Sunday, November 2, 2014

2 November 2014

 Birthdays
Brandon Soo Hoo b. 1995 (From Dusk Till Dawn [2014 TV] , Ender’s Game, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra)
Katelyn Tarver b. 1989 (No Ordinary Family)
Lindze Letherman b. 1988 (Clockstoppers, Bicentennial Man, Seven Days)
Brian Sutherland b. 1984 (Glitch, The Collectibles, Grimm)
Christopher Fennell b. 1983 (The X Files, American Gothic)
Katharine Isabelle b. 1981 (Being Human, Eve of Destruction, Vampire, Ogre, Supernatural, Stargate SG-1, Earthsea, Smallville, Freddy vs. Jason, Carrie [2002 TV], Meteors, The Immortal, Ginger Snaps 1 and 2, First Wave, The X Files, The Ray Bradbury Theatre)
Jon M. Chu b. 1979 (director, G.I. Joe: Retaliation)
Whit Hertford b. 1978 (Dreamworld, Jurassic Park, The Addams Family [1991], The Munsters Today [1990], A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, Twilight Zone [1986], Poltergeist II)
Jason Cerbone b. 1977 (Cloverfield)
Danny Cooksey b. 1975 (Invader ZIM, Mom and Dad Save the World, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Mac and Me, Werewolf, Twilight Zone [1985])
Marisol Nichols b. 1973 (The Gates, Charmed)
Gabe Khouth b. 1972 (Once Upon a Time, Fringe, Supernatural, Andromeda, It)
Jaume Balaguero b. 1968 (writer, [Rec], Quarantine, Fragile)
David Schwimmer b. 1966 (John Carter, Wolf)
Lauren Velez b. 1965 (Strange World)
Donna Spangler b. 1962 (Space Girls in Beverly Hills, Dinosaur Valley Girls, Earth Girls Are Easy)
Janet Gunn b. 1961 (Carnosaur 3: Primal Species, Space: Above and Beyond, Super Force)
Peter Mulan b. 1959 (Hercules, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Children of Men)
Michael Bailey Smith b. 1957 (Blood Shot, The Hills Have Eyes I and II [2006 and 2007], Monster Man, Men in Black II, Charmed, Roswell, Buffy, Seven Days, The X-Files, My Favorite Martian [1999], Conan, Star Trek: Voyager, Space Marines, Babylon 5, The Fantastic Four [1994], A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child)
Dale Brown b. 1956 (writer, Sky Masters, Day of the Cheetah, Shadow Command)
Peter Atkins b. 1955 (writer, Hellraiser)
David Andrews b. 1952 (World War Z, Revolution, Stargate SG-1, Surface, Star Trek: Enterprise, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, From the Earth to the Moon, Apollo 13, Mann & Machine, Graveyard Shift, Cherry 2000, A Nightmare on Elm Street)
Lois McMaster Bujold b. 1949 (won 1989 Nebula for Falling Free, won 1991 Hugo for The Vor Game, won 1992 Hugo for Barrayar, won 1995 Hugo for Mirror Dance, won 2004 Hugo and Nebula for Paladin of Souls)
Jerry Wasserman b. 1945 (Doomsday Prophecy, Watchmen, Alien Trespass, Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica, The Butterfly Effect 2, Final Days of Planet Earth, Smallville, I, Robot, Stargate SG-1, Stephen King’s Dead Zone, Taken, Mysterious Ways, Dark Angel, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14, Cyberjack, The X-Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., Red Scorpion 2, The Fly II, Deadly Nightmares)
Jack Starret b. 1936 died 27 March 1989 (Nightwish, Knight Rider)
Terry Richards b. 1932 died 14 June 2014 (Space Precinct, Red Sonja, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Flash Gordon, Blakes 7)
Rachel (Judith) Ames b. 1929 (When Worlds Collide)
Steve Ditko b. 1927 (writer/artist, The Sinister Six, Dr. Strange, Spider-Man, Justice League, Iron Man [1966 TV])
Warren Stevens b. 1919 died 27 March 2012 (Twilight Zone [1986 and 1962], Wonder Woman, The Amazing Captain Nemo, Star Trek, Land of the Giants, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Cyborg 2087, The Time Tunnel, The Outer Limits, Forbidden Planet)
Burt Lancaster b. 1913 died 20 October 1994 (Island of Dr. Moreau [1977], Twilight’s Last Gleaming)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. I'm a geezer, as regular readers are already aware, and I don't pay the same rapt attention to pop culture now as I did when I was younger. This birthday list is a perfect example of my geezerdom, because nobody on it less than fifty years old has a chance for the Picture Slot this year or probably even next year. Among the younger set, David Schwimmer is a TV star, but his genre roles are not iconic. Going much younger, Katharine Isabelle was the star of the werewolf movie Ginger Snaps, but the movie means nothing to me. So last year, before I had done as much research, I went with Warren Stevens from his role on Star Trek and this year, an illustration of Doctor Strange by Steve Ditko. I'm glad Mr. Ditko is still alive to see his creations become some of the most popular films of all time and I will admit that even if the reviews stink, I'll probably see Doctor Strange starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the theater. No idea who gets the slot next year, but damn Lois McMaster Bujold has a lot of awards.

2. Spot the Canadians! There are two actual Canucks, though several actors have roles in the well known Canadian productions. See if you can find those who will Stand on Guard for The True North Brave and Free and separate them from the sneaky Yankee carpetbaggers.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list, and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.


Movies Released
Wreck-It Ralph released, 2012
Monsters, Inc. released, 2001

Predictor: William Nolan and George Clayton Johnson in Logan's Run published by Dial, New York in 1967

Prediction: Although the cover of the book mentions the twenty-third century as the novel's setting, the only date given in the text is 2072, which seems more probable. A youth rebellion in the year 2000 led to the dropping of a tactical bomb on the Smithsonian Institution (the area has been rendered tropical by the lingering radiation stored in tidal salts under Washington, D.C.). Aside from this one inexplicable act, no nuclear weapons were used. Young people prevailed in their war with older people, but, then faced with an overpopulation problem, they instituted a bizarre regime in which everyone is killed at age twenty-one. Those who try to escape this fate are called "runners"; the plot concerns a police agent who becomes a runner himself. Society is ruled over by a supercomputer called "The Thinker." The hero defeats The Thinker and flees with his lover to a space station near Mars which provides sanctuary. A typical crackpot dystopia crossed with a Wizard of Oz-like quest story, loaded with inconsistencies. The novel is more violent, more sexual, and more varied in setting than the 1976 film based on it. The paperback edition contains colored stills from the movie.

Reality: Regular readers will know that when I have a prediction this detailed, I have likely nicked it from Paul Brians' great nuclear war literature website. I agree with Brians that a youth rebellion dropping a nuke on the Smithsonian is inexplicable. As for a society with no one older than 21, I don't know who would have the technical know-how to fix The Thinker when it broke down, and I'm sure everyone agrees the damn thing will break down.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

The regular schedule is broken with a prediction from 1935 about 1936. Not our future, but it was futuristic when it was written.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

1 comment:

  1. If I give you the number of Canadians and your list of possible guesses is greater than the number given, it probably makes sense to use the youngest on your list.

    Katherine Isabelle and Gabe Knouth were born in Canada, the others are just visitors.

    ReplyDelete

Traveler! Have you news... FROM THE FUTURE?