A Mild Uproar of Fun

Did you forget that Friday the 13th (Part III) was actually a cheesy sitcom from the 80’s? Proof?

On Saturday night, Hayden and I laughed nearly non-stop for two hours, so much so that my cheeks literally hurt. The cause of our merriment was “Muppets 101,” which featured clips from early (1950s–1970s) Muppet appearances that were introduced by David Rudman, a Muppets puppeteer. The event kicked off the Gene Siskel Film Center’s month-long retrospective “Muppets, Music, & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy.”

Here are some of the things we saw:

• Sam and Friends, a 5-minute show that aired daily in Washington D.C. after the news and featured a primitive non-frog Kermit and other Muppets
• Commercials for products like sausage and coffee, all of which involved a Muppet being hit over the head or blown up
• Muppets hamming it up with people on television shows including The Jimmy Dean Show and Saturday Night Live
• Pitches made by Muppets for Sesame Street and The Muppet Show

Although many of these segments are available on YouTube, there were definitely benefits of watching these clips in a theater instead of at home. We got to laugh along with a hundred other people reliving their childhoods. We got to see some things that you can’t find online (like Fozzie Bear wearing a finger puppet made of a tiny Gonzo head). And most importantly, we got to see live performances by and meet two of David Rudman’s characters: Baby Bear from Sesame Street and the amazing monster below.

Jealous much, Jennifer F, Caroline, and Steph? Seriously, I so wish that you could have been there!

Here is a selection of horror flicks I consumed during the haunting holiday season:

Last night, Apryl and I attended a double feature of Howard Hawk’s The Thing and John Carpenter’s The Thing at the Portage Theatre. After watching both versions, questions do arise, such as which film is better? Which version has the the better monster, the giant, muscular “carrot” or the shape shifting alien? Which one sticks with you longer? Hmm, I have a few ideas…

Tonight, Halloween Havoc week continues at the theatre with a screening of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Look at me! I met Svengoolie during tonight’s screening of Son of Dracula at the Portage Theatre.

Well, it’s been another long absence here at the Mild Uproar. Hopefully, we will get back on track with the posts but until then here is a brief update:

A few weeks ago, I checked out Shotgun Stories, which was being screened downtown at the Gene Siskel Film Center. For those of you unaware, Shotgun Stories was a feature film I did audio for all the way back in 2004. Since then it’s been screened at such festivals at the Berlin International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, and the Austin Film Festival as well as winning multiple awards including two Grand Jury Prizes. And yet, I still hadn’t seen the film! So, it was a bit of a thrill to finally see what we had accomplished all those years ago back in Arkansas.

Perhaps you can decipher my credit on the bottom of the screen for Production Sound?

As for the movie, I was impressed.

Last week, the Chicago Park’s series Movies in the Park arrived at our Holstein Park. Below, folks watching The Golden Compass:

Last Monday, I attended the first free Monday lunch concert series, Music Without Borders, at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park.

The first guest was once forgotten folkie Gary Higgins.

Drag City’s reissue of Higgin’s Red Hash album.

(Upcoming artists in the series include Tortoise and Bill Callahan of Smog.)

The very next music act I saw after the mellow Higgins was Vanilla Ice. Yes, you read that correctly. Apryl and I went to see Mr. Ice Ice Baby at a bar near our apartment. The show was more of a mini street festival. Well, without going into details, the show got strange very quickly, and we left. Of course, not before hearing such Ice classics like “Ninja Rap,” “Play That Funky Music,” and “Ice Ice Baby”.

Last thing, the Sox swept the Cubs! After being swept at Wrigley the week before, the Sox took care of business at home at The Cell. And it’s a good thing, because the Minnesota Twins have been on fire lately and are giving the Sox are real threat at #1 in the AL Central Division. The best part of the the Crosstown Classic was seeing #1 Draft Pick Derrick Rose throw out the first pitch and being interviewed during Game 1. I am sure to be catching some Bulls games next season!

Of course, Rose is a White Sox fan!

On Saturday night, Apryl and I, along with our friends Brooke and Jeff, joined the University of Memphis Alumni Chicago Group to watch the Tigers/Vols game at Junior’s Sports Lounge. Of course, the less said about this disappointing night the better. However, I’ve got to mention that while the Tigers lost, I won! Below, check out the U of M blanket I won in the raffle:

For the Oscars, Apryl and I threw a theme party with our friends Trey, Rachel, Alison, Michael, and Colleen. We had stove top popcorn, movie candy, nachos, homemade pizza, and hot dog desserts (ala Marge Simpson’s creation).

And, of course, we all competed with our official Oscars ballots. In second place, Trey won with 11 correct picks, which earned him a Gift Subscription for 1 movie at a time for a month from Netflix. The first place winner was Alison with 13 correct picks, which got her the Gift Subscription for 2 movies at a time for a month from Netflix. I had an embarrassing night with only 6 correct categories. (It should be noted that Apryl tied with Trey but took herself out of the running.)

Photos below from the evening:

It was a good weekend.

On Friday, our friend Trey invited me and Apryl to a house party that was going on in our neighborhood. The party was being hosted by Trey’s friend Jim, a very talented photographer. At the party, there was a musical performance from the legendary Sally Timms (The Mekons) along with Janet Bean (Eleventh Dream Day, Freakwater, etc.), and Jim Elkington (The Zincs). To call the performance intimate would be an understatement. Below, the group playing in Jim’s amazing apartment (above his studio):

Since there was no cover, it was up to Pepsi Co. and their new drink Tava to help provide the funds for the band and the pizza. Because of the Tava sponsorship, you weren’t allowed to drink anything other than Tava until a certain time. And while you sipped away on the Tava, a photographer roamed around snapping photos of you, and a video crew took random folks downstairs to the studio to interview them about their Tava experience. I kid you not! So if you see me and Apryl on a billboard chugging down Mediterranean Fiesta, you know how it happened. And that our payment was pizza.

Saturday, the owners of the company I work for a lot were screening a film they just produced called Senator Obama Goes To Africa at the Music Box (where we watched White Christmas). I believe that anyone who watches this film, no matter what your political outlook is, will get to see Obama as more than a politician, also as a keen listener, and an individual who is honestly sensitive to others’ hardships. Beyond the subject matter, this low-budget film is quite a technical achievement and makes me proud that I get to work with this company.

That night, Apryl and I got Mexican DELIVERED. How great is that? Most importantly, it was good.

On Sunday, Apryl and I ventured out to our friends Brooke and Jeff’s apartment in Edgewater to watch the Super Bowl. And what a venture it was. We were waiting for our bus for close to forty minutes until we finally got a cab (our first time in Chicago). Well, our cab driver was from the suburbs and didn’t know how to get to Edgewater without me telling him. On top of that, he only had three dollars in change. What?!? So instead of having him take us all the way, we had him drop us off at the Fullerton train station, where we took the Red Line to Edgewater. We got there about five minutes before half time. Oh well, the real action took place in the second half, right? What a game! I would have to go way back to remember a better Super Bowl. Congratulations, Giants!

During the game, it starting snowing really hard outside. Above, Apryl humors me for a second as I take her picture walking back to the train station. Notice the Tupperware in her hands, which contains leftover homemade brownies and butter cookies. Yummy!

The Thorndale train stop in the snow. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long. Instead of dealing with another late bus, we decided to take the Red Line all the way to The Loop (downtown) and transfer over to the Blue Line. A little out of the way, but we didn’t have to wait outside in the snow.

If you are even a semi Apple nerd like me, you have been awaiting Steve Jobs’ keynote speech in San Francisco at Macworld. This is where Jobs gives us all the latest Apple news.

I have been patiently waiting to see if a new notebook rumor was actually true or not. Well, thanks to the live coverage via MacRumors, I’m happy to report that Apple is soon releasing the MacBook Air, the thinnest Apple notebook on the market. Check out the snap shot from MacRumorsLive:

Along with this announcement, Jobs also mentioned that Apple is now in the movie rental business through iTunes, which gives all the impression of a “let’s take over the world Starbucks style.” Even though I don’t have a Netflix subscription, I’m actually sad the company is being delivered such strong competition. On top of the rental business, Apple is attempting to create a monster out of AppleTV, which is an idea that hasn’t won me over yet.

However, back to the good stuff. Along with the expected, yet thrilling, news about the MacBook Air, I’m also excited that the iPod Touch will add features that had only been available on the iPhone, including Mail, Stocks, Notes, Weather, and Maps. Nice.

Check out the new MacBook Air ad!