It's a replica of an iconic car that is guaranteed to turn heads. The two-seater soft-top car is for sale at the rock-bottom price of 2,200 Euros ($3,145). And, unlike the original, this working version of Fred Flintstone's car has its own motor, meaning the driver and their passenger won't have to rely on their feet to power the prehistoric ride.
Ken Reid - World Wide Weirdies are really funky illustrations from the 1970s. They smack of underground comics done by creators who were 'influenced' by the drug culture of that decade. You can see the rest of the many cool illustrations HERE.
The coolest thing about this story of legendary Cossack Taras Bulba (my people are from this same land between Ukraine and Poland) is that the Cossacks often break out in riotous drinking songs complete with choreography when they get together to party. Only this movie is NOT a musical. It's a historical drama about a man and his two sons - and the clash between 'civilization' and tradition.
IMBD called it a "Romeo and Juliet" story that takes place in the late 16c. Ukraine. That is true but add that this film has grand vistas, soaring music and exciting battle scenes and you start to get a sense how grand this story tries to be. The music is overpowering as every emotion seems to come with it's own musical accompaniment. I feel like I have been ridden hard after watching charging horsemen for 10 minutes. It's takes that much out of you.
The Cossacks were the horsemen of the steppe land. Their horsemanship was legendary and to see a mass of Cossack cavalrymen coming over the hill was a fearful sight indeed. Their savagery in battle is well documented and well earned.
Tony Curtis plays the oldest of Taras' two sons Ostap. He is the passionate one, the one with stars in his eyes for adventure. His younger brother, Andriy is more quiet and studious but both are Cossacks through and through.
Living amongst the Poles made these boys hate the Poles more, not understand or sympathize with them. Taras' long term plan was a good one when he sent his two boys to study at the Polish University - "Learn the ways of your enemy now so that you use that knowledge to fight him later".
The sound is terrific. I could really hear the pounding of horsehoves thundering through my headphones. I enjoyed watching these Cossacks throw a party or many parties. They really know how to stage a good bear fight.
Yul Brynner is awesome as Taras Bulba, a man out of his time who can see the future. He knows his way of life is dying. He hangs onto everything that is good about Cossack life - the wild women(!), the drinking, the fighting, the general debauchery, the unsanitary eating habits, the comradery, the killing, the pillaging ect... It's all that tambourine music I think. Drives the ladies wild.
Bulba is a man to be respected. A man not easy to impress but who is eternally loyal to his friends and ruthless with his enemies. He's a mad prophet, make no mistake about that but he is the ultimate product of his culture and their 1000s years on the Steppes. What he does he has to do BECAUSE he is a Cossack. That is the tragedy here. Tarus couldn't see the other side of the conflict, couldn't see past his hate and that hate created a blindspot - a blindspot that the Poles exploited fully.
In that way the story is very Shakespearean.
There are some really nice army on horseback set pieces here. It looks like they had a cast of thousand to work with. It's an old school Hollywood historical epic and the fighting scenes done by extras on horseback is spectacular and huge. Hundreds of men and their animals fill the screen. No CGI needed. It is very impressive to watch the control they had over all of these people when the fight between the two armies began. No second takes here.
There are also interesting little things like the 8 guys lifting a timber to seal the gate of the town - not necessary to the plot but it gave the viewer some idea of the scale of doors the Cossacks had to breach.
First the horsies go one way then the horsies go the other way and they did that all as explosions are going off around them from castle cannon fire. Like I just said, impressive.
And then we are back to the partying. I swear. I would attack these horsemen after one of their parties. They all will have passed out piss drunk so killing them would be simple. Imagine how many barrels of booze the Cossacks would have needed to actually wage a war. When they ran out hooch there would have been chaos. Not good if you want to actually HOLD the land you had just taken in battle.
I loved the way they called each other 'Cossack' like two black guys would address each other with the 'N' word...something like "Cossack Please".
This one has some powerful acting in it and it's very effective at how it tells it's story. I had tears in this one - ACTUAL human tears. Not since 'The Blind Side' have I wept so openly.
Makes me proud to be a filthy Cossack. Don't give me alcohol, gasoline or matches.
The Admiral got his hands on the first two episode of the newest incarnation of the 'THUNDERCATS' and he is loving it. Liono, the Sword of Omens, Snarf (who is more kitty than personality), Cheetara, Tigra, and Pantro - all the cool characters are there.
It's nice that we get additional footage of Liono's father and I learned again for the first time that Tigra was Liono's brother. Why is Tigra not heir to the throne then? They already got me thinking. Liono's father Claudus is a mighty king and they do a great job at playing up his magnificence in the first two episodes of this new series.
The animation is great as is the voice work (with Keith David leading the way as Pantro). The story is very strong, changing just enough of the old show to make this new cartoon seem both fresh and nostalgic at the same time.
I nearly peed myself when I saw the 'Sword of Omens' and the 'Eye of Thundarra'. I admit that sword is one of my favorite mythical weapon. The future telling properties of the 'Eye' were nicely handled too.
Whiley Kit and Whiley Kat are cute and capable and less annoying than I thought they would be. They got lots of spunk and moxie those two.
The game of 'Ring the Bell' is interesting. Cats climb a giant multilimbed tree to ring a large bell. The Admiral would be so into that - as a viewer and pay TV gambler not a participant.
Mum-Ra is such a cool villain. Of course he is a numnut who can't win against the Thundercats on their worse day but visually he is spectacular. His arrival was terrifying if I can be truthful with you. If I was six I would have filled my diaper at that point.
The timely intervention of the 'Clerics' was a nice surprise even though the sight of all these old men running at super speed did look a bit foolish.
This mini-series was what made me fall in love with the SYFI channel in the first place. This adaptation is sumptuous with big actors spouting big lines about honour and justice and beauty. It's betrayals are huge but so are the payoffs when young Paul Atreides ascends to godhood.
I love how the story doesn't end there. Paul is unprepared and therefor unable to be the god the Universe needed. He actually destabilized a pretty stable system and his 'jihad' left piles of bodies on a thousand different worlds. Convert of die was the battle cry.
Maud'Dib's flaw was not using the political power he was given and therefor anarchy reigned in his absence. Sadly Paul's vision was too small. He needed to thing much bigger as Leto II did when he took on the mantle of the sand worm to become the God Emperor. Leto controlled the spice and controlled commerce in a thousand different systems. He systematically converted most of the desert of Arrakis to green thus making spice an even scarcer commodity that it already was. It gave the God Emperor enormous power over his subjects.
"Bless the Maker and his water. Bless His comings and his goings. May His passing cleanse the World. May He keep the World for his people."
Only after the stagnation of humanity during Leto's 'golden age' and the engineering of an individual able to avoid Leto's gaze or notice just long enough to kill him and end this Atreides nightmare forever.
And this point I have to call out Brother Jaquandor who said he started DUNE but has had nothing to say about it since. I know you have seen the book buddy. I submit this photographic evidence to the court. You put it down after a hundred pages didn't you?
Ashes To Ammunition of the Day: For a mere $1,250, the Alabama-based ammunition manufacturer Holy Smokes will help you preserve the memory of a late loved one by shoving their remains into “100 rounds of rifle ammunition, 250 shotshells, or 250 pistol cartridges, in the caliber/gauge of your choice.”
On their official site, Holy Smoke — a company started by two state law enforcement officers — talks up its product’s multiple benefits: It fulfills “a need for an individual’s choice” in how he/she is “remembered or celebrated”; it offers a low-cost alternative to burial services; and it carries “a much smaller ecological footprint” than “most of the current funeral interment methods.”
Noticeably absent: It allows family members to avenge their loved ones with bullets made from their loved ones. How badass is that?
I forever stand vigilant to protect this planet from the myriad of forces that are always against us. Be it the octopus, zombies, aliens or the robots my team of human agents, and our feline allies, circle the globe in a never ending struggle for human freedom.
I learn all I can on every subject that interests me. I especially enjoy ancient history because in the past there are valuable lessons to be found. Also, if I ever get my time machine to work properly, it would be good to know a bit about possible destinations and what to expect when I get there.
I greatly appreciate beautiful design. Be it manufactured or found naturally I am fascinated by the process of invention. I am attracted to the unique, the strange, the haunted. I like to share what I find on this blog.
And not let us forget the 'Cephalopod Menace' who, if allowed to, would wrap their tentacles around all that is good and pure in this life and crush it until it remained no more. They are creatures of pure spite. Hate is all they know. Death is all they do. They are our most ruthless and determined enemy.
So we fight. Selena has the celebrity contacts, the cat is ruthless and without pity, Roosevelt's ghost has the experience and I do the wetwork.
Fighting for the future of the planet doesn't have to be a chore, however. We can take the time to appreciate all that is cool in this world even as we cut the octopus into bite sized chunks.
This is the reason there has always been and must forever be, a Cave of Cool. Be sure to wipe your feet before you enter.
