Since my last post concerning the Lego movie, and because of all the recent success surrounding toy-based movies like Transformers and GI-Joe. I decided to make a few pitches for other possible plaything motion pictures.For the most part, I'm veering away from the obvious. Smurfs, Care Bears, Cabbage Patch Dolls and Mr. Potato Head won't get a pitch from me. I'm also avoiding toys that wouldn't have a great box office draw. Let's face it, no one is going to go to a Lincoln Log movie and a Silly Putty versus Slinky flick won't cut the mustard.But there are some forgotten toys that I feel need my help. Toys that are too young for the antique shop and too old for the rummage sale.
Teddy Ruxpin
This is a toy I was never fortunate enough to had. But the commercials always amazed me, and I didn't rent some of his videos on VHS from Jones Intercable back in the day. Ruxpin was an animatronic teddy bear who had a tape-deck in his back that controlled his movements. Teddy Ruxpin also had a wormy caterpillar friend named Grubby. I think it's about time Ruxpin makes a comeback.
Any investors out there let me know and I'll start working on the script.
Alphie and Magic Mike
Artificial Intelligence is a subject that has captured the imaginations of many filmmakers. A couple of AI toys I played with as a youngin' were the kid computer Alphie and the robot on wheels Magic Mike.
Alphie was an educational toy. You stuck flashcards in his belly and Alphie would make happy noises and flash his face, if you got it right. If you got it wrong he made a sad noise that made you feel like you had really let him down.
I got Magic Mike for Christmas one year. It was also the first year I ever found where my parents hid the presents. When you turned him on he started rolling around and would bounce of the wall and start going in a different direction. We used him to feed milkbones to our dog. The coolest part about Magic Mike was that he blew puffs of smoke out his mouth. But it did kind of stink up the house.
Maybe these guys would be better in supporting roles.
Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake
I didn't know a lot about the girl toys and cartoons, but there are a couple I remember. Once I found a Strawberry Shortcake toy underneath the gum and candy bars by the cash register at a Red Owl grocery store. It smelled like you could eat it. But my mom told me some kid might have lost it and want it back, so I put it back underneath the gum.
From what I do remember about Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake both were super happy love everyone kind of characters. Maybe they should team up to fight Gargamel from the Smurfs.
Stretch Armstrong
Here's a guy who definitely deserves his own movie. I be a lot more kids had a Stretch Armstrong than a Green Lantern action figure. The look of tenacity on his face gave me the courage to carry on and take on all the challenges of childhood. Ok, maybe not. There have been some movies with heroes that have skills similar to Stretch. But Mr. Armstrong is an "everyman." All it takes to defeat him is a kid who pulls hard enough to make that weird goopy stuff ooze out. I think it would be a great roll for Packers Linebacker AJ Hawk if he ever tried to act
Board Game Movies I heard they're going to remake the Clue movie. So why not make a film out other board games. Take Hungry Hungry Hippos! If Pixar and Hasbro team up they could make some really memorable characters out of this game. Although it may not be great for preventing childhood obesity.
My other board game suggestions would be Mouse Trap for a kids Action Adventure film, (kind of like Jumanji in a cartoon world) and Don't Wake Daddy would make a great Family Comedy.
My Buddy
I never had one of these either. The only thing that made we want one was the kid in the commercial also had a Power Wheels truck and looked like he was having a lot of fun. I already had a Cabbage Patch Doll, and my parents probably figured that was enough dolls. There was also the Kid Sister doll for the girls. I don't know what exactly would make a good movie idea for a My Budy doll. I mean they already have Chuckie movies.
Bravestarr
Finally, my pet project, the Bravestarr movie. I usually have to jog memories pretty hard to get people to recall this cartoon and line of toys. It was all about a planet called New Texas and the Marshal Bravestarr who fought off the villain Tex Hex. It was created by the company Filmation, which also gave us Ghostbusters. Columbia Pictures bought the right to Ghostbusters, maybe they should do the same with Bravestarr. Here's the tagline to the Bravestarr cartoon.
We needed a hundred lawmen to tame New Texas. We got one. You know something? He was enough.
Yes, it's true, Hollywood is once again looking to the Toy Department to find inspiration for its next "block"-buster. I found the article on Variety.com yesterday, and could hardly believe my eyes. The toy that defined my childhood will most likely become the basis of a new movie backed by Warner Brothers. According to the article, the movie will be part live action, part animation.
Dan and Kevin Hageman are writing the script. The brothers are pretty new to the writing scene, (at least as far as getting scripts made) IMDB lists all projects as in development. There's no word on a director yet, but Variety says Dan Lin, who is Executive Producer of Guy Ritchie's new Sherlock Homes movie starring Robert Downey Jr. is also producing the Lego-flick. The plot of the film is being kept under wraps for now.(Read the Variety Article)
Hollywood has had some pretty good luck with toy based movies lately. GI Joe is doing well at the box office, and both Transformers movies have also made big bucks. For the studios and the toy companies it's the perfect chance to sell some merchandise to a new generation of kids.
When I was growing up, Legos had to be my favorite toy. When I played by myself I would create entire worlds and storylines. There would be a character based on myself, and usually a girl who I would rescue from the bad guys. The bad guys were one of my favorite creations. My friends and I made what we called the "blockheads." Remember the mean characters on Gumby? Well, if you take a regular Lego brick and stick it on the neck of a Lego body, you can creat all different sorts of Lego species. Usually things would escalate to all out war until I had to start rebuilding all over again. Legos allowed me and my friends to be creative, you could create a world where you could be anything you wanted.
Today, things are a little less imaginitive. Legos have already gone into the cross-marketing game. You can buy sets that are based on Star Wars, Batman, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter - just to name a few. As kids, we played Star Wars Legos long before the actual sets were created. Stick a black knight helmet or maybe a space helmet on a Lego space-man and you've got your Darth Vader. Yoda and Chewey were a little harder, but the cool thing about Legos is you could also bring other toys into that world.
Besides Legos based on pop-culture, there are even extremely popular video games where you can play as Lego characters. That's another idea that seems a I just don't get. I guess I understand playing Star Wars Legos, but why would you want to play a video game like that? Why not just play a Star Wars video game? I suppose if the game is fun, the game is fun. I'm still trying to beat Super Mario Bros. for NES, so I'm not one to talk about gaming.
I always had a little bit of "Lego-envy" against the kids who had the sets I wasn't lucky enough to get. Particularly the Lego Pirate Ships. I was a big fan of the pirate sets because they had some of the most interesting characters. I'd combine Space Legos with Pirate Legos to make SPACE PIRATES! Nowadays, there are a ton of different characters to pick from. I've noticed that not all Lego men have that same smile on their yellow faces. Some of them look downright angry and mean!
Plus, Legos are no longer one race, you can now find minority Lego people. This way kids can reenact the confrontation between Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and Sgt James Crowley, and then hold a Lego Beer Summit at the Lego White House.
Some people who were fans of GI Joe and Transformers were disappointed with the movie version of the favorite toys. You can't always feel like a kid again when you see movies like that. Remember, they're intended for a new audience. So maybe your kids will enjoy playing with GI Joes and you can remind them that "knowing is half the battle." Even though Legos are more commercial than they were for previous generations, at least this movie could encourage kids to be creative. I already bought a big bag of Duplos for my unborn son at a rummage sale.
There is definitely evidence that kids are still coming up with their own ideas with Legos. A recent fad on the internet is what's sometimes referred to as "Brick Films." It's stop-motion animation using Legos. Here is one of my favorties, it's also one of the wierdest.
Examiner.com, a national web service based in Denver, Colorado has expanded it's reach to 20 new U.S. cities including Green Bay (read the press release). Basically it is a collection of local writers. The content is extremely varied from News, Politics and Sports, to Arts and Entertainment to Bars and Restaurants.
Here's the idea: Examiner.com recruits local writers who are potential "experts" on a certain topic. That topic could be as broad as Green Bay Top News, or as specific as The Michelle Obama Examiner or the Britney Spears Examiner. If it's a topic that gets a lot of hits, then it's probably a topic on Examiner.com
I'd been keeping an eye on this site because it seemed legitimate and interesting. However, for quite some time, the only Wisconsin communities it was based in was Milwaukee and Madison. Now that the service has expanded to Green Bay, I've started writing. Please feel free to check it out, and let me know what you think. Criticism and the pointing out of spelling, punctuation, factual and grammatical errors are welcome.
Examiners are paid what the site calls a "competitive rate." It's based on the number of page views and subscribers. You can apply to write for your hometown, or there are also national Examiners. You can even create your own idea for a topic and apply. Once a writer is accepted, the first article is reviewed, and after that they are basically left alone (unless there are major violations). Examiner.com will do some marketing of your work, but writers are also expected to use social networking and word of mouth to promote themselves.
I'm sure there are questions about journalistic integrity and accuracy. This is basically a newspaper/blog, almost like the Wikipedia of journalism. Examiners can label their posts/articles as reports, op/ed commentaries, how-to, etc. The quality of the article will depend on the writer.
The site also encourages writers to promote other local news agencies on the blog. The goal is to create a local environment online. It's potentially competition for local news agencies, but at the same time, it will be promoting them. You've probably seen an Examiner.com article before. The stories often come up when you search Google News.
It's not just writers, you can post videos through YouTube and use your own photography as well. Check out the sites YouTube Channel.
To learn more about writing for Examiner.com click-here.
This is an interesting opportunity for people who want to work on their writing or get their name out there on the Internet. If you have a special area of expertise like stand-up comedy, or think you'd be good at reviewing restaurants in your area, check it out. The site is honest enough to tell you that you most likely won't be able to quit your day job. However, it is the opportunity to earn a little extra cash.
So far, I've earned about enough to buy a bag of beef jerky. But that stuff can be expensive, why is that?!?
For years, one of the only places you could find regular entertainment in the Green Bay Area was at Comedy City. The improv theater that started in downtown Green Bay moved to the old De Pere Library a number of years ago. Today it offers The Venture Theater, and now some of the members are branching out to create laughter online.
Table 8 Productions is an undertaking involving some of the funniest guys and girls of Comedy City. They've put together some hilarious viral videos produced here in the Green Bay Area. Table 8 Productions has only been up-and-running a few months, but already there are dozens of videos to check out on YouTube and Funny or Die.
One of the more popular series the group has put together so far is Boozer Cruiser created by local filmmaker Craig Kinnit, who also operates Out of Whack Productions. It involves a local cab driver who holds his own game show for the usual /unusual drunks who need a ride home (or to the next bar).
Another interesting idea from Table 8 features the extremely popular video game RockBand. This ongoing saga is a a little bit VH1 Behind the Music, and a little bit Spinal Tap with plenty of geeky gamer humor.
If you like your comedy a little dry...Table 8 can serve up your humor that way as well. The series Checkers features two buddies, their board game, and some bizarre conversations.
The Annoying Roommate series is another creative idea from Table 8. Plenty of us have had roomies who are a little weird. But these guys have some seriously bad luck.
There's plenty more to see from Table 8, and the team is uploading new material every week. Now it's true, you may not love every single one of the videos. But how often have you laughed at every skit on Saturday Night Live? So help out some local talent by supporting these guys! Sign up to be fans, rate some videos, leaves some comments!
If they ever end up getting their own show, you can say you were a fan before Table 8 became "mainstream crap."
For a few hours this morning, time stood still. Millions of people around the world could not Twitter thanks to the senseless act of some self-centered anarchist hackers. I write about this act of social networking terrorism, because we as Americans need to fight for the freedom to Tweet. We fight not only for ourselves but so the entire world can let their followers know they are going on a bike ride while listening to Ben Harper on their Zune player.
This atrocity had a far-reaching impact, stretching beyond everyday people like me. It hurt hundreds and hundreds of celebrities who use Twitter to market themselves to the public with at least 3 tweets a day. Plus, let's not forget their fans, who require updates in order to feel worthwhile. Because since they are one of Ashley Tisdale's 1,388,423 followers, they are close friends with her, and have the right to be informed that she is "Getting my nails done for the wedding....yay!!!".
Interns everywhere went back to fixing copier jams, and getting coffe -- their dreams of becoming Social Networking Director at a Fortune 500 company in jeopardy! Doug Benson had to wait until the afternoon to let me know that "Trying to go number 1 and going number 2 instead should be called a number 3." The fact that a few arrogant computer nerds think they can take away a basic human necessity like Twitter and get away with it is ludicrous. Speaking of Ludacris...I have NO IDEA what he was up to from 8:45 to 10:35am central time today. This attack bares the earmarks of online al Qaida! We can only pray that these anti-Twitter hoodlums are brought to justice ASAP. Then maybe we can all return to a life of normalcy without looking over our shoulders suspecting every geek we see of having a terrifying hidden agenda. Obama, keep Gitmo open! We have some new detainees on their way.
Long post yesterday, short one today. An Israeli horse gets its revenge with a big "screw you" to cars. It's been just over a century since the Model T Ford turned 100 years-old, but at least one member of the Equidae family is still holding a grudge. The transportation business used to be big-time for horses. Today, they only get attention during the Triple Crown, and that's just the fast thoroughbreads. Many others are humiliated by the pony-ride at Bay Beach. However, this horsey had the last laugh (or whinny) when it knocked a car off it's high horse. And not to beat a dead horse but it definitely wasn't horse-play when this horse of a different color was chomping at the bit to get even. If you don't believe me you should because I heard it right from the horse's mouth. If youstill don't believe me then watch this video.
Transcription: Happen to be a couple of horses, and hopefully nobody GASP! OH! GOD! I'm actually a little freaked out by horses. When I was a kid I had a reoccurring nightmare that the spring-loaded realistic noise-making rocking horse in my bedroom would come alive. It looked a lot like the one to the right, except scarier. He'd jump up on the top bunk where I slept and mock me. Then later in childhood, when the horse was stored in the basement, it would always startle me in the dark. I would get super mad at the horse and punch the thing. Then it would scare me again because the batteries never died, and it would whinny and neigh at me. When we moved out of my childhood home when I was ten, the kid who was moving in wanted to keep it. I'm sure my parents saved him some nightmares by taking it with us, but my fire of plastic Hedstrom Spring Horses continues to this day.
Ok I gotta go eat. My pregnant wife is yelling at me because she's so hungry she could eat a horse.
For those of us born in the early 1980s, it's hard to decide what we relate to more: Kurt Cobain or N'Sync, He-Man Masters of the Universe or Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers? I believe the kids who spent their childhood in the eighties, and their adolescence in the ninetiesare facing a generation identity crisis.
On one side we have Generation X, and on the other we have Generation Y. The exact dates vary depending on who you talk to, but basically Gen-Y begins about the year 1980.We who were born from 1980-1984 are the front-runners of the so-called "Millennials."But the cool kids we admired while growing up all came from Generation X. In turn, it's pretty apparent that we're also the people Generation Y puts on a pedestal. Let me explain my opinion (since that's what people do on blogs). Generation X: it just sounds cool. These are the people who wore ripped jeans and flannel, listened to Nirvana and identified with the movie Reality Bites. Gen-Xers are complacent and angry. They had to deal with the AIDS epidemic and were (for the most part) repulsed by the affluence-obsessed 1980s. Generation X seems to be made up of a lot of Idealists. But unlike the Baby-Boomers, who became activists and hippies, not many of the Gen-Xers had enough ambition to try and change society. They were disrespectful rebels, latchkey kids because both parents worked, or were divorced. These guys celebrate themselves as individuals, while having problems with authority, and expressing a good deal of angst. However, despite how depressing it sounds, this generation did have its contributions to the world in which we live. They weren't just slackers. They were the first stars of MTV. The ones who started recycling. They were the cast of Friends. They are also the minds behind much of the technology that Generation Y (and Z for that matter) can't seem to live without. I think there are definitely some characteristics of Gen-X in the early 80s kids. We still identify with a lot of the culture, even though it was "big kid stuff." But we have plenty in common with our own generation as well...the generation of Y2K. In many ways, Generation Y seems to be polar-opposite from Generation X. That's why those of us born in those transitional years are a little confused about where we fit. Generation Y is much more optimistic than the previous generation. The TV shows and parents kept telling Gen-Yers how special they are. They told kids if you use your imagination, you can go anywhere and do anything. We always got trophies at the end of the soccer season even if we were the suckiest player on the suckiest team. Parts of Generation X had some of this crammed down their throats as well, but they called bull-crap much sooner.
Let's take a look at my favorite children's TV show of all time - Sesame Street. When Sesame Street started in the 1970s, it took place on a grungy inner-city street where furry rag-a-muffin monsters interacted with adults and kids of different races. Today Sesame Street looks much more like the suburbs. And everything seems to focus on super-happy Elmo, who was introduced to the show when first-round Gen-Yer's like me were growing up.
The funny thing is, when the first season of Sesame Street came out on DVD, it was deemd inappropriate for kids. So what was intended to educate and encourage kids in the late 70s is completely Un-PC today.
I found an interesting web-site with and article from 2003 that compares Gen-X with Gen-Y. A lot of it really makes sense. There's a table that puts the subtle-but-strong similarities and differences side-by-side. For example, Gen-X embraced diversity, but Gen-Y celebrates it. Being different was acceptable for Generation X, but being different is normal for Generation Y. Generation Xers chose their friends over their family, but for Generation Y, friends are family and family are friends. Generation X learned to use technology to its advantage. For most of Generation Y, it's always been a part of life.
But for those of us at the beginning of Gen-Y, we take a little from each side of that table. For instance, I may be a Gen-Yer, but I didn't have an email address until I went to college in the late 90s, and I got my first cell-phone after I turned 18. Kids from Generation-Z are getting cell phones in first grade! I may share some of the apathy that Generation X focused on, but I was nurtured and probably overprotected by my parents. What I'm saying is that the early 80s kids are hybrids of X and Y.
That's why I think us early Gen-Y crowd is of a different breed. I think the younger members of Generation Y look up to us. We are the Jessica Simpsons and Tony Romos. The Ashton Kutchers and Britney Spears. The Seth Rogens and Danica Patricks. Not always the most respectable crowd, but that's who we are. That's our contribution so far...or is it?
I had a professor while attending at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center my senior year of college who had an interesting theory on generations and their contributions to cutlure. Craig Detweiller told us how he believed each generation created it's own culture only after the previous generation created a culture for the next generation. I know that sounds confusing, so let's take music for example. Detweiller's theory is that Baby-Boomers created their own counter-counter culture with the hippie movement, the Viet Nam War, Woodstock and the rock of the 1960s, which defined this generation. But then Baby-Boomers went on to create Disco and Glam-Rock for the then very young Generation X. In response, Generation X created Grunge and Alternative as a back-lash to Disco and the Glam-Rock of the 80s. Rap and Hip Hop also emerged from Gen-X. Then Generation X was the force behind over-produced boy bands like the Back-Street Boys and N-Sync, or super-sexed teenage artists like Britney Spears. The street-wise rap turned into cheezy hip-hop full of bling and booty. Take Seth Rogen as another example. Is he Generation Y's contribution to comedy, or is he part of Gen X-er Judd Apatow's contribution intended for Generation Y?
So are artists like Eminem and Jack White the beginning of the backlash to this culture? Maybe, but maybe not. These guys are actually Gen-Xers as well. Generation Y really hasn't contributed much that is meaningful to culture as of yet. In fact, another blogger seems to feel Generation Y has no culture. I praying to Jesus that's not the case. As the first of us Gen-Y folks start to turn 30, I'm hoping that we get our keesters in gear and start contributing something with substance. Because when it's all said and done, we're not all going to get trophies. And even if we do, will they really mean anything? I'm not really sure that my professor's theories were exactly right. There has always been crappy cheese-ball culture along with good culture, no matter what time in history. Even individual artists have streaks of genius and skidmarks of crap throughout their careers. Let's finish up with a look at the future. Generation Z is coming up fast. Like Gen-Y, the Z-Generation is going to be very technologically savvy. I'm pretty sure they're going to be tough competition. That's why I'm thankful the earlier generations are creating things like High School Musical to keep their minds numb, and to make them think the world is a bowl full of cherries. Generation X knew better. I guess I'm ok with being stuck in the middle of X and Y. This way, I can have a some of the realism, without all the angst. Plus, maybe I'll get a certificate or something! But let's not forget folks...we're all in this together.
