Sunday, December 21, 2014

21 December 2014

Birthdays
Tom Sturridge b. 1985 (FairyTale: A True Story, Gulliver’s Travels [1996 TV])
Jackson Rathbone b. 1984 (Twilight Saga, Zombie Hamlet, No Ordinary Family, The Last Airbender, S. Darko)
Eve Mauro b. 1981 (Cyborg X, The Vortex, Zombies Vs. Strippers, Osombie, Torchwood, Land of the Lost [2009])
Daniel Brocklebank b. 1979 (Merlin [TV 1998])
Julie Delpy b. 1969 (Frankenstein [2004 TV], An American Werewolf in Paris, Younger and Younger)
Jack Noseworthy b. 1979 (Surrogates, Event Horizon, Encino Man)
AJ Bowen b. 1977 (Twisted Tales, Chillerama, The Signal)
Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine b. 1977 (Men in Black II)
Glenn Fitzgerald b. 1971 (Wonderfalls, The Sixth Sense [1999])
Khrystyne Haje b. 1969 (Stepsister from Planet Weird)
Nicola Cowper b. 1967 (Journey to the Center of the Earth [1988], Transmutations, Dreamchild)
Kiefer Sutherland b. 1966 (Touch, Melancholia, Dark City, Flatliners, The Lost Boys, Amazing Stories)
Michelle Hurd b. 1966 (Witches of East End, FlashForward, Charmed)
Fabiana Udenio b. 1964 (FreakyLinks, Babylon 5, Mortal Kombat: Conquest, NightMan, Journey to the Center of the Earth, RoboCop 2, Freddy’s Nightmares, Bride of Re-Animator)
Larry Day b. 1963 (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Recon 2023: The Gaudi Prime Conspiracy, Punisher: War Zone, Superstorm, WW 3, The Hunger [TV], Nico the Unicorn, Arrival II, Laserhawk, Sci-fighters)
Jane Kaczmarek b. 1955 (Pleasantville, Apollo 11)
Devon Ericson b. 1952 (Night of the Comet, Night Rider, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century)
Josh Mostel b. 1946 (Brother from Another Planet)
Samuel L. Jackson b. 1948 (Cell [2016], Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, RoboCop [2014], Thor, The Avengers, The Spirit, Star Wars, Jumper, Unbreakable, Deep Blue Sea, Sphere, Jurassic Park, The Exorcist III)
Jack Nance b. 1943 died 30 December 1996 (Assault on Dome 4, The Blob [1988], Dune, Ghoulies, Eraserhead)
Jane Fonda b. 1937 (Barbarella)
Rudy Solari b. 1934 died 23 April 1991 (The Powers of Matthew Star, The Incredible Hulk, The Bionic Woman, The Sixth Sense [1972], Star Trek, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Outer Limits)
Ed Nelson b. 1928 died 9 August 2014 (The Girl, the Gold Watch and Everything, Salvage 1, Logan’s Run [TV], Gemini Man, The Bionic Woman, Houston, We’ve Got a Problem, The Sixth Sense [TV], The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone, A Bucket of Blood, Night of the Blood Beast, Teenage Cave Man, Invasion of the Saucer Men. Attack of the Crab Monsters)
Ivor Dean b. 1917 died 10 August 1974 (Dr Jekyll & Sister Hyde)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Last year, I used a picture of the late Jack Nance at the title character in Eraserhead. This is one of a handful of movies where the poster is much better known that the film itself. (Other movies in this category include the original Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and some now largely forgotten silent movies like Metropolis and Nosferatu.) While I often do not use the most famous names on the list in the Picture Slot, I would say the top three in terms of fame are also good choices for the Slot: Kiefer Sutherland from Dark City, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and this year's winner, Jane Fonda in her one genre role as Barbarella. My dirty old manhood can be credited as the deciding factor in this year's competition.

2. The Canadian Amongst Us. Donald Sutherland was born in Canada, Keifer was not. The Canadian on the list is Larry Day and his resume doesn't give it away.

3. Ripped from today's headlines. Michelle Hurd is the first of Bill Cosby's accusers to be noted here on her birthday since the accusation storm began. She won't be the last. Who do I believe? I'll give you a hint: I'm a mathematician.

4. I still got it, at least some of it. My memory is not what it used to be, but "it used to be" good enough to win money on Jeopardy! When I check the imdb birthday list, I check all resumes of the top ten in terms of popularity, but after that names have to "jump out at me". Sometimes the "jump" is easy, because artists get one title listed under their names before you click on their page. Listed in position #84 today was Rudy Scolari. I knew quick as a bunny he was in the Planet O' Native Americans episode of Star Trek entitled The Paradise Syndrome. I even remember he got the line "You bleed! Behold the god that bleeds!", which is the last line just before a big musical cue and a commercial break.

This is not the kind of info that racks up the big money on Jeopardy!, but when you have the combination filing cabinet/dumpster type of memory, you hold onto stuff like this because you can't figure out how to lose it. I'd also like to mention that if I hadn't found him, this would have been a no Star Trek day.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.
 
Predictor: Lunopolis, released direct to video 2009

Prediction: On 21 December 2012,  the people from Lunopolis return to take over the earth.

Reality: Reality? Seriously? It didn't happen.

On the other hand, I have a soft spot for cheaply made 21st Century sci-fi that have ideas much bigger than their budgets. A lot of the movies just don't work, but occasionally you'll find one where the script redeems the movie. In my opinion, Lunopolis is not one of the gems, but I'm glad I found it just because it gave me two exact date predictions.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Yet another interruption of our regular schedule for yet another exact date prediction of yet another alien invasion.  What are the odds?

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
 

2 comments:

  1. I would count Kiefer Sutherland's role in Flatliners as sci-fi/fantasy. Of course, you're the boss of this blog. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099582/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So I brag about Rudy Solari and I flat out forget Flatliners. Sheesh! This is what I mean about "My memory is not what it used to be."

      Thanks for the correction, and also thanks for turning me onto the book we discussed on Twitter. That's worth a spot in the regular rotation that will last for months in 2015.

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