Posts from the ‘Video’ Category

May 20

Ray Manzarek of The Doors Dies At 74

This song and video seems very appropriate to watch on a day when The Doors keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, dies at the age of 74.

The Doors – When The Musics Over – YouTube.

May 7

The first ever Barbie TV commercial from 1959

It’s easy to forget how ubiquitous certain things are in life: McDonalds, Rock and Roll, Campbell’s Soup, Barbie and more. But everything has their start somewhere. Here is the first ever Barbie television commercial from 1959.

1959 First EVER Barbie Commercial High Quaility HQ! – YouTube.

May 3

What I Learned Today: Saul Bass On Opening And Closing Movie Credits

Something I did not know before today:

One would think it the most obvious thing in the world, but the opening and closing credits of a movie lay the emotional foundation and tone of a movie. Apparently this wasn’t clear until Saul Bass came along in the 1950s with his style of opening and closing credits as well as his movie posters accompanying the movie. I suppose now when I think about it that when a movie from the 1930s and 40s opened up, it was general orchestra music and canned credits flowing by before the first scene of a movie.

Bass was also an animator and won the Oscar for best animated short in 1968 for his cartoon “Why Man Creates.”

Apr 10

Siskel & Ebert Outtakes From The 1980s

The passing of Roger Ebert last week has reminded me again how wonderful both he and Gene Siskel were to movies. They were very often the opinions that mattered most to me when considering whether to see a movie or not. And their TV show “Siskel & Ebert” was a great give-and-take on movie opinion.

Here is a wonderful collection of outtakes for a commercial plug for their TV show. In it you see not only their flubs trying to speak their lines but also the biting jokes that accompany it. While the two were frenemies, they clearly had a dynamic that brought out the best of both of them.