Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Double Feature Puppies: 'The World's Most Stupidest Dog' and 'Baily Beagle Plays Dead'

Morty at the Movies with Morty the CatMy cat Morty is ready to go Halloween hairball-or-treating for bite-size chum and popcorn shrimp. 

One of the ways he gets into the mood is by watching movies of the supernatural -- meaning, dogs. Here are a couple of spooky shows, according to the kit. There's a snarling monster and another about the undead.


"The World's Most Stupidestt Dog" via YouTube


"Baily Beagle Plays Dead" via YouTube

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Mikellaneous

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My Recent Confessions and Observations on Twitter:

Bought the trick-or-treat candy today & finished it off within the hour. I am slowing in my old age. Back to the store tomorrow. Mmmm...

I was just informed "Your blog post published successfully!" YESSSS!! Phew! That's 1732 in a row. This streak is getting burdensome.

See what I do here: Looking forward to the eye doctor.

I haven't been inside an airplane since 1974. Is it any wonder? Even these aerial photos make me nervous, but wow!

29 years married & I don't know what I've gotten into. I picked up a bottle in the tub: Vanilla Bean Noel Shimmering Shower Gel. What th--?

My cataract surgery is a success, sez my doc. I'm doing better than most and amazingly I can play the piano. You saps who took lessons, HA!!

Fall is here, which I love 'cause it means I've successfully procrastinated spring cleaning for six months. Six more to go! Fingers crossed!

Rainy day ruins everything. No yard work. ... No washing the car. ... Elphaba failed to show up for brunch....

I'm still shaken by the gigantic spider we found in our bedroom. That monster was HUGE! He had 3 legs in storage! Didn't need 'em! Overkill!

The cataract replacement lens is working great. I've walked into only 6 doorknobs & a pack of large trolls. The growth hormones not so good.

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Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Big Weekend

Big weekend at the bank vault, visiting our upper row safety deposit box. Here is the room as we found it: 


Mice.

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Meanwhile...

Cat photos: Where's Morty?


Morty's watching "Bunnies in Paper Cups," which he finds sadly lacking compared to "Ocean Whitefish and Tuna in Sauce in a Whiskas® Pouch" and "Cod and Shrimp in a Dish With a Kitty Paw Print Drawn on It."

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Big Weekend

Big weekend at a fall festival, subjected to kid beam-girl, belting out heinous songs from "Annie" and then some, and then some more, followed by two and one-half hours of divas-dueling "Dreamgirls."

Big weekend of adenoidal caterwauling!

Big weekend IN HELL!!

Shush.

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Tati Tales

I missed the birthday (Oct. 9) of the French film-maker, writer, and comedian Jacques Tati (1907-1982). He directed only nine pictures, largely sound era silent movies of sorts, but he is considered one of the top masters in cinema circles and internationally beloved for his iconic screen character, the quirky Monsieur Hulot.

I brought some clips.



"Mon Oncle" (1958) via YouTube



"Monsieur Hulot's Holiday" (1953) via YouTube



The postman in "Jour de FĂȘte" (1949) via YouTube


Thanks to Frank Thompson

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Rear Window


The Fabulous Fox Theatre on Atlanta's Peachtree St. 

I took that picture last November, near dawn, driving in to begin my work at the showplace on "Radio City Christmas Spectacular."

Fans of the venue have seen numerous photographs of the famous marquee and building frontage during its 81-year history. I doubt, however, you've caught this next view of the same area, snapped near dusk:


From the Projection Room Potty Portal

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

What the Heck Was I Thinking?

Actual Messages I Wrote, Forgot, Then Found While Cleaning Out My Correspondence Folders 

05/14/09 

I'd like to have those things. We're running low on clutter. 

05/23/09

Watched THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (1941) tonight for the first time. Good and fascinating. I'm told Daniel Webster is related to me, distant cousin or something. He never writes.

06/01/09

On behalf of Cheetos, let me just say, I HATE YOU!!

06/05/09

Beauty. It's the next best thing to Agnes Moorehead on a raft.

06/02/09

The good news is I cleaned out my car. Want some six-year-old Life Savers? Never been opened.

06/03/09

Oh, we don't hate you, Scott. We're grateful to learn this bad news, although I think we're now kaput on Mallowmars.

I rarely eat whole eggs, but do the Eggbeaters thang. I'm down to only a beak or two a month.

Well, I'm feeling ready for a snack. Tonight: cinderblock. Low sodium and stays crunchy in coconut milk. You can also break into the coconut with it.

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Big Weekend

Big weekend, our Wal-Mart got a brand new sign!


I ogled it lovingly, mostly because I can recycle this joke.

Business must be bad. They laid off the hyphen.

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Mikellaneous

Follow Mike on Twitter
My Recent Confessions and Observations on Twitter

I played Hard-Boiled Egg Roulette in my refrigerator today and won! I picked the correct egg. Cracked the shells on Donna's pudding, though.

Steve Martin has joined Twitter. I guess he got, oh oh, Happy Tweet!!! You can use that, Steve. http://twitter.com/STEVEMARTINTOGO

Reading 1970 PEANUTS. The battery has gone out on Snoopy's electric socks. ... *sigh* ... Why wasn't I told of this wondrous invention?

I can tell it has turned cooler. I moved back into my slippers.... I figure by the weekend I'll have to give up the fireflies jar & snorkel.

At #2507, I failed to acknowledge my 2500th tweet. Help yourself to the leftover cake and Beano.

L.A. hits all-time high: 117 degrees. Still not sterile.

Congratulations, Geraldo, celebrating 40 years of moustache nits!

"Sharktopus" is trending on Twitter. Could be a teaching moment. When Sharktopi swallow blood, do they hold out their dainty pinky tentacle?

Actual conversation: My wife informed me the cats are MY children, not hers. I said, "You've had my DNA checked, haven't you?"

Headline: "Man hides stolen earrings in butt." He could face 20 years in prison and "Aw, just keep 'em."

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Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Big Weekend

Big weekend, shopping for sweaters. 


I was hoping for something more periwinkle or argyle.

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Remembering Stoney Curtis

On Sept. 29, actor Tony Curtis died. The following day was the 50th anniversary of the premiere of "The Flintstones." Curtis, as it so happens, is fondly recalled for having voiced his caveman incarnation in a 1965 episode, "The Return of Stoney Curtis."


"The Flintstones: The Return of Stoney Curtis" Excerpts (1965) via YouTube

I'm Mike Durrett, your slave boy.

I've always wanted to say that.

Mike Durrett: CONFIDENTIAL

Back to Bedrock

Fifty years ago this morning, I opened my eyes to a great new old world -- a place called Bedrock. The previous evening, "The Flintstones" debuted on prime time network television and I was there.


"The Flintstones" Show Opening (1960) via YouTube

Fred and Wilma advertising Winston Cigarettes ...Image via Wikipedia
The strange, comical, prehistoric universe of Fred and Wilma and Dino Flintstone, plus their nifty neighbors, Barney and Betty Rubble, was too delicious for this 8-year-old Neanderthal to resist. My friends, too. "The Flintstones" became the first communal obsession of our youth, followed, three months later, by Walt Disney's "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" and, three years down the path, Beatlemania.

What had been intended as TV's first animated sitcom for adults — note the product placement for Winston cigarettes — was hijacked by children. We loved the show and were soon teaching ourselves to doodle the characters' pictures during school. I can draw Fred at the click of a pen or the hammer of a chisel.


"The Flintstones" Winston Cigarettes Commercial and Winston End Credits via YouTube

It wasn't long before producers Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera revamped the concept to pander to kids with the introduction of tot Pebbles (followed quickly by Bamm-Bamm). Great move, boys. The moment that happened — February 2, 10,000 B.C. (We were on tape delay) — the show was altered and ruined forever.

The TV rule of "adding brats to beloved formats doesn't work" was proven once again, or so I told "Lucy" loser Little Ricky.

The chums and I were out of there, moving on to something else, maybe Arithmetic, but probably "The Jetsons."

My first-run "Flintstones" experience was entirely in black-and-white, which was the broadcast norm in 1960. On this page, I've featured the original opening sequence from seasons one and two of the series, plus the end credits for Winston. My memory is the cigarette company was an alternating sponsor, so not prominent each week; therefore, here's a somewhat reworked *generic* closing taken from the color elements.


"The Flintstones" End Sequence (1960) via YouTube

I prefer the early "Flintstones" title sequences. I owned the vinyl record of the superior, jazzy theme, "Rise and Shine," and played the tune incessantly in my bedroom. There were additional musical selections, including the toe-tapping "Split Level Cave."

But, after 48 years of repetitive TV exposure, the updated "Meet the Flintstones" title footage is better known. I like it well enough. With its drive-in theatre imagery, how could I not?


"The Flintstones" Updated Opening via YouTube


"The Flintstones" Updated Closing via YouTube

Eventually, the animation was expanded to include Pebbles and the Rubbles, joining Wilma, Fred, Dino, and the cat on their night out at the movies:


"The Flintstones" Opening With Pebbles and the Rubbles (1964) via YouTube

The closing with the children and Barney and Betty can be seen in this foreign adaptation, although the music track is different than in the U.S. version:


"The Flintstones" Closing With Pebbles and the Rubbles (1964) via YouTube

Now, I must go take a shower. Cue the elephant...
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