9 Things You May Not Know About the Declaration of Independence

Posted on by

Elizabeth Harrison and History.com present 9 Things You May Not Know About the Declaration of Independence.  Here are three of my favorites…

1. The Declaration of Independence wasn’t signed on July 4, 1776.
On July 1, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, and on the following day 12 of the 13 colonies voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee’s motion for independence. The delegates then spent the next two days debating and revising the language of a statement drafted by Thomas Jefferson. On July 4, Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, and as a result the date is celebrated as Independence Day. Nearly a month would go by, however, before the actual signing of the document took place. First, New York’s delegates didn’t officially give their support until July 9 because their home assembly hadn’t yet authorized them to vote in favor of independence. Next, it took two weeks for the Declaration to be “engrossed”—written on parchment in a clear hand. Most of the delegates signed on August 2, but several—Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean and Matthew Thornton—signed on a later date. (Two others, John Dickinson and Robert R. Livingston, never signed at all.) The signed parchment copy now resides at the National Archives in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, alongside the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

8. The Declaration of Independence spent World War II in Fort Knox.
On December 23, 1941, just over two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the signed Declaration, together with the Constitution, was removed from public display and prepared for evacuation out of Washington, D.C. Under the supervision of armed guards, the founding document was packed in a specially designed container, latched with padlocks, sealed with lead and placed in a larger box. All told, 150 pounds of protective gear surrounded the parchment. On December 26 and 27, accompanied by Secret Service agents, it traveled by train to Louisville, Kentucky, where a cavalry troop of the 13th Armored Division escorted it to Fort Knox. The Declaration was returned to Washington, D.C., in 1944.

3. When news of the Declaration of Independence reached New York City, it started a riot.
By July 9, 1776, a copy of the Declaration of Independence had reached New York City. With hundreds of British naval ships occupying New York Harbor, revolutionary spirit and military tensions were running high. George Washington, commander of the Continental forces in New York, read the document aloud in front of City Hall. A raucous crowd cheered the inspiring words, and later that day tore down a nearby statue of George III. The statue was subsequently melted down and shaped into more than 42,000 musket balls for the fledgling American army.

Baby Driver (2017)

Posted on by

Baby Driver (2017)

Director: Edgar Wright

Screenplay: Edgar Wright

Stars: Ansel Elgort, Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Eiza González, Lily James, Kevin Spacey and CJ Jones.

The Pitch: “Hey, Edgar Wright has this cool idea for a crime love story wrapped around a killer soundtrack!”

Tagline: All you need is one killer track.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Baby is a young getaway driver working off a debt to a crime boss.  Baby has one more heist to drive and he’s out debt-free.  Then Baby meets the girl of his dreams and things get complicated, not because of her but because preparation for the job goes sideways.  People die and Baby finds himself on the run from his team and the cops.

Edgar Wright has created a cool, action-packed love story wrapped around bigger than life characters all moving through life to their own internal soundtrack.  The more I think about Baby Driver the more I like it.  Wright’s story is a fable or yarn that has all of the characters you’d want, played by people you’d cast.  Yeah, Baby Driver deserves an “A”.

Rating:

He Walked by Night (1948)

Posted on by

He Walked by Night (1948)

Director: Alfred L. Werker (as Alfred Werker), Anthony Mann (uncredited)

Screenplay: Crane Wilbur and John C. Higgins with additional dialogue by Harry Essex

Stars: Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Roy Roberts, Whit Bissell and Jack Webb

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s do a crime docu-drama”

Tagline: From the Homicide Files of the Los Angeles Police.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When an off-duty cop stumbles onto a robbery, the thief, an intelligent cold-blooded killer (Basehart) guns him down.  With no real leads, LA police Sgt. Marty Brennan (Brady) leads a unit to catch the killer.  Told in a psuedo-documentary style.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars.

Joshua Greathouse Gets Carter!

Posted on by

This amazing watercolor was created by Joshua Greathouse. When I saw that Greathouse was taking pre-show commissions for HeroesCon, I contacted him about a Get Carter piece.  Man, did he nail it!

The funny thing is, when I picked up the art, Greathouse told me it was the second piece he’d ever done for me.  I was sure it was the first.  Greathouse went on to say he’d done a Rocky sketch for me at another show several years ago.  That night I checked my online posted art and there was nothing by Greathouse.  Of course I have many pieces that have not been scanned and posted yet.  When I returned home I found the piece Greathouse was talking about.  You won’t believe his growth as an artist.  I’ll post the Rocky piece soon.

In the meantime, if you’re a sketch collector, check out Greathouse on the web.  You can find him here and here.

Kill Me Three Times (2014)

Posted on by

Kill Me Three Times (2014)

Director: Kriv Stenders

Screenplay: James McFarland

Stars: Simon Pegg, Teresa Palmer, Alice Braga,  Luke Hemsworth and Bryan Brown

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s do a crime comedy!”

Tagline: Once is never enough

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When hitman Charlie Wolf (Pegg) fails to kill his target, he finds himself drawn into three interwoven cases of infidelity, revenge, blackmail and murders!

Rating:

 ‘Dracula’: 7 Things A Series About the World’s Most Famous Vampire Should Have

Posted on by

A new tv series based on Dracula is in the work.  Seems there has been a lot of grumbling from fans worried about the potential success of a new series based on the infamous Count…

…these concerns aren’t unjustified — Dracula-centered television shows are notoriously short-lived, and while there are a multitude of shows centered around the supernatural, there aren’t that many dedicated to the main vamp himself. NBC took a stab at it in 2013 with “Dracula,” a British-American horror drama… Though promising, the series only lasted one season.

Gabrielle Kiss and IndieWire came up with ‘Dracula’: 7 Things A Series About the World’s Most Famous Vampire Should Have.  Here are the three that I think are most important…

5. Make Dracula a Bit Ruthless
Rumor has it that Dracula was based off of Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, better known as Vlad the Impaler. It’s said that Vlad Dracula (meaning son of the dragon, or son of the devil) would dip chunks of bread into buckets of blood drained from the people he killed, usually after he invited them to a feast and then immediately impaled them at the dinner table (he always finished his dinner afterwards, bodies and all, in case you were wondering). So it would be nice if that same sense of ruthlessness could be brought to the new adaptation of “Dracula.” There’s no rule that states you can’t be suave and merciless (just ask Klaus Mikaelson of “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Originals”).  (I agree.  Dracula didn’t become King of the Vampires and live as long as he did without being ruthless.  He’s a vampire!)

6. Give Him a Sense of Humor
Speaking of “The Originals,” let’s bring in some of that dark humor and wit that makes characters like Klaus Mikaelson a baddie that we love to hate (but just can’t). That same natural charisma and use of offhanded sardonic remarks should be applied to our newest Dracula, because that’s what the audience connects to. It’s also what keeps people coming back for more, everyone needs a tension breaker once in awhile. (His sense of humor should arise from the fact that he’s amusing himself.  Saying things and making jokes not for others but his own amusement.  He believes himself to be above mere humans.  So it will be very interesting when a human catches his innuendo and responds.  Dracula will know he’s perhaps met his match.)

3. Tell the Original Story
While a lot of vampire stories have spawned from the original “Dracula,” there haven’t been nearly as many that actually tell Dracula’s story. Bring back characters like Jonathan Harker and Van Helsing! They don’t have to share the spotlight with Dracula, but they’re relatively new characters to the younger generation, and they would help inspire interesting plot points for the new show (something the previous “Dracula” series lacked).  (While I go back on forth on the era – modern or 1890’s, I do believe that the original story, even if slightly modified should be the basis for the series.)

They Live by Night (1948)

Posted on by

They Live by Night (1948)

Director: John Boorman

Screenplay: Charles Schnee and Nicholas Ray based on the novel by Edward Anderson

Stars: Cathy O’Donnell, Farley Granger and Howard Da Silva

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s do a crime love story about a young couple in a doomed relationship!”

Tagline: “We’re in a Jam!”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A young escaped convict who hopes to prove his innocence falls in love with a woman helping to hide and nurse him back to health.  Persuaded to assist in a couple of robberies by the cons who helped him escape only draws more heat to catch them.  When the young couple attempt to get away and start a new life, they find the cops closing in.

Rating:

Breakfast to Honor Jim Ivey!

Posted on by

What a fun morning!  About every six months I try to pull together a group of folks to get with our buddy Jim Ivey for a marathon breakfast session.  This time we belatedly celebrated Jim’s 92nd birthday!  That’s Jim Ivey to the far right, me, Mike Sikes, Bill Black, John Beatty, Cliff Weikal and Jim (missed his last name). Taking the photo was Steven Martinez.

Jim Ivey is one of my oldest [as in been a friend the longest], oldest [as in age] and dearest friends. I first met Jim in the mid 1970’s when he was running The Cartoon Museum in Orlando, Florida. At the same time Jim was working as a syndicated cartoonist [The Thoughts of Man], a political cartoonist [The Orlando Sentinel], a publisher [CartooNews], teacher [UCF cartooning class] and even a comic book convention organizer [OrlandoCon]. I was just graduating high school and into collecting comic books and later original art. Jim’s shop was like heaven.

Going to The Cartoon Museum became a weekly trip [almost always accompanied by my best friend, John Beatty]. When I moved to Orlando to attend UCF, my trips to Jim’s Cartoon Museum became even more frequent. We’d spend the day shooting the breeze and playing cards [blackjack, gin, hearts, poker] and would occasionally stop for lunch or Jim to make a sale. Jim hated it when business got in the way of fun!

You never knew who would come through the store. Sometimes it was other buddies like Bill Black [pictured in the photo above with Jim and I], Mike Kott, Rafael Kayanan, or Robert Smith. Sometimes it was established artists like Mike Zeck, Bob McLeod, Bruce Stark or so many others.

As the years have gone by and we’ve all gone in different directions.  Many of us correspond via e-mail, but Jim doesn’t mess with computers. So it’s snail mail correspondence for us. I love getting my letters from Jim. Just like when we’d go to his shop and you’d never know what would be waiting; it’s the same experience opening an envelope from Jim.

Getting back to today’s breakfast…

John Beatty, Cliff and I went in on stogies for Jim — got him some really nice cigars individually rolled ones from a specialty shop.  Other gifts included a nice Prince Valiant book, a Bill Black movie, a homemade carrot cake and more.  Jim was truly touched that so many old friends made the trip to honor him.  Old stories followed faster that our ice tea refills.  It was a wonderful time for all.  My guess is that our next get-together will be more of the same.  How could it not be when old friends make a point to re-connect?

Point Blank (1967)

Posted on by

Point Blank (1967)

Director: John Boorman

Screenplay: Alexander Jacobs and David Newhouse & Rafe Newhouse based on the Donald E. Westlake novel written as Richard Stark

Stars: Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn, Carroll O’Connor, Lloyd Bochner, John and James B. Sikking

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s get Lee Marvin to star in a crime movie!”

Tagline: There are two kinds of people in his up-tight world: his victims and his women. And sometimes you can’t tell them apart.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Walker (Marvin) is double crossed and left for dead after helping his friend steal money to pay off his friend’s mob debt.  Walker recovers and vows to get revenge and his share of the money.

 

Rating:

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Posted on by

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Screenplay: Stanley Kubrick & Michael Herr & Gustav Hasford from the novel by Gustav Hasford

Stars: Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Kevyn Major Howard,  Arliss Howard and Ed O’Ross.

The Pitch: “Hey, Kubrick wants to make a war movie!”

Tagline: One rifle, one gun. One for killing, one for fun.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Full Metal Jacket follows a bunch of young, raw recruits from boot camp to war in Viet Nam.  One of Kurbrick’s best movies with special props to R. Lee Emey and Vincent D’Onfrio.

 

Rating:

Cat People (1942)

Posted on by

Cat People (1942)

Director: Jacques Tourneur

Screenplay: DeWitt Bodeen

Stars: Simone Simon, Tom Conway, Kent Smith

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a sensual monster movie!”

Tagline: A Kiss Could Change Her Into a Monstrous Fang-and-Claw Killer!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Kent Smith meets, falls in love and quickly marries Irena Dubrovna only to discover that Irena believes she is cursed to turn into a panther when her passions rise.  I kid you not.

As with all reviews, your mileage may vary, but I think that most people will like Cat People better than me.  I found it to be slow and silly (but not funny).  Meow.

 

Rating:

55 Things We Learned from “The Rock” Commentary with Michael Bay and Nicolas Cage

Posted on by

Rob Hunter and Film School Rejects present 55 Things We Learned from The Rock Commentary with Michael Bay and Nicolas Cage.  Here are three of my favorites…

20. Sean Connery suggested that Bay “needed to rehearse more and just slow down in the morning,” and the director took the advice.

33. Cage was concerned that he “looked like a little Japanese schoolboy” in his SCUBA gear while the other actors all looked cool. Bay admits to intentionally making him look ridiculous.

39. It took a while for Bay to convince both Cage and Connery to go underwater while flames blasted above the surface at the 1:22:40 mark, but both actors eventually agreed. There are safety divers immediately outside of frame during the sequence. “It was very frightening,” adds Cage. “And Sean wasn’t happy about it.”

 

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Posted on by

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Director: Don Siegel

Screenplay: Daniel Mainwaring based on a story by Jack Finney

Stars: Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, Carolyn Jones, Sam Peckinpah, Whit Bissell and Richard Deacon

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a smart monster movie!”

Tagline: “Something is happening! Send your men of science quick!” The panic stricken cry went over the phone to Washington D. C. until the lines went dead!……

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When a couple of Dr. Miles Bennell’s patients show up with the concern that their family members have been replaced by identical look-alikes, he becomes concerned.  He wants to find out what is causing the delusions, but discovers that they ARE being replaced by things from outer space.  Now Bennell is their next target!

 

Rating:

Breaking Bad: 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Walter White

Posted on by

Craig Elvy and ScreenRant present Breaking Bad: 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Walter White.  Here are three of my favorites…

15. HE HAS MUCH IN COMMON WITH THE REAL HEISENBERG

It’s common knowledge that Walter White’s Heisenberg alias is inspired by real life scientist Werner Heisenberg, but like so much else in Breaking Bad, this was not a random choice, and the two figures share more than just a name.

Like Walter, the real life Heisenberg also suffered from cancer, albeit not of the lung. Both men also followed a similar career trajectory, in the sense that they started off on the straight and narrow before becoming involved in something darker. In the case of Werner Heisenberg, the scientist won a Nobel Prize in 1932 but would eventually form part of the Nazis’ Nuclear Research team.

Perhaps the main reason why Walter White was given the Heisenberg alias, however, is because of the scientist’s famous Uncertainty Principle. This theory claims that a particle’s momentum and exact position cannot both be known for certain. This acts as an metaphor for Walter White’s transformation from humble teacher to hardened criminal – as he gains momentum, his moral position becomes less clear.

9. JOHN CUSACK AND MATTHEW BRODERICK WERE CONSIDERED FOR THE PART

John Cusack and Matthew Broderick Breaking Bad: 15 Things You Didnt Know About Walter White

Before AMC was sold on Bryan Cranston’s suitability for the role of Walter White, several other actors were strongly considered, including big names such as John Cusack (High Fidelity, Being John Malkovich) and Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Although AMC’s apparent determination to cast an eighties coming-of-age movie icon is certainly odd, both actors would’ve likely been talented enough to portray White’s everyman-turned-criminal character. Cusack in particular has proven himself to be equally effective as both a protagonist and an antagonist.

With hindsight, however, it’s impossible to imagine anyone other than Cranston in the role, and Vince Gilligan has previously stated that he was actively against casting big-name actors, as he felt this would be detrimental to the show. Breaking Bad’s major success proved he knew exactly what he was doing.

4. WALT WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO DIRECTLY KILL JANE

One of the most despicable acts Walter White commits during Breaking Bad is allowing Jesse’s girlfriend Jane to die of a drug overdose during the season two offering “Phoenix,” especially since he could have at least made some attempt to save her. As uncomfortable as this scene is, however, the original draft was far, far darker.

Vince Gilligan’s original intention was for Walt to kill Jane in a more direct way, either by injecting her with drugs himself or by actually moving her into a position that would make her choke. Other members of the writers’ room disagreed with this idea and felt that it would make viewers hate Walt more than was necessary at that point in the show.

Eventually, Gilligan came to the same conclusion, and Walt stood by and watched Jane die, rather than killing her directly. As if that’s any better.