Creature Double Feature

The older I get the more nostalgia rears its ugly mien. I battle those feelings. It is a natural human inclination to look back fondly. However time's rose-colored lens skew reminisces. As Finley Peter Dunne (late 19th/early 20th century humorist from Chicago) said, "The past always looks better than it was. It's only pleasant because it isn't here."

I spurn sentimentality's attempt to make a stooge of me. That being said, last night's airing of the 1963 American International film, The Raven, initiated waves of wistfulness. During a break in the movie, TCM ran an ad that provided impetus for today's blog.

Next Wednesday, October 24, select movie theaters in conjunction with Turner Classic Movies 
will show a double feature of the horror classics, Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. The link below shows participating playhouses. 
http://www.fathomevents.com/upcoming/alllocations.aspx?eventid=1105

The opportunity to see these films in a cinema evokes memories of many rainy South Jersey afternoons of my youth. Parents would select one of their group to round up neighborhood children into the ubiquitous station wagon for a trip to the Westmont Theater. Hordes of hellions filled the movie house for a cartoon, selected short and feature film. On special days, a double feature played, so the cartoon and short were omitted.

Normally when the lights dimmed, the theater would erupt into a cacophony of cat-calls and bronx cheers as a barrage of spitballs and candy projectiles filled the air. The exception would be movies like the aforementioned double feature. By then these two classics were over three decades old, yet their power and cinematic splendor would awe the adolescent assembly into rapt silence.

Despite my curmudgeonly cynicism, memories of those afternoons awaken fond thoughts - as ever BB
"...Well, if I could discover just one of these things, what eternity is, for example, I wouldn't care if they did think I was crazy." - Dr. Frankenstein from 1931 film

Trivia Tidbit - Anyone planning to portray Frankenstein's monster on All Hallows' Eve take heed. In doing so, one must decide which monster to depict. (and yes the monster has no name; he is often called Frankenstein, but that is the creator's name, not his.) The picture above is the monster from the original film - notice the fashionable bangs.
The picture to the left is the monster from Bride, and following reputable sequels. (several of ill repute were made) Said bangs were singed off at the end of the original film in the castle's fire which caused the monster to fall through the fiery floor encasing him in the glacier under the castle until found by Igor.

Quadrennial Scam

In 1972 I turned 18-years-old. Being a upright, bright-eyed American boy, I fulfilled two civic duties - registering for the draft and registering to vote.

The former was ominous as the country was still embroiled in Southeast Asia. The latter was rousing as
I would be among the first group between the ages of 18 and 20 to vote in federal elections.

Not yet the jaded cynic who types these words, I actively campaigned for George McGovern hoping not to become another victim of "Uncle Sam's Blues." (A favorite Jefferson Airplane tune and Hot Tuna harbinger). Thus began my descent from idealistic activist to realistic curmudgeon, and my penchant for backing hopeless presidential candidates.

Ten presidential election cycles later, the prospect of another fills me with bile. My years in the gaming industry taught me to recognize a fixed game when I see one. This quadrennial flim-flam engineered by power-brokers and monied interests doesn't even display the panache of a good confidence game.

The terms confidence game and confidence man, later shortened to con man, date to the mid-1800s and a William Thompson. He would gain people's confidence and hold money, watches, jewelry in safekeeping never to be seen again. He provided inspiration for Herman Melville's last novel, The Confidence-Man. Critics consider this to be a precursor of the nihilistic, absurdist style of the 20th Century.

Another 19th Century scammer was George Parker. He has gone down in history as the man who sold the Brooklyn Bridge...multiple times. He also peddled Grant's Tomb and the Statue of Liberty. Parker was so convincing that many who bought the bridge did not realize they were hoodwinked until the authorities stopped them from setting up toll booths.

A 20th Century swindler, who would fit right in with current political candidates is Gaston Means. He took the confidence game to a national level working for the Bureau of Investigation (pre- FBI), and the uber-corrupt Harding administration.

When one of his confidence games was uncovered, Gaston would unabashedly claim innocence and worm his way out of trouble. He once ingratiated himself with an heiress. She began to suspect something was afoot. So Means took her hunting, and she ended up dead. Despite expert testimony, he beat the rap.

Eventually these flim-flam men received their just desserts. Alas, I can not say the same for today's politician schemers. I guess only duly-elected crimes pay. As ever - BB

“Political language. . . is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” - George Orwell