Wednesday, May 16, 2012
by Ned Wazowski
Lights, camera, popcorn!
Celebrating the real star of the silver screen.
Popcorn and entertainment have long been partners. As early as 1870, popcorn was a common staple at stadiums and parks in the United States. Popcorn in the cinema really took off during the Great Depression; because of its cheap price it was an affordable luxury for audiences.
Sold for 5 or 10 cents during the 1930s, popcorn now costs half the ticket price in cinemas, sometimes more. Why the sky-high prices? Popcorn and other concessions are the cinema’s main source of income.
Admission prices go to distributors, studios and producers, while little of the ticket prices stays with the cinema – barely enough to keep the lights on. Popcorn sales can determine the films cinemas show and for how long. Action films or kids’ movies (so-called “popcorn movies”) attract more popcorn consumers than art house or independent films. Cinema owners keep this in mind and give more screen time to films...
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
by Ned Wazowski
How to Steal a Million, 1966
A terrific how-to for film or fashion.
How to Steal a Million is a perfect film. It’s a heist caper, first of all, and those are always perfect. (I’ve never met a heist film I didn’t like – except maybe Art Heist with one of the lesser Baldwins.)
So let’s start with the heist: Stealing a work of art from a museum. Check. A forgery. Check. Using human nature to do it under the guards’ noses. Check. This film pretty much hits all my heist buttons. The fact that the main character is stealing a work of art that belongs to her just makes it easier to encourage her thievery.
The cast is wonderful. Peter O’Toole has the lightest touch in the film, and seems to move from romantic lead to straight man to pratfalls without any effort – such elegance and ease...
SPACE CADET - SPACEMAN JAX FANCLUB - 1961
Are you an official Space Cadet?
For a period in the early 1960s, Spaceman Jax was part of a balanced breakfast for kids everywhere. The show was sponsored by Sunington Morn Breakfast Cereals, and merchandise for Spaceman Jax and the Galactic Adventures hit supermarket shelves even before the first episode hit the airwaves. But whether kids saw him first on TV or a cereal box, Spaceman Jax – the “hero with a heart of gold, and the intellect of a Ploridian Lunar Beast” – won a legion of fans.
These die-struck pins are exact replicas of the original fan club pins released in 1961. And thanks to Curio & Co., you don’t have to collect box tops to get them!
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Tuesday, May 01, 2012
by Ned Wazowski
Modern, stone-age branding
The Flintstones characters are (bed)rock-solid salesmen.
The Flintstones haven't gone out of popularity since they first came on screens in 1960, so the characters have graced a wide variety of merchandise. While candy seems such a natural fit for cartoon characters, you have to wonder why this particular company didn't go for "rock" candy. Wouldn't that make the most sense? At least the product most associated with the Flintstones is a little healthier.
Flintstones vitamins were introduced in 1968, after the show had already been off the air for two years. Made by Miles Laboratory (which would...
Monday, Apr 23, 2012
by Ned Wazowski
Schrödinger’s Saturday Night Fever
At last, the scientific community has made sense of the John Travolta “classic.”
It’s a familiar story: you exit the cinema with a friend after seeing the latest cinematic clunker only to hear your friend exclaim, “That was the best movie ever!” Huh? Were you both watching the same film?
Science has...
Spaceman Jax Model Sheet
Spaceman Jax
This reproduction of the original Spaceman Jax model sheet is a limited edition giclée print and all are signed by designer Philip La Carta. Spaceman Jax had a heart of gold and the intellect of a Ploridian Lunar Beast. He...
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Tuesday, Apr 10, 2012
by Ned Wazowski
E.T., the flop
Take one mega-blockbuster, put it in the hands of the leading video game manufacturer, and you’ll end up with...
Thursday, Mar 29, 2012
by Ned Wazowski
WonderCon 2012 Round-up!
Who couldn't use a dose of Stan Lee? WonderCon's always got you covered.
What a terrific WonderCon! Many die-hard WonderCon fans were worried about the show's move from San Francisco to Anaheim. While it's true...
Tuesday, Mar 13, 2012
by Ned Wazowski
Ready for WonderCon?
The books are boxed and our bags are packed; Anaheim Convention Center, here we come!
The excitement level at the office is rising as we get ready for WonderCon...
