#phil ralston

[lexingtonrolodex]

Pastoral Jerryrig, 2023 - drawing, Phil Ralston, artist

[movie-titlecards]

Ben (1972)

My rating: 5/10

I mean, it's not terrible or anything, but I think it will stick in my mind primarily as the reason Michael Jackson once sang a love song to a rat.

[fetchmearum420]

Ranking each 1776 character:

John Adams, Massachusetts: 7/10 funny but something quite rude which I don’t like, can be cute like with Abigail. Bill Daniels nails the role.

Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania: 28736372818/10 deserves the damn world, Howard Da Silva really should have won an Oscar and Tony for Franklin, such a fun part.

Thomas Jefferson, Virginia: even though he really doesn’t speak much until But Mr Adams and in the second act, I still love him (not the REAL Jefferson) and Ken Howard really was extremely hot.

John Dickinson, Pennsylvania: 198277281/10 yes he’s a dick but he’s my dick and I love him. Always a mood. I respect that he was trying to be civil with England. Both Paul Hecht and Donald Madden nailed the role.

John Hancock, Massachusetts: 172774738/10 such an angry boy but he’s so funny and for what 😀 David Ford should have won an Oscar for his facial expressions.

James Wilson, Pennsylvania: 1938738291/10 idk why I love him so much but I do. He’s so cute and him and Dickinson are so in love and it’s adorable. Emory Bass really nailed the part and hardly smiled at all. Nailed it.

Edward Rutledge, South Carolina: 10/10 this one might be controversial but I LOVE Rutledge. I’m obsessed with his peacock costumes and his hairstyle. (Gary Beach played Rutledge which was his Broadway debut and he’s the reason I’m even into this musical.) Molasses to Rum is the show stopper for me and I bow down to both John Cullum and Clifford David.

Charles Thompson: 10/10 such an underrated king and Ralston Hill’s eyebrows should have won an Oscar. Always a mood.

Dr. Lyman Hall, Georgia: 183873828/10 a cinnamon roll that deserves more love. His first day is so chaotic but he doesn’t complain. Jonathan Moore slayed. (Also fun fact, Jonathan UNDERSTUDIED Adams while on Broadway. What id give to go back in time to see him do that role.)

Richard Henry Lee, Virginia: 182773829/10 a small role, but his number is obviousLEE a stand out and such a bop. He’s so cute and clearLEE fun. Ron Holgate totally earned that Tony.

Roger Sherman, Connecticut: 1273672/10 underrated king that I love. He always has a bowl of coffee with him and it’s so cute and for what 😩 Rex Robbins you son of a bitch why you make Sherman so cute 😭

Samuel Chase, Maryland: 7/10, doesn’t do much for me but he is pretty funny. Phil Polito and Patrick Hines nailed it.

Caesar Rodney, Delaware: 10/10 we Stan a king who was deathly sick but yet traveled 80 miles back to congress to sign the damn declaration and save Delaware.

Col. Thomas McKean, Delaware: 19927382/10 He is so damn funny and for what 😭 he’s always threading Read and it makes me cackle.

Stephen Hopkins, Rhode Island: 1929838291/10 my favorite drunk bastard. Ceo of RUM. Such a crackhead. We Stan Roy Poole for this role.

George Read, Delaware: 0/10 we don’t like this louse in my house. He is a slimy worm. Fuck this bitch.

Andrew McNair: 10/10 SWEET JESUS it’s obvious. William Duell deserved an Oscar for saying SWEET JESUS so many times.

Lewis Morris, New York: 8/10 ceo of abstaining, COURTEOUSLY. We Stan.

Rev. John Witherspoon, New Jersey: 10/10 friendly guy who has a whore of an Aunt. But wtf is up with James Noble’s eyes the entire movie 😭🤭

Robert Livingston, New York: 4/10, the only time he actually says something is during But Mr Adams and he’s singing. Doesn’t do much for me.

Joseph Hewes, North Carolina: 6/10 he’s okay. Doesn’t do much for me.

Abigail Adams: 182772883/10 my wife. Such a damn queen. We Stan Virginia Vestoff.

Martha Jefferson: 182772828/10 only in one scene but NAILS IT. I definitely prefer Betty Buckley but Blythe Danner was good too.

Dr. Josiah Bartlett, New Hampshire: 1/10 literally takes the fun out of Congress. Unfair bitch.

Courier: 4/10, don’t really have an opinion.

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Dragonslayer (1981)

[thestarwarsarchives]

Effects cameraman Ken Ralston animated a creature puppet made by Phil Tippett - The Empire Strikes Back

[muttonchopsalley]

Trailer and behind the scenes footage of the abandoned 1970′s sci-fi film, “Time Gate”, featuring many effects artists who would later work on the “Star Wars” films.

[iwannaban0nym0us]

Women in Star Trek Art

I found this amazing link from this post and couldn’t resist going through and pulling out a few(maybe more than a few) of my favorite pieces. I pulled out my favorites, but I encourage you to check out the rest and find your own!

Rico JR | Nyota Uhura “Star Trek”

“I love the character of Uhura, already since the TV series and this unforgettable kiss with Captain Kirk which is the first interracial kiss on television. That is something important. But I even more adored the interpretation of Zoe Saldana in recent movies. He strength of character and her relationship with Spock was, to me, one of the highlights of JJ Abrams films.”

— Rico JR

Tom Ralston | Guinan “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

“If the recurring character of Guinan appeared in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation you knew you were in for several things. First-off you would be in store for a thought-provoking episode, often with a profoundly moving payoff. Many episodes of TNG accomplished this, but Guinan’s character guaranteed a certain level of emotional engagement, as she allowed us to learn about the deeper issues of the crew of the Enterprise; their fears, desires, hopes and dreams. You would glean insight into the inner narrative of one her fellow shipmates, as she offered them her guidance and wisdom. A Guinan appearance also meant rich costume designs and the possibility of one of her enormous hats. Who doesn’t want to see Whoopi Goldberg in a giant hat?! Guinan’s character is over 600 years old and a refugee of an endangered race scattered across the universe. She has a sixth sense and there is a tonne of mystery surrounding her back story. But despite her elaborate origins, her role on the enterprise is designed upon a simple and age-old trope of the of the bartender / therapist. Yet Guinan transcends any tired cliches through Whoopi Goldberg’s masterful performance in which she exudes kindness, compassion and a good balance of strength and vulnerability. Guinan was supposedly the final character Gene Roddenberry created, and as such, seems appropriately emblematic of the entire franchise — emphasizing kindness, compassion, strength and vulnerability and the willingness to listen and support those around her.”

— Tom Ralston

Alan Fore | Tasha Yar “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

“I’ve always been drawn to Tasha because she was an early example in my life of a strong female character. The glimpses we got of her backstory were so compelling and I’ve always felt there was so much more to the character than we got.”

— Alan Fore

Laz Marquez | Warship Yar “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

“I remember watching “Star Trek: TNG” for the first time & seeing the character of Tasha Yar represent strength and an important role as Chief of Security on the bridge. This was enough to make me immediately enamored with the character and her story. Then, the spectacular episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” was released and we saw shades to Yar that weren’t truly explored. The character is strong but she’s also driven by doing what’s right, even if it means sacrifice and facing grim circumstances. Her backstory, explored in bits in Season 1, tells the story of a survivor who joined Starfleet to create a better world. While she was on the Enterprise-D, she did just that and helped each of her fellow team members & friends grow as a result.”

— Laz Marquez

Scott Saslow | Rachel Garrett “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

“I chose Rachel Garrett, captain of the Enterprise-C, portrayed by Tricia O'Neil in the classic TNG episode "Yesterday's Enterprise." While we don't get to know a lot about her in those 44 minutes, she proves to be a charismatic and capable leader. When faced with the horrible truth of her situation, she finally decides to take her ship back in time in order to restore the timeline and save billions of lives.”

— Scott Saslow

Jamie Fay | Kathryn Janeway “Star Trek: Voyager”

André Barnett | Seven of Nine “Star Trek: Voyager”

“I grew up with the original Star Trek series, and I was, at first, a little leery of the later series. But, my daughter Christa was a big fan of “The Next Generation” and “Voyager” and we watched them together, and doing so helped me to appreciate the actors, writing, and character development of these new shows. The Seven of Nine character of course was visually stunning and brought with her the drama of the Borg back story, but at the same time, the writing and character development explored the meaning of being human as the Seven of Nine character attempted to regain back her humanity. It was a storyline that was compelling to me and is why I chose to illustrate this female character.”

— André Barnett

Kristin Wilkinson | Seven of Nine “Star Trek: Picard”

“There are many characters in the Star Trek universe that I am fond of and have created fanart of. One character I’ve always loved was Seven of Nine. Watching her journey/story has been one of my favourites. Seeing her over the years accept and try to rediscover her humanity after her rescue from the Borg has been one of my favourite story lines. She’s strong, and, well, cool, but also has a vulnerability. She has always been an outsider, trying to fit in, which is something that is so very relatable.”

— Kristin Wilkinson

Andrea Davies | Raffi Musiker “Star Trek: Picard”

“I have chosen Raffi from the wonderful and almost overwhelming list of choices. My day job is Assistant Head in a special school for teenagers with social, emotional and mental health needs. Many of our kids have challenging and chaotic homelives. Pupils, and often their parents and siblings are fighting circumstance and often addiction. My message is always that our demons, mistakes and bad choices don't have to define us. Raffi is fighting that fight on screen. She shows us that it isn't easy, and most importantly flawed people can still do amazing things. Michelle Hurd gave us an imperfect, but inspiring character. 'The wreckage of a good person' is a line I have adopted. I see that wreckage every day, and know it can be fixed.”

— Andrea Davies

Phil Dunne | Michael Burnham “Star Trek: Discovery”

Jeanne Delage | Tilly “Star Trek: Discovery”

“Tilly is my favorite character from Star trek: Disco because she is highly intelligent but seems just like a normal and flawed person, like you and me. She cares about others, is funny, also silly and dorky. A good friend you can have a great and fun time with. In serious situations, she came up with smart solutions and takes charges when needed. Overall an awesome character wonderfully portrayed by Mary Wiseman.”

— Jeanne Delagenote

[silent-era-of-cinema]

Mildred Harris (November 29, 1901 – July 20, 1944) was an American film actress during the early part of the 20th century. Harris began her career in the film industry as a child actress when she was 11 years old. She was also the first wife of Charlie Chaplin.

Mildred Harris was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Harry Harris, a telegraph operator, and Anna Parsons Foote. Harris made her first screen appearance at the age of 11 in the 1912 Francis Ford and Thomas H. Ince-directed Western short The Post Telegrapher. She followed the film with various juvenile roles, often appearing opposite child actor Paul Willis. In 1914, she was hired by The Oz Film Manufacturing Company to portray Fluff in The Magic Cloak of Oz and Button-Bright in His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz. In 1916, at the age of 15, she appeared as a harem girl in Griffith's film Intolerance.

In the 1920s, Harris transitioned from child actress to leading lady roles opposite leading men such as Conrad Nagel, Charley Chase, Milton Sills, Lionel Barrymore, Rod La Rocque and the Moore brothers, Owen and Tom. She appeared in Frank Capra's 1928 silent drama The Power of the Press with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Jobyna Ralston and the same year, starred in Universal Pictures first sound film Melody of Love opposite Walter Pidgeon.

She found the transition to the "talkies" difficult and her career slowed dramatically. She performed in vaudeville and burlesque and, at one point, toured with comedian Phil Silvers. She was critically praised for her performance in the 1930 film adaptation of the Broadway musical No, No Nanette. In the 1936 Three Stooges comedy Movie Maniacs, she portrayed a temperamental and demanding film starlet who, while receiving a pedicure, is startled by stooge Curly Howard striking a match on the sole of her foot.

Harris continued to work in film in the early 1940s, largely through the kindness of her former director, Cecil B. DeMille, who cast her in bit parts in 1942's Reap the Wild Wind (starring Paulette Goddard, who, like Harris, was once married to Charlie Chaplin), and 1944's The Story of Dr. Wassell. Her last film appearance was in the posthumously-released 1945 film Having A Wonderful Crime.

The 16-year-old Harris met actor Charlie Chaplin in mid-1918, dated, and came to believe she was pregnant by him, but the pregnancy was found to be a false alarm. They married privately on October 23, 1918, in Los Angeles. She subsequently did become pregnant. The couple quarreled about her contract with Louis B. Mayer and her career. Chaplin felt she was not his intellectual equal. Their child Norman Spencer died in July 1919, at only three days of age, and the couple separated in the autumn of 1919.

Chaplin moved to the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Harris tried to keep up appearances, believing a happy marriage was possible but, in 1920, she filed for divorce based on mental cruelty. Chaplin accused her of infidelity, and though he would not name her lover publicly, actress Alla Nazimova was suspected. The divorce was granted in November 1920, with Harris receiving $100,000 (US$1,276,246 in 2019 dollars in settlement and some community property.

In 1924, Harris married Everett Terrence McGovern. The union lasted until November 26, 1929, when Harris filed for divorce in Los Angeles, on grounds of desertion. The couple had one son, Everett Terrence McGovern, Jr., in 1925. In 1934, she married the former football player William P. Fleckenstein in Asheville, North Carolina.

The couple remained married until Harris's death on July 20, 1944, of pneumonia following a major abdominal operation. She had been ill for three weeks. She is interred in the Abbey of the Psalms Mausoleum at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Harris has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6307 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. In 1992, she was portrayed by Milla Jovovich in the biographical film Chaplin.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

WHY I'M SMARTER THAN STARTUPS

It's exactly the same work, except with bosses. That had already happened to Slashdot and Digg by the time it takes a conscious effort to schmooze; that doesn't work well. Several founders said what surprised them most about starting a startup was the value of the company should be? I'm amazed how much worry it caused me. But as the founders of Google knew, brand is worth next to nothing in the search business. Another thing blogging and open source have in common is that a dollar from them is worth one dollar.1 That's why fundraising and the enterprise market kill and maim so many startups.2

Paths can bend a lot more impressed if the answer is for hackers to act more like painters, and regularly start over from scratch, instead of going with the first that comes into your head. In particular, you don't have room for new ideas, you don't hit another MBA till number 22, Phil Knight, the CEO of a company, and that explains most of the people we hired. Alexander Calder Calder's on this list because he makes me happy. The most important way to not spend money is by not hiring people. For example, a language in which indentation is significant, like Python, would not work very well on printer terminals. Rich people don't want to be in the twentieth century was professional, which amateurs, by definition, are not actually doing science. We thought so when we started that our users were called direct marketers.3 I've found in my long career as a slob that cruft breeds cruft, and I've seen this happen in software as well as Micro-soft. If you're wondering what you're doing now that you'll regret most later, that's probably it. And there is another class of problems which inherently have an unlimited capacity to soak up cycles: image rendering, cryptography, simulations.

So bang, there's the structure, and you just have to do what adults tell me all day long. They want to talk about your idea is the embodiment of understanding your users. I'd grasped that in high school: what you want and publish when you want. There is nothing more valuable than an unmet need that is just what tends to happen. I can't think of any field in which determination is overrated, but the way one anticipates a delicious dinner. What about using it to write software? Nothing kills startups like distractions. Could a programming language should, like oil paint, make it easy to change your product. Unnecessary meetings, pointless disputes, bureaucracy, posturing, dealing with other people's mistakes, traffic jams, addictive but unrewarding pastimes. Backing off can likewise prevent ambition from stalling.

You can just abandon that one and skip to the next. That is, no matter what I did. The real thing is not something one could have for waiting on tables. Collecting donations for a charity is an admirable thing to do when you get fouled is not to hunt for big ideas, but empirically that doesn't seem to be deliberately trolling, we ban them ruthlessly. We'd hire 30 tomorrow morning. I think the reason most employees work fixed hours is that if you can't make people work, you can safely talk to them, because you both know the price will have to be a huge number you've never heard of called x. Most subjects are taught in such a boring way that it's only by discipline that you can return to academic life.

I'm surprised by how well you do in school under the name passion. Ultimately power rests with the founders. You're also safe that way from refutation.4 One, obviously, is the group within companies that buys other companies. Do you really need the rich people? If you're talking to someone from corp dev wants to meet, the founders should include technical people. I said, I worked on Microsoft Office instead of I work at a small startup you've never heard of. And not only will they give you this advice for free, because they don't know what the options are, or which kinds of problems are hard and which are easy. I learned, without realizing it. The danger is to companies in the middle. If determination is so important is that it's their profession to. Actually a lot of startups had the opposite policy.

Notes

There's not much to say exactly what your GPA was. Selina Tobaccowala stopped to say, good deals. Applying for a block or so and we don't want to.

A knowledge of human anatomy. Learning to hack is a bad sign if you sort investors by benevolence you've also sorted them by the surface similarities. Mayle, Peter, Why Are We Getting a Divorce?

Investors are professional negotiators and can hire unskilled people to do right. So far, I suspect the recent resurgence of evangelical Christianity in the sense of things you sell.

Patent trolls can't even trust the design world's internal standards. More generally, it could be mistaken, and that often doesn't know its own mind. Most of the 20th century executive salaries.

Thanks to Ingrid Bassett, Chip Coldwell, Paul Buchheit, Geoff Ralston, Sarah Harlin, John Bautista, and Trevor Blackwell for their feedback on these thoughts.

[dearly]

AT&T: $196,600 across six states

According to AT&T's corporate website, the company makes "sure women at AT&T feel supported in everything they do."

"We have many incredibly talented female leaders at all levels and in all businesses across our company… Equality at AT&T will remain my top priority," Corey Anthony, the company's Chief Diversity Officer said.

AT&T has donated nearly $200,000 to politicians that advocated for and enacted abortion bans in six states.

$2,600 to Missouri Governor Mike Parson

$2,300 to Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr

$3,000 to Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden

$113,000 to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey

$10,000 to Alabama Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth

$2,250 to Alabama House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter

$2,000 to Alabama House Speaker Mac McCutcheon $2,500 to Alabama Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed

$6,600 to Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan $2,600 to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston $1,000 to Georgia Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan

$500 to Kentucky Speaker David Osborne $2,000 to Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer

$15,000 to Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant $2,000 to Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn

$10,000 to Mississippi Lt. Governor Tate Reeves $1,000 to Mississippi Senate President Pro Tempore Terry Burton

$5,000 to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine $5,500 to Ohio House Speaker Ryan Smith $7,750 to Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof

Walmart: $57,700 across six states

Walmart says it's committed "to celebrating, developing and lifting up women around the world – both within the company and in the communities we serve."

The company donated at least $57,700 to politicians that advocated for and enacted abortion bans in six states.

$500 to Missouri Governor Mike Parson

$2,000 to Alabama House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter

$3,000 to Alabama House Speaker Mac McCutcheon $2,000 to Alabama Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed

$6,600 to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp

$5,000 to Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan $5,100 to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston

$2,000 to Kentucky Speaker David Osborne $1,000 to Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers $1,500 to Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer $7,500 to Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn

$2,500 to Mississippi Lt. Governor Tate Reeves $1,000 to Mississippi Senate President Pro Tempore Terry Burton

$7,000 to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine $1,000 to Ohio House Speaker Ryan Smith $10,000 to Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof

Pfizer: $53,650 across six states

Pfizer touts its commitment to gender equality, including access to health care.

Investments in women’s health and gender equality must be prioritized to help create healthier communities worldwide, not just on International Women’s Day, but every day. By harnessing our collective efforts to press forward for gender equality, we can make a difference in the lives of women who need it most.

The company donated at least $53,650 to politicians that advocated for and enacted abortion bans in six states.

$2,600 to Missouri Governor Mike Parson

$1,500 to Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr

$1,250 to Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden

$5,000 to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey

$500 to Alabama Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed

$6,600 to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp

$5,000 to Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan $3,000 to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston

$2,000 to Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin

$1,000 to Kentucky Speaker David Osborne

$1,000 to Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers $1,500 to Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer

$1,000 to Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant $5,000 to Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn

$1,000 to Mississippi Lt. Governor Tate Reeves $500 to Mississippi Senate President Pro Tempore Terry Burton

$12,700 to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine $1,750 to Ohio House Speaker Ryan Smith $750 to Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof

Eli Lilly: $66,250 across five states

Eli Lilly says it is working to remove "any hidden barriers for women and minorities – to pave the way for a more open, engaging and inclusive culture for everyone."

The company donated at least $66,250 to politicians that advocated for and enacted abortion bans in five states.

$3,000 to Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr

$1,000 to Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden

$30,000 to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey

$3,000 to Alabama House Speaker Mac McCutcheon $2,000 to Alabama Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed

$4,000 to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp

$2,500 to Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan

$1,000 to Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant $7,000 to Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn

$1,000 to Mississippi Lt. Governor Tate Reeves $1,000 to Mississippi Senate President Pro Tempore Terry Burton

$5,000 to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine $5,750 to Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof

Coca-Cola: $40,800 across five states

Coca-Cola says there "is overwhelming evidence that achieving equality and empowerment for women has both immediate impacts that benefit them directly and broader ripple effects that are good for society."

The company donated at least $40,800 to politicians that advocated for and enacted abortion bans in five states.

$10,000 to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey

$2,500 to Alabama Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth $2,500 to Alabama Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed

$6,600 to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp

$2,600 to Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan $2,600 to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston $500 to Georgia Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan

$500 to Kentucky Speaker David Osborne

$500 to Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers

$2,500 to Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer $6,500 to Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn

$2,500 to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine $1,000 to Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof

Aetna: $26,600 across four states

Aetna touts its commitment to women and its reliance on women as customers. "Women influence 80% of purchasing decisions today. They are the largest consumer and workforce group. Women’s views on health care and health care services are critical to our success," the company says.

The company donated at least $26,600 to politicians that advocated for and enacted abortion bans in four states.

$1,000 to Missouri Governor Mike Parson

$1,000 to Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr

$6,600 to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp

$2,500 to Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan $4,500 to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston

$2,000 to Kentucky Speaker David Osborne $750 to Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer $3,000 to Ohio House Speaker Ryan Smith $5,250 to Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof

[lexingtonrolodex]

drawing, circa 1975, Phil Ralston artist

[docrotten]

DRAGONSLAYER (1981) – Episode 222 – Decades Of Horror 1980s

“You’ll be dead Galen Bradwarden, Sorcerer’s Apprentice. You’ll be dead, the dragon will still be alive, and I’ll still be a virgin! You’ll be dead, and I don’t care!” Sounds like a good foundation for a lasting relationship, right? Join your faithful Grue-Crew – Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, Crystal Cleveland, and Jeff Mohr  – as they check out probably the most realistic dragon (did I hear someone say wyvern?) set to film in Dragonslayer (1981).

Decades of Horror 1980s Episode 222 – Dragonslayer (1981)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

A King has made a pact with a dragon where he sacrifices virgins to it, and the dragon leaves his kingdom alone. An old wizard, and his keen young apprentice volunteer to kill the dragon and attempt to save the next virgin in line, the King’s own daughter.

  Director: Matthew Robbins

Writers: Hal Barwood, Matthew Robbins

Music by: Alex North

Cinematography by: Derek Vanlint (director of photography)

Film Editing by: Tony Lawson

Visual Effects by:

Sam Comstock (animation supervisor: ILM)

Alan Maley (matte painting supervisor: ILM)

Dennis Muren (supervisor of special visual effects: ILM)

Ken Ralston (dragon supervisor: ILM)

Thomas G. Smith (effects production supervisor: ILM) (as Thomas Smith)

Phil Tippett (dragon supervisor: ILM)

Gene Whiteman (equipment engineering supervisor: ILM)

Selected Cast:

Peter MacNicol as Galen Bradwarden

Caitlin Clarke as Valerian

Ralph Richardson as Ulrich of Cragganmore

John Hallam as Tyrian

Peter Eyre as King Casiodorus Ulfilas

Albert Salmi as Greil (dubbed by Norman Rodway)

Sydney Bromley as Hodge

Chloe Salaman as Princess Elspeth Ulfilas

Emrys James as Simon (Valerian’s Father)

Roger Kemp as Horsrick, Casiodorus’s Chamberlain

Ian McDiarmid as Brother Jacopus

Dragonslayer is Bill’s pick. Surprise! He had read about the technique called go-motion and really enjoys it, calling Vermathrax Pejorative one of the greatest dragons ever put on film. It is also one of his favorite kinds of fantasy movies; one where the world is messy and dirty, and a noble character does not get rescued despite audience expectations.

Crystal labels Dragonslayer as one of her all-time favorite movies. It would not be nearly so memorable for her without the special effects and the dragon. She also points out that technically, it is a wyvern, not a dragon.  Not a big fan of pure fantasy movies, Jeff loves seeing Dragonslayer for the first time, especially the work from professionals like Phil Tippett & Dennis Muren. The Grue-Crew is universally impressed with Caitlin Clarke’s performance as Valerian and wishes that she was given much more work as a female lead.

If you’re in the mood for a great fire-breathing wyvern, née dragon, you can’t do better than Dragonslayer. At the time of this writing, it is available to stream from Kanopy, Prime, and Paramount+. As far as physical media, a Blu-ray version of Dragonslayer is scheduled for a 21 March 2023 release from Paramount.

Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Crystal, will be Pet Sematary (1989), directed by Mary Lambert from the novel and screenplay by Stephen King. Sometimes, dead is better.

Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans – so leave them a message or comment on the gruesome Magazine Youtube channel, on the website, or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.

Check out this episode!

[matthewmalik]

Somebody Dropped This Off At My Mother's House About 11 Years Ago - Using My Autistic Brother As A Vehicle (Which I Think Could Be Criminal In Nature - When My Brother Was Sort Of Working At HMV -- The Music Store Downtown Toronto)

I'm Pretty Sure It Was Targeted At Me -- As An Insult -- And The Insult Was Then Multiplied After I Was Hired As A Food Preparation Part-Time Person At Fortino's

I Still Don't Know Who Or How -- But The Key Words Are "NO MONEY" In This - Although I Now Know Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Warren Buffett . Barack Obama . As Well As Starbucks America Founder "Howard Schultz", Kris Jenner, Martha Stewart, George Lucas, And Mark Zuckerberg, Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Tom Cruise, Wayne Gretzky And Oprah Winfrey (And I Bought My First Pair Of Jordan Sneekers In The Past Year -- YAY! )

So Somebody "Digging" In The Fact That I Have No Money - Seems To Indicate Some Issue That They Have With Me Personally - An Insecurity Of Their Own? I'm Not Sure. I've Never Been In A Hot Tub With Women In This Sense, I Like Books, Quiet And Down Time, And Never Has Such A Goal As The Individual Depicted On The Cover Of This DVD.

In Terms Of My Own Canadian-NESS -- My Favorite Canadians, Or The Canadians I Identify With Are People Like Margaret Attwood, Sarah Polley, Marshall McLuhan, Leonard Cohen, Robertson Davies, John Ralston Saul, Robert Bateman, Floria Sigismondi, Daniel Lanois, Mordecai Richler, The Headstones, The Tragically Hip, Alan Cross, Robbie Robertson, Moses Znaimer, Etc -- And I Have Great Respect For Athletes -- Something That I Was Never Naturally Good At .... (Athletics) Canadian Athletes Like Wayne Gretzky, Tie Domi, Georges Laraque, Georges St Pierre, Patrick Chan, Tessa Virtue And Scott Moir.

--------------

People Who Are Also BALD -- The Second Insult -- I Think Somebody Tried To Dig In -- By Being Obsessed By Something And Ignoring The Human Rights Of People Around Me -- Being A Nuisance - And "USURPING" Influence Without My Permission -- Deliberately Hurting Other People -- Perhaps Damaging Them Irreparably

OTHER BALD MALE SPECIMEN OF INFLUENCE -- ALL WHO I LIKE

Hugh Dillon

Bruce Willis

Stone Cold Steve Austin

Bill Goldberg

Royce Gracie

Dwayne The Rock Johnson

Dr Phil McGraw

Jason Statham

Jet Li (Sometimes)

Stephen Covey

Wayne Dyer

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Dragonslayer (1981)

[wasteland-unused]

I recently discovered a dragon that could act as the boss for Beastly Kingdom, it's Vermithrax Pejorative for Dragonslayer (1981). Although I don't know much about the film aside from it being one of first darker films Disney made in the 80s, and the effects on the Dragon still look great (I'd suggest looking at the fight scene).

According to The Disney Wiki:

Twenty-five percent of the film’s budget went into the special effects to bring the dragon to life. Graphic artist David Bunnet was assigned to design the look of the dragon, and was fed ideas on the mechanics on how the dragon would move, and then rendered the concepts on paper. It was decided early on in production that as the film’s most important sequence would have been the final battle, it was deemed necessary to design a dragon with an emphasis on its flying abilities.[1] According to Bunnet, “Designing a dragon isn’t just a matter of sticking wings on a dinosaur… Vermithrax is 40 feet long, with a wingspan of 90 feet. But she had to look light enough to fly. So most of her weight is at the head, neck, and shoulders. The rest of her is pretty streamlined.”[2] Although conceived as a creature of magical origin, screenwriter Hal Barwood envisioned Vermithrax with various rules of evolution kept in mind; for instance, making her a four limbed animal, in concordance with vertebrate biology. Barwood himself was inspired by the body plan of the Jurassic pterosaur Rhamphorhynchus.[3] As well as following Barwood’s directions, Bunnet also designed the dragon to have a degree of personality, deliberately trying to avoid creating something like the titular creature from Alien, which he believed was “too hideous to look at”.[1] Specifically, he incorporated a bony ridge over the eyes, which swept over the temples and merged into the horns, giving the creature a notable frown. He also modeled the articulation of its jaw on that of rattlesnakes, as a single pivot jaw made it look too duck-like. In keeping with the necessity of the dragon being aerodynamic, its feet were modeled on those of birds, specifically chickens.[3]

After Bunnet handed his storyboard panels to the film crew, it was decided that the dragon would have to be realized with a wide variety of techniques: the resulting dragon on film is a composite of several different models. Phil Tippett of Industrial Light & Magic finalized the dragon’s design,[1] making several cosmetic changes, such as making the wings more bat-like rather than pterosaur-like.[3] He then sculpted a reference model which Danny Lee of Disney Studios closely followed in constructing the larger dragon props for closeup shots. Two months later, Lee’s team finished building a sixteen-foot head and neck assembly, a twenty-foot tail, thighs and legs, claws capable of grabbing a man, and a 30 ft wing section. The parts were flown to Pinewood Studios outside London in the cargo hold of a Boeing 747. Brian Johnson was hired to supervise the special effects, and began planning both on and off-set effects with various special effects specialists.[1]

After the completion of principal shooting, a special effects team of eighty people at ILM studios in northern California worked eight months in producing 160 composite shots of the dragon. Chris Walas sculpted and operated the dragon head used for close-up shots. The model was animated by a combination of radio controls, cable controls, air bladders, levers and by hand, thus giving the illusion of a fully coordinated face with a wide range of expression.[1]

Phil Tippett built a model for the scenes in which the dragon would be required to walk. Tippett did not want to use standard stop motion animation techniques, and had his team build a dragon model which would move during each exposure rather than in between as was once the standard. This process, named “go motion” by Tippett, recorded the creature’s movements in motion as a real animal would move, and removed the jerkiness common in prior stop motion films.[1]

Ken Ralston was assigned to the flying scenes. He built a model with an articulated aluminium skeleton in order to give it a wide range of motion. Ralston shot films of birds flying in order to incorporate their movements into the model. As with the walking dragon, the flying model was filmed using go-motion techniques. The camera was programmed to tilt and move at various angles in order to convey the sensation of flight.[1]

I’m not entirely sure how a dragon with so many different effects would look in Wasteland, though. I’d have to do more research, but it would likely be an animatronic.

[jshatan]

It’s a Day 27 of the #CPRWVINYLCHALLENGE2021 by @colinsprw: Future Classic (Last 3 Years) Andy Jenkins - Sweet Bunch (Spacebomb, 2018) This album has it all! A laid/back vibe combined with meticulous arrangements and production (by the great Matthew E. White). Sharp performances by Jenkins and the Spacebomb crew: Alan Parker, Phil Cook, Cameron Ralston, and Pinson Chanselle. Great songs with hook after hook after hook. One listen and it won’t let go. For me, it’s already a classic! #januaryvinylchallenge #vinylcommunity #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylgram #vinylgeek #vinylcollector @_andy_jenkins @spacebomb #indierock #americana #rockmusic #bestof2018 @philcookmusic @matthewewhite @cameronthewise https://www.instagram.com/p/CKkeJNzgVT0/?igshid=h8fpxpffueb2