Last week, I shared a really fun, old-timey radio broadcast featuring (among others) Orson Welles as Sherlock Holmes' ultimate/only nemesis: Professor Moriarity. This week, thanks once again to OpenCulture, I've got more Wellesian goodness: Oscar Wilde's "The Happy Prince," narrated by the Wellesman himself, and accompanied by his pal, Bing Crosby.
Looking For A Bit of Distraction For Your Friday Night? How About Spending It With The Best Batman Ever?
What could possibly be better than spending this Friday night with the very finest Batman portrayal ever captured on-screen? No, I'm not talking 'bout the best Wayne ever (because that would be Nolan's). I'm talking about the best cinematic representation of the legendary Caped Crusader himself: Bruce Timm's improbably-square-jawed, Kevin Conroy-voiced, and surprisingly-nuanced and engaging Dark Knight. He's not my (or my boys') first brush with the character. But he's pretty much the family favorite.
This 77-Year-Old Arizonan Taught Himself How To Make Beautiful Bows. And He's Been Doing It Ever Since.
Old Music In (Or Is That "On?") New Instrumental Wineskins
I strongly suspect I've written about my appreciation for Baroque keyboard music performed on the piano (rather than on the more historically-accurate harpsichord) in the past. But I was reminded of that appreciation recently when a good friend sent me a link to Mikhail Pletnev's vibrant piano performances of some Scarlatti sonati. Here you go. (Or is that "hear?")
I've Always Been Fascinated (And Amused) By The Puffer Fish. And Horrified (And Curious) About The Fact That It's Considered A Delicacy.
As a young child, the question of how it was that the tetrodotoxin-laced puffer fish came to be seen as such a (dangerous) delicacy fascinated me. "How exactly did folks managed to figure out which parts were edible," I wondered, "and which were not?" More pressingly, did they get it right the first time, miraculously And if not, how (or WHY) did they keep on trying?
Today's Short Captures An Eerie (Yet Familiar) Exodus
A Bit Of Blue Marble Awesomeness That's Perfect For A Sunday Morning
"NASA monitors Earth’s vital signs from land, air and space with a fleet of satellites and ambitious airborne and ground-based observation campaigns. The International Space Station hosts a variety of payloads and experiments supporting climate research, weather predictions, hurricane monitoring, pollution tracking, disaster response and more."
Sherlock Holmes Has Never Sounded Better!
Anyone out there who might be interested in a "vintage radio drama starring John Gielgud, Orson Welles and Ralph Richardson?" And featuring the endlessly-portrayed yet still endlessly-fascinating Sherlock Holmes? You be your life I'm interested! (Is there someone out there who's not interested? And if so, can you please seek medical attention immediately?)
Today's Suggestion Might Not Be As Controversial As Last Week's, But It's Always Struck Me As Vastly Underrated
Whatever else one might be tempted to say about the Frankenheimer filmography, there is one fact that is incontrovertible: The man was an absolute master when it came to directing action. A veritable virtuoso of cinematic vim and vigor.Whatever else one might be tempted to say about the filmography of Mr. John Frankenheimer, there is one fact that is incontrovertible: The man was an absolute master of directing action. A veritable virtuoso of cinematic vim and vigor.
A Veritable Ocean Of Crustaceans
More Breathtaking Images From Norway
Somebody Took Life In The Susanka House And Turned It Into A Cute Short Film. Basically.
This Might Be An Unusual Idea For A Music Video, But It Makes For A Wonderful Short
I love this. A surprising amount of punch for such a simple idea. When I first started watching, in fact, it seemed like an overly-simple idea; an idea that might look nice, but which wouldn't be able to generate any serious emotions impact or have any actual emotional heft. But I was wrong about that.
"...There Is But One Constant..."
"Whether in the city or a rural area, surrounded by nature or man-made things, there is but one constant - the sky. Regardless of our lifestyle or surroundings, the sky is always there above us to put on a show. "Skylight” is a collection of dramatic sky shows, captured from a wide variety of locations."
"How A TV Show Gets Made"
If you're as fascinated by the Man Behind the Curtain/Crew Behind the Cameras/Movers-and-Shakers Behind The Scenes as I am, this is the article for you. And if you're not as fascinated by the Man Behind the Curtain/Crew Behind the Cameras/Movers-and-Shakers Behind The Scenes as I am, that's probably a good thing. But you might want to be careful, because this article could easily turn you into someone who is as fascinated by the Man Behind the Curtain/Crew Behind the Cameras/Movers-and-Shakers Behind The Scenes as I am.
It's Been A Long Week, So Today's Streaming Suggestion Is The Best Michael Bay Film I Could Find
The final few scenes, in particular, are excellent; I will defend its finale against just about anyone. It's great. (Actually achieves what Bay tried for -- and grotesquely flubbed -- only a few years later in Pearl Harbor: that perfect mixture of pathos and heroism that exists on a small, human scale in the midst of huge, spectacular tragedy and triumph.)
Today's Batch Of Beauty Comes Courtesy Of NASA
Sharing because I'm surely not the first person to appreciate NASA's stunning "Image of the Day" gallery. Nor (I am happily confident) shall I be the last. If, however, you (like me) are the kind of person who can vanish down a rabbit hole of visual and otherworldly awesomeness, be careful. Their images just might be as dangerous as they are wonderful.
