Category Archives: Strange Culture
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Bret Ratner, Director of feature films like Rush Hour (and its sequels), Red Dragon and The Tower Heist is finalizing details to helm the film adaptation of Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum’s book I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution. While Ratner, may at first glance seem like an odd choices, he is no stranger to music videos. He has directed music videos for the likes of LL Cool J, Wu-Tang Clan, P-Diddy, Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson, Courtney Love, Miley Cyrus and Cannibal Corpse. That’s right…we used Miley Cyrus in a sentence with Cannibal Corpse.
Remember the first time you saw Michael Jackson dance with zombies in “Thriller”? Diamond Dave karate kick with Van Halen in “Jump”? Tawny Kitaen turning cartwheels on a Jaguar to Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again”? The Beastie Boys spray beer in “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)”? Axl Rose step off the bus in “Welcome to the Jungle”?
It was a pretty radical idea-a channel for teenagers, showing nothing but music videos. It was such a radical idea that almost no one thought it would actually succeed, much less become a force in the worlds of music, television, film, fashion, sports, and even politics. But it did work. MTV became more than anyone had ever imagined.
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IFC’s Portlandia is seemingly one of the more popular shows amongst Strangeways listeners. The quirky Hipster-skewering sketch comedy starring SNL’s Fred Armisen and Sleater Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein is taking the show on tour.
Portlandia: The Tour will feature Brownstein and Armisen performing live music, presenting sneak-peek clips from season two and sharing personal anecdotes about the creation of the show. The duo have sold out 5 dates already and have just added 6 new ones. Get your tickets while you can!
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Screenwriter, Director, Producer John Hughes has over 30 films to his credit and had his biggest success when branching out to the family-friendly, Home Alone in 1990. As of 2009, Home Alone was the highest grossing comedy of all time. However, this is not his legacy. Hughes is best-known and most beloved for his 1980′s teen output. Hughes seemed to have his finger on the pulse of the American Teen unlike any film maker before him. His ‘Brat Pack’ of actors in these films, and his use of pop music in them are lasting icons, forever emblazened in the hearts and minds of today’s 30-40 somethings.
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Posted on December 28, 2011 in Movies, Strange Culture
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Tagged Echo & The Bunnymen, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Flesh For Lulu, John Hughes, New Order, OMD, Simple Minds, Sixteen Candles, Smiths, Some Kind Of Wonderful, The Breakfast Club
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In 1994, the TV show My So Called Life starring Claire Daines debuted and became an instant cult classic. The show tragically only lasted one year and it left millions of viewers wondering if Brian Krakow would ever be with his true love, Angela. As soon as it was announced that the show would not be renewed, MTV picked up the show and basically played it several times a week for a few years. This was an early example of something going viral before…ya know…things went viral. The show was so popular that a character who never appeared in a single episode became a household name…Tino.
One of the key ingredients to My So Called Life is its use of music. Several scenes are forever tied to the music that was used during the episode.
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