Friday, October 15, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Popular music is full of stories of fragile or crippled greatness. Dusty Springfield is one of the UK’s most prominent examples, having risen to some startling heights before stumbling into drug and alcohol use as well was falling foul of continued mutterings regarding her sexuality.
Just Dusty casts an eye over these elements of Springfield’s career, but this is far from being a sleazy dissemination of one of the great modern soul singers. Instead, Just Dusty is chock-full of close friends and associates chatting candidly and with much affection about the now deceased singer, revelations regarding her personal life delivered with sensitivity and respect.
The film traces her story from pop icon elevation in the 1960s, as well as her efforts to introduce Motown and soul music to Britsh audiences, through to her misguided shift to America in the 70s. Springfield fell on hard times in the US, struggling with a number of addictions, before making the move back to the UK and back into the charts with her canny collaborations with the Pet Shop Boys.
Just Dusty isn’t the most expensive or imaginatively mounted music documentary. In many ways, the talking head nature of the film would make it perfect grist for television. But the feature length allows for what will be one of the main attractions for most: seeing the star’s many archived performances brought back to life.
Just Dusty casts an eye over these elements of Springfield’s career, but this is far from being a sleazy dissemination of one of the great modern soul singers. Instead, Just Dusty is chock-full of close friends and associates chatting candidly and with much affection about the now deceased singer, revelations regarding her personal life delivered with sensitivity and respect.
The film traces her story from pop icon elevation in the 1960s, as well as her efforts to introduce Motown and soul music to Britsh audiences, through to her misguided shift to America in the 70s. Springfield fell on hard times in the US, struggling with a number of addictions, before making the move back to the UK and back into the charts with her canny collaborations with the Pet Shop Boys.
Just Dusty isn’t the most expensive or imaginatively mounted music documentary. In many ways, the talking head nature of the film would make it perfect grist for television. But the feature length allows for what will be one of the main attractions for most: seeing the star’s many archived performances brought back to life.
Ugliest Animals On The Planet
As the Mother Nature Network points out, nature isn't always kind to animals. Every animal plays an important role on our planet, but some have surely been beaten with the ugly stick.
Here are some contenders for Ugliest Animal on the Planet. View the full list here.
It must be difficult to maintain a vibrant self-image if you're a bald rodent, but it's not an issue for the naked mole rat. These animals live underground in insect-like colonies, and they have little need for good eyesight. Their hairless bodies are also an adaptation for their underground environment.
Interestingly, naked mole rats are also among the longest living of all rodents given their size (they can live for nearly 30 years), and they have a remarkable resistance to cancer.
One of the world's rarest birds and North America's largest flying land bird, the California condor is a graceful animal when it is gliding high above the canyons and deserts of the American West Coast.
But up close, this bird isn't so photogenic. Its bald head is an adaptation for its lifestyle as a scavenger, since a feathered head would become clotted with blood while the bird feeds on large carrion.
Perhaps its unfair to judge a fish out of water, but the blobfish looks more like a ball of slime than a living creature.
Blobfish live deep in the ocean, where pressures are exceedingly high. In fact, the blobfish's gelatinous appearance is actually a brilliant adaptation — its gooey, pudding-like flesh allows it to stay buoyant at depths where gaseous bladders can't function.
Here are some contenders for Ugliest Animal on the Planet. View the full list here.
Naked Mole Rat
Interestingly, naked mole rats are also among the longest living of all rodents given their size (they can live for nearly 30 years), and they have a remarkable resistance to cancer.
California condor
But up close, this bird isn't so photogenic. Its bald head is an adaptation for its lifestyle as a scavenger, since a feathered head would become clotted with blood while the bird feeds on large carrion.
Blobfish
Blobfish live deep in the ocean, where pressures are exceedingly high. In fact, the blobfish's gelatinous appearance is actually a brilliant adaptation — its gooey, pudding-like flesh allows it to stay buoyant at depths where gaseous bladders can't function.
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Add Comments Pets On TV & Movies
October 11th 2010 01:04
Animals are commonly used in films and TV shows. Normally they add a little warmth or humour to the show.
However, occasionally an onscreen animal will outshine its human counterparts.
This article on Woman's Day takes a look and 10 show stealing pets. Below is a sample.
He may not be able to walk and talk like some of the other pups on this list, but Eddie certainly has a perspective all his own—and often is the key to the comedy when Dr. Frasier Crane and his brother Dr. Niles Crane were being their oh-so-serious selves. In fact, it's when the sitcom showed a scene from Eddie's perspective that many of us realized just how crazy humans must seem to our dogs.
Despite all the hilarious missteps and mistakes that happen when Greg goes to a family wedding to meet his girlfriend Pam’s parents—or more specifically, her ex-CIA pet-loving father, Jack—it’s the cat that most people remember from this movie. Mr. Jinx, the Himalayan who's been trained to use a toilet, among other amazing feats, doesn’t have a line on the film, but still managed to make it onto one version of the DVD’s cover.
Before Dorothy found herself in Oz, she ran away from home with her beloved dog, Toto, who was supposed to be put down after he bit her (very unlikable) neighbour Almira Gulch. But once the tornado hits, Toto is swept up with Dorothy, and thank goodness! If not for that, we wouldn’t have one of the most iconic movie quotes in the history of cinema: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
TV anchorman Ron Burgundy has a serious bond with his dog Baxter, so much so that his life spirals out of control when Baxter is punted off a bridge after Burgundy and a biker get into a roadside brawl. Luckily his pup returns to save the day (and the movie’s ending) when Burgundy and his leading lady get into trouble with a bear at the zoo.
It's safe to say many of your chuckles during this animated sitcom are probably over the family dog, Brian. Generally much more intelligent than the rest of the Griffin clan, Brian doesn't just walk, talk and act like a human, he leads an entirely separate life outside the house, sipping martinis, dating beautiful women and driving around in a car.
However, occasionally an onscreen animal will outshine its human counterparts.
This article on Woman's Day takes a look and 10 show stealing pets. Below is a sample.
Eddie — Frasier
Mr. Jinx — Meet the Parents
Toto — The Wizard of Oz
Baxter — Anchorman
Brian Griffin — Family Guy
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
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