Skip to content

Month: October 2013

October 11: Shakespeare’s Who’s On First

When I first launched this Blog, I was finding stuff more or less on my own. In the last several months, folks have started sending me material they were sure I’d like. I love that, because it means folks are paying attention and because I don’t get to see everything that’s out there.

The clip below is one such submission. After highlighting Abbott and Costello way back in July, I got a message saying I just had to see this. So, by sharing, I get to pass the love on to you.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Shakespeare Week is almost over…

Comments closed

October 9: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead – Tragedians

I would have picked the Tennis Match scene (because I adore it), but it misses the point of the play, that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are characters without a play in between their scenes in Hamlet.

That said, in all honesty, I prefer Shakespeare’s comedies to any of his other plays, and of those, I really only have six favorites, in no particular order: Twelfth Night, Taming of the Shrew, All’s Well That Ends Well, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest.

Picking these to highlight presents a different problem – how to choose WHICH version to include – and I’ve avoided the problem altogether by highlighting the genre instead.

Meanwhile, when you have the chance to watch the whole movie, put Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead on your Must Watch list. Trust me.

Comments closed

October 8: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Yes! This, folks, is THE RSC (that is, the Reduced Shakespeare Company, an in-joke you get best when you’ve had ANY exposure to the London theatre scene). Not to be confused with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Really.)

I attempted to see this show when I was there in 1992, but by the time I found the darkened corner of the West End, we were halfway through the show and I hate walking in late. Fortunately, they’ve been to the Kennedy Center multiple times, and now I have the (autographed – HAH!) script of the show. Of course, it’s not as zany (or as wet, if you sit near the front of the stage) but I’ll take it anyway.

Another compilation of Shakespeare’s complete catalog, warts and all.

I’d suggest watching this quick, before someone figures it out that the show’s posted on YouTube. And, well, because it’s funny as hell, too.

Comments closed

October 7: Next – Aardman Animations

This genius work from Barry Purves tells the story of Shakespeare’s complete works in the space of a little over 5 minutes. The premise is so simple…but telling you would give it away.

The piece, one of five commissioned for the UK’s Channel 4 and presented under the title Lip Synch, is among my favorite pieces of short animation.

Comments closed

October 6: Shakespeare: Original pronunciation

Leaving Star Trek behind (for now, at least), we move on to…Shakespeare. How’s that for a little whiplash.

See, the trick to accumulating material from YouTube is to allow your mind to drift into a complete free-association blur of reality. With this freedom, you can switch between high concept science fiction (Wagon Train in the Stars) to the foundations of drama.

This piece made the rounds on my Facebook and seems a nice kick-off point for a week’s worth of videos on the subject.

From documentary to humor, animation, live action and mind-bending modern fiction, Shakespeare represents a combination of the classical and the modern. (See, for example, 10 Things I Hate About You.)

The first time I visited England, they were just breaking ground on the Globe. I still haven’t seen the inside of the theatre, but I intend to, someday.

Comments closed

October 5: Trials And Tribble-ations Uniting Two Legends

After highlighting clips from the Deep Space Nine episode Trials and Tribble-ations, which in turn pays tribute to David Gerrold’s The Trouble with Tribbles. The cast of DS9 talks about the work that went into the special episode, celebrating Star Trek’s 30th anniversary.

In today’s world, it seems trivial to pop people into scenes where they didn’t originally belong. Without the efforts of Woody Allen (Zelig, 1983) who did the work with bluescreen technology and Robert Zemeckis and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) (Forrest Gump, 1994) I wonder whether the tribute would have been possible.

Even more remarkable: How many TV shows can you recall that were canceled after a three-season run, but had such an impact on our world that they would be resurrected four times, with multiple movies, and might receive such a tribute 30 years later? Again – what is it about Star Trek that keeps its fans moving forward?

Firefly might one day have such a following, but I doubt it. The same with Babylon 5 and Farscape (sad to say).

In any case, this episode remains one of my absolute favorites in nearly 50 years of television-watching experience; a stunning example of how the visual medium works to make the impossible possible.

And the link below does NOT go to YouTube, because the original videos are gone. Paramount has gotten evil about Star Trek clips, flying in the face of Star Trek fans everywhere. Can’t guarantee this will remain, but it’s here…for now. If you want to see the whole documentary, buy the complete DS9 set, I guess.


Making of Star Trek DS9 “Trials and Tribble… by limpshave

Comments closed

October 4: Tribbles Kirk Bonked by Tribbles HD

One more side-by-side comparison, because I can. Behold the power of YouTube. Thanks, Gary, for the work – these videos are amazing and show a dedication to continuity you don’t often see today.

Tomorrow we wrap up with a featurette on the making of this landmark Star Trek episode.

Comments closed

October 1: Tribbles Bridge Scene Comparison HD

Considering how closely I’m following David Gerrold on Facebook right now (he’s writing what I’m thinking about politics), this seems totally appropriate.

We’re at the start of the new month. We’re also at a crossroads with our society. What worked about Star Trek, and what kept the fans coming back long after the original series was canceled, was the absolute optimism expressed in Gene Roddenberry’s groundbreaking series.

I’d love to think we can’t get any lower down in our current political situation. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that someday we might again reach for the stars? Imagine how much we could accomplish with people who are clothed, fed, educated and encouraged to explore, rather than being beaten down over time, struggling to cover expenses or even stay in their homes because a greedy few can’t be bothered to care.

The US Government has shut down for the first time since 1996. Perhaps this time we’ll learn something.

Comments closed