Author: DOuG pRATt

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I’ve never cared for the American version of the first Godzilla movie, with Raymond Burr. My son Eric rented the original 1954 Japanese version, Gojira, and it’s quite good! I’d place it alongside the best of the 1950’s American sci-fi flicks, such as Them!

I’ve picked a scene from the movie that shows the obvious influence of King Kong. Even the music here is reminiscent of Max Steiner’s score.

Gojira has a rather dark and downbeat story, with a serious message about Japan’s understandable fear of nuclear weapons testing. One of the principal actors in the movie is Takashi Shimura, who also appeared in The Seven Samurai that same year. Shimura can be seen briefly in this earlier post.

Well, it’s happened. Responding to pressure from Comedy Central, YouTube has sent me a notice of copyright violation. If the text of the message isn’t below, look for a “more…” link and click it.

I haven’t posted much on YouTube — a couple of short Stephen Colbert items and a movie clip. A moment ago I deleted them. So now the question is, will I be hearing from Comedy Central directly, for the Colbert clips I’ve posted here?
Continue reading TheirTube

Mike Dobbs has a great story about a package he received by mistake. A package that was supposed to go to Al Gore! Click here.

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Here’s a bit more of “The Wedding of Superman,” with the temporary resolution of everybody’s favorite virtual love triangle. Uh, why would Perry White want “the woman’s angle” on the arrest of bank robbers?

Lois marrying Supes was a theme that was played out numerous times in the Lois Lane comic book, a guilty pleasure of mine as a kid, as was the Supergirl comic. Lois Lane’s favorite artist was Kurt Schaffenberger, and Supergirl’s best renderer was Jim Mooney.

As correctly pointed out by my twin sister Jean on her second guess, the answer to the 1931 mystery girl question is Noel Neill, who played Lois Lane in The Adventures of Superman. Noel, who is one of the nicest people ever put on this planet or any other, was also Lois in the Superman serials with Kirk Alyn.

Here is Noel in 1935, age 14, and in 1940…

… and here’s Noel in 1938, after she was a dancer, when she was a singer, and before she was an actress, with somebody whom I hope you recognize. Hint: he died in 1977, after Elvis and after Groucho.

And finally, let’s watch Noel in a memorable scene with George Reeves, from “The Wedding of Superman.”

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