29 December 2014

Birthdays
Dylan Minnette b. 1996 (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Awake, Let Me In, Lost, Supernatural)
Jane Levy b. 1989 (Evil Dead [2013])
Iain De Caestecker b. 1987 (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
Charlotte Riley b. 1981 (Edge of Tomorrow)
Danny McBride b. 1976 (This Is the End, Land of the Lost)
Jason Shane-Scott b. 1976 (666: Devilish Charm, Return of the Killer Shrews, The Pit and the Pendulum, Deadland, Charmed)
Shawn Hatosy b. 1975 (The Faculty)
Mekhi Phifer b. 1974 (Insurgent, Divergent, Torchwood, Dawn of the Dead)
Jude Law b. 1972 (Hugo, Contagion, Repo Men, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, eXistenZ, Gattaca)
Leonor Varela b. 1972 (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Monster Wolf, Blade II, Stargate: Atlantis, Jeremiah)
Patrick Fischler b. 1969 (Grimm, Lost, Idiocracy, Star Trek: Enterprise, Angel, Birds of Prey, Charmed)
Jennifer Ehle b. 1969 (RoboCop [2014], Contagion, The Adjustment Bureau)
Andy Wachowski b. 1967 (director, Sense8, Jupiter Ascending, Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas, The Matrix)
Alexandra Kamp-Groenveld b. 1966 (Vampire, Dracula 3000, Deep Freeze, 2001: A Space Travesty)
Dave McKean b. 1963 (director, Luna, MirrorMask)
Patricia Clarkson b. 1959 (The Maze Runner, Carrie [2002 TV], Wendigo, The Green Mile, Jumanji, Tales from the Crypt [1990 TV])
Brian Sergent b. 1959 (The Lord of the Rings; Fellowship of the Rings, The Ray Bradbury Theatre)
Paul Rudnick b. 1957 (writer, The Stepford Wives [2004], Addams Family Values)
M.H. b. 1955 (blogger)
Jon Polito b. 1950 (Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Bullion, Rock Monster, The Chronicle, The Invisible Man [2000 TV], Good vs Evil, Millennium, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, Tales of the Mummy, NightMan, Invasion, The Invaders [1995 TV], Blankman, The Crow, Tales from the Crypt, The Rocketeer, Highlander, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, C.H.U.D.)
Ted Danson b. 1947 (Living with the Dead, Loch Ness, Gulliver’s Travels, Tucker’s Witch, Creepshow, The Amazing Spider-Man [1979 TV])
Jon Voight b. 1938 (Dracula: The Dark Prince, National Treasure, Transformers, Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Anaconda)
Barbara Steele b. 1937 (Dark Shadows [TV], Piranha, She Beast, Castle of Blood, Nightmare Castle, Castle of Blood, The Ghost, Pit and the Pendulum, Black Sunday)
Ed Flanders b. 1934 died 22 February 1995 (The Exorcist III, Tomorrow’s Child, Salem’s Lot)
Inga Swenson b. 1932 (Bay Coven, Earth II)
Bernard Cribbins b. 1928 (Doctor Who, Alice in Wonderland [1985], Space: 1999, Dalek’s Invasion of Earth 2150 A.D.)
Dina Merrill b. 1923 (Mighty Joe Young [1998], Tales of the Unexpected, Anna to the Infinite Power, Batman)
Mike Nussbaum b. 1923 (Men in Black, The X Files)
Viveca Lindfors b. 1920 died 25 October 1995 (Stargate, The Exorcist III, Frankenstein’s Aunt, Creepshow, The Hand, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)
Freda Jackson b. 1907 died 20 October 1990 (Clash of the Titans [1981], Blakes 7, The Valley of Gwangi, Monster of Terror, The Brides of Dracula)

Notes from birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. Last year, it was scream queen Barbara Steele. This year, it's Oh That Guy Jon Polito, who I remember from a lot of roles in Coen Brothers movies as well as The Chronicle, a low budget show produced by The Sci-Fi Channel back when they had a Friday night line-up. Next year has several good options including Jude Law, Iain De Caestecker from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Ted Danson from Gulliver's Travels.

2. Fun facts to know and tell. I think of Jennifer Ehle as being quintessentially British from her role as Elizabeth Bennett in the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice, but she was born in North Carolina. Her mother is the British actress Rosemary Harris. It's nice to see we have two people celebrating their 91st birthdays, the divine Dina Merrill and Mike Nussbaum, who I remember from early David Mamet films Things Change and House of Games.

3. Canadian free zone. It's rare but it happens.

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

Movies released
12 Monkeys released, 1995
 

Predictor: The OMNI Future Almanac, published 1982

Prediction: Moving sidewalks will not gain widespread acceptance as urban transportation until the Variflex Moving Sidewalk is developed for practical use in the early 1990s. This particular sidewalk function under a variable width, variable speed system. It travels at slightly faster than walking speed on approach and departure, but accelerates from about two miles an hour to over ten miles an hour at maximum speeds. Cross walks will have slow zones. More complex systems will add speed lanes, creating multiple sidewalk highways. They will replace sidewalks in shopping areas, airports and large public buildings.

Reality: Ummm... no. They exist in airports, they aren't multiple speeds. Maintaining them outside would be expensive. There are four popular ideas that pop up regularly in futuristic stories and predictions. I personally love flying cars and pneumatic tubes, but moving sidewalks and food in pill form hold no attraction for me.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Another prediction from W. Warren Wagar's A Brief History of the Future.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!