Beware the Middle of March?

Today is the Ides of March which as defined by the Roman Calendar simply means the middle of the month, the 15th in March. May, July and October and the 13th in all the other months.

There is also the

Kalends which is the first of the month.
and the Nones, which is the 7th day in March, May, July, and October; the 5th in the all the other months.
See, unless you're Caesar there's nothing to worry about!

Later,

Paul Parducci

The Golem, Early Horror and German Expressionism

The roots of modern horror of course go very deep.
One of the greatest influences on the Horror Film is German Expressionism. Focused on internal states and featuring oblique angles and odd settings these silent movies brought us into the realm of nightmares.

Here is a piece of cinematic history from 1920 called The Golem(How He Came into the World).

Whether or not this film is a true representation of Expressionism is open for debate-the director himself Paul Wegener didn't consider it an expressionist film. It is more naturalistic than its more popular neighbor in time: "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." But as always, take a look and see what you think.

Later,

Paul Parducci

PS: DVD Times link.

Be Practical! William James and the Philosophy of: Does It Work?

William James the American Philospher and Psychologist was one of the major proponents of the philosophy of Pragmatism.

The author of the seminal The Varieties of Religious Experience, he was primarily interested in the Cash Value of ideas.

Here is a great quote from Dr. James from the Will to Believe and Other Essays(1897)

"Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."

Later,

Paul Parducci

March 4th: The Day That's Also a Command!

Go Fourth...I mean Forth!

Later,

Paul Parducci

Rashomon and the Nature of truth

In Kurosawa's Rashomon different stories are told about a crime and it is left to us to determine what is true.

It is a brilliant film in many respects but this theme, this focus on the very essence of how truth can be known (or even if it's possible) makes it a must see.

(Filmically the dappled images in the forest scenes and the Medium are for me the most potent-- as I write this I am thinking of the driving rain, and now the Samurai, so I'll just stop trying to highlight.)

If you haven't seen this Cinematic Masterpiece yet, do yourself a favor and rent a copy.

Criterion as a nice release of it on DVD.

Later,

Paul Parducci

My New Favorite Short Story: The Picture in the House

"The Picture in the House"

By HP Lovecraft.

Later,

Paul Parducci

Dr.Ian Stevenson and the Scientific Study of Reincarnation

Dr. Ian Stevenson recently passed. He was a researcher who devoted most of his professional career to the investigation of reincarnation.

Among his many accomplishments was the establishment of the University of Virginia's Dept of Perceptual Studies.

Here is an article on the Doctor's inquiry into Birth marks.

You can get a great overview of his life and work here.

Dr. Stevenson of course had his critics as well.

Later,

Paul Parducci

PS: Today is my birthday. Is this Post topic a coincidence...I think not!

Mag Lite: Or Why I Will Never Buy Another Flashlight

Here in California you are supposed to maintain earth-quake readiness. One of the ways we do that is by keeping a flashlight handy. I own a MagLite and keep it next to my bed. Often as not I use it to read by, (I limit the beam with a blanket corner so I don't disturb my wife.)

There is an invincible quality about a Mag, it is a Hefty piece of equipment and I have enjoyed mine for five years. In those five years it has worked perfectly moving from it's usual bedside position to mountain cabins, tents and wilderness hikes.

Recently my trusty Mag went dark. I changed the batteries but still no shine. It dawned on me that perhaps the light bulb was burned out. Where would I find another one? (I'm used to things like this being a hassle.) Then a remnant of a memory drifted to the surface. I unscrewed the end of the battery tube and there it was...an EXTRA lightbulb!
I put it in, and once again:Light!

It's nice to know that Quality and Pride of workmanship is alive and well.

Mag Instrument Inc was founded in 1955 by Anthony Maglica you can read about the company here.

Later,

Paul Parducci

Special Animated Version of "Monday, Wednesday, Friday"

Hope you like it.
Later,
Paul Parducci

"IS" and Robert Anton Wilson

Also check out: Robert Anton Wilson.

Later,
Paul Parducci

J. Searle Dawley's "Frankenstein" 1910 From The Thomas Edison Studio

Watch Here.

Frankenstein, a young medical students, trying to create the perfect human being, instead creates a misshapen monster." Based on Mary Shelley's classic novel, screenplay J. Searle Dawley, directed by J. Searle Dawley, 1910.
Enjoy,
Later,
Paul Parducci

Bill Gates, Nightmare Boss and the Internet TV Revolution

Many of the readers of this Blog already know that in 2006 I created a Mobisode/Webisode entitled Nightmare Boss.
Beside being incredible fun for me to do, it quickly became an extremely popular comedy mobisode (Sprint Powervision Channel 19) as well as a growing phenomenon on the internet.
Now I have been in the entertainment industry for twenty years, I have been up and I have been shall we say not so up. But since the release of Nightmare Boss I have had a steady stream of media inquiries and attention from all parts of what I consider to be the upper tier of Hollywood Production.
Change is afoot. The way in which we are viewing and responding to what we consider to be television entertainment is in rapid flux.
Bill Gates spoke on this recently and I feel he hit the nail on the head. You can read it here.
Have a Great Day!
Later,
Paul Parducci

PS: Keep and eye out for the Nightmare Boss Short film Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
PSS: The image is from the great site TVHistory .TV

Amicus and the Greatest Movie Moments of My Life

There are two films that stick out like mountains in my film psyche:

The Original Tales From the Crypt (1972) directed by Freddie Francis (who was also the DP on David Lynch's The Straight Story)
and
Asylum(1972) directed by Roy Ward Baker. (also written by the magnificent Robert Bloch-Psycho)
Both films were released by Amicus, the studio that essentially created the Horror Anthology sub-genre.(My favorite by the way.)

All about Amicus:
The Studio That Dripped Blood.
Classic Horror

Later,
Paul Parducci

Monday, Wednesday, Friday (The Film)

Hope you like it.
Later,
Paul Parducci

Coffin Joe Trailer!

Later,
Paul Parducci

The Very Personal Horror of Jose Mojica Marins or Watch Out for Coffin Joe!

Wah?
Huh?
Look here.

Tonight you can watch "This Night I Will possess Your Corpse" on IFC.
Later,
Paul Parducci

Genes: Unlocking the Riddle of Aging

Just saw a fantastic segment regarding the latest research on Aging on the very excellent Nova Science Now Series on PBS.

For a great overview: check out Genetic Science.
Later,
Paul Parducci

Drew Friedman and his New Book or Put some Old Jewish Comedians on Your Coffee Table!

Drew Friedman is a good buddy of mine. (I am also a huge fan of his fantastic work.)
His fourth book has just come out.
You can read the review here.
Later,
Paul Parducci

Is "Campus Ladies" the Best Comedy on Television?

My wife got me started on this show which runs every Tuesday on the Oxygen channel.
(Notice how I mentioned my wife? )
Anyway it's hilarious, well-written, acted and directed.
Watch it, you will not be disappointed.
Campus Ladies
Later,
Paul Parducci

David Cronenberg and A History of Violence

I am a David Cronenberg fan. (Dead Ringers was one of the creepiest films every made.)

I finally got around to seeing A History of Violence, and I absolutely loved it. Cronenberg's use of space, doors and chairs to denote worlds and place is absolutely brilliant. The whole cast was outstanding and its always great to see Stephen McHattie in anything.
Roger Ebert wrote an in depth review of it that I heartily recommend. You can see it here.
Later,
Paul Parducci
PS: Here's an early Cronenberg Film