912. We know about The Unsinkable Molly Brown, the American socialite who unsuccessfully encouraged the crew in Lifeboat No. 6 to return to the debris field to look for survivors, and we know of other people on board like John Jacob Astor IV and Mr. and Mrs. Isidor Strauss, the owners of Macy’s. Oh, and Jack and Rose? You know, from the movie? Totally fictional characters. That’s oddly reassuring because man, there was a lot of room for Jack on that piece of debris Rose was floating on.*
Anyway, there was another more fascinating story from the whole Titanic disaster, and that is the story of Head baker Charles Joughin. Joughlin, while most others were going batshit crazy and panicking, began rescue efforts the moment he realized the Titanic was going down. After mustering groups of women and children to board the lifeboats, he ordered his team of chefs to give them all remaining food in the kitchen for their perilous journey ahead. Once the boats were full and he had saved as many people as possible, he went back to his cabin to drink whiskey and await his demise, because of course he did.
However, Joughin’s retirement from rescue duty didn’t last long. After sitting in his room and hitting the bottle, he realized there was still a chance to help save the passengers and crew swimming in the Atlantic. So, the ol’ Chuck returned to the deck to throw chairs overboard, hoping that passengers could use them as floating devices until rescue boats came. He then went down with the ship, staying at the stern until it was completely submerged in the freezing depths of the ocean.
Folks, Charles Joughin was the very last person to get off the Titanic, and he got off with style. Just as the tip of the ship sunk below the water line, he hopped off. You can actually see him depicted in this painting. He’s right at the very top, calmly and badassly waiting for the right moment to hop from the railing.
“I’ll be down a sec, kids. Don’t bother waiting for me.”
Let me repeat this – instead of dying from fright and a massive heart attack there and then, he rode the ship down like a damn elevator. He merely stepped off of the Titanic, into the water, and by his own account, didn’t even get his hair wet.
Then he paddled around in the water for 3-freaking hours in -2 degree Atlantic Ocean water before finding a lifeboat.
Sadly, the lifeboat was completely full. Luckily, his friend and fellow chef John Maynard was on board, and Joughin held his hand, floating in the icy ocean next to the lifeboat until a second one came to rescue him. Miraculously, Joughin had helped save passengers’ lives, stayed with the ship until it completely sank, and still survived to tell the tale.
And how did he stay alive, you ask? Experts believe the copious amounts of whiskey he drank helped keep his body warm, allowing him to survive in the freezing water longer than everyone else.
Mr. Joughin, who was English, ended up moving to the United States where he died in Paterson, New Jersey on December 9th, 1956. He was 78.
And that is the story of Charles Joughin, the baker who saved lives, got drunk, and lived to tell the tale of one of the most the infamous shipwrecks in history.
Listen, I love the movie “Elf.” I truly do. I believe I had Buddy at #2 on Shoe: Untied’s Top 5 Favorite Christmas Movie Characters. That’s quite an honor, man. However, I do have a problem with the movie, something that’s nagged at me for years. My problem is this – Buddy had lived in the North Pole for 30-years ( I know this because I looked it up. On Christmas Eve 1973, a baby boy crawled into Santa Claus’s sack at an orphanage and was unwittingly transported back to the North Pole). Anyway, what do elves do, like year-round? They build stuff. In all that time did they ever build anything for Buddy? They did not. Not once did Santa tell the elves to help ol’ Buddy out. Hell, they make toys for millions of kids in a year, man. They could have thrown together some Buddy-sized stuff in an afternoon, yet for over 20-years of his life he slept in a tiny bed, sat in tiny chairs, showered in a tiny shower and had to suffer the indignity of using a tiny toilet. Outrageous.
Bottom line, Santa and his elves were selfish jerks and I can’t get past it.
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a young boy and ultimately protects him and his mother is just a great great story.
Shoe: Untied 