Archive for December, 2011
HAHN: Batman — a look back
Dec 27th
The latest trailer of the greatly anticipated “The Dark Knight Rises” is now being shown before most screenings of “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.” This theatrical trailer is the first substantial exposition of the characters, setting, and snippets of plot so far. Likewise a six minute opening prologue, which has been playing in select IMAX showings of “Mission: Impossible- Ghost protocol” as well as floating around the internet, gives the first extensive depiction of this film’s main villain, Bane, played by Tom Hardy.
With all of this buzz and excitement circulating around the forth coming end of Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga, I have decided to take a look back at the humble roots of some of images and icons of Batman.
Posters- the public face of any movie, helps portay the tone of the film as well as show who’s actually in the film.
This was the poster of the 1966 film Batman, which was the first big screen incarnation of the batman or as the poster touts, “For the first time on the motion picture screen in color,” an apt description. I learned this wasn’t actually the first Batman movie. There was series of serial films made in the 1940s.
The poster itself has a disjointed visual theme. The art team who put it together must not have all been on the same page, half the poster is live action stills of the protagonists, antagonists, and two Bat-means of conveyance. The other half of the poster is comprised of cartoon renderings apparently of five anonymous bad guys who have been clobbered by the Adam West and Burt Ward, Batman and Robin. This quaint little poster does a great job portraying the campiness of the film and the earliest portrayal of Batman.
Holy Crap. Those were the words that went through my head the first time I saw this poster. “The Dark Knight Rises” will supposedly be the last Batman film Nolan will direct and Christian Bale will star in, and is apparently a definitive end to the Bruce Wayne story. That taken into account this poster reflects the dark gritty foreboding of an actual end of a Batman story which has never been done on film.
The Batmobile- is one of the mainstays of the Batman universe, it embodies the futuristic side of the caped crusader.
This was the original batmobile. This is the first Bat car which Adam West drove around Gotham in the 1960s television show as well as the 1966 film. Based on a 1955 Lincoln Futura Show Car, this bat car is exactly what a 1960s Bruce Wayne would want as a stylish posh crime busting vehicle. Like the poster, this earliest batmobile fits perfectly with the lighthearted camp of the series.
As most Quincy residents should recall, earlier this year we got to see firsthand what Nolan plans on including in the bat mobile department. The Tumbler, featured in “Batman Begins,” 
“The Dark Knight,” and now “The Dark Knight Rises” is according to Lucius Fox (Batman’s tech guy), “She was built as a bridging vehicle. During combat, two of these would jump over a river, towing cables.” This piece of repurposes military hardware fits well into the realism of the newest series. The sight of an armored desert camouflage vehicle in a major American city might be subtlety used by the film makers to elicit a sense of fear and panic from an audience which is all too used to seeing similarly designed vehicles rolling down the main streets of Cairo, Damascus, and Bagdad.
Alfred Pennyworth- The constant loyal aid to the Wayne family and present in almost every rendering of Batman.
Circa 1966, a fine rendering of a British butler.
Michael Cain, more please.
The Sidekick- while not every super hero has a sidekick, usually there is some character who helps the hero along the way, trades jokes, and adds a bit of comic relief.
Robin, the classic batman sidekick.
Morgan Freeman as Lucuis Fox: he looks out for Wayne Enterprises, supplies batman with new weapons and technology, but probably doesn’t look that good in a pair of green shorts.
Kevin Hahn
HAHN: Prospective movies for the season
Dec 21st
The holidays are a great time to catch up with family, friends, and well wishers.
The holidays are also a great time to ignore all those people and go see a movie. Here are some movies that I am looking forward to seeing this holiday season.
“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”
This sequel to the 2009 re-envisioning of the classic Sherlock Holmes universe looks to be just as action packed as its predecessor. There are explosions, slow motion, and slow motion explosions. Based on the trailer the movie looks to include the faintly realistic Victorian era fight sequences that helped make the last movie fun to watch. Another factor drawing me to see this movie is the on screen rapport between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson (played by Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law respectably).
While this latest version of the Sherlock Holmes saga is much different from other incarnations—namely such classics as the 1922 silent film version, the 2010 BBC mini-series “Sherlock”, or my personal favorite “The Great Mouse Detective”—I am excited to see the ongoing portrayal of this literary and film classic.
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
This film is the first part of an English language reboot of a Swedish film and novel trilogy, Män som hatar kvinnor. I know very little about this trilogy aside from the fact that it was originally a Swedish book by author Stieg Larsson, that it was translated into English, and that it is by all accounts very very good.
From the synopsis that I have read and the trailers that I have seen the plot revolves around the search for a missing girl and a murder investigation conducted by a journalist and a computer hacking, tattoo having, dramatically compelling all around genius.
The investigative journalist is played by Daniel Craig in the English version and Mikael Nyqvist in the Swedish version. Nygvist is starring as the villain in the newly released “Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol.” The titular protagonist with the dragon tattoo is played by Rooney Mara in English and Noomi Rapace in Swedish. Mara was most recently featured in “The Social Network,” which was directed by David Fincher, the director of the English “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Coincidentally Rapace is starring as the female lead in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”
Hahn
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Since this past June I have been looking forward to this one movie more than any other coming out in 2011. As seems to be the trend with the good films this holiday season “Tinker, Tailor, Soilder, Spy” is a recreation of both a novel and a 1979 BBC miniseries starring Alec Guinness.
This latest rendering of the original John le Carré novel features a very well rounded british cast Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, John Hurt, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Coincidentally Cumberbatch stars in the previously mentioned BBC miniseries “Sherlock.” Likewise Oldman and Hardy are both starring in next summer’s excruciatingly anticipated third installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga: The Dark Knight Rises.
This classic cold war high espionage spy story has me most excited out of these three films. I read the novel this summer and ever since then I have been waiting and hoping to see it. It was released in the US on Dec. 9 and I counted down the days till that day. Then I looked online. The movie had a limited release to only four theaters in the states, I was not pleased. Currently there are 50 theaters playing “Tinker, Tailor,” mostly on the east and west coasts. Focus Theaters plans on a wide release Jan. 13. I can’t wait.
Quincy theaters and showings are available here.
Kevin Hahn
O’DONNELL: Random reflection of a dictator
Dec 20th
When a world leader passes away,news broadcasts generally spend ample time focusing on the life of the person who managed to climb to such a prime position. This seems to be even more the case when the world leader happens to be a dictator is shrouded in controversy.
The longtime supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, has joined the ranks of the deceased. His passing comes as a surprise since there had been no news he was near death. Unlike his fellow anti-American leaders Osama Bin Laden and Moammer Gadhafi, the news coverage of Jong Il’s death seems to be a bit less. The morning news programs have concentrated more on stories about last minute Christmas shopping, Kobe Bryant’s divorce and Lindsey Lohan’s Playboy cover. This seems strange since he provided many headaches for the United States and many punchlines for comedians.
Granted I did not expect fanfare on the level of the “In Memoriam” segments made popular by awards shows like the Oscars or Grammys. Nevertheless, I still thought the death of Kim Jong Il wouldn’t have been shoved into the shadow of reports about Denver Broncos ultra-religious quarterback Tim Tebow. Since some news outlets are proving not to come through, the “Other Side” will do the heavy lifting and reflect for a moment on the life and times of Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il may be most famous for his time spent leading North Korea, but among American hipsters, he may be better known for his image gracing a slew of T-shirts. At the graphic tee website Cafe Press, they are still currently hocking cotton shirts featuring the grinning face of the late dictator. Below the charming screen pressed image, the cute phrase “We Be Illin’” is shown. It remains unclear if Jong Il endorsed this or knew of the shirt.
One of my longtime friends has a talent for uncovering outrageous and humorous websites. Whenever he sends me a link, I am certain it is something that will have me laughing. Several months ago, he turned me onto the oddly funny site kimjongillookingathings.tumblr.com. This blog is a collection of photos that lives up to its title. It is simply an amazing compilation of pictures of Jong Il staring at various objects. Sometimes its coal and at others he is looking down at cheese, but the blog always seems to be entertaining. The explanation of this website may lose a bit of its comedic luster on paper, but I highly suggest you pay it a visit and try not to laugh at the images. A personal favorite of mine is an excellent snapshot of Jong Il standing happily in a supermarket next to a case of sausages.
O'Donnell
This year the duo who created the raunchy cartoon “South Park,” are enjoying the massive success of their Broadway musical “The Book of Mormon.” Back in 2004 Trey Parker and Matt Stone assaulted movie theaters with their puppet-centric feature film “Team America World Police.” The primary villain in this outrageous picture was none other than Kim Jong Il. While threatening to destroy the world, the puppet, Jong Il, also serenaded movie goers with his singing talents. Anyone who has seen “Team America,” would find it hard to forget the beautiful tune “I’m So Ronery.” For a brief second the “F-word” laced film takes a break from the profanity and almost transforms the image of the dictator. During the puppet Jong Il’s crooning, one can come close to forget they are watching a ridiculous portrayal of one of the most sinister men on the planet at that time. When the puppet Jong Il laments over his sadness about being all alone, I can’t lie that my heart ached a bit for the guy.
A signature of Kim Jong Il was his over-sized sunglasses. At times it was hard to tell if he wanted to look like P. Diddy or an older Elizabeth Taylor. I’ve yet to uncover a legit website that actually sells Jong Il’s shades, but there is a Facebook page in their honor. Kim Jong Il may have done more for sunglasses than U2′s Bono.
There are several lesser known things about Kim Jong Il as well, that really humanize him. According to an article from foreginpolicy.com, Jong Il suffered from an “intense fear” of flying. It was reported in the same article that due to his fear of flight, Jong Il would only travel by armored train. The fact he owned such a mode of transportation proves Kim Jong Il was really trying his best to become a villain resembling the ones featured in the James Bond movies.
It’s not a crazy notion to think Kim Jong Il imitated Bond villains in some respect though, he also harbored a great love for watching movies. The guardian.co.uk published an article titled “The Madness of Kim Jong Il” that documented this passion. The dictator loved all the 007 flicks as well as Kung Fu films from Hong Kong. Other movies he enjoyed were the Slyvester Stallone action movie “Rambo” and the horror classic “Friday the 13th.”
One news story I previously mentioned that has been overshadowing the death of Kim Jong Il, is the impending divorce of NBA star Kobe Bryant. If Jong Il were still alive this may have been a story he had been glued to. The website signonsandiego.com delivered a story titled, “The Oddest Fan,” that documents the former North Korean leader’s obsession with the game of basketball. In October 2000, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright paid Jong Il a visit. Along with her she brought him a very special gift. In honor of his love of basketball, he received an official NBA game ball that had been autographed by Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. It may have been an odd form of diplomacy, but it is interesting.
The late dictator truly managed to contribute quite a bit to the comedy scene, providing endless fodder for late night talk show hosts and material for T-shirts and websites.
Farewell Kim Jong Il.
Jordan O’Donnell
![toothache[1]](http://www.thelocalq.com/blogs/searchlights/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/toothache1-64x64.gif "toothache[1]")
O’DONNELL: One bad toothache can spoil a day
Dec 14th
For several days I have had to deal with an evil nuisance. I am not going through the process of divorcing Kim Kardashian, but I am dealing with a pain that is almost comparable. Since this past Friday, I have had a throbbing tooth ache rooted in the back of my mouth.
It surprised me how much a sore tooth can throw a person off kilter. Since the shooting pain began in my jaw, I have not really felt like myself. I’ve become more forgetful and clumsy. It seems I cannot focus on the task at hand, just my stupid bad tooth. I attempted to watch a movie at my apartment as a distraction from the pain. Throughout starting that process I was able to lose the remote control three times. On one occasion after misplacing the clicker, I ended up finding it resting in the refrigerator. Apparently I thought that it was a decent resting place for the remote while I snagged a drink of soda.
My tooth continued to throb and my mood continued to get worse. I became like an angry badger that had been jabbed at with a crooked stick. I attempted to spend time with a friend and I would only snarl at her selections when it came to Redbox movies. I went Christmas shopping with my mother and finding clothes for my niece became an excuse for me to get nasty. Then at work when anyone would need my assistance on any matter I was ready to snap. Reflecting on this I am thankful the office printer didn’t break down while my tooth decided to give me trouble.
Before finally climbing into the dentist’s chair, I went through a period of self diagnosis. I’ve never had any aspirations to go to medical school and the time I did spend in college, I was a communications major. Obviously I have no respectable credentials by any means, so I looked towards the less than scholarly online resource known as webMD.com for help. As far as I am concerned this website should be outlawed. Given my imagination and the spare time I had to view the website for answers about my toothache, I managed to leave the computer convinced I may have had a stroke. Thanks to webMD.com I have had far too many late night phone conversations with my mother, where I have convinced myself my simple cold was a life threatening virus.
The tooth in question has throbbed off and on for weeks now. The pain generally sets in right before I am getting ready to lie down for the evening. Right before I shut my eyes and attempt to drift off into a deep sleep, I am met with a striking shock of stinging soreness generating from my back tooth. For a while I could pacify the pain by standing up, walking around my apartment and taking a few Advil. For some reason standing upright in the corner of the room, looking a lot like the girl who crawled out of the well in the movie “The Ring” seemed to help. As for the last couple days, my old home remedies no longer worked and it became obvious I had to face one of my biggest fears; going to the dentist.
A friend at work suggested a dentist and I made the appointment. As my time in the chair came near, I could feel myself began to sweat and breath heavy. I’ve always despised going to the dentist but I knew this time would be the worst. When the time finally came and I had checked in, the dentist began his examination. All of my teeth looked ugly but the one causing all my pain was a monster. The dentist’s final prognosis was that I had an abscessed tooth. He prescribed me some antibiotics and said in a few days if the tooth responds in a positive way, he could treat it, but if it doesn’t then I will have to have the tooth yanked out of my head. At that moment I was not so optimistic and could already see the pliers in my mouth.
As I sat in the dentist’s chair I thought back on past trouble I have had with my teeth. The times I ran into aches, pains or a cavity was when I was a young kid. I would often have tooth problems which has lead to my aversion to the dentist in my adult life. As a child I managed to get several different illnesses that proved to haunt me for years and eventually leave a lasting mark.
O'Donnell
There is no mystery that I’ve had my fair share of problems with dating. Whenever I reached out and attempted to go “dating” it seemed packed with disaster. I was so bad at dealing with the opposite sex that as a young child I was told by my peers that I was sickened by an illness known as “Cooties.” It was because of this, I was one of the boys in my class deemed unapproachable by the young girls. Since I was branded with “Cooties,” I was left un-kissable until I reached Middle School.
A problem that both I and my brother would run into was ear aches. I rank this high on my list of the most agonizing pains I have dealt with in my life. Simply thinking of past ear aches remind me of the severe pain associated with problem. The memories of the treatment for ear aches are still quite vivid in my mind. My mother would have me press my head against the kitchen table while she dropped some type of healing solution into my ear cavity. To this day if you ask me my definition of hell I would say it’s a never ending ear infection.
The unavoidable childhood illness we are all supposed to run into is Chicken Pox. I was warned long before I caught it in fourth grade. When the small, red, itchy bumps cropped up I knew I was in trouble. The one positive side of this illness is apparently you can get it only once. I did not have a huge bout with Chicken Pox, but while I had it I was quarantined like I was E.T.
Thinking back on all of those trials and illness mishaps through my childhood almost makes my current tooth ache feel a bit better. Compared to an ear ache, chicken pox, or the dreaded “cooties,” maybe my situation is not so bad. I find myself being optimistic about my next dentist appointment that could bring the news my medicine was successful and my tooth can be saved. Then again I am no longer worried about the other option which is having the tooth yanked out. Perhaps if I have that tooth removed maybe some of my insanity will go with it.
Jordan O’Donnell
![image[1]](http://www.thelocalq.com/blogs/searchlights/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/image1-64x64.jpg "image[1]")
O’DONNELL: End of an era, but no lack of opinion
Dec 13th
There is something off in the universe.
Despite all the decorations and the festive cheer all around, there still seems to be a dark cloud hanging overhead. I am almost certain I am not the only person in this part of the country who has the sensation that there is a sinking pit in my stomach. These ill feelings I am dealing with have nothing to do with holiday shopping (I’ve done ZERO!), or missing the magic of my childhood Christmases. This holiday season blues can be credited to the fact that Albert Pujols is officially no longer a St. Louis Cardinal.
After a long run of negotiations, Pujols has ended up signing with the American League squad the Anaheim Angels. According to ESPN.com, the former Cardinal slugger inked a 10-year deal for $254 million with a no-trade clause. The landmark deal is the second highest in the history of Major League Baseball. The only contract that trumps Pujols’ is the one signed by Alex Rodriguez, when he made the jump from the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees.
Once news began to spread that Pujols had made his decision to leave the Cardinals for California, my Facebook news feed caught fire. It seemed like everyone had an opinion on the matter. Whether it be positive, or negative, suddenly all of my Facebook friends became expert baseball analysts. As I read through the posts, I began to notice a pattern. When it comes to the Pujols’ situation, there are three types of people.
Albert Pujols no longer holding down first base for the St. Louis Cardinals leaves a huge gap. It hurts a bit more, because not only is Pujols talented, he was such a beloved player in the St. Louis community. It’s because of this, there are some people treating Pujols’ departure with a level of grace. I saw numerous Facebook posts wishing him well and thanking him for all he had done for the “Redbirds.” I can see not wanting to be angry towards the guy, but to me some of the remarks that fall into this category were out of hand. I have dealt with some nasty break-ups in my adult life. I never hold a grudge, but I have never thanked a girl for kicking me to the curb. Its with this same notion in mind, that I find it hard to be overly affectionate towards Pujols as he departs for California. I can’t say I wish him any ill will, but I am not the first in line to send out hopes towards his continued success.
Facebook can become an amazing platform for people to vent their distaste for matters going on around the world. Sometimes it pertains to heated political issues and occasionally people release their hatred towards the fashion choices of celebrities walking the red carpet of award shows. Albert Pujols move to the Angels proved to be a field day for “haters.” There were so many people who clouded my news feed with venom-filled status updates ripping into him. It was bizarre to see so many people, who during the playoffs were nothing but motivational towards the baseball superstar, but now treated him like he was a member of the army of Satan. It was almost as if Pujols had never been a Cardinal. Judging by the words of some of my Facebook friends, I would have assumed that Pujols didn’t get traded, but personally went around the Hannibal/Quincy area and spat on everyone’s mother.
O'Donnell
In light of all the well wishing and hatred towards Pujols, a very intriguing third-party group has emerged. These rare people, who live by the claim that they have hoped that Albert Pujols be traded away. Their defense is that his best years are behind him and the money the Cardinals organization will save without him will show big benefits in the future. It is people of this opinion that blow my mind. I can see some grounds in both defenses given, but still I find it hard to stick to the statement that any Cardinals fan “hoped” Pujols would be be traded. Granted the guy is a decade into his career and is a big budget player, but he still meant something more to St. Louis. He was an integral part of two championship teams and gave Cardinal fans countless memories and moments of excitement. If Albert would have resigned, I wouldn’t have cared if his arms fell off and he still took the field. There was something magical about knowing that guy was in the dug-out. It didn’t matter who the Cardinals would play, because it seemed like they always had the upper-hand with Pujols up their sleeve.
Now that Albert Pujols is nothing more than a Cardinals’ memory, it is hard to say exactly how I feel about the situation. By nature I tend to play devil’s advocate, so I am eager to disagree with any opinion posted by my friends on Facebook. What I do know is I will miss the excitement of watching Pujols in a Cardinals uniform. He was the type of player who was not only good, he was a problem. Even in a slump, he managed to strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams. I think I will cling to the feeling of joy when he came to bat and beastly stood over the plate. I loved the tension you could see in the pitcher’s face and how the outfield would always back up to the fence. I am not about to wish Albert the best with his future endeavors with another team, but I will not hate on him either. I would be a liar if I would say I am happy he won’t be playing under the Gateway Arch next year. I suppose all I can really be at this point is grateful I got to be a Cardinals fan when they had such an electrifying player of the caliber of José Alberto Pujols Alcántara. Thanks for two World Series titles and countless memories!
Jordan O’Donnell
O’DONNELL: You Are Not Alone, Mr. Baldwin.
Dec 10th
Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin could be the latest celebrity struggling with personal issues. According to MSNBC.com, the “30 Rock” actor recently got the boot from an American Airlines flight for not complying with the requests of a flight attendant and then becoming defiant. Baldwin was moved to a flight later in the day and has been dealing with swarms of media attention ever since.
O'Donnell
Baldwin has since taken to his blog on the Huffingtonpost.com. While he apologizes to his fellow passengers, he persists that American Airlines was in the wrong. In the blog, he even throws Greyhound under the proverbial bus by implying that using their service is an example of sub-par travel. Apparently Baldwin is attempting to get banned from every form of transportation in the United States. Officials at Amtrak are crossing their fingers they don’t get dragged into this.
Baldwin’s problem runs much deeper than one bounced flight. Much like celebrities such as Lindsey Lohan or Charlie Sheen, there could be a chance that Baldwin struggles from an addiction. His dependency however is on something not as obvious as those dabbled in by other stars. Alec Baldwin may suffer from chronic “Words With Friends” addiction. The cause of Mr. Baldwin’s airplane controversy was that he refused to halt a game of “Words,” and when the flight attendant persisted, he became irate.
“Words With Friends” is a popular app game for Apple’s iPhone. The game is an interactive version of the board game Scrabble. It allows players to engage in the word game with others from anywhere around the world. All you need is a user-name, a decent vocabulary, and a creative spirit. This all sounds well and good, but for so many, this game has become painfully addicting. “Words With Friends” has been the cause of many cases of poor job performance, interrupted wedding ceremonies, construction site hazards, congressional distraction, failed space shuttle launches and now, actors being removed from airplanes.
Thankfully, for those like Mr. Baldwin who suffer from “Words With Friends” addiction, there is help. The Alfred Mosher Butts Words With Friend Help Institute has been established in Poughkeepsie, New York. The Institute is named in the honor of the inventor of Scrabble and strives to reduce the effects of “Words With Friends” addiction. The effects include ambivalence to outside activities, preoccupied thoughts of turning random letters into words, iPhone separation anxiety and, of course, sore thumbs.
The same MSNBC.com article that reported Baldwin’s incident stated that after repeated requests to shut off his device, the actor eventually stormed off to the lavatory and slammed the door loudly. Mr. Baldwin shouldn’t worry here either. There are lavatory door slamming support groups meeting all around the country. The groups come together to discuss and overcome their struggles with constantly slamming doors when entering or exiting a lavatory.
In the end, thank you to American Airlines employees, who were brave enough to bring to light two little recognized problems in this country. People who struggle with “Words With Friends” addiction and constant lavatory door slamming need to know there is help. By shining the light on the well-known Alec Baldwin, who was probably finishing his “Words” game with Tina Fey, you have done a great service. Thank you, American Airlines, for keeping the skies safe. Thank you, American Airlines, for caring. Finally, thank you, American Airlines, for ranking eighth on Travelandleisure.com’s list of airlines with the worst luggage handling.
Jordan O’Donnell
O’DONNELL: Go Viral Or Go Home.
Dec 9th
I often consider deleting my personal email account. It seems I get more reasons every day to get rid of the stupid thing. Yet, for some reason, I still keep it. I can’t make that final leap and press delete. I don’t know if it’s I think someday I’ll start receiving large amounts of amazing messages or if I am just subconsciously torturing myself.
O'Donnell
The fact is each day I keep that email is another opprotunity for the cyber universe to load my inbox with nothing but junk. Offers for stores I never shop at is a norm. I hope I never feel the need to ever use the coupon for 20 percent off at my local lingere store. I also get emails telling me I’ve magically won random prizes. Excuse me, but I find it hard to believe that I won a 42-inch flat screen television for doing nothing but maintaining my email account. Then, there are the offers for various “enhancing” medications. I won’t elaborate too much on this because I am sure you can use your imagination.
There is one good thing I get through my personal email account. People frequently send me links to viral videos. If somehow you are unfamiliar with what that is, a viral video is a Internet video clip that grabs tons of media attention and popularity via the means of sharing. Popular ways one can share a video is through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Some viral videos I’ve received are silly, some goofy, some just pointless and dumb. The majority of these videos share the fact they lack any educational benefit what so ever. The only goal is entertainment and to help the creator achieve some level of fame.
I’ve watched countless viral videos. I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but I do know what I think is funny. There is a certain art that goes into the creation of a video that avoids becoming dead in the water and goes on to take the Internet by storm. After watching as many as I have, I feel qualified to give some tips on what makes a good viral video.
Kids are almost always golden when it comes to creating a video that goes viral. If I really wanted the joys of a viral video, I would actually consider having kids or at least renting them. If younger kids can be caught in the right moment, it can generate a lot of views for the video because of the broad appeal. I’ve seen many videos of sly parents coaxing their little ones into saying outrageous things. The kids don’t even understand what they are saying, but it still works. Also, kids misbehaving works. I recently viewed a video of two little boys who got their hands on a bag of flour and then went to town on the family living room. Then of course, there are the videos of the kids who sing oddly well for their age. The clips will be of the young one singing a popular song of the time almost pitch perfect spot on. These videos leave some viewers wondering how the kid doesn’t have a record contract. It goes to show a lesson in Parenting 101 should be if you exploit your kids you could get Internet fame.
Local Newscasters can also lead to viral video success. When these individuals fail horribly for some reason, the rest of us rejoice. When a newscaster swears either on purpose or on accident can be classic. Then, there is the fighting news duo who can’t leave their beef off the air. The videos I have seen in this category generally are an older veteran male newsman who has been teamed up with a young sassy female. The rare breed is the overly ambitious newscaster. The obvious example of this is the “Boom Goes The Dynamite” guy. This eager young man tries his best to imitate his favorite ESPN sportscasters by generating a catch phrase but fails horribly due to his incredible awkwardness.
Videos that always seem to go viral are the times when celebrities or politicians are caught drunk. It’s great to catch the train wreck star of the moment stumbling out of a nightclub, but its even better when a potential presidential candidate is caught on stage mumbling his way through a speech. For A-List stars, this can be a public relations nightmare, but for those has been celebrities, it can become the moment they fly back into fame. Almost always for politicians though, being caught rocked on the sauce, is a carreer ending move. Nevertheless for the Internet video viewer, it,s always a winning situation.
An easy way to make huge waves with a viral video is puppies and kittens. Everyone loves puppies and kittens. Everyone loves watching puppies and kittens. Period.
If a solid viral video can be summed up in one word, I would have to say that would be STREAKERS. Generally these brave people are men who dare to go on a brisk jog in a very public venue while wearing absolutely nothing. Sometimes the streaker will premeditate his nude frolic, then at others, it is a spontaneous dare that cannot be resisted. Streakers usually find their homes at sporting events. It amazes me to see a video that begins as a clip of a normal sportscast and eventually turn into havoc. The nude man will sprint across the playing field to the sound of a cheering crowd. His moment of joy only last seconds before he is struck down by authorities and carried away. Long after the streaker has been apprehended, his shining moment remains marked on the game.
These tips are just a few things I think make for a good viral video. It’s the holiday season which is the perfect opportunity to make your own. Grab your web cam and wait for the magic to happen. Who knows? Maybe dad will fall into the Christmas tree while trying to place the topping star. Perhaps your aunt will get smashed off too much eggnog and feel the need to treat the family to her rendition of Whitney Houston’s classic “I want to dance with somebody.” Then, there is Grandma who may come with her old cat dressed to the nines in a Christmas sweater and reindeer antlers. You just never know when the moment is going to strike. If you manage to capture it, then throw it up on YouTube as fast as you can. Who knows — you may be have the next viral video the Internet world will be talking about.
Jordan O’Donnell
O’DONNELL: Don’t feel guilty — Just keep it to yourself
Dec 6th
I am pretty big into talk radio. It drives whoever is in my car absolutely insane.
Apparently these people expect to hear some type of music, but instead I treat them to heated discussions about politics or sports from faceless radio anchors. It’s becoming more clear to me, that for the sake of my passengers, maybe I should switch to some tunes while they are in the car. I cannot foresee my love of talk radio catching on.
My interest in radio is rooted from a young age. I loved listening to baseball on the radio and later in life I became a fan of personalities like George Noorey and Don Imus. My interest in radio lead me to get an internship in college at a satellite radio show in New York City. To this day I listen to that show and get extra enjoyment knowing I was once a part of it. I generally get into the topics and at times will talk back to my radio. It is my little way of feeling like I am still involved and working in the studio.
I was listening to the show the other day and something came up that fascinated me, the hosts were discussing guilty pleasure music. They renamed these often hidden tunes “Me Music.” The point is there should be no guilt attached to those songs you sing in the privacy of your own home. Instead of making it a negative, just consider that type of music the songs and artists you simply enjoy on your own.
O'Donnell
As the hosts chatted, I was reminded of a personal guilty pleasure from my childhood. This was something I attempted to share with a friend but it bombed horribly. I had a sleepover at my house with my best friend and we popped popcorn and geared up to watch a movie. I decided that night would be the night I would unveil something I truly loved. I popped in the video and my friend’s face dropped instantly. For the next two and half hours I tortured him with old Godzilla movies. Years later he revealed to me that my Godzilla sleepover was one of the worst and most boring nights of his childhood. I can now see in retrospect that the old Godzilla films were something I should have just enjoyed on my own.
Like the old Godzilla films can be considered “Me Movies,” I have plenty of music in my collection that I know must remain just for “Me.” This is a selection of artists I used to be embarrassed by, but still thoroughly enjoy. Occasionally I’ve tested the waters with my friends only to be met with reactions like, “Seriously you listen to that?” Nevertheless thanks to my old radio show, I realize I shouldn’t feel guilty by this music, but I should definitely just keep it for my ears only.
In my youth I never thought I would say this, but I have really come to love Country music. When I was in Elementary school and someone would ask me what music I like, I was the type of person to say “Anything but Country.” That has long since changed to a set of contemporary artists. Blake Shelton is someone who I enjoy the attitude and catchiness of his songs. Keith Urban and Brad Paisley, I appreciate for their amazing ability to play guitar. Then of course there is Taylor Swift. Put me in front of a firing squad but I do not see how anyone cannot think she is pretty charming. Yes she does look like an animal that needs to burrow for its food, but her songs always seem to grab my attention.
Then there is a collection of female pop stars I cannot deny I carry an affection for. It all started with Lady Gaga. Her songs are creatively brilliant and the whole image she portrays is innovative. Sadly I wish it ended with Gaga. Like how they say there are gateway drugs, well, Gaga was a gateway to pop music for me. I moved on to Katy Perry. “Waking up in Vegas” has blasted in my car many times. After that came Rihanna. If you don’t like “Umbrella,” I would argue that you wouldn’t know pop music even if it bit you.
Lately my iPod seems to be stuck on Florence and the Machine. I didn’t consider this a guilty pleasure until I played it for my friend in the car. As the opening strings to “Dog Days Are Over” began to stream through my car, I could feel his burning eyes. I slowly moved my head to meet his disgusted glance. It became obvious to me that I had made a mistake. My interest in the red-haired singer would have to be something I kept to myself.
This next band I am still finding it hard not to be ashamed that I am a fan of their music. It caught me off guard when I heard their new album. It didn’t sound like the bubble gum pop I remember. Their music had transformed into something that sounded like old school Stevie Wonder. The band I speak of is none other than the group of guys who gave the world the song “MMM Bop.” Yes that’s right, I am kind of into Hanson. Before any eye rolling, I highly suggest giving their new album a try, you might be surprised. Hanson could find its way into your stash of “Me Music.”
I started off despising Bruno Mars. I really had a strong distaste for his music and his silly pompadour. Then sure enough, like a creepy fungus, he grew on me. I started humming his music or singing along to a song or two in the car. Before I knew it, I was hooked. I downloaded the album off iTunes and I happily put a song on a mixtape that I had made for a friend. The collection was well received, but I was informed the one track the person always skipped was the Bruno Mars track. I am still giving this one time, because like I previously mentioned, it took a while for Mars and his music to grow on me.
My all time favorite band is the English pop group Oasis. They are known mainly in America for their hit “Wonderwall,” but I have found many other gems in their catalogue. Granted everything they do rips off the Beatles, but who really cares. As much as I love this band, no one I surround myself with seems to get it. Looks like I will have to keep the tunes from the unibrowed Gallagher brothers private as well.
I am no longer ashamed of this long hidden collection of music. I just now know I need to keep it to myself and not attempt to bring it to others. I think I will plan a “Me Night” sometime soon. Nothing but a mixtape of all my “Me Music” blaring from my laptop, while an old Godzilla movie plays on the television. Sounds frightening to some, but a giant lizard destroying Tokyo set to a soundtrack featuring Hanson and Katy Perry sounds like an alright night to me.
Jordan O’Donnell
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O’DONNELL: A Reunion of Friends
Dec 5th
I have always had a love for film. Going to the movies is one of my favorite past times. I love the whole atmosphere of the theater, I am always the most happy when I am locked away in a dark theater with a large cold soda and buttery popcorn.
Not only is it my love of film, but my affection for the theater atmosphere, that makes me not very particular on what I choose to see. I will sit through just about anything. Still it seems going to the movies becomes more magical when the film is one you have been waiting to see. It can be exciting to take a seat in a theater as the previews begin before a film you have anticipated for months. Recently I had that experience with what I consider to be the theatrical release of the season. Believe it or not, I am not talking about the “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.”
Thanks to writer and director Jason Segel, one of my all time favorites has returned to the silver screen. I practically ran to the theater to watch the brand new “Muppet Movie.” To my delight the film lived up to all off my expectations. It also got me thinking of some old fantasies I had in my youth.
Growing up, some people had favorite singers or athletes. I had these as well, but in addition, I had my favorite Muppets. I used to imagine how the crazy Muppets could fit into my life. What was the role they would play and how would I interact with them. Seeing the “Muppet Movie” has encouraged me to recreate my list.
I used to watch a lot of cable news. After time, I have found myself extremely bored with every station. It seems like each one has its own agenda. Also I have yet to find a single broadcaster I enjoy. Sam the Eagle would be nice to have around as my personal newscaster. With his booming voice he would be perfect to deliver the headlines of the day. The most patriotic Muppet could read me off the news each morning as I got ready for work. Not only would it be entertaining, I would save a ton of money on newspapers.
Any problem I could have with self confidence, would be solved with some advice from Pepe the Prawn. This self assured little guy could be my motivational speaker. Whenever I am filled with self doubt, I could look to Pepe. This Muppet has always carried a lot of self pride as he would often shout “I am not a shrimp, I am a King Prawn.” He has no problem correcting others, knows who he is and makes no apologies. Maybe we could all take a lesson from Pepe.
One of the more famous Muppets that intrigues me is Animal. The wild and crazy Muppet is known for his skills behind the drum kit. I am not sure if Animal has ever played an actual song but you have to applaud his enthusiasm. I always thought we would get along great because of our mutual love for music. Having him as a roommate would be like living with Keith Moon from The Who but minus all the drugs and alcohol.
I have always had problems with relationships. Maybe some great advice from a couple who has stood the test of time could help. Camilla the Chicken and Gonzo have had a long love affair. There relationship shows that no matter how different two people are they can still find common ground. The odd blue creature and little chicken have managed to work through many problems. Anyone would be lucky to have a relationship like Gonzo and Camilla’s.
The Swedish Chef has always held a special place in my heart. His erratic antics and garbled language always made me laugh. I think it would be interesting to have Chef as my own personal cook. Whenever he would cook though I would make sure I am nowhere inside my house. Though I love him dearly and would like to taste his cuisine the Swedish Chef’s tendency for knife throwing makes me nervous. The last thing I need is to be stabbed by a meat cleaver hurled from the hands of a Muppet.
The release of the new “Muppet Movie” has reunited me with some of my old childhood friends. It’s amazing how after all these years I still feel a bond with these goofy characters. The Muppets act as a worthy escape from reality for me. Even if it is only for several hours, they manage to take me away to a fun and magical world. Like any good friendship The Muppets and I have picked up right where we left off so many years ago. It’s comforting to have friends you know you can depend on. Oddly enough in my case those friends happen to be a slightly disturbed chef and a shrimp.
-Jordan O’Donnell
