Category: All Posts

Now ME Tells Me

Why did I start “Prattling Before the Pratfall” sixteen years ago, as of yesterday?

Robot Attack

Was it intended as a technical challenge, learning WordPress and everything needed to make it work, while my injured ankle prevented me from going on my daily run? That’s what I used to think, and say, but today I realize my blogging goal all along has been to outlast Mark Evanier’s buddy Ken Levine.

Tuesday Morning

A Long Time Ago…

Syd Mead concept illustration for United States Steel that became the basis for the AT-AT walkers in The Empire Strikes Back

Much of the third part of Light & Magic, Lawrence Kasdan’s ILM documentary on Disney+, is about the making of The Empire Strikes Back. Something I’ve neglected to say is, the clips from Star Wars and Empire are from the original film elements, with scratches and speckles intact.

Seeing these widescreen HD snippets of the movies as they first appeared in movie theaters, even the color differences compared to the “corrected” digital releases opened doors in my memory. It would be wonderful if Disney were teasing us for an upcoming re-release of the original Star Wars, before the “New Hope” title was added in 1978. What is much more likely is that Kasdan wanted to show examples of the special effects that were faithful to what the ILM team created.

My favorite moment in part 3 is when illustrator Joe Johnston talks about Syd Mead’s portfolio of concept paintings for United States Steel.

One of Mead’s paintings has a vehicle with a split rear window. It reminds me of the 1963 Corvette Stingray, a car that fascinated me as a kid.

https://sydmead.com/category/gallery/us-steel/

1963 Corvette Stingray with split rear window

To the Library!

With the pandemic being more or less under control, I’ve started visiting the town library. Nothing says I’m an old retired guy more than that.

During a fundraising campaign to renovate and expand the library I donated $1000. The Boston Globe, that I no longer have delivered at home, is there. Along with several magazines of interest, The Economist, Scientific American, and Smithsonian.