Two great tastes that taste great together

I can't say these are two of my favorite things put together, but these are two things that mesh really well together, and it makes for some incredibly entertaining watching. I haven't laughed this hard since Borat.

I tried to embed the video in here, but it's not working. Bugger.

George Lucas is a Moron

So I was overly optimistic when I heard that Lucas was releasing the original, untarnished Star Wars films on DVD. Evidently (and I'm taking this with a grain of salt, as I can't trust anything anymore relating to these films) Lucas destroyed the negatives of the original Star Wars films, and the DVD copies are going to be rips from the Laserdisc versions released back in the late '80s (I think?). They won't be spiffy. They won't be hi-def. They won't be up for individual sale. They will only be available for sale with the damaged versions of the first three movies as a boxed set, selling for $90. Makes me want to call him a naughty word that will get someone leaving an anonymous comment telling me I shouldn't use language like that.

Now, why do I rant on Lucas so much? He's a filmmaker. His style changes. A lot of filmmakers change. Look at Spielberg. Close Encounters was released around the same time Star Wars was, and is one of my favorite movies of all time. And he's changed. However here's some major differences: Close Encounters took a while to grow on me, and I didn't really learn to appreciate it until I was an adult, Star Wars changed my life when I was a kid. Spielberg has changed and grown as a filmmaker. He's matured. Lucas has atrophied and turned this franchise of films that changed my life (the only filmmaking he is known for for the last 30 years) from one of the most spectacular and fun (if a bit lame in the dialogue department) shows on the screen into something pathetic and tiresome. My fury knows no bounds.

My world has officially been rocked

So you know how I occasionally rant about George Lucas and his not-so-great film choices? Well, let me now amend this. I still think he's lost his filmmaking ability, but I just found out that he's not quite the complete doofus I previously thought. The tuesday after I get back from my honeymoon, the ORIGINAL Star Wars movies will be released on DVD. Not the changed-so-much-that-they're-painful version, but the real ones. The ones that changed American film history. The ones where Han shoots first. Yeah, the last third of this year will be good. Admittedly, there will still be the Yub-yub song at the end of ROTJ, but I can live with that.

Ravinia

We went to hear a bunch of Star Wars music at Ravinia last night. Heidi and I got there a bit early, and listened to the end of the first show. Here's what the ravinia website had to say about her:

Broadway star Tovah Feldshuh portrays a dozen hilarious characters- some
real, some imaginary- with a lavish serving of George Gershwin, Irving Berlin,
and Rogers and Hart.

This person should never have been given a one-woman show. She was so bad, that I was sure she had to be some local schmoe. For quite a while, I had her dubbed as the Worst Performer in the World. Think about it, someone actually paid for her to come out here from New York, put her up in a hotel (she actually has two, count 'em, two shows at Ravinia), and paid her to do this "show." Her "dozen characters" all sounded like the same old Jewish lady, her singing voice was OK at best, and about half her comedy you struggled to figure out even why it should be funny. Was that supposed to be a punchline? Anyway, it ended up being really funny, just unintentionally.

Anyway, Mattox and a friend of Heidi's and Matt's, Victor, showed up for the Star Wars music, and, although Erich Kunzel tends to rearrange music that I know by heart, it was a kick-butt show, and the weather was damn close to perfect. Best evening we've had in Chicagoland for two months. A little humid, but lovely all the same. Matt brought some of his home-brewed wine (which was wonderful, but could use a little aging). He also informed me that where he gets his brewing equipment could be used to get root beer brewing stuff as well, which would be awesome for those days in which I'm, freakin' exhausted and alcohol will just do me in totally. Also, for those folks who come over (Tyler, in particular) who don't drink.

Anyway, there were also a bunch of people from the Fighting 501st there. There were probably 6 stormtroopers, at least one sandtrooper, at least one scout trooper, and a Darth Vader, a Boba Fett, and a Jango Fett. There were a few jedi hanging around (I mean the ones that were older than 6), but mostly it was Stormtroopers. Kinda ticked me off that I haven't finished (or started on) my armor yet, but it also lit a fire under my proverbial ass to get going.

In all, the evening was a success.

Darth Tater

Just when I thought there was nothing that could get me out of my funk yesterday, Heidi gets me a Darth Vader Mr. Potatohead. Oh, don't get me wrong, I was still kinda pissy, and still a little defeated, but this shocked me out of the worst of the funk. Damn, that girl knows how to take care of me!

So, I'm better now. Darth Tater started the healing (I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you find healing in the strangest places), and then Heidi proceeded to pile praise on me in a way that I was not looking for, and definitely not expecting (when you feel utterly defeated, having your girlfriend there to tell you how wrong you are is a good thing).

But I still feel betrayed and pissed off at the death in the latest Harry Potter book (I won't spoil it for those who haven't read it, and those who have will know what I'm talking about). Admittedly, that was the author's goal, so good job Ms. Rowling! Still, dammit! I keep wondering what the actors who play those parts in the movies thought when they read it. Not so much Daniel Radcliffe, because he really won't change his characterization any (here's a hint that won't surprise you, Harry was there, but he wasn't the one who died), but these other guys who have some experience... damn!

So in all, I'm better, feeling more productive, like a member of society again, and I've started reading my homebrewing book.

Did I mention I'm a geek?

How jedi are you? :: by lawrie malen