1. 1950 Stanley Cup Finals: Game 7: Wings beat the Rangers in double overtime 4-3 to win the Stanley Cup. Ted Lindsay began the parade of champions tradition on the ice after the game.
2. The Snow Bowl: One of the worst blizzards ever hit Columbus. The two teams combined for 45 punts as each side waited for the other to make a mistake. Michigan blocked a punt for a safety and another one for a touchdown. Michigan wins 9-3. Ohio State fired Coach Fesler and hired Woody Hayes.
3. 1954 Stanley Cup Finals: Game 7: The Wings won 2-1 in overtime beating the Canadiens.
4. 1952 Stanley Cup Semi-finals Game 4: Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay got death threats. Wings beat the Leafs 3-1 sweeping the series. After the game, Howe and Lindsay skated around the rink making machine gun motions at the crowd. The Octopus made its first appearance during this playoff run.
5. 1957 Western Conference Playoff Game: Detroit vs. San Francisco: Y.A. Tittle and the 49ers led 24-7 at half time. Lions won 31-27.
6. 1952, 1953, and 1957 NFL Title Game: In 1952, the Lions made their first championship game appearance since 1935. They won 17-7 over Cleveland. In 1953, they repeated 17-16 over the Browns. In 1957, they won 59-14 over those same Cleveland Browns.
7. 1954 Stanley Cup Finals: Game 5: Montreal: 1 Detroit: 0 (Overtime). Yeah, the Wings lost, but what a game.
8. No Hitters: Virgil Trucks went 5-19 in 1952. He no-hit Washington on May 15 and the Yankees on August 25. So, he was 3-19 when he did not no-hit someone!
Jim Bunning no-hit the Red Sox on July 20, 1958. He later threw a perfect game against the Mets while with the Phillies. When he retired, only Walter Johnson had more career strikeouts than Bunning.
9. 1954 Rose Bowl: Michigan State joins the Big Ten and wins the national title. MSU: 28 UCLA: 20.
10. 1951 All Star Game (played at Briggs Stadium): The AL beat the NL 8-3. George Kell homered. Ty Cobb threw out the first pitch and Harry Heilmann died the day before the game.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Greatest Movie Scenes: 106-110
106. Khan and his pets: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982): Montalban gives a great performance and Chekov gets to scream.
107. Old friend for dinner: Silence of the Lambs (1991): A downright creepy end to this film. Hopkins wearing a silly wig, Foster scared out of her wits, and just a creepy line to end it all.
108. Helm’s Deep:Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002): Just a great battle scene.
109. The dentist chair: Marathon Man (1976): I hate going to the dentist enough as it is...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPQ7KMCrPLE
110. Bogart vs. Robinson: Key Largo (1948): A tension packed conclusion to a tension packed movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OV-BRbcV0M
107. Old friend for dinner: Silence of the Lambs (1991): A downright creepy end to this film. Hopkins wearing a silly wig, Foster scared out of her wits, and just a creepy line to end it all.
108. Helm’s Deep:Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002): Just a great battle scene.
109. The dentist chair: Marathon Man (1976): I hate going to the dentist enough as it is...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPQ7KMCrPLE
110. Bogart vs. Robinson: Key Largo (1948): A tension packed conclusion to a tension packed movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OV-BRbcV0M
Presidential Legacies: 1969-1989
The Johnson Administration’s folly in Vietnam led to Republican Executive Branch dominance for the remainder of the century. The Cold War continued and the Republicans were enlisted to end it and fix an economy damaged by the Great Society. The presidents between 1969 and 1989 battled recession and Russians. In the end, both were conquered.
Richard Nixon benefited politically from Lyndon Johnson’s downfall. His political career was dead. However, he worked hard in 1966 and became the Republican nominee in 1968. Once in office, Nixon worked to thaw the Cold War and end the Vietnam conflict. It took almost four years for the Vietnam War to end. The North Vietnamese refused to negotiate in good faith through much of Nixon’s first term. They finally came around when it appeared he would be re-elected.
The war’s end coincided with two major Nixon diplomatic coups. He became the first president to go to China. This opened China to the United States, set in motion their economic renaissance, and isolated the Soviet Union. The Russians felt threatened and isolated by the U.S. and China. As a result, they welcomed Nixon’s diplomatic overtures. Détente has been criticized by the right, but there was no way for Nixon to know that the Soviet Union would collapse in his lifetime.
While Nixon was racking up the accomplishments, his administration became immersed in the Watergate Scandal. Basically, a group of White House operatives broke into and bugged Democratic Headquarters. The Johnson Administration bugged the Nixon Campaign, so this was nothing new. However, word of the break-in made it into the papers. Nixon made the mistake of attempting to cover it up. He should have fired those involved immediately and claimed ignorance. Instead, he waged war on the press. Events steam rolled and he was forced to resign.
Gerald Ford took over for Nixon. Initially, Ford was very popular. However, he pardoned Nixon and that popularity collapsed. The president from Michigan decided it was best to get beyond the Watergate Scandal. He wanted the country to heal and move forward. Ford did not want to put the country through the agony of a trial. Additionally, Nixon’s health declined dramatically and some worried the former president would not survive a trial. So, Ford pardoned Nixon and that cost him the election of 1976.
Ford lost to Jimmy Carter. Carter was an inexperienced nobody in 1975. In 1977, he was president. Carter’s tenure was marked by disaster. He refused to work with Congressional Democrats. Carter did not see much of a difference between them and Nixon. Then, the economy collapsed. Unemployment and inflation each hit double digits. The country’s confidence was gone. On July 15, 1979, Carter went on national television and chewed out the country. Carter called it a “crisis of confidence.” However, Carter’s tone was that of a fire-and-brimstone preacher and it fell flat. At the end of the year, Iran kidnapped 52 Americans and held them hostage. This paralyzed the Carter Administration even further. The economy and Iran Hostage Crisis cost Carter the White House.
Carter left America searching for a white knight. Ronald Reagan literally came out of central casting. Reagan won two massive electoral victories. Upon taking office, it appeared his economic policy was D.O.A. Then, John Hinkley Jr. tried to kill him in an effort to impress Jodie Foster. Hinkley failed on both accounts. This was a turning point. Reagan got his economic policies through congress. The economy continued to struggle for a time before exploding. By 1984, it was “Morning in America.” In his first term, the economy turned around. In his second term, he would face down the Russians.
During his first term, Reagan had little diplomatic contact with the Soviets. The Soviet leaders kept dying. Additionally, the Russians had been trying to expand in a fashion similar to the Nazis before World War II. By the early eighties, the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan, declared martial law in Poland, and stepped up their proxy wars against American allies. People questioned whether democracy could survive. In response, Reagan began a massive arms buildup. The plan was to outspend the Russians. He succeeded.
By 1985, the Soviet economy was strained. By 1989, it had completely collapsed. The Soviets had overextended and now had to try and keep up with the American arms buildup. The Reagan arms buildup was only part of the reason. The other factor was the new Soviet Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev attempted to reform the Soviet economy. He did not want to end communism. However, socialism is failed economic theory. Under Gorbachev's socialist reforms, the Soviet economy, and with it the military, collapsed. The Soviet Union itself ceased to exist in 1991.
In 1989, it looked like anything was possible. Communism was collapsing around the world. Dictatorships were on the wane. The world economy was expanding. Freedom was expanding. Would things continue to improve and would mankind enter into some new enlightened phase or would mankind blow it?
Richard Nixon benefited politically from Lyndon Johnson’s downfall. His political career was dead. However, he worked hard in 1966 and became the Republican nominee in 1968. Once in office, Nixon worked to thaw the Cold War and end the Vietnam conflict. It took almost four years for the Vietnam War to end. The North Vietnamese refused to negotiate in good faith through much of Nixon’s first term. They finally came around when it appeared he would be re-elected.
The war’s end coincided with two major Nixon diplomatic coups. He became the first president to go to China. This opened China to the United States, set in motion their economic renaissance, and isolated the Soviet Union. The Russians felt threatened and isolated by the U.S. and China. As a result, they welcomed Nixon’s diplomatic overtures. Détente has been criticized by the right, but there was no way for Nixon to know that the Soviet Union would collapse in his lifetime.
While Nixon was racking up the accomplishments, his administration became immersed in the Watergate Scandal. Basically, a group of White House operatives broke into and bugged Democratic Headquarters. The Johnson Administration bugged the Nixon Campaign, so this was nothing new. However, word of the break-in made it into the papers. Nixon made the mistake of attempting to cover it up. He should have fired those involved immediately and claimed ignorance. Instead, he waged war on the press. Events steam rolled and he was forced to resign.
Gerald Ford took over for Nixon. Initially, Ford was very popular. However, he pardoned Nixon and that popularity collapsed. The president from Michigan decided it was best to get beyond the Watergate Scandal. He wanted the country to heal and move forward. Ford did not want to put the country through the agony of a trial. Additionally, Nixon’s health declined dramatically and some worried the former president would not survive a trial. So, Ford pardoned Nixon and that cost him the election of 1976.
Ford lost to Jimmy Carter. Carter was an inexperienced nobody in 1975. In 1977, he was president. Carter’s tenure was marked by disaster. He refused to work with Congressional Democrats. Carter did not see much of a difference between them and Nixon. Then, the economy collapsed. Unemployment and inflation each hit double digits. The country’s confidence was gone. On July 15, 1979, Carter went on national television and chewed out the country. Carter called it a “crisis of confidence.” However, Carter’s tone was that of a fire-and-brimstone preacher and it fell flat. At the end of the year, Iran kidnapped 52 Americans and held them hostage. This paralyzed the Carter Administration even further. The economy and Iran Hostage Crisis cost Carter the White House.
Carter left America searching for a white knight. Ronald Reagan literally came out of central casting. Reagan won two massive electoral victories. Upon taking office, it appeared his economic policy was D.O.A. Then, John Hinkley Jr. tried to kill him in an effort to impress Jodie Foster. Hinkley failed on both accounts. This was a turning point. Reagan got his economic policies through congress. The economy continued to struggle for a time before exploding. By 1984, it was “Morning in America.” In his first term, the economy turned around. In his second term, he would face down the Russians.
During his first term, Reagan had little diplomatic contact with the Soviets. The Soviet leaders kept dying. Additionally, the Russians had been trying to expand in a fashion similar to the Nazis before World War II. By the early eighties, the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan, declared martial law in Poland, and stepped up their proxy wars against American allies. People questioned whether democracy could survive. In response, Reagan began a massive arms buildup. The plan was to outspend the Russians. He succeeded.
By 1985, the Soviet economy was strained. By 1989, it had completely collapsed. The Soviets had overextended and now had to try and keep up with the American arms buildup. The Reagan arms buildup was only part of the reason. The other factor was the new Soviet Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev attempted to reform the Soviet economy. He did not want to end communism. However, socialism is failed economic theory. Under Gorbachev's socialist reforms, the Soviet economy, and with it the military, collapsed. The Soviet Union itself ceased to exist in 1991.
In 1989, it looked like anything was possible. Communism was collapsing around the world. Dictatorships were on the wane. The world economy was expanding. Freedom was expanding. Would things continue to improve and would mankind enter into some new enlightened phase or would mankind blow it?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
#1 The Beatles
The Beatles formed in Liverpool, England in 1960. The band moved from its working class roots to become the most popular and influential group in history. In 1957, John Lennon formed The Quarrymen. Paul McCartney and George Harrison joined soon thereafter. Stuart Sutcliffe and Colin Hanton rounded out the band. Sutcliffe would die of a cerebral hemorrage in 1962. It was Sutcliffe that suggested “Beetles” as a name for the group. Drummer Colin Hanton quickly left the band and was replaced by Pete Best.
The Beatles earned their chops touring Hamburg, Germany. They began earning a name for themselves and soon came to the attention of Brian Epstein. Epstein became their manager in January, 1962. Their new manager contacted producer George Martin. Martin took an interest in the band, but did not like the drummer. The Beatles fired Pete Best and replaced him with Ringo Starr.
In 1963, they experienced modest success in England. In 1964, the world exploded. No English band had experienced success in the United States. The Beatles debuted in the states and Beatlemania was born. People went nuts. Girls would faint and soil themselves. The record companies began searching for other British groups.
Musically, the Beatles represented a British reworking of American Rock n Roll. Rock had been shoved aside due to scandals in the late fifties. With the exception of the Surf Craze, popular music had no edge. Lyrically, the Beatles were nothing extraordinary until they met Bob Dylan. Dylan dug the Beatles sound, but was critical of their lyrics. The lyrics did not say anything. John Lennon took the advice to heart and began writing more personal songs.
After the Dylan meeting, the Beatles work improved dramatically. Rubber Soul and Revolver represent a fundamental reworking of rock music. Meanwhile, the band tired of touring. They could not hear each other on stage and that bothered them. As a result, they stopped touring. This, combined with their popularity, gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted.
Creativity and freedom led to Sgt Peppers. The band experimented and created a masterpiece. The album changed the rules of the game and other acts scrambled to keep up. It drove Beach Boy Brian Wilson over the edge. The Rolling Stones countered with their own take on the album with Their Satanic Majesties Request. One month after Sgt Peppers’ release, the Beatles performed “All You Need Is Love” for a worldwide satellite audience. It was one of the first satellite feeds to go around the world.
After the worldwide performance, they went to India to investigate the mysteries of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and transcendental meditation. Yogi proved a fraud and the band was disenchanted. At this point, Paul decided to do another movie. Their previous movies were well received. However, The Magical Mystery Tour was perceived as the first real chink in the Beatles armor. The unscripted movie came across poorly to audiences. It lacked direction and most T.V. sets were black and white which meant the colorful film lost its impact.
The Beatles continued to record. They followed the film with Yellow Submarine, The White Album, Let It Be, and Abbey Road. By the end, tensions within the group tore it apart. Many blamed John Lennon’s partner Yoko Ono. However, the real cause appears to be financial. After the Brian Epstein died, the Beatles took control of their finances and had no idea what they were doing. Eventually, they hired Allen Klein. Klein was a shady character and Mick Jagger warned Paul McCartney not to hire him. Paul advocated another candidate, but John, George, and Ringo lined up against Paul. The band eventually fell apart, Paul announced he was going solo and lawsuits followed.
The Beatles reunited in 1995 for the Anthology Project. They released a couple of new songs. Unfortunately, John Lennon was murdered in 1980 amidst rumors of a reunion. George would pass in 2002 of cancer. Paul and Ringo performed at The Concert for George. Ringo continues to record. Paul had a smash hit album in 2007 and scored some minor hits in the 2000s. The Beatles are in Rock n Roll Hall of Fame as a group and John, Paul, and George are in the Hall as solo artists.
Rock n Roll Moment: John claimed the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. He was right.
Essential Beatles:
Please Please Me (1963)
With the Beatles (1963)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
Rubber Soul (1965)
Revolver (1966)
Sgt Peppers (1967)
The White Album (1968)
Abbey Road (1969)
Let it Be (1970)
The Beatles’ Top 10:
Please Please Me
I Want to Hold Your Hand
A Hard Day’s Night
Can’t Buy Me Love
Yesterday
Norwegian Wood
Eleanor Rigby
A Day in the Life
Strawberry Fields
Something
Here Comes the Sun
The Beatles earned their chops touring Hamburg, Germany. They began earning a name for themselves and soon came to the attention of Brian Epstein. Epstein became their manager in January, 1962. Their new manager contacted producer George Martin. Martin took an interest in the band, but did not like the drummer. The Beatles fired Pete Best and replaced him with Ringo Starr.
In 1963, they experienced modest success in England. In 1964, the world exploded. No English band had experienced success in the United States. The Beatles debuted in the states and Beatlemania was born. People went nuts. Girls would faint and soil themselves. The record companies began searching for other British groups.
Musically, the Beatles represented a British reworking of American Rock n Roll. Rock had been shoved aside due to scandals in the late fifties. With the exception of the Surf Craze, popular music had no edge. Lyrically, the Beatles were nothing extraordinary until they met Bob Dylan. Dylan dug the Beatles sound, but was critical of their lyrics. The lyrics did not say anything. John Lennon took the advice to heart and began writing more personal songs.
After the Dylan meeting, the Beatles work improved dramatically. Rubber Soul and Revolver represent a fundamental reworking of rock music. Meanwhile, the band tired of touring. They could not hear each other on stage and that bothered them. As a result, they stopped touring. This, combined with their popularity, gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted.
Creativity and freedom led to Sgt Peppers. The band experimented and created a masterpiece. The album changed the rules of the game and other acts scrambled to keep up. It drove Beach Boy Brian Wilson over the edge. The Rolling Stones countered with their own take on the album with Their Satanic Majesties Request. One month after Sgt Peppers’ release, the Beatles performed “All You Need Is Love” for a worldwide satellite audience. It was one of the first satellite feeds to go around the world.
After the worldwide performance, they went to India to investigate the mysteries of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and transcendental meditation. Yogi proved a fraud and the band was disenchanted. At this point, Paul decided to do another movie. Their previous movies were well received. However, The Magical Mystery Tour was perceived as the first real chink in the Beatles armor. The unscripted movie came across poorly to audiences. It lacked direction and most T.V. sets were black and white which meant the colorful film lost its impact.
The Beatles continued to record. They followed the film with Yellow Submarine, The White Album, Let It Be, and Abbey Road. By the end, tensions within the group tore it apart. Many blamed John Lennon’s partner Yoko Ono. However, the real cause appears to be financial. After the Brian Epstein died, the Beatles took control of their finances and had no idea what they were doing. Eventually, they hired Allen Klein. Klein was a shady character and Mick Jagger warned Paul McCartney not to hire him. Paul advocated another candidate, but John, George, and Ringo lined up against Paul. The band eventually fell apart, Paul announced he was going solo and lawsuits followed.
The Beatles reunited in 1995 for the Anthology Project. They released a couple of new songs. Unfortunately, John Lennon was murdered in 1980 amidst rumors of a reunion. George would pass in 2002 of cancer. Paul and Ringo performed at The Concert for George. Ringo continues to record. Paul had a smash hit album in 2007 and scored some minor hits in the 2000s. The Beatles are in Rock n Roll Hall of Fame as a group and John, Paul, and George are in the Hall as solo artists.
Rock n Roll Moment: John claimed the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. He was right.
Essential Beatles:
Please Please Me (1963)
With the Beatles (1963)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
Rubber Soul (1965)
Revolver (1966)
Sgt Peppers (1967)
The White Album (1968)
Abbey Road (1969)
Let it Be (1970)
The Beatles’ Top 10:
Please Please Me
I Want to Hold Your Hand
A Hard Day’s Night
Can’t Buy Me Love
Yesterday
Norwegian Wood
Eleanor Rigby
A Day in the Life
Strawberry Fields
Something
Here Comes the Sun
Rock Countdown: Complete List
1. The Beatles
2. Elvis Presley
3. Bob Dylan
4. The Rolling Stones
5. The Who
6. Led Zeppelin
7. Pink Floyd
8. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
9. Chuck Berry
10. Buddy Holly
11. Jimy Hendrix
12. The Clash
13. U2
14. Little Richard
15. Jerry Lee Lewis
16. James Brown
17 The Beach Boys
18. Stevie Wonder
19. Diana Ross and The Supremes
20. The Eagles
21. John Lennon
22. Eric Clapton
23. David Bowie
24. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
25. Johnny Cash
26. The Police
27. Queen
28. Tina Turner
29. The Doors
30. AC/DC
31. Bo Diddley
32. B.B. King
33. Ray Charles
34. Roy Orbison
35. Neil Young
36. Cream
37. Simon and Garfunkel
38. Velvet Underground
39. Aretha Franklin
40. Elton John
41. Black Sabbath
42. Nirvana
43. Metallica
44. Fleetwood Mac
45. The Talking Heads
46. Janis Joplin
47. The Ramones
48. The Kinks
49. The Byrds
50. Elvis Costello
51. The Yardbirds
52. George Harrison
53. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
54. Billy Joel
55. Paul McCartney
56. Paul Simon
57. CSNY
58. REM
59. Radiohead
60. Prince
61. The Sex Pistols
62. Aerosmith
63. Pearl Jam
64. Guns n Roses
65. Sly and the Family Stone
66. Bob Marley
67. Sam Cooke
68. The Grateful Dead
69. Wilson Pickett
70. Jeff Beck
71. Steely Dan
72. CCR
73. Blondie
74. Ozzy Osbourne
75. Rush
76. Bill Haley and The Comets
77. The Animals
78. Fats Domino
79. Dion
80. Genesis
81. Bon Jovi
82. Carlos Santana
83. ZZ Top
84. The Mamas and the Papas
85. Lynyrd Skynrd
86. Allman Brothers Band
87. Dire Straits
88. Judas Priest
89. Coldplay
90. Green Day
91. KISS
92. Smashing Pumpkins
93. Rage Against The Machine
94. Soundgarden
95. Motley Crue
96. Def Leppard
97. Weezer
98. Tool
99. Foo Fighters
100. Ringo
2. Elvis Presley
3. Bob Dylan
4. The Rolling Stones
5. The Who
6. Led Zeppelin
7. Pink Floyd
8. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
9. Chuck Berry
10. Buddy Holly
11. Jimy Hendrix
12. The Clash
13. U2
14. Little Richard
15. Jerry Lee Lewis
16. James Brown
17 The Beach Boys
18. Stevie Wonder
19. Diana Ross and The Supremes
20. The Eagles
21. John Lennon
22. Eric Clapton
23. David Bowie
24. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
25. Johnny Cash
26. The Police
27. Queen
28. Tina Turner
29. The Doors
30. AC/DC
31. Bo Diddley
32. B.B. King
33. Ray Charles
34. Roy Orbison
35. Neil Young
36. Cream
37. Simon and Garfunkel
38. Velvet Underground
39. Aretha Franklin
40. Elton John
41. Black Sabbath
42. Nirvana
43. Metallica
44. Fleetwood Mac
45. The Talking Heads
46. Janis Joplin
47. The Ramones
48. The Kinks
49. The Byrds
50. Elvis Costello
51. The Yardbirds
52. George Harrison
53. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
54. Billy Joel
55. Paul McCartney
56. Paul Simon
57. CSNY
58. REM
59. Radiohead
60. Prince
61. The Sex Pistols
62. Aerosmith
63. Pearl Jam
64. Guns n Roses
65. Sly and the Family Stone
66. Bob Marley
67. Sam Cooke
68. The Grateful Dead
69. Wilson Pickett
70. Jeff Beck
71. Steely Dan
72. CCR
73. Blondie
74. Ozzy Osbourne
75. Rush
76. Bill Haley and The Comets
77. The Animals
78. Fats Domino
79. Dion
80. Genesis
81. Bon Jovi
82. Carlos Santana
83. ZZ Top
84. The Mamas and the Papas
85. Lynyrd Skynrd
86. Allman Brothers Band
87. Dire Straits
88. Judas Priest
89. Coldplay
90. Green Day
91. KISS
92. Smashing Pumpkins
93. Rage Against The Machine
94. Soundgarden
95. Motley Crue
96. Def Leppard
97. Weezer
98. Tool
99. Foo Fighters
100. Ringo
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Greatest Movie Scenes #111-115
111. Anchor fight: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004): No Commercials and No Mercy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APGGKrMyZ3o
112. The nanny hangs: The Omen (1976): This was creepy. Barack's...er I mean Damien, the son of Satan's, nanny commits suicide at a birthday party. She had a big old smile on her face and it allowed the Satanist nurse to come care for the boy. Not even Gregory Peck could defeat the Son of Satan.
113. What we do in life, echoes in Eternity: Gladiator (2000): One of the great movie speeches. It was short and informal showing you don't have to wear blue face to inspire troops.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=331clHFsnpY
114. Nuclear Rodeo: Dr Strangelove (1964): The world is ending, so why not ride a nuclear bomb all the way to the ground?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueuauKKjPZI
115. Hackman grabs Rooker by the balls: Mississippi Burning (1988): Hackman was so intense, people on the set feared for Michael Rooker during this scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vayL_-DBuLs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APGGKrMyZ3o
112. The nanny hangs: The Omen (1976): This was creepy. Barack's...er I mean Damien, the son of Satan's, nanny commits suicide at a birthday party. She had a big old smile on her face and it allowed the Satanist nurse to come care for the boy. Not even Gregory Peck could defeat the Son of Satan.
113. What we do in life, echoes in Eternity: Gladiator (2000): One of the great movie speeches. It was short and informal showing you don't have to wear blue face to inspire troops.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=331clHFsnpY
114. Nuclear Rodeo: Dr Strangelove (1964): The world is ending, so why not ride a nuclear bomb all the way to the ground?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueuauKKjPZI
115. Hackman grabs Rooker by the balls: Mississippi Burning (1988): Hackman was so intense, people on the set feared for Michael Rooker during this scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vayL_-DBuLs
#2 Elvis Presley
Elvis is the King of Rock n Roll. He is the American icon. Elvis combined rockabilly, country, and R&B to create his own sound. He was extremely controversial at first. People were uncomfortable with the musical “race mixing.” Additionally, his sexually charged shows further rankled critics. Elvis also used a back beat to change the direction of music. Some consider “That’s All Right” the first rock song. However, “Hound Dog” was the major cultural milestone. It truly marked rock’s emergence. Also, Elvis was one of the Young Turks of the fifties that defined rebellion, but had nothing to rebel against.
The fifties generation can remember where they were when Elvis broke, when he was on Steve Allen, or when he was on Ed Sullivan. They were the ones that attended and watched his comeback special in ‘68 while in their thirties. Elvis’ voice is amongst the most versatile in rock music. His music covered every possible genre and he even won Grammy Awards for his Gospel work. At his height, Elvis dominated like no other act in Rock History with the exception of the Beatles. After an amazing run, he was drafted into the army.
After returning from the service, Elvis scored some hits, but he spent most of his time making bad movies. After several years away, Elvis made a comeback special in 1968. The King was back. Over a billion people watched his Hawaiian Special in 1973. By the late seventies, he was a shell of his former self. He died in 1977 and has been hanging out at Burger Kings ever since. Interestingly, Elvis scored a #1 in the early 2000s with a remixed version of "A Little Less Conversation."
Rock n Roll Moment: Elvis ran out onto a tarmac, flashed his DEA badge, and stopped a plane taxiing on the runway.
Essential Elvis:
Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis (1956)
Elvis (1968)
The Sun Sessions (1976)
Elvis’ Top 10:
That’s All Right
Heartbreak Hotel
Don’t Be Cruel
Hound Dog
Love Me Tender
All Shook Up
Jailhouse Rock
A Little Less Conversation
Can’t Help Falling
Suspicious Minds
The fifties generation can remember where they were when Elvis broke, when he was on Steve Allen, or when he was on Ed Sullivan. They were the ones that attended and watched his comeback special in ‘68 while in their thirties. Elvis’ voice is amongst the most versatile in rock music. His music covered every possible genre and he even won Grammy Awards for his Gospel work. At his height, Elvis dominated like no other act in Rock History with the exception of the Beatles. After an amazing run, he was drafted into the army.
After returning from the service, Elvis scored some hits, but he spent most of his time making bad movies. After several years away, Elvis made a comeback special in 1968. The King was back. Over a billion people watched his Hawaiian Special in 1973. By the late seventies, he was a shell of his former self. He died in 1977 and has been hanging out at Burger Kings ever since. Interestingly, Elvis scored a #1 in the early 2000s with a remixed version of "A Little Less Conversation."
Rock n Roll Moment: Elvis ran out onto a tarmac, flashed his DEA badge, and stopped a plane taxiing on the runway.
Essential Elvis:
Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis (1956)
Elvis (1968)
The Sun Sessions (1976)
Elvis’ Top 10:
That’s All Right
Heartbreak Hotel
Don’t Be Cruel
Hound Dog
Love Me Tender
All Shook Up
Jailhouse Rock
A Little Less Conversation
Can’t Help Falling
Suspicious Minds
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