Evening Entertainment: Cloris Leachman and Jim Rash star in "Thanks," a pilgrim-era sitcom

Remember "Thanks," the sitcom set in the zany world of the American pilgrim era?  You may not, as you might have been busy during the six weeks that it aired, starting in August of 1999 and gone over two months before Thanksgiving.  Heck, Sarah Vowell even wrote about it and compared it to "The Crucible."  It does feature Cloris Leachman defending the plague, Oscar-winner and "Community" dean Jim Rash as a young chap who has bad hair (who gets the best moments) and Erika Christensen.  Here's episode two, with original commercials that should give you fond memories of  the Taco Bell chihuahua and Disney's INSPECTOR GADGET.  It's much better than you'd expect.

In Jonathan Mostow's 1985 short, DR. DOBERMIND only has vanilla

Today marks the 53rd birthday of Jonathan Mostow, the director of BREAKDOWN, SURROGATES and TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES.  (Also BEVERLY HILLS BODYSNATCHERS!)  But he got his start with this short film, an entertainingly bizarre story included on the FRIGHT SHOW/CINEMAGIC compilation released in 1985.

Trailer: Craig Denney's insane THE ASTROLOGER (1975)

Written, directed, produced by and starring Craig Denney, THE ASTROLOGER is a maddeningly wild film released originally in 1975 that was thought lost for years.  It's recently been found, and the strange, remarkable film tells the story of a carnival worker who becomes a world-famous astrologer after taking detours as a Kenyan drug runner.  It's a one-of-a-kind ego project (the closest comparison I can come up with are the films of Duke Mitchell) that no plot synopsis can hope to live up to, and the American Genre Film Archive has done a fine job at taking it on as their first project to restore a 35mm film print.  Here's the trailer, and watch for the film hitting midnight shows and DVD soon. 



Craig Denney's THE ASTROLOGER (trailer) from Cinefamily on Vimeo.

Animated short "Mindscape" (1976) is a rare example of "Pinscreen" animation

Pinscreen animation is fairly rare in film, as the process is a royal pain even if produces impressive effects.  Jacques Drouin is one of the few regular users of the style, and MINDSCAPE is a fine, and fascinating, example of the form.

A 2011 short film about Roosevelt's moving the day of Thanksgiving

Happy day after Thanksgiving! Hope you're thankful for the day, as that comes from 1941, when President Roosevelt used an executive order to make Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.  This four and a half minute short looks (smirkingly) at the controversy of 1939, when Roosevelt made it a week earlier.  (Though, er, it wouldn't have made a difference this year.)  There are dancing Nazis.

Birthday buddies James Karen and Thom Mathews star in a a rare featurette about RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD PART II

Today is the birthday of two stars of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, James Karen and Thom Mathews!  So why not take a look at their most famous project's... sequel?  This little-seen behind-the-scenes news featurette about the ill-fated 1988 horror comedy follow-up features interviews with Karen, Matthews, director Ken Wiederhorn, and make-up artist Kenny Michaels.

A Thanksgiving without turkey? How will this 1951 family celebrate?

I'll assume your Thanksgiving was exactly like this one.  A batch of surly, whining brats learns how to not be ungrateful little snots in this 1951 ephemeral film because "they're still better off than the pilgrims."  Maybe if dad wasn't such a useless ghost of a man, incapable of coming up with an alternative plan, this never would have happened.  At least they're thankful for the library. 

Morning Cartoon: Calvin and the Colonel celebrate Thanksgiving dinner in 1961

"Calvin and the Colonel," an animated series inspired by (and produced by the makers of) "Amos'n'Andy" (but without the racism), isn't much-remembered today because, well, it's crudely-animated, features a laugh track, and isn't actually very good.  But here's the Thanksgiving episode, in which one friend tries to scam the other one!

Man, I am not good at sales.

Morning Music Video: Toni Basil - "Shoppin' from A to Z"

Happy Black Friday everybody!  Now go out and spend money, like a good American.

Evening Entertainment - 1979 Canadian animated special "Intergalactic Thanksgiving, or Please Don't Eat the Planet" from the director of ROCK & RULE

Made by Nelvana productions and featuring the voices of Sid Caesar, Catherine O'Hara and Al Waxman, INTERGALACTIC THANKSGIVING presents a musical, cosmic retelling of the United States holiday, as a family of puritan farmers (they forbid singing for some reason) comes to a new planet only to discover that they're not the only ones there.  Their new home is ruled by a king determined to be the funniest creature in the land, and he's not happy that the rest of his kingdom finds the new country folk so amusing.  It's an odd special, and I'm a little unclear as to what lessons are supposed to be learned by this other than something vague and environmental, but it's certainly interesting.  Director Clive A. Smith later directed 1983's ROCK AND RULE.

A Muppet turkey doesn't quite "get" the Thanksgiving holiday

The short-lived "Muppets Tonight" TV series isn't as well-known as a number of other Jim Henson company projects, but it had a fair share of solid segments, like this entertainingly morbid tale of a turkey that's really into "Turkey Day."

TV's Jimmy Olsen, Jack Larson, hosts a Thanksgiving Superman marathon on the character's 50th anniversary

For several years, Larson, who played spunky bow-tied reporter Jimmy Olsen on "The Adventures of Superman," hosted a Superman marathon on television, featuring episodes from the '50s TV series.  This 1988 compilation acts as a mini-documentary on the character on his 50th anniversary, featuring interviews with "Adventures"' Lois Lane, Noel Neill and a look at the history of the man of steel.

"The Carol Burnett Show" celebrates Thanksgiving with Dyan Cannon and Paul Lynde

A group of pilgrims prepare the turkey in this musical number from 1970, which doesn't have enough Paul Lynde.

Eddie Izzard's First Thanksgiving

Eddie Izzard's take on the U.S. holiday gets a stop-motion video from John Cannizzaro in this nifty little short that's a little bit more honest about Thanksgiving's origins than normal.

Captain America fights the Hulk with RoboCop's help in the 1987 Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade

Marvel's iconic heroes weren't always at the top of the entertainment food chain.  In 1987's Macy's Day Thanksgiving parade (hosted by Willard Scott), Captain America teams with Dr. Strange, Iron Fist, RoboCop (whose comic likeness Marvel had the rights to at the time) and more to fight Hulk and Doctor Doom.  It manages to be slightly more embarrassing than the '70s live-action Spider-Man series.

Michael Showalter and David Wain go back to the first Thanksgiving

On one of the shorts from "Stella," the project from David Wain, Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black, Wain and Showalter go back in time to the first Thanksgiving and meet themselves, with sexy results.



Thanksgiving 1621 from TheState on Vimeo.

Morning Cartoon: Tex Avery's "Jerky Turkey" (1945)

Is there a more appropriate Thanksgiving cartoon?  No, there is not.

Morning Music Video: Russell Mulcahy directs The Buggles' "Living in a Plastic Age"

One of those pieces of trivia that everyone knows is that the first music video ever aired on MTV was The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” a catchy piece of nerd synth-pop that’s  become a shorthand way to identify the time period as “early ‘80s” in films and TV shows, even if the song itself was released in 1979.  The video itself, an early effort from video director auteur Russell Mulcahy, is relatively unmemorable, consisting largely of repetitive images of singer Trevor Horn singing and playing guitar as Geoff Downes plays synthesizers in the type of completely white room that only exists in music videos and existentialist dream sequences.  If it’s remembered at all, it’s for the appearance of backup singers Debi Doss and Linda Jardim as shinily-dressed space girls who appear mostly within a television set.  The nostalgic lyrics are driven home by some TVs popping up via superimposed explosion over a pile of old radios.

“Video Killed the Radio Star,” wasn’t, however, the only Buggles video on MTV that day.  Much later in the day, just before midnight of day two, MTV aired “Living in the Plastic Age,” also directed by Mulcahy, and a short that stands as a much more creative, bizarre piece of work.


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Evening Entertainment: Celebrate Charles Schultz's birthday with 1985's YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN

Sure, there's a Peanuts Thanksgiving special to watch, but why not take a look at one of the more obscure TV specials based on Charles Schultz's beloved characters?  This 50-minute special originally aired in November of 1985 is an animated (and shortened) adaptation of the 1967 musical that starred Gary Burghoff (!) in its initial off-Broadway run.  Snoopy has a narrated voice, which is a bit distracting, but as an adaptation of the stage musical, it makes sense.

Afternoon Music Video: The Bluetones - "After Hours" directed by Edgar Wright

The SHAUN OF THE DEAD/SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD director has certainly lent his talents to music videos before and since, but this nifty 2009 homage to BUGSY MALONE featuring kids in a gangster epic is certainly worth specifically noting.

Learn how to cook turkey the Armour way in this 1951 short

Still need some help with that last-minute dinner planning?  Let the turkey masters at the Marie Gifford kitchen tell you about this "good new" way of having turkey any time of the year.  Thanks, Prelinger Archives!

Actor/writer Don Lake talks about working as a clown for Six Flags on "The Bonnie Hunt Show"

Don Lake was one of the busiest Canadian actors of the '80s, his affable face gracing countless commercials in addition to roles on plenty of TV shows and movies (including TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, BLUE MONKEY, POLICE ACADEMY and WAITING FOR GUFFMAN), many with his frequent collaborator Bonnie Hunt.  And today is the actor's 58th birthday, so here he is on "The Bonnie Hunt Show," just being himself and talking about working as a clown at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

BLADE RUNNER convention reel takes you behind the scenes of a classic

Created to promote Ridley Scott's masterpiece to convention audiences prior to the film's 1982 release, this promotional doc on BLADE RUNNER features input from Scott, Douglas Trumball and artist Syd Mead, along with plenty of behind-the-scenes footage and a look at the concept art.

THE APPLE gives you SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!

Menaham Golan's 1980 musical epic THE APPLE is one of the most dazzlingly bizarre musicals ever made.  The tale of a Carpenters-esque pop duo in the futuristic year of 1994 that runs afoul of a diabolical music mogul named Mr. Boogaloo is a religious allegory, a disco spectacle, and an unstoppable juggernaut of absurdly flashy sequences that will make you wonder how the hell it got made.  It's also impossible to forget.  Here is star Catherine Mary Stewart belting out (with the help of singing voice Mary Hylan) singing a very subtle song.

Bill & Ted's Excellent Cereal commercial (1991)

The Bill & Ted franchise went beyond two films and into two different short-lived TV series, one animated and another live-action.  The cereal was clearly influenced by the former.  It's Lucky Charms, but with more excellentness.

Morning Cartoon: Wild Times at the Wildwood (1980) from "Simpsons" and "Recess" director Chuck Sheetz

Aired on "Night Flight" (where this rip is from) and included in at least one VHS animation compilation, Chuck Sheetz' 1980 tale of a teenage road trip is filled with girls, booze and shenanigans, and feels like a better '80s melancholy teen sex comedy stripped to its five minute core.  (Don't worry, SFW.)  Sheetz later became the director of most of "Recess" along with more than a few "Simpsons" episodes, including the great "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala-Annoyed-Grunt-cious."

Morning Music Video: Mr. Blobby (1993)

Cultural phenomena in countries that are not my own fascinate me.  Mr. Blobby is a character that was huge in the U.K. based on his appearances on "Noel's House Party," and he inspired video games, toys, and theme parks.  He is large and pink and has spots and just says the word "Blobby."  I can't begin to understand, but here is a music video about him that will haunt you all day.

This was #1 on the U.K. charts in December 1993.  Explain yourselves, English people.

Evening Entertainment - Mojo Nixon faces off against Pat Buchanan on music censorship in 1990

Like every political pundit show ever aired, this episode of "Crossfire" doesn't change any minds, but it's certainly a lot of fun to watch psychobilly musical Mojo Nixon face off against Pat Buchanan on the topic of what to do about "offensive" music." "Why is the evidence necessary?" asks Jean Dixon, a Missouri state rep who also wanted to ban "The Normal Heart" from colleges.

Afternoon Music Video: Fur Trade - "Same Temptation" feauring Bat Boy

What ever happened to Bat Boy, the creature whose exploits were chronicled in the pages of the Weekly World News (and the comic strip by Peter Bagge)?  This video directed by Kheaven Lewandowski tells his tragic tale with a well-rendered B&W that pitches the story right on the edge of sincere and camp.

Rich Hall helps with your party planning

Rich Hall is an underappreciated talent.  A great satnd-up comedian and a regular on sketch shows like "Saturday Night Live," "Fridays" and "Not Necessarily the News," Hall's deadpan style seems to be taken better in the UK, where he has fronted several shows and documentaries in recent years on the BBC.  Here he is on "Fridays," giving you all the pointers you'll need to host a party on a budget.

Romy Haag sings "Everybody Knows"

Every time I watch "American Horror Story: Freakshow," I can't help but think that Jessica Lange's character is inspired by Romy Haag, the transsexual cabaret singer and actress who served as David Bowie's muse in the '70s.  Here she is covering Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows" in 2010 in German and English.  Am I imagining things?

2001 pilot for "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl" reboot starring Markie Post

Oh, sure, NOW the CW is all about superhero shows.  This wasn't the case in 2001, when the pre-CW WB Network commissioned this pilot for a prospective series reviving Sid and Marty Krofft's fondly-remembered but completely silly distaff dynamic duo starring Deidre Hall.  This pilot plays the concept for laughs, starring Markie Post as an alcoholic, bitter, surly Electra Woman, who gets a brand new Dyna Girl in an effort to revive her career.  It's actually an entertainingly misanthropic good time, but it makes sense that it wouldn't have been turned into a series -- the original isn't exactly well-known, and the concept of the reboot would just tick off humorless fans of the first series.

Commercial featuring a dandy song about prunes

California really knew how to promote their fruits.  First, they made grapes romantic, and here, they utilizing Merle Haggard's "Okie from Muskogee" to sell prunes.

Prepare for Thanksgiving by learning how to Arrange the Buffet Supper in this 1946 educational short

Sure, most holiday dinners are served family style, but you may want to be prepared for an "informal," buffet-style experience as well.  Joan is your guide through learning which candlesticks to use, what centerpiece works best and the ideal way to stagger silverware.

Morning Cartoon: Rapid Rabbit in "Rabbit Stew and Rabbits Too!"

Last week, I pointed out the ill-conceived BONNIE AND CLYDE-influenced "We Rob Carrot Patches," one of the final theatrical cartoons of Warner Brothers' prime animation run.  But "Carrot" wasn't the last of the WB theatrical cartoons -- that would be "Rapid Rabbit," a half-baked Road Runner knockoff that resembles the modern-day Quik bunny.  A series was supposed to be formed out of the character, but only one short was ever made, animated by Robert McKimson and released to disinterested audiences.  He's never been heard from since, even in the most in-joke laden of "Animaniacs" episodes.  Instead, his sole effort ranks as the final nail in the coffin of WB's era of prime theatrical animation.



Rabbit Stew and Rabbits Too! (1969) from Willie Okendo on Vimeo.

Morning Music Video (?) - Airport Disco featuring Doctor Who theme

I have no idea what this is for, but it seems to be a dance routine filmed at the Cardiff Wales Airport featuring a disco version of the theme to "Doctor Who."  I'd say it was some sort of homage to Tegan, the stewardess-turned-Doctor companion, but she didn't appear until 1981, two years after this video claims to have come from.

Evening Entertainment: The pilot for David Lynch's "On the Air"

ABC was hoping for the next "Twin Peaks" when they got Lynch and Mark Frost to create a new TV series for them -- what they got was "On the Air," one of the strangest sitcoms ever aired on network TV.  The story of a young, dense actress (Marla Rubinoff) who becomes the star of a new TV series featuring a cocky has-been (Ian Buchanan) features a mesh of absurdist slapstick humor that nothing has ever been close to replicating.  Only three episodes of the seven produced were aired before the series vanished (and it's never been released on DVD), though  it has developed a deserved cult rep over the years.  With Miguel Ferrer, Marvin Kaplan, David L. Lander, Tracey Walter (who isn't blind, he suffers from "Bozeman's Simplex") and Kim McGuire, CRY-BABY's Hatchet Face.

1978 fan-film version of MOONRAKER

Hey, remember MOONRAKER?  No, not the crummy Roger Moore Bond flick from 1979 (though at least it had Richard Kiel) -- the 8mm silent film adaptation of Ian Fleming's novel made one year before by recent high school graduate Stuart Basinger.  (No relation to NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN star Kim.)  You can find more info on this production here.




MOONRAKER '78 from Fan Film Follies on Vimeo.

Dwight Schultz gives you "One to Grow On"

It's "A-Team" star Dwight Schultz's birthday!   But today, it's YOU that gets the gift from him, in the form of advice on addressing your parents' problems with your friends.  It's one to grow on.  Thanks, Dwight!

Steven Reed gives you the most despressing cooking tips

The internet is a fickle thing.  A couple of years ago, there was a brief moment of fame awarded to Steven Reed, a Weber State University student who had a segment on the university news program about cooking.   But Reed's glory was short-lived, and I'm puzzled as to why, as his segments are internet gold, as the worst recipes of "A Man, A Plan, A Can" come to life in the form of the most depressing host imaginable.  Intermittent, upbeat music randomly appears in the background.  It's... something.

Daily Trailer: Larry Yust's HOMEBODIES (1974)

Why the heck isn't Yust's weirdly sweet and gleefully dark comedy on DVD?  HOMEBODIES is the story of a group of seniors that find their apartment building under siege by a company threatening to tear it down, so they stage a series of "accidents" to save their home.  Imagine BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED without cute robots and a much darker tone, and you get the general idea.

Music Video: The Decemberists' "Make You Better" directed by TAPEHEADS' Bill Fishman, with Nick Offerman

A relatively low-key song for the indie folk band, off of their latest album, but the video's great, an entertaining take on vintage music shows, directed by TAPEHEADS' Bill Fishman and featuring host Nick Offerman as the band performs in his '70s-era, "Midnight Special"-esque TV series called "The Old Blue Rock Palace Show."  (Fishman also directed the great music videos for Bootsy Collins' "Party on Plastic" and The Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated.")

A tour of the Ackermansion circa 1986

Today would have marked the 98th birthday of Forrest J. Ackerman, the editor of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" and one of the men responsible for making genre fandom what it is today.  This 1986 tour of his home, which housed a countless amount of horror and science fiction memorabilia, was conducted as part of a Pasadena City College student-produced show on cable.

Morning Cartoon: Ending animation from 1980's SKATEBOARD MADNESS

It's kind of surprising that Disney didn't sue for the random appearance of a psuedo-Mickey Mouse in the animation segment that closes off SKATEBOARD MADNESS, a 1980 skateboarding pic featuring narration by Phil Hartman.  (His voice isn't in this clip.)  This segment was apparently kept out of the DVD release of the film, which is a shame, as it's a lot of HEAVY METAL-ish fun.  The animator is Arne Jin An Wong.

Morning Music Video: Roman Holiday - "Motormania"

Let peppy early '80s British pop wake you up!  The swing-influenced band didn't really make it big on this side of the ocean, but this track would have easily fit in on any Stray Cats album.