mike the mountain

OK, I admit, they’re still cool…

Not everyone loved Michel Gondry’s latest flick “Be Kind Rewind“, but for a film geek like me it was pure heaven. In particular the idea of super low budget fan made films is so awesome… it reminds me of the summer of 1998 or 1999 (just before Star Wars: Episode One was released) when dear friend and uber-genius Steve Tsuida had the idea for a group of us to film a “trailer” for a new Star Wars movie.

The idea was to create a “proof of concept” for a film club for kids and teens. We wanted to get kids to build their own movie(s), start to finish, on a grander scale than just a school project type thing. Everyone would get to do something, whether it was fund raising or set design or costumes or makeup or stunts or writing… everything would be done by the kids, we would just handle the logistics and overall management. Wonderful idea, then we found out about the joys of insurance costs and legal issues involved with putting a bunch of minors on camera. Oh well, maybe we’ll try it again sometime now that I’m like, old ‘n stuff.

So anyway, before finding out the bad news, we spent the summer scouting locations, building props and costumes, and learning how to do all sorts of neat CGI effects on this new-fangled candy-coloured gumdrop computer called an iMac. What we wanted to do was show both the kids and prospective donors the kind of project we were proposing; that we were actually serious about making a film and had at least a base starting knowledge of the work involved.

Having the luxury of southern Alberta at our fingertips, finding otherworldly locations wasn’t very difficult. One particular highlight was having our shoot interrupted by a busload of Japanese tourists who, in full cliched stereotype mode, had us pose for a few hundred pictures! We made our own costumes, dear sister did our makeup, best buddy Dave “Chainsaw” Bargen choreographed a sweet little lightsaber battle, and Steve put it all together with music and sound effects (it’s amazing how much information you can find online about the low budget effects used in the first movie).

Sadly, I can’t find the finished video (I’m sure it’s buried on some CDR backup somewhere in my basement), but trust me, it was awesome. Now that Be Kind Rewind has come out, it seems that people everywhere are realizing how much fun it can be to make their own versions of their favourite movies… screw budgets and effects and all that other nonsense! Fun and passion are the only things you need. Makes me miss my brief foray into “real” movie making with my RoLL Video buddies back in Ontario.

Here’s a great example by some French dudes taking on the famous Light Cycle scene from Tron:

This is exactly how people discover their true talents and passions. I love that it’s become “cool” for anyone to post their own projects where the only factor they’re being judged on is how much fun they had making it! I gotta get me a camera…

Guinness with a hint of green please…

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all the men with Irish in ‘em and all the ladies who would like some…

“Here’s to you and yours, and to mine and ours.
And if mine and ours ever come across to you and yours,
I hope you and yours will do as much for mine and ours,
As mine and ours have done for you and yours!”

Celebrate with the one you love.

Also, π Day.

Two very special days all in one.

The order in which you choose to honour them may say more about you then you think.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go have something to eat.

Some things make me wonder if I should look to my fellow humans with awe and admiration… or fear and loathing (Vegas optional).

Point of debate: the Luther Burger and the Hamdog.

The Luther Burger: A bacon cheeseburger served in a Krispy Kreme doughnut bun. Though attributed to R&B singer Luther Vandross, I personally prefer to think of it as a weapon designed by an evil genius to destroy Superman.

As inspiring as that is, even the mighty Luther must bow down before the Hamdog: a hot dog wrapped in a beef patty, deep fried, covered with chili, cheese and onions, and served on a hoagie bun topped with a fried egg and two fistfuls of fries.

The culinary Cthulhu that brought this creation to the world is Chandler Goff, of Mulligan’s in Decatur, Georgia. Methinks I must visit.

Now that I know such things exists, I must try them. Why try food like this? Why climb Everest? Because it’s there. And what is life but a search for stories that your children will tell of you.

“Your great-grandfather, long ago, walked into a pool hall in Georgia…”

After seeing the results of my Dada album cover yesterday, Dreamgirl decided she wanted her own band.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present the world premiere of Xel-Há…

Now, judging purely by the look of the albums, what kind of music do you think our bands play? And even more importantly, who opens for who?

Ladies and Gentlemen, punks, drunks, and skunks, bow your heads and throw up the horns for the hardest of the hardcores, the newly crowned kings of kink and rulers of rock, whether you like it or not, here comes ATG5!!!!!

OK, maybe not the catchiest name for a band, but check out our latest album cover:

Random musical fun from the one and only Accordian Guy…