I love the $2.50 movie bin at Wal-Mart. I bought sixteen movies and thirteen episodes for $5. Granted, these movies are worthy of MST3K (no, literally--one of them is Hercules Against the Moon Men is an episode), but the entire first season "21 Jump Street" are worth at least $2.50. As a lover of terrible movies, though, I think I will enjoy this collection. The collection itself is entitled "Clash of the Olympians." Mostly, they're Hercules movies and a few giant movies, all released between 1959-1964. The packaging is as cheap as used tissues, though. Each box is about as thick as two standard DVD cases, but contained within is each disc in a paper sleeve with a plastic window. That's the difference between a $5 movie and $2.50 movie.
I really do love terrible movies, though. Troy, for instance, is a terrible movie, but I can watch it thirty times in a row, though, I usually do watch it in French. Achilles is less whiny that way. I also happen to love Devon's Ghost, which you've never heard of, but is plain awful. And I love it.
Hopefully, the Clash of the Olympians collection will be equally terrible and enjoyable.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” --Arthur Ashe
Okay, tell me this doesn't sound awful:
"Playful Pals: Paralyzed Veterans of America Calendar"
Admittedly there is a puppy and a kitten on the cover, but still. Just the sound of it. And the cover picture doesn't seem that "playful." More like the puppy himself is paralyzed in his back legs, and the kitten is taking advantage of it and nipping at his nose. The rest of the pictures are either for the animals alone, simply coexisting (but not playing), or one nipping/smooshing/taking advantage of the other. So, paralyzed veterans can coexist, sit and look lonely by themselves, or be picked on because of their inability to fight back. It's a terrific calendar. It's also last year's calendar.
This year's is all about humming birds--because when I think of paralyzed heroes, I think goofy little birds that can hover in place. The title is--get this--"Hum Along." So it makes me think the humming sound that those scooter chairs make. Some of them probably use those scooter chairs--if they can afford them, that is. The pictures themselves aren't that offensive, but completely incongruous.
Puppies, kitties, and humming birds all seem to be out of place in a calendar to support the paralyzed veterans. If I were designing one, I would fill it with pictures of the paralyzed veterans serving others before they lost their mobility. I don't want anyone to pity them, because they don't deserve pity. I want people to remember the things they did to help us, so that now, when they need help, we don't miss the opportunity to return the favor. "Patriotism" is very "in" right now. I think you could make a bundle with these calendars if you just made them right. It would help to support them, it would make their sacrifices known, and it would (above all) protect their dignity. They're not "playful pals" or "humming along," they're wounded heroes. They gave all to protect us, or in some cases rescue us from natural disasters.
Furthermore, I don't like cheap calendars about humming birds, puppies, and kitties. My grandmother probably does, but let's face it, they're dying out. Let's tap into the younger generations by appealing to their intelligence, and their heart. And my grandmother would probably still buy the calendar if it showed pictures of the veterans before they got out of the military. Can't you see it? A picture of someone from the national guard helping a family during a flood; a picture of someone in the coast guard fishing someone out of the water; a picture of a guy in Iraq with his army buddies; a picture of a guard in the snow for Christmas. Show these guys with all the dignity and honor they deserve, and then let them reap the benefits.
And yes, we will call it something like "Wounded Heroes," because they are still heroes, even if they can't walk anymore. They earned the title. You can't take it away just because their legs don't work.
"Playful Pals: Paralyzed Veterans of America Calendar"
Admittedly there is a puppy and a kitten on the cover, but still. Just the sound of it. And the cover picture doesn't seem that "playful." More like the puppy himself is paralyzed in his back legs, and the kitten is taking advantage of it and nipping at his nose. The rest of the pictures are either for the animals alone, simply coexisting (but not playing), or one nipping/smooshing/taking advantage of the other. So, paralyzed veterans can coexist, sit and look lonely by themselves, or be picked on because of their inability to fight back. It's a terrific calendar. It's also last year's calendar.
This year's is all about humming birds--because when I think of paralyzed heroes, I think goofy little birds that can hover in place. The title is--get this--"Hum Along." So it makes me think the humming sound that those scooter chairs make. Some of them probably use those scooter chairs--if they can afford them, that is. The pictures themselves aren't that offensive, but completely incongruous.
Puppies, kitties, and humming birds all seem to be out of place in a calendar to support the paralyzed veterans. If I were designing one, I would fill it with pictures of the paralyzed veterans serving others before they lost their mobility. I don't want anyone to pity them, because they don't deserve pity. I want people to remember the things they did to help us, so that now, when they need help, we don't miss the opportunity to return the favor. "Patriotism" is very "in" right now. I think you could make a bundle with these calendars if you just made them right. It would help to support them, it would make their sacrifices known, and it would (above all) protect their dignity. They're not "playful pals" or "humming along," they're wounded heroes. They gave all to protect us, or in some cases rescue us from natural disasters.
Furthermore, I don't like cheap calendars about humming birds, puppies, and kitties. My grandmother probably does, but let's face it, they're dying out. Let's tap into the younger generations by appealing to their intelligence, and their heart. And my grandmother would probably still buy the calendar if it showed pictures of the veterans before they got out of the military. Can't you see it? A picture of someone from the national guard helping a family during a flood; a picture of someone in the coast guard fishing someone out of the water; a picture of a guy in Iraq with his army buddies; a picture of a guard in the snow for Christmas. Show these guys with all the dignity and honor they deserve, and then let them reap the benefits.
And yes, we will call it something like "Wounded Heroes," because they are still heroes, even if they can't walk anymore. They earned the title. You can't take it away just because their legs don't work.
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