Sunday, December 28, 2008

found on Flickr

Myvintagevogue's photostream for tons of fashion and vintage pics. The above is from the b&w celebrities gallery-- gorgeous b&w of golden age actresses. Below is from the 1950s set. Lots to look at!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Ben Templesmith's The Presidents of the United States

which we reported earlier this fall, is now available for pre-order on Amazon, though I'm not sure when it's actually being released. To get all hyped up for it, check out Mr Templesmith's blog, which has scans of the likes of TR, FDR, Filmore, and others. They're looking really great, and I can't wait to see the book when it comes out!

Friday, December 19, 2008

White Christmas [1992 edition]

In looking for album images, I've found that there are in fact two White Christmas albums, this one and this one here, which I'm posting here because I think it's a lot better. Granted, it's the one I grew up with, so there's massive personal bias, what sets it apart is the warmth and nostalgia that comes from its format: it's a recording of a radio show, and the album includes Bing's jokes and chatter. If you read the reviews, some people don't like that, and to them I say: You are probably communiss. Anyway, this one also leaves out the ethnic novelty songs, which, while they have their own charm, don't quite measure up to the content of this 1992 edition. The dialogue is fun, the arrangments "bouncy," and you get 15 tracks of Crosby in his popular element.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

LIFE photo archive hosted on Google

This is a great resource for photos, especially for candid shoots. Search format/start page here. I'll try to post some favorites as I explore the archive.

The photos are also available for purchase. It's pricey, but if you can find a way to buy it without the frame (I'm not sure if this is an option, I really wish it would be), these photos would make beautiful personalized gifts. The photos themselves are of good quality; if you have a good printer and some nice photofinish paper, it might make a fun gift to go with a nice frame from a vintage or thrift shop to go with it.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Bing & Bowie

The tradition Bing & Bowie posting, this time with mp3s.



Shrek the Halls [2007]

As with the Shrek movies, the charm and hilarity is in the details, including one of the pigs flying around the room singing Ride of the Valkyrie, Puss' inability to ignore small balls and just the fact that it's ANTONIO BANDERAS, and how darn cute everything is. The plot and message are what you would expect, but it doesn't lose the more "adult" jokes of the films (especially at the start with the holiday rush, the cross-dressing wolf, Gingi in general.)


BABIES!

Gift Ideas: 5 Jewelry-Things!

I meant to put this up before Cyber Monday since most of these sites were having sales (this being the first year I'd even heard of this Cyber-Monday thing), but Final Paper Deadline Tuesday prevented that from happening. Still, you can at least browse the websites and see if you like anything :]

From left to right: Orange Earrings from KnitKnit @Etsy | Heart Attack from LuckyLooLoo | Happy Robot Earrings from Shana Logic | Mexican Loteria Charm Necklace by Sweet Romance from Pin Up Girl Clothing | Handy Girl Necklace Set (of 3) by Girls With Tools from Shana Logic

Sunday, December 14, 2008

National Geographic: Best Science Images of 2008


[Clockwise from left: squid suckers, the Bible references charted, Mediterranean diatoms, an excited string.]

You don't have to be a science-y person (as I call them) to appreciate these images. A number of these photos have been colored for reference, and they all represent patterns found in the natural world; the results are stunning. Check out the gallery here.

Check out the other galleries, too, including the one showing Giant, Unknown Animals Found Off Antarctica (9" sea spiders, yikes! and the intriguingly named stareater) and Best Wild Animal Photos (including what you probably won't be eating for Christmas dinner-- read the description-- and the law of the jungle.)

"Orphan Earl" (The My Name Is Earl Christmas Episode)


"Orphan Earl" [via hulu]

Next item on the list: Earl must help the victim of a scam he started years ago and that Joy and her friends have been carrying on since.

Christmas With the Rat Pack

Pure class and an awesome cover design, to boot.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Vintage Christmas Pinups!

& More!

Cold!

According to that source, this song was debuted by composer Frank Loesser and his wife at one of their parties. The rights were sold to MGM, who used the song in Neptune's Daughter not once but twice-- sung by Ester Williams and Ricardo Montalban and the other by Red Skelton and Betty Garrett. I have the former linked down there. Loesser won himself an Academy Award for the song. On the sheet music, the female is "The Mouse" and the man is "The Wolf." Gives new meaning to that "Say, what's in this drink?" line, huh.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Van Johnson dies at 92

10 DVD Gift Ideas

Because we here at sayNA want to help you out this holiday season :) These DVDs are fancy, quality cinema, and oh-so-pretty. And guess what? All under $50! (The links go to Amazon, but if you're interested in any of these, check out half.com & Amazon Marketplace, too.)

1 & 2. Godfather Part I & Part II, Coppola Restorations

3 & 4. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy & Smiley's People

5. Hellboy II: The Golden Army, 3 Disc Special Edition

6. Burn Notice, Season 1

7. The Complete Thin Man Collection: The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man / The Thin Man Goes Home / Song of the Thin Man / Alias Nick and Nora

8. The Premier Frank Capra Collection: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington / It Happened One Night / You Can't Take It with You / Mr. Deeds Goes to Town / American Madness / Frank Capra's American Dream

9. Rio Bravo: 2-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition: Features

10. John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection: The Searchers Ultimate Edition / Stagecoach Two-Disc Special Edition / Fort Apache / She Wore a Yellow Ribbon / The Long Voyage Home / They Were Expendable / 3 Godfathers / The Wings of Eagles

Feel Good Holiday Movie: Last Holiday

Okay, so maybe a movie starring Queen Latifah and LL Cool J about a woman with three weeks left to live might not be everybody's cup of tea, but I have always found Queen Latifah to have an extremely pleasing on-screen presence ("It's clear that Queen Latifah is a proper, old school movie star - the camera loves her and her constantly upbeat screen persona is extremely likeable") and this movie, if it sounds remotely like your kind of thing, is a sweet-natured feel-good holiday movie. (I have not seen the original, starring out favorite, Sir Alec Guinness.)

Queen Latifah's character, Georgia Byrd, is a wallflower department store clerk who is incapable of carpe diem'ing her life; she cooks gourmet dinners that she does not eat, and she has a crush on a co-worker (LL Cool J) that, despite his reception, she cannot act on (though she keeps using her store discount to buy bbq grills from his department.) When she finds out she has only weeks to live and that her health care will not cover the operation, she pulls all her money from the bank and embarks on her dream vacation to a luxury hotel where her favorite chef, played by Gerard Depardieu, cooks. It's not the most unpredictable plot ever, and as you can expect, Queen Latifah teaches people lessons (like how real people order food) and is very charming, but if what you need is some light holiday fare for a slow afternoon, this is perfect.

Last Holiday (in parts, Youtube):

Bettie Page dies at age 85

Read more.

Monday, December 08, 2008

Friday, December 05, 2008

"I swear I could almost smell the honeysuckle blossoms."

"That's me. Barber."






So I'm writing a really shitty paper that is absolutely driving me crazy on John Ford's fabulous My Darling Clementine (Fox, 1946). The movie is great. Henry Fonda is great. The above sequences are great. So are most of the other ones. My paper is not. Oh well.


this is on a completely unrelated note, but anyone have the soundtrack for that fabulous animated movie Anastasia? this one here?

Happy Repeal Day!

(as if we need an excuse)

It's easy! There are no outfits to buy, costumes to rent, rivers to dye green. Simply celebrate the day by stopping by your local bar, tavern, saloon, winery, distillery, or brewhouse and having a drink. Pick up a six-pack on your way home from work. Split a bottle of wine with a loved one. Buy a shot for a stranger. Just do it because you can [from the Official Repeal Day website]

It's actually probably gonna be a quiet night for me (finals!), but I've got my heart set on some Winter Warmer. Cheers!

Celebrate by listening to some music--

Roger Alan Wade's All Likkered Up is on sale for the holidays. Featuring "All Likkered Up" and "My Baby Loves Malt Liquor," some sayNA favorites.

or, celebrate by watching America's booziest favorite couple-- watch The Thin Man [9 parts, youtube]. Or watch some of that Nascar.

First Season Fresh Prince Christmas Episode

Cos it's deeply, deeply dope.

Will tries to bring the holiday spirit to his aunt and uncle's house. When the neighbors complain about his decorations, an old-executive power intercedes (cos Nancy won't let him do anything fun to the house.) Evander Holyfield makes a guest appearance. Check out the absurd decorator in Part II, who tells us that "the 90s are going to be all about. . . restraint."

Enjoy!

Here is what the guy playing Gambit in that new Wolverine movie looks like.

Um, yuck?
I'll probably see it anyway. . . check out the Comic Con trailer here.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Diggin' the new Beyonce Videos

Or maybe they're not new-- I can't keep up with the kids these days. Not sure how much I like the songs themselves, though "Single Ladies" is insidiously catchy. But I saw this first one of the plane ride back this weekend. A cool concept. The first few seconds make it look like a PSA about respecting your woman, either that or a male enhancement ad, but get past that and there's a cool, without being overbearing, look at gender double-standards.

And the second, it's just fun to watch because Beyonce & her backup dancers are very good. Some of the Gwen Verdon-esque moves are a little wacky, but considering they're all wearing heels and probably corsets or control tops. . . Also, check out the now famous SNL sketch (I think this is it?)

As for this whole Sasha Fierce thing, I'm really not sure what's up with that, but looking at that robo-hand she's got on makes it clear that she ran afoul of a Sith Lord she's possibly related to.

Oi! to the World

Kicking off the holiday season with our traditional Vandals' Christmas album post! Oi to the World features the title track, a crazy punk rock Tchaikovsky track, and one of my favorites, "Nothing's Gonna Ruin My Holidays."

The Vandals will be playing 3 Christmas shows. Hopefully they won't last-minute cancel sans explanation a la 2007 Warped Tour.

Dec 19 2008 @ SLIM’S
San Francisco, California
w/Goodbye Gadget and Time Again

Dec 20 2008 @ House of Blues Disneyland
Anaheim, california
w/ the aggrolites

Dec 21 2008 @ House Of Blues
San Diego, California
w/ The Phenomenauts

 

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