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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13369516183024378122016-09-02T01:34:05.571-04:00Scared Silly: Classic Hollywood Horror-ComediesPaul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-78889289367458674322016-08-02T00:00:00.000-04:002016-08-02T00:00:12.228-04:00RIP JACK DAVIS

This past week, a legend in the world of cartooning left us. The impact and influence of Jack Davis's work, and the legacy of what he left behind cannot be underestimated. For those of us who love horror-comedy, Jack was one of its premiere practitioners, and a vital component in the "monster kids" craze that ensured the popularity of classic movie monsters would endure eternally.

As long-time readers of this blog know, Jack was the artist who conceived the character designs for one of the great horror-comedies films of all time, the stop-motion animated monster rally classic, Mad Monster Party.

However, Jack did so much more than that. From magazine covers (including TIME and TV Guide!) to comic book stories to trading cards to print ads to animated TV commercials and more, Davis's amazing illustrations dazzled with detail even at their looniest and cartooniest.

At EC Comics, his command at sequential storytelling in the horror, crime and war genres begat an army of comic book artists. Many became superstars in their own right. Many owe Jack their debt! Davis's expert renderings of forms, detailed compositions and perspectives underscored just how dramatic well-drawn comic books could be.

As a member of the founding class of "the Usual Gang of Idiots" at Mad Magazine, he helped define what an all-out, no holds barred humor magazine could be. Here was unbridled lunacy on par with the Marx Brothers and Three Stooges, but writ in pen and ink and (sometimes) color. Again, some of the zaniest cartoonists appearing in Mad's wake were no doubt inspired by Davis.

It's rare to find talents who excel at being both illustrators and cartoonists, at both drama and comedy, but Davis was such a talent.

Davis's connection to horror-comedy doesn't begin and end with Mad Monster Party. Davis was extremely fond of the Universal Monsters, so any opportunity he got to draw these characters was cherished and tackled with gusto. From Mad Magazine stories and gag pages, to record album covers, to advertisements, to trading cards and more, Davis's great reverence for the classic monsters shines through the parody.

Rather than go through a lengthy history of Mr. Davis, I invite you to read the two fine articles writer and pop culture historian Mark Evanier has written:

Jack Davis remembered by Mark Evanier Part 1

Jack Davis remembered by Mark Evanier Part 2

More importantly, I'm going to let his work speak for itself… so gaze upon this marvelous selection of creepily kooky, eerily cartoony work from the master, then check back in with me below for a special last word:

The Mad Monster Party character design model sheets come courtesy of leading Rankin/Bass historian Rick Goldschmidt's book, Rankin/Bass' Mad Monster Party. © 2011 Miser Bros Press/Rick Goldschmidt Archives. Rick also provided the Mad Monster Party movie poster at the top of this post. Last but not least, Rick offered some insight into Mr. Davis, based on his own cherished interactions with the artist:

"Jack always said he was scared by Boris Karloff in Frankenstein as a child. Ironically, he would go on to draw Frankenstein hundreds of times. Arthur Rankin loved Jack's Abraham Lincoln pen and ink work and that is what led to him hiring Jack many times over the years."

If you'd like to see more of Davis's monster-related work, Gamma Illustrations' Monster Kid site has a wonderful overview of it that you can view when you click here.

Rest in peace, Jack… and thanks for all the laughter and entertainment!

Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-53779528376016109922016-07-04T00:00:00.000-04:002016-07-04T00:00:00.139-04:00THE SPIRITS OF '76 - 2016 EDITION!

NOTE: This is an encore edition of a post I originally wrote in 2010:

Here's a film that will be going into the "horror-onable mention" section of my book. It's not a "horror-comedy" per se – it's more of a fantasy-romance, but it does involve ghosts (albeit friendly ghosts) who take the opportunity to put a good scare in some folks as needed. For me, Abbott & Costello's "The Time of Their Lives" is every bit as classic a movie as "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein;" even if it has more in common with "Topper."

It's also tied into the American Revolution, hence this post falling on America's Independence Day. The film's script is very well written. It tells the tale of Horatio Prim (Costello), a bumbling but masterful New England tinker in 1780 who longs to marry Nora, the housemaid of wealthy estate owner Tom Danbury. To that end, Horatio procures a letter of commendation from General George Washington in hopes of obtaining permission to marry Nora from Tom. Unfortunately, Horatio has a rival for Nora in butler Cuthbert (Abbott), who causes him trouble no end. But the real trouble comes from Danbury himself, who is secretly a traitor out to aid Benedict Arnold. Both Nora and Danbury's fiancé, Melody (the luminous Marjorie Reynolds) learn of Danbury's plot. Nora is captured and Danbury confiscates the commendation letter from her (she had been holding it for Horatio) and hides it in the mantelpiece clock, but Melody manages to escape on horseback in an effort to warn George Washington. She soon encounters Horatio, and the two are framed as traitors, executed and dumped into a well.

It's here that the fantasy element kicks in. Horatio and Melody are now ghosts who haunt the grounds of the estate and will continue to do so until they can prove their innocence. They just need to somehow get the letter into the hands of the authorities who can rewrite the history books so the truth can be known. This becomes a more hopeful quest 166 years later when the estate is restored to its original condition, and that includes the original furniture. When the restoration is complete, the new owner invites some guests for the weekend to celebrate. Among the guests are psychiatrist Dr. Ralph Greenway, a descendent of Cuthbert (also played by Abbott). Horatio and Melody decide to have some fun "scaring" the guests. Horatio takes particular delight in spooking Greenway. A séance is held wherein the identity of the ghosts and their plight is revealed, resulting in the living doing what they can to help set Horatio and Melody free.

The film has grown in status over the years and has quite a following (and may have even inspired a line in the classic Gordon Lightfoot song, "If You Could Read My Mind"). In fact, while embraced by many Bud & Lou fans, it's also been touted as "the Abbott & Costello movie for people who hate Abbott & Costello movies." This is due to the exceptional dramatic acting of both Lou and Bud that full-bloodedly brings their well-written roles to life. They are both so good in this that it's hard to say whether one outshines the other (although I might give the slight edge to Abbott whose rarely used talent for character acting is on full display here). It stands out from the majority of the team's other films which primarily feature a variation on their con man/patsy burlesque characters. It's one of the few films where the team stretched beyond their usual archetypes and managed to pull it off (for examples where this departure from the norm didn't work in my opinion, catch "Little Giant" and "Dance With Me Henry." Or don't). It also includes a wonderful supporting cast, including horror-comedy stalwart Gale Sondergaard as the maid of the restored estate who definitely believes in ghosts. And it features beautiful sets, wonderful costume designs and marvelous special effects - a top-notch production all around.

If you haven't guessed by now, I consider "The Time of Their Lives" a wonderful film to watch on Independence Day... or any day, for that matter! Here's the trailer for your enjoyment:

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-66904590600834104602016-04-04T00:00:00.000-04:002016-04-24T23:16:16.113-04:00WHAT GOES A-RONDO COMES A-RONDO!!!

WOW! This is getting to be a habit. The latest round of Rondo Award nominations (for achievements in horror entertainment, merchandising, journalism and fandom during 2015) were announced. And yes, for at least the fifth time (!!!), this humble little blog about spooks and kooks, ghouls and fools, and creeps and clowns has been nominated for a Rondo award!!!

Like 2013 and 2014, I don't necessarily think this blog is worthy of such an honor for my 2015 output. Due to being inundated with comics projects and the Bowery Boys documentary I'm helping to produce, it was limited to "encore posts" and vintage clips of trailers, cartoons and features at best, as opposed to new articles and reviews.However, I am honored to once again be nominated - it is both a vote of confidence and encouragement to me. I want to thank whoever recommended "Scared Silly" for the nomination – I truly appreciate it!

The Rondo Awards are the brainchild of David Colton. They are named after Rondo Hatton (you can learn more about Rondo Hatton by watching the video clip below) and are awards given to those who in some way are keeping the love for and appreciation of classic horror alive. You can learn more details about the Rondo Awards and view this year's ballot by clicking here.

"Scared Silly" has been nominated in the "best blog" category, and it is my hope that if you like this blog, you will vote for it.

There are TONS of friends of Scared Silly who have been nominated in various categories, and before the voting is through I hope I can post more about them and encourage you to check out all their great projects, and to vote for them if you're so inclined.

Votes are due by midnight, Sunday, April 10th, 2016.

Until then, here's a nice piece on Rondo Hatton courtesy of Me-TV's resident horror movie host, Svengoolie - ENJOY:

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-2437148092009953032016-02-29T00:00:00.000-05:002016-02-29T00:00:02.709-05:00HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO GET DOWN WITH SOME REAL PARTY MONSTERS… AND HEAR ME SPEAK IN THE PROCESS!

YOU'RE invited to the merriest, most madcap, monsteriffic party of all!

After very successful screenings the past two years, I've been asked once again this year to be a guest-speaker at the West Orange Classic Film Festival.

On Sunday, March 6th at 2PM at the Essex Green AMC Dine-In Theater in West Orange, NJ I'll be introducing and doing Q&A for a special screening of the heralded Rankin-Bass animated feature, Mad Monster Party. As an added bonus, I'll also be showing the Little Rascals short, Our Gang Follies of 1938.

Of course, both films have much to offer to fans of Scared Silly and classic horror-comedies.

If you've seen such classic TV Christmas specials as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town, then you're familiar with the whimsical stop-motion "animagic" process used in Mad Monster Party. And if you've ever read Mad Magazine, well, the script and character designs for Mad Monster Party come courtesy of Mad legends, writer Harvey Kurtzman and artist Jack Davis, respectively.

A love letter to the vintage horror movies of the 1930s and '40s, Mad Monster Party also spoofs a variety of film classics as well as the "3 B's of the '60s" – Batman, the Beatles and Bond!

A huge inspiration on Tim Burton and his classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas, the influence of Mad Monster Party is still seen today in films including Monsters vs. Aliens, Frankenweenie and Hotel Transylvania.

I did a pseudo-review of Mad Monster Party a few years back, which you can read when you click here.

I'm also thrilled to be running Our Gang Follies of 1938, in which Henry Brandon reprises his classic role of villainous Silas Barnaby, who bedeviled Laurel & Hardy four years earlier in Babes in Toyland, aka March of the Wooden Soldiers.

IMPORTANT NOTE: For this theater, you actually choose your seat at time of purchase, similar to buying a concert ticket. It is recommended to pre-order online for the best seat possible, and to avoid being shut out of a seat (to underscore the importance of ordering early, one of my screenings was a total sell-out while the other a near sell-out).

You can pre-order tickets either at the theater box office or through Fandango. The link to do so at Fandango is https://tickets.fandango.com/transaction/ticketing/express/ticketboxoffice.aspx?row_count=114227832&mid=51202&tid=AAFMU

EXTRA NOTE - Fandango lists the screening as being "18 only" primarily because it is a "dine-in" theater where alcohol is served, but this does not mean that children are not allowed – it only means that they need to be accompanied by adults. By all means, this is a terrific film for all ages and I hope to see you there!

Mad Monster Party with bonus short featuring the Little Rascals
Guest Speaker: Paul Castiglia
West Orange Classic Film Festival
Sunday, March 6th at 2PM
Essex Green AMC Dine-In Movie Theater
495 Prospect Avenue, West Orange, NJ 07052

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-33702949074939084382016-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:002016-01-01T00:00:10.037-05:00HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2016 EDITION!

Welcome to 2016... in the real world! Here in our world of reminiscing of decades past, welcome to 1950!:

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HERE'S WISHING YOU EVERY BLESSING FOR THE NEW YEAR!Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-68711985457532098512015-12-31T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-31T10:37:22.130-05:00NEW YEAR'S EVE IN A HAUNTED HOUSE - 2015 INTO 2016 EDITION!

Hmmmm…. Father Time is kinda' scary, isn't he?

Speaking of time, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for making the past few years so much fun for me. Thank you to all those who have tweeted about my blog, chosen to "follow" the blog, have left comments on posts and told others about the project. I am especially grateful to all the blogs and websites who have publicized this wacky endeavor over the past 12 months.

Special thanks goes to Ken Mandel of the West Orange Classic Film Festival who invited me to be the guest speaker at a special screening recreating a classic movie matinee at their 2015 festival early this year. It's always great to have an opportunity to be a guest-speaker at screenings of classic films, and this year's program, with a Popeye cartoon, Flash Gordon serial chapter and the Laurel & Hardy classic, The Flying Deuces was a real crowd pleaser! (Teaser: watch this blog for a special announcement about my next guest-speaking gig which is happening very soon).

I also want to give special thanks to Colette Joel and David Key, the owners, CEOs and Executive Producers at Handshake Away Productions, who, after seeing my work on this blog brought me on board a special documentary about the Bowery Boys as a fellow Executive Producer, Writer, Creative Consultant and Music Supervisor. The Bowery Boys' films are among my favorite classic comedies, and they did make several notable horror-comedy films, all of which will be reviewed in the Scared Silly book.

As for the documentary itself, this was an amazing year for me as I participated in the filming of several interviews (many of which I wrote and some which I conducted) with such luminaries as Alec Baldwin, Jamie Farr, Pat Cooper, Bob Burns, Dennis Diken, Saxon Sitka (Emil's son!), Adam Ferrara, Daniel Roebuck and more! I was particularly thrilled to film special segments with friends including Alex Simmons (writer, and founder of Kids' Comic Con), Denny Daniel (founder and curator of The Museum of Interesting Things), Jack Kirby historians Rand Hoppe and Jon B. Cooke, and The Bowery Mission's Jason Storbakken and James Macklin.

This was a particularly busy year for me with personal appearances at both comic shops and and comic conventions. Special thanks goes out to Spiro Ballas of Superheroes For Hospice, Alex Simmons of Kids' Comic Con, Jeff Beck of East Side Mags, and John Paul of NJ Comic Book Expo. Thanks to all the wonderful comics creators who I was able to appear alongside this year as well - too numerous to name. To them and to all all those who made those appearances happen, I say "thank you!"

Of course, there's no blog without you readers out there so thank you to ALL SCARED SILLY FANS! (And if I've left anyone out please know it wasn't intentional)!

More so than any previous year, I must say thank you also for bearing with my erratic schedule – due to other commitments I can't always post on a regular basis. Please hang in there and keep checking back… you're bound to see a new review every now and then.

Until the next review, here is Vagabond Opera performing "New Year's Eve in a Haunted House," composed by avant garde jazz legend Raymond Scott, the man behind many of the melodies heard in Looney Tunes cartoons - enjoy your New Year's Eve!

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e0_qxGM3IqY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e0_qxGM3IqY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-15322393421240981602015-12-26T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-26T00:00:06.480-05:00SOME DAY-AFTER-CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM ME TO YOU!

Hope your holidays were grand, friends! Here's a few additional goodies to keep you in the festive spirit... and with the day after Christmas falling on a Saturday this year, consider this the perfect selection of "Saturday Morning Cartoons," too!

(NOTE: Many of the feature films, shorts and animated cartoons discussed on this site, being from an earlier time, may contain elements considered insensitive and politically incorrect to us today. Any such controversial themes do not represent the thoughts and opinions of Paul Castiglia and the films discussed and presented here are done so purely for their inherent entertainment and historical value, apart from any such themes).

ENJOY!

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-89642788499816115672015-12-18T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-18T00:00:11.436-05:00A HOLIDAY TRADITION: THE CREEPS OF CHRISTMAS - 2015 EDITION!

THIS IS AN "ENCORE" POST - I ORIGINALLY POSTED THIS ENTRY IN 2009 AND THOUGHT I'D RE-POST IT FOR ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE MISSED IT - MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas is almost here, and I wanted to share some of the foremost holiday monsters with you. Only I didn't want to do so on Christmas itself, as I take the holiday seriously from a spiritual standpoint.

Anyway, in the fictional legends that have sprung up over the years around the holiday, ghosts and monsters have played a major role. Just think of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" for starters. A pure ghost story… with one seriously scary Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come!

So in the world of holiday fantasies, a few monsters stand out, and we'll take a look at them now (with one caveat that should be noted: I know the following are not technically "horror-comedies" but since all contain some humor and give folks warm, fuzzy feelings of nostalgia, I'm being a bit generous in this post).

We have to begin of course with the Bogeymen from Laurel & Hardy's 1934 classic "Babes in Toyland" (aka "March of the Wooden Soldiers"). These creatures from Bogeyland live in the bowels of the earth, in a horrible, frightening place that is the polar opposite of bright, happy Toyland, where Santa and his workers make the toys for the world's children. And while their leader, the evil Silas Barnaby would like nothing more than to use his monster army to take over Toyland, he's no match for toymakers Stannie Dumm and Ollie Dee… and 100 wooden soldiers each 6 feet high! As Ollie describes the Bogeymen, "they're terrible looking things – they're half man and half animal… with great big ears, and great big mouths, and long claws that they catch you with!" You can catch a glimpse of the Bogeymen toward the end of this trailer:

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Next up is The Bumble (pictured at top) from the classic 1964 TV special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." This was produced by Rankin-Bass, the studio behind the classic horror-comedy "Mad Monster Party." Utilizing their signature stop-motion animated puppet style (which they dubbed "Ani-Magic"), the special built upon the elements from the original 1939 story by Robert L. May, the famous song written by May's brother-in-law Johnny Marks (which became a huge hit for Gene Autry) and the 1948 animated theatrical short from Max Fleischer. Rudolph was given much more backstory in the Rankin-Bass special, and a larger supporting cast, including the Abominable Snow Creature known as "The Bumble." The fearsome creature menaces Rudolph and his friends but as anyone who has seen this classic knows (and who hasn't seen it?) there's a very good reason for the Bumble's agitation… and a happy ending for all!

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The most recent spooky holiday star is "The Nightmare Before Christmas"'s Jack Skellington and all his friends from Halloweentown. Jack is simply enchanted by the magic in neighboring Christmastown and wants to bring some home for himself. And that's where the trouble starts! This clash of the holidays originated as a poem from the limitlessly creative imagination of animator-director-producer Tim Burton. Director Henry Selick brought Burton's concepts and designs to life in dynamic fashion in a mixed-media production that is equal parts stop-motion puppetry (a la one of Burton's favorite films, "Mad Monster Party") combined with cut-out designs and other special animated effects. Check out the trailer here.

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While Jack Skellington wanted to abscond Christmas to share with his friends (a tinsel-clad Robin Hood) there is one nasty holiday horror who hated Christmas and didn't want anyone to enjoy it: Dr. Seuss's immortal Grinch! The famous book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by writer-cartoonist Seuss (real name Ted Geisel, who once contributed to some classic Warner Brothers theatrical cartoons including adaptations of his children's books as well as the classic Snafu shorts made for the war department) detailed how this foul fiend with a heart two sizes too small tried to hijack the holiday. Of course, the operative word is "try," as we all know the Christmas spirit will triumph in the end! Interestingly enough, the Grinch shares more in common with Jack Skellington than merely pilfering Christmas - the Grinch got himself all tangled up in Halloween, too in the 1977 special "Halloween is Grinch Night." As for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," most are familiar with the classic 1966 animated TV special directed by animation legend Chuck Jones... and I'll leave it at that, as I prefer to think the live-action fiasco of a few years back never happened!

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So here's wishing all Scared Silly fans the happiest and safest of holidays, and every blessing for the New Year!Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-65442117636181554622015-11-26T00:00:00.000-05:002015-11-26T00:00:00.476-05:00A THANKSGIVING TRADITION CONTINUES!: BABES IN TOYLAND (aka MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS) (1934)NOTE: This is a re-post of an entry I originally posted on Thanksgiving, 2010.

RATING: *** & ¾ out of ****

AUTHOR'S NOTE #1: I'm running a review of this film today because the film is a Thanksgiving tradition in the New York Tri-State area where I grew up and still live. WPIX Channel 11 has run this film almost every year on Thanksgiving for the past 40 or so years (and is doing so again today) and I can not underestimate the impact this film had on me, truly an annual "event" I looked forward to year after year as a child.

AUTHOR'S NOTE #2: As of this writing I'm still debating whether to include this film among the main Laurel & Hardy horror-comedy entries or whether to place it in the "horror-onable mention" section. The film is not a horror-comedy per se – in fact, it is a children's fantasy that makes ample use of classic fairy tale characters. Furthermore, a major motif in the film is Santa and his toymakers readying Christmas gifts for the children in the off-season. But its horrific moments and characters are quite palpable and place it in a unique category all its own. More on that in the review...

PLOT: The peace and tranquility of the citizens of Toyland (where all the famous nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters live along with Santa Claus and all his helpers) is threatened by its one bad apple: sinister Silas Barnaby (Henry Brandon), a creepy landlord who holds the mortgages on most of the homes in the land, including the shoe-shaped home belonging to the old woman (who lived in a shoe). He also rules the frightening "Bogeyland" and the monstrous "Bogeymen" that inhabit it, a place where criminals are banished as punishment for major crimes. Barnaby is sweet on the old woman's daughter Little Bo Peep. When Mother Widow Peep (Florence Roberts) can't meet the mortgage payment on the shoe, Barnaby offers to forget the whole matter if she'll consent to offering Bo Peep's hand in marriage to Barnaby. Neither Mother nor Bo Peep, who is in love with Tom Tom the Piper's Son (Felix Knight) are willing to submit to Barnaby's demand and so he threatens to evict everyone out of the shoe. Enter two of the shoe's tenants, Stannie Dumm (Stan Laurel) and Ollie Dee (Oliver Hardy), who vow to get a loan from their boss the toymaker (William Burress) to prevent such a travesty. That doesn't go over too well as the "boys" get in a heap of trouble with the toymaker after Santa does a spot check at the toy factory. St. Nick wants to see how things are coming along and learns that Stannie got his wooden soldiers order all mixed up – instead of 600 soldiers at one foot high, 100 soldiers each six feet high have been created! A series of triumphs and reversals follow for Stannie, Ollie, Bo Peep and Tom Tom and when it becomes apparent that Barnaby can no longer "trick" his way to achieving his evil desires, he enlists the aid of the ferocious half-men, half-monster Bogeymen to rout Toyland. Can our heroes find a way to defeat these abominable creatures, and what will become of Bo Peep, Tom Tom and the wooden soldiers?

REVIEW: Testament to the role this film has played in my life: I've seen it so many times I didn't even need to re-watch it to review it! Without question, this film, based on the Victor Herbert operetta is one of the most unique films ever made – as both a comedy film by major stars and as a holiday classic it stands pretty much alone. Only the all-star "Alice in Wonderland" which also stars Charlotte Henry in the title role (along with Cary Grant, W.C. Fields, Leon Errol, Jack Oakie, Sterling Holloway, Edward Everett Horton, Charles Ruggles and others) comes close but ultimately it's no cigar – while that earlier film shares "Babe's" weird and spooky oddness it lacks the charm and humor of the Laurel & Hardy opus which despite several terror-filled sequences is filled with hope and optimism. And "Alice" certainly doesn't evoke any warm-fuzzy holiday feelings... it is most decidedly not a holiday classic.

Where can I even begin? This is one of those films that has to be seen – mere words cannot convey the wonders this film undolds. I suppose I'll get the intentional and unintentional scares out of the way first:

Silas Barnaby, as performed with relish and flourish by Henry Brandon (real name: Kleinbach) is a dastardly villain of the highest order. He has a huge "creepy" and "spooky" factor, not unlike many of the fiends Bela Lugosi and Vincent Price essayed over their illustrious careers. It is a performance for the ages. Brandon treads that line between funny and purely evil that not many actors since have accomplished (Heath Ledger's interpretation of Batman's nemesis "The Joker" is the most recent example I can think of but there have been few and far between). Most amazing of all, Brandon did it at the tender age of 22. That is an amazing accomplishment not just because he's playing a character much older but also because of all he was able to bring to the character – if you didn't know Brandon's real age you'd swear that he had already witnessed decades of villainy to inspire his portrayal. Brandon played many other notable roles through the years (including a part in the Martin & Lewis horror-comedy "Scared Stiff") and even acted up until the year before his death in 1990 but when all is said and done it is not a stretch to claim that history will put Barnaby at the top of his most memorable roles. Brandon returned to the character three years later and that turn was just as memorable as the original. In the short "Our Gang Follies of 1938" (filmed and released in 1937) Brandon is the Opera House impresario who signs famed Little Rascal Alfalfa to a crooked contract whose deception is worthy of those the devil dealt in "The Devil & Tom Walker," "The Devil & Daniel Webster," "Damn Yankees," "Bedazzled" and so many other tales. The unbreakable contract requires Alfalfa to sing "The Barber of Seville" at his opera house… forever! The character is never called "Barnaby" by name in the short, but in the script he is identified as such.

Barnaby has a manservant, naturally, and as the illogic in old movies usually goes, the villains always pick ineffective manservants like hunchbacks and mutes (sometimes they're both at the same time). Here, the manservant is a diminutive dwarf played by John George. He is oddly creepy in his own right (which may be the context more than anything – the costumes in this film are creepy as is the lighting and Barnaby's villainy and lair, and since George appears in those scenes, his character takes on those attributes as well… except when Barnaby laces into him, resulting in some audience sympathy toward the character). He is also somewhat reminiscent of Angelo Rossitto, another dwarf actor with a lengthy career who often appeared in the same manservant capacity, most notably alongside Bela Lugosi in various films including the East Side Kids horror-comedy, "Spooks Run Wild." Rossitto also appears in "Babes," as one of the little pigs as well as one of the sandmen fairies during the lullaby scene (more on both below).

Barnaby's minions, "The Bogeymen" are horrific monster-men designed to give children (and maybe a few adults) nightmares. Less frightening once you get past a certain age and spot the rubber faces and the pillow pads within their shaggy suits, they are also fairly unique considering the year the movie came out. The most natural comparisons would be movie werewolves and ape men but most of those types of films (such as "Werewolf of London" and "The Wolf Man" and "The Ape Man") came out after "Babes." Prior to "Babes," the most notable example was "The Island of Lost Souls" a year earlier and perhaps some of Lon Chaney Sr.'s silent monster films. Like Barnaby, the Bogeymen (or at least A BogeyMAN) would return in an "Our Gang" short. Well, at least the costume and mask (without an actor inside) would, as Alfalfa, Buckwheat and Porky are scared witless by a Bogeyman that flings out of a hidden panel during an unplanned (and unrealized by the kids) journey through a spooky carnival funhouse in the last Hal Roach-produced "Our Gang" short , "Hide & Shriek" (1938). Not to be outdone, Barnaby is also evoked in an early scene that has "detektive" Alfalfa showing off his expertise at disguises - answering the door dressed as Barnaby complete with hat, cape and cane!

Barnaby and the Bogey Men are the obviously scary elements, but the whole production has an (appropriately) surreal and otherworldly sensibility that sometimes borders on the eerie, with even some of the favorite children's characters rendered in slightly "off" costumes and masks that are downright spooky at times. These include the Three Little Pigs, played by dwarves (including the aforementioned cult film favorite Angelo Rossitto) and children (including Payne B. Johnson who is still with us as of this writing – I had the pleasure of meeting him at the 2006 Sons of the Desert convention in Atlanta, GA) in garish costumes. The masks make the faces of the pigs seem a little scary – they look old and wrinkled and not capable of showing much emotion (especially since you can't really see their eyes), which heightens the bizarre feeling (a pig jumping up and down and clapping its hands in victory with an emotionless face is an odd thing indeed. There is also man in a cat suit (Pete Gordon, who played the Chinese cook in Laurel & Hardy's horror-comedy classic "The Live Ghost") with a fiddle, naturally, who comes off slightly scary – mostly unintentionally although there is one cheat scare when Ollie is explaining to Stan about the Bogeyman's horrible claws… just as the "cat" puts its paw on Stan's shoulder!

One scene that was edited out of many television prints through the years had Tom Tom, having been banished to Bogeyland after being falsely accused of pignapping (Barnaby framed him of of course) comforting Bo Peep, who had traveled into Bogeyland after her true love. Tom Tom sings Bo Peep to sleep with a lullaby while fairies (played by dwarves again… perhaps the producers of the still-a-few-years-away "Wizard of Oz" took notice of these diminutive thesps with big talents) dance overhead in spectral, see-through form. The ghostly figures make the scene more eerie than magical for me.

Oddest of all however has to be... Mickey Mouse. You heard that right, Mickey Mouse. PLAYED BY A MONKEY! I always personally loved the monkey-in-a-mouse suit character, but I know others who were totally frightened by it. It is weird to say the least (I still wonder how the heck the monkey was able to breathe in that costume). The character is a mix of the plucky and resourceful Mickey from the 1930s black & white cartoons combined with the offbeat, bouncy movements of a typical monkey (the character gets a major moment of its own during the climactic battle with the Bogeymen, piloting a toy zeppelin and dropping explosives onto the monsters from overhead). The Hal Roach Studios (producers of the film) had a long-standing relationship with the Disney studio and their "stars" occasionally crossed over (Laurel & Hardy are prominent in the classic "Mickey's Polo Team" and in the same year as "Babes" Mickey and Stan & Ollie co-starred again in the all-star MGM feature, "Hollywood Party"). This friendly co-existence between Disney and Roach also extended to Disney granting Roach the rights to use the smash hit song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" in "Babes" (the award-winning animated "Three Little Pigs" Disney short having debuted the year before).

I have always found this film absolutely delightful. As a child I don't remember being scared by the spookier elements; it's only as I grew older that I realized how frightening some elements in this film are. But I am still delighted by it, for two reasons. First, Laurel & Hardy are simply sublime as usual in this film. Their comedy is warm, funny and at times magically surreal and the screen characters audiences had become used to remain intact in the middle of this high fantasy. Perhaps since I had seen so many other features and shorts by the duo as a child I knew that they "always came back" for another adventure, so I was certain that they would help defeat the marauding monsters (despite fearful moments of real terror and concern – such as when the Bogeymen snatch Toyland's children from their beds). I also grew up in a time where Hollywood saw the value in the darker side of the fairy tale. Overcoming fears and learning important lessons through scary allegories were hallmarks of children's stories. Disney knew this well – during Hollywood's golden age his "Snow White & the Seven Dwarves" and "Pinocchio" didn't pull any punches in the "scares" department. This approach lasted at least through the early 1970s with Gene Wilder's masterful portrayal of the alternately whimsical/frightening title character of "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory." Somewhere along the line, the "gatekeepers" decided that scares had to be skirted in children's fantasies, leaving whole generations with much more homogenized stories lacking true heart and humanity.

"Babes in Toyland" has a slippery history. Hal Roach originally bought the rights to do a film version of the Herbert operetta "Babes" then realized it had very little plot, at least not one that would easily accommodate a feature film (it was fine for the stage where it worked perfectly as a lovely revue of childhood memories of the toy chest set to song). So Roach conceived a story with Stan and Ollie as "Simple Simon and the Pie Man." The villain was a spider who turned into a man and put "hate" into the wooden soldiers so they could ravage the town and eliminate "love and happiness." It sounds a lot like the Beatles' classic animated feature "Yellow Submarine" which would be released 32 years later… but as envisioned by Roach, the studio would have been hard-pressed to convey the abstract elements of his idea and there hardly seems room for typical Stan and Ollie antics within. Thankfully Laurel, the creative architect of most of the team's films (he wrote gags and stories and often directed many scenes – mostly uncredited) won out over Roach and collaborated with his own writers and gagmen to deliver the film we know and love today. As odd as it may sound, to me Laurel's version anticipates Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (condensed from a combined ten plus hours to "Babe's" compact 78 minutes) with the unlikely heroes (Stan & Ollie/Frodo & Samwise) routing the mephistophelean villain (Barnaby/Saruman) and his minions (The Bogeymen/The Orcs). But maybe that's just me...

The other side of this film's checkered past has to do with its release history. (it's so confusing in fact that I'm not even fully certain if the following is entirely accurate). The film was sold off by Roach to an independent distributor named Robert Lippert. It was reissued to theaters several times over the years under various names such as "March of the Toys," "March of the Wooden Soldiers" (its most commonly known moniker) and the non-sequitur non de plum, "Revenge is Sweet." It made the rounds of schools where it was shown to students on 16mm projectors. Ultimately it wound up on TV, where it became a staple broadcast around the holidays (run on or near Thanksgiving or Christmas and sometimes both). When the growing popularity of VCR's made videotapes as attractive to buy as they were to rent, several companies released the film under the mistaken notion that the film was in the public domain. The truth was that the Tribune Broadcasting Company (owners of WGN in Chicago and WPIX in New York City) had an ownership stake. At some point they lost the rights and the Samuel Goldwyn Company snatched them up, colorizing the film for home video release and then a national syndication deal (which Tribune signed on for). This colorized version is broadcast on TV to this day. Meanwhile, the DVD age ushered in more home video releases by companies assuming the film was in the public domain (these included a newly colorized version from Legend Films that was an improvement over the original color job but still looks like kids using their Crayolas over old film frames to this reviewer). When MGM bought out Goldwyn's assets, they ended up owning a film they had released and distributed in the first place. A couple years back they gave the world a wonderful Christmas present in the form of a DVD of the film in its pristine, original black & white form… complete with all scenes intact and the original "Babes in Toyland" title cards!

The film as it stands is an amazing, unique achievement. The comedy of Stan & Ollie is in high gear and one can't help but laugh and smile from ear to ear when they are onscreen. The horrific aspects are appropriate for a classic approach to fairy tales, the benevolent Toyland characters are warmly drawn and the rescue of Toyland by Stan, Ollie and the Wooden Soldiers is rousing indeed. While some of the songs sung by the romantic leads have a tendency to slow the film down in spots (the one thing that keeps me from giving it a full four star review), they don't overpower it. The overall plot, while taking a few meandering detours still has a beginning, middle and end and adheres to the old adage from Chekhov wherein he states that if a gun is shown in the first act, it better go off in the third. The gun here is the wooden soldiers, and the resonance is the fact that the hero's seeming mistake (Stan's botching of the wooden soldiers order) is the very thing that ends up saving the day. Kind of like Frodo taking that ring...

BEST DIALOGUE AND GAGS (normally I separate these categories but in this film, as in most Laurel & Hardy sound films the verbal and visual gags are often intertwined)

Stan explains to Ollie that he borrowed money from their piggy bank to replace a "pee wee" – a little wooden peg that when hit with a stick returns like a boomerang. Unless you are Ollie, who pompously insists that anything Stan can do he can do… but he can't! To add insult to injury, Ollie also learns he can't do Stan's finger tricks either.

Ollie and Stan have chased Barnaby down a well. "You better come up, dead or alive," says Stan, alluding to the King's edict that Barnaby is a wanted fugitive (when the King announces the award for bringing back Barnaby "Dead or Alive," Stan asks "Can't you make up your mind how you want him?"). "Now how can he come up dead when he's alive," protests Ollie. "Let's drop a rock on him," counters Stan. "Then he'll come up dead when he's alive!"

Stan and Ollie have a plan: Stan will show up at Barnaby's door with a big box – a Christmas present! Inside is Ollie, who plans to sneak out once inside to find and destroy the shoe's mortgage. Barnaby asks, "Christmas present… in the middle of July?" "We always like to do our Christmas shopping early," retorts Stan. Their plan backfires when Stan says goodnight to Ollie and Ollie pops his head out of the crate, leading to them being put on trial.

When Ollie gets "dunked" in the lake as punishment for the attempted robbery of the mortgage, he hands Stan his watch for safe keeping. Distressed by the dunking Bo Peep consents to become Barnaby's wife... which means that the charges are withdrawn and Stan doesn't have to get dunked! Ollie doesn't like this and pushes Stan into the lake... and a soaked Stan emerges pulling Ollie's waterlogged watch out of his pocket!

When Bo Peep gives in to Barnaby's marriage proposal, Ollie explains that Stan is so upset he's not even going to the wedding. "Upset," exclaims Stan. "I'm housebroken!" When Mother Peep determines to speak to Barnaby to try to change his mind, Stan says "Her talking to him is just a matter of pouring one ear into another and coming out the other side... can't be done!"

The boys realize that they can pass Stan off as Bo Peep as long as he keeps his face covered by the veil. Their ruse is a success, but Stan is surprised when he can't leave with Ollie. Ollie explains that now that Stan's married, he has to stay with Barnaby. "But I don't love him," Stan wails!

During Tom Tom's trial for pignapping, Stan and Ollie sit on the sidelines. The evidence (a plate of sausage links) is placed near where they sit. Stan asks Ollie what it is and Ollie explains that the sausage used to be Elmer the pig (allegedly at least). Stan takes a bite and says it doesn't take like pig – it tastes like pork to him! This inspires Ollie to take a bite and brings Tom Tom's innocence to the forefront as Ollie exclaims, "why that's neither pig nor pork… it's beef!"

SPOTTED IN THE CAST: My favorite Our Gang/Little Rascals kid, Scotty Beckett has a small part. He made several movies apart from the Gang shorts, but his only other recurring part was as Winky in the "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" TV series. He worked until 1957 then tragically died eleven years later due to a drug overdose.

Ellen Corby will forever be known as the grandmother on "The Waltons" but her roles are numerous. They include bit parts in two Laurel & Hardy classics ("Sons of the Desert" and "Babes in Toyland," aka "March of the Wooden Soldiers"), playing a maid in Abbott & Costello's "The Noose Hangs High" appearing in Jerry Lewis' "Visit to a Small Planet" and three major horror-comedy roles: playing one of the Gravesend clan in "The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters," Mother Lurch in the classic "Addams Family" TV series, and Luther Hegg's childhood schoolteacher in "The Ghost & Mr. Chicken." In addition to her acting roles, apparently Corby was also a script supervisor at the Roach Studios on numerous Laurel & Hardy, Our Gang, Charley Chase, Thelma Todd & Zasu Pitts/Patsy Kelly, etc., shorts and was also married at the time to Hal Roach cinematographer Francis Corby.

Ironically, Billy Bletcher started out in silent movies, but his career would be made via his deep baritone voice. He appeared in many vintage comedy shorts alongside Laurel & Hardy, the Little Rascals (including "Hide & Shriek"), W.C. Fields and others; classic animated shorts from Disney and Warner Brothers, did a couple voices in "The Wizard of Oz," and appeared in Red Skelton's horror-comedy "Whistling in the Dark." His voice was often utilized to portray villains (he was the voice of The Big Bad Wolf) as well as ghosts and other spooky characters (he lent his talents to the classic Mickey/Donald/Goofy horror-cartoon, "Lonesome Ghosts").

FURTHER READING: There are many great books on Laurel & Hardy out there but I will single out three that particularly highlight "Babes." The coffee table book "Laurel & Hardy" by John McCabe and Richard W. Bann has some great production and promotional stills from "Babes." Randy Skretvedt's essential, impeccably researched "Laurel & Hardy: the Magic Behind the Movies" goes into deep detail about the behind-the-scenes trials and triumphs of this film, from Roach's ill-conceived plot to young Henry Brandon getting into bar brawls when off-camera. Scott MacGillivray's equally essential "Laurel & Hardy: from the Forties Forward" presents the story of the film's second (and third and fourth and fifth, etc.) life as theatrical reissue, television staple and home video release. Just click on the above titles to access Amazon.com links for each book.

You'll also want to check out the following link to a Village Voice article that is more of a remembrance of the impact this film had on so many kids growing up with it on TV in the New York area – click here to read it.

BUY THE FILM: There are lots of versions out there – some unauthorized, some colorized, some butcherized (as in edited). But I really can only endorse the official MGM DVD release in glorious black & white which you can order from Amazon when you click here.

WATCH THE FILM: Here's the original trailer for "Babes in Toyland" (note that it uses Henry Brandon's real name and also exaggerates the running time, claiming the film contains 12 minutes more than it actually does) ENJOY!... and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-72537931419649852712015-11-03T00:00:00.000-05:002015-11-03T19:36:03.084-05:00TUESDAY TUNE!

Not an illusion... not a mirage... not an imaginary tale! No, that's really a photo of me onstage... singing with my friends, The O>Matics!

The O>Matics are a terrific Jersey rock band with a ton of great, often satirical tunes in their arsenal. They graciously allowed me to sit in on three numbers during their concert this past Friday, and being the night before Halloween, The Monster Mash was the perfect addition to the set list. And guess who got to sing it?

What a thrill for me to sing a song that's been a favorite of mine since I was a child in the early 1970s (the 1962 hit single was re-released at that time and charted all over again). The Monster Mash is just as responsible for my lifelong love of horror-comedy as Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. And there was even some unintentional humor: I accidentally sang "carpetbaggers" instead of "coffin diners!"

DISCLAIMER: While I am a published songwriter and did have a single out in the late 1980s, I'd never sung "live" in front of an audience before until this past Friday. I'm never going to be mistaken for a professional singer, but I just went out there and had a blast, and with rock 'n roll, isn't that what it's all about? It was great fun, and I am extremely grateful to the O>Matics, a terrific group of guys, for this amazing opportunity! ENJOY!

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-44547609684981810222015-10-31T00:00:00.000-04:002015-10-31T00:00:00.673-04:00SATURDAY 'TOON!HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Let's celebrate it with a classic public domain cartoon starring...

BETTY BOOP!

This one is surreal in the best way the vintage, early Betty Boop cartoons are, and while it doesn't get totally spooky until the end, well... there's a group of ghosts playing baseball with a large, lit bomb!!! What more do you need to know?! Plus the ever-wonderful tones of the Don Redman orchestra. It's no TRICK... it's a TREAT!!!

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-4702574188370929432015-10-29T00:00:00.000-04:002015-10-29T09:08:52.177-04:00THURSDAY FEATURE!Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis in...

Artists & Models!

This isn't a horror-comedy per se, but it does feature both Shirley Maclaine and Eva Gabor wearing a "Bat Lady" costume (making it perfect for Halloween week) and has as its backdrop the fantastical world of comic books!

This is easily my favorite of the Martin & Lewis films, due in large part to its comics industry motif, as well as the direction by former Looney Tunes director, Frank Tashlin. It also has the distinction of being an up-to-the-minute commentary on the then-current Senate hearings on comic books and the allegations that they were a contributing cause of juvenile delinquency.

This is NOT a public domain movie, but Paramount Pictures recently launched its own YouTube channel called The Paramount Vault enabling anyone to legally watch this and several other classic films (including two solo outings by our old pal, Oliver Hardy) for free. ENJOY!

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-17340307185261444182015-10-27T00:00:00.000-04:002015-10-27T00:00:01.098-04:00TUESDAY TRAILER!Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard in...

THE CAT & THE CANARY!

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-78563182421458940862015-10-02T00:00:00.000-04:002015-10-14T20:43:15.870-04:00IT'S A HARVEST OF PERSONAL APPEARANCES AS I EMBARK ON MY ANNUAL FALL TOUR!

It's that time again… time for me to head out on the road for my annual fall personal appearance tour. I'll let the press release below fill you in on all the details – hope to see you sometime during my tour!

On October 3, comics writer-editor and historian Paul Castiglia begins what has become an annual "Fall NY/NJ" personal appearance tour.
The appearances accompany a slate of new projects for Castiglia ranging from writing new comic book stories to writing non-fiction text pieces to co-producing documentaries.

Chief among Castiglia's current offerings is Rise: Comics Against Bullying, an all-star anthology of mainstream and indie writers and artists who've contributed stories with an anti-bullying theme. The special edition was released this past spring by Northwest Press, with proceeds benefiting organizations with anti-bullying initiatives. Castiglia reunited with popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles artist Chris Allan for his tale, which was edited by Erica Schultz, writer of the acclaimed M3 comic series.

Also recently released was Archie's Favorite High School Comics, a paperback collection of stories featuring comics' most famous teens and the beleaguered faculty members of fabled Riverdale High. Castiglia contributed introductions to several of the stories, continuing a long run of Archie archival projects that began with the popular Archie Americana Series in the 1990s. In the digital space, Archie just released an exclusive, 124 page collection of Archie's Mysteries stories written by Castiglia.

Another project for Castiglia that draws upon Archie Comics' history is The MLJ Companion, a compendium of articles and interviews about Archie's heroes coming soon from Two-Morrows Press. Castiglia co-edited the edition with Rik Offenberger. Both also contributed articles about the fabled titans, currently making a splash in a new series from Archie under the Dark Circle imprint.

Recently, Castiglia also contributed a backup story for the comic book, KING! from award-winning publishers, Blacklist Studios. The story is scheduled to be released both digitally and in print within the next few months. KING! tells the story of a former professional wrestler who fashions himself after a certain "King of Rock 'n Roll" – and hires himself out as a monster hunter! In Castiglia's tale, King finds himself face-to-face with a real, live goatsucker in a tale that could only be called, El Chupacabra – Ay, Carumba!

Also due out soon is issue #4 of War of the Independents from Red Anvil Comics. Created by Red Anvil publisher Dave Ryan, the series is a satirical sendup of such mainstream comics' crossover events as Marvel's Secret Wars and DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths. Issue #4 is the "humor issue," featuring such iconic indie characters as The Tick, Felix the Cat, Flaming Carrot, Gumby & Pokey, Milk & Cheese and Too Much Coffee Man, among many others. Castiglia wrote the epic tale which was plotted by Ryan, with art from Donald Simpson.

Castiglia continues to work on his non-fiction book, Scared Silly: Classic Hollywood Horror-Comedies. The book explores films where classic comedians like Abbott & Costello, the Three Stooges and the Bowery Boys got mixed up in spooky situations with ghosts, monsters and aliens.

Castiglia is also taking part in a documentary on the famed movie team, The Bowery Boys. As an Executive Producer and Creative Consultant, Castiglia has interviewed celebrities, is helping to write the narrative, is the film's Music Supervisor and is also making casting decisions. He also came up with the name of the project, Bowery Rhapsody: the Rise and Redemption of Hollywood's Original 'Brat Pack.'. Recent interviews filmed include Alec Baldwin, Jamie Farr, Pat Cooper and Adam Ferrara.

Following are the details of Castiglia's "Fall NY/NJ" tour for 2015. Unless otherwise stated, at each appearance Castiglia will sell and autograph copies of comics and book projects to which he's contributed, including Archie's Weird Mysteries, Archie Americana, Hey Kids Comics, Sonic, With Great Power, Midnight Marquee Actor Series: Vincent Price and more:

October 3
Immortal Con, Clarion Hotel, Ronkonkoma, NY
Proceeds help benefit Stony Brook Cancer Center
11AM–7PM

October 8-11
New York Comic Con, Jacob Javits Center, New York, NY
Panel: Creatively Energizing Your Students with Comic Books and Arts, October 11 from 11:15-12PM, Room 1A05
Autograph signing schedule to be announced

October 24
Chase Con, Saratoga Spring, NY
Theme: 25th anniversary of first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie
Autographing TMNT, Conservation Corps and Sonic the Hedgehog comics

November 7
Superheroes For Hospice, West Orange, NJ
Comic Book Sale benefitting Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care Center
10AM–5PM

November 21 and 22
New Jersey Comic Expo, Edison, NJ (New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center)
10AM–7PM (Sat), 10 AM-5PM (Sun)

December 13
Clifton Comic Book Expo, Clifton, NJ
Clifton Community Recreation Center
10AM–4PM

More information on Paul Castiglia's career can be found at Wikipedia and the Internet Movie Database Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-14959574343708281372015-09-12T00:00:00.000-04:002015-09-12T00:00:00.687-04:00SATURDAY 'TOON!Here it is… the ONLY Mickey Mouse animated cartoon in the public domain in the United States… and it also just happens to be one of the most memorable and scariest of all time! Watch… if you dare!!!

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-80179575082806866642015-09-10T00:00:00.000-04:002015-10-30T09:47:17.828-04:00THURSDAY FEATURE!Okay, this one isn't a horror-comedy per se… it's a spoof of jungle films. BUT… it does star Abbott & Costello with two Stooges in support (Shemp Howard and Joe Besser)… and some of the cast is scared by gorillas (a staple of horror-comedies). Not to mention those magic words, "public domain!" So let's "go ape" with Bud & Lou!

Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-89923387233860874862015-09-08T00:00:00.000-04:002015-09-08T00:00:00.826-04:00TUESDAY TRAILER!More of a "mystery-comedy" than a "horror-comedy" from Stan & Ollie, but there is some sleight-of-hand illusion from Dante the Magician to contend with, as well as the spooky title. A cousin of sorts to such films as Arsenic & Old Lace, Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer and The Boogie Man Will Get You.

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-62254614919346068472015-08-15T00:00:00.000-04:002015-08-15T00:00:01.900-04:00SATURDAY 'TOON!Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-87492209454926060322015-08-13T00:00:00.000-04:002015-08-13T00:00:00.059-04:00THURSDAY FEATURE!Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-48279652120402194162015-08-11T00:00:00.000-04:002015-08-11T00:00:03.023-04:00TUESDAY TRAILER!Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-38955806215950968662015-04-18T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-18T00:00:06.624-04:00SATURDAY 'TOONS - EAST SIDE BOWERY STYLE!

Bowery Boys week continues here at Scared Silly (read all about it by clicking here)… and here's another Saturday 'Toons edition!

We're starting off with the poster above for the Mighty Mouse cartoon, Dead End Cats. I can't post the cartoon here as it's not in the public domain, but the movie poster is. The cartoon itself has nothing to do with the Dead End Kids beyond the title possibly being inspired by it.

The following cartoons, however ARE in the public domain and so I'll happily post them here.

The first, a Max Flesischer cartoon features the first-ever animated reference to the Dead End Kids… all the way at the end of the cartoon:

The second features another mighty mouse and is a more indirect, potential nod to Leo Gorcey. The character Herman would go on to greater fame for a series of cartoons in which he bedeviled the poor feline, Katnip. Here's one of Herman's early solo shorts. ENJOY!

Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-14889145092654773552015-04-16T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-16T00:00:02.596-04:00THURSDAY FEATURES - EAST SIDE KIDS TRIPLE FEATURE!

As mentioned in my post this past Tuesday (if you missed it I'll let you read it for yourself by clicking here), it's Bowery Boys week as I'm trekking off to California today to work on a Bowery Boys documentary (again, please check back to Tuesday's post for details).

There are no Bowery Boys movies in the public domain so I cannot post any of their features here, but fortunately in their previous incarnation of the East Side Kids there are three public domain horror-comedies free and clear to post… so here they are – ENJOY!

Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-36484151134080004552015-04-14T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-14T00:00:02.838-04:00TUESDAY TRAILERS... HERE COME THE BOWERY BOYS!

It's Bowery Boys week! As previously mentioned, for the better part of the last year I've been working on a documentary about the Bowery Boys (and their earlier incarnations, the Dead End Kids, Little Tough Guys and East Side Kids) with the wonderful folks from Handshake Away Productions. I'm acting as an Executive Producer, Creative Consultant, Writer and more. Click here for our imdb link.

Later this week, East will meet West as I travel from the New York area to California to meet (for the first time) my fellow Executive Producers, Colette Joel and David Key to film some new interviews, and review and select footage for both a teaser trailer and official trailer, as well for the documentary.

In anticipation of my trip and our first "in-person" collaboration, I hereby present the trailers from most of the East Side Kids horror-comedies (I don't have a trailer for Boys of the City) as well as all of the Bowery Boys horror-comedies. Plus a few bonus "horror-onable mentions" and some clips from previously filmed interviews for the documentary itself. ENJOY!

EAST SIDE KIDS:

BOWERY BOYS:

"HORROR-ONABLE" MENTIONS:

BOWERY RHAPSODY: THE RISE & REDEMPTION OF HOLLYWOOD'S ORIGINAL 'BRAT PACK':
 Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-40142913260625373762015-04-10T20:28:00.000-04:002015-04-10T20:28:00.047-04:00SATURDAY 'TOON!Paul Castigliahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336951618302437812.post-39731213979649978962015-04-09T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-09T00:00:04.682-04:00THURSDAY FEATURE!Paul Castigliahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


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These crowd pleasers range from juicy, slow-simmered sandwich fillings to zesty pork roast.
You'll never guess the secret ingredient that makes these pork-filled quesadillas sing: chocolate. It imbues the mole sauce with deep color and intriguing richness without making it overly sweet.
Pork ribs simmer with dark beer, potatoes, carrots, and radishes to create this delicious dinner. Garlic and fresh rosemary adds delicious flavor, while lemon peel brightens the dish.
These pork chops have a Southwestern air thanks to salsa, corn, and Tex-Mex-style chili beans.
It's hard to go wrong with this irresistible sandwich: Tender pork is smothered in zesty barbecue sauce. Snipped apricot mellows the heat in the barbecue sauce.
This harvest meal features tender pork shoulder and sausage seasoned with tarragon and fennel, plus a generous helping of fluffy mashed sweet potatoes.
The few extra minutes it takes to brown the pork are well spent. Browning brings out the flavor of the meat as well as adding appealing color.
Tender shredded pork and onion fill these tortilla wraps. Pico de gallo and avocado dip add a touch of island flair.
Autumnal sweet potatoes, parsnips, and apples meld beautifully with thyme and rosemary for this stew.
For more flavor of Germany, heat a can of Bavarian-style sauerkraut to serve with the caraway-flavored pork and tangy sour cream gravy.
Long, slow cooking makes pork shoulder tender and juicy for sandwiches, while the five-spice powder, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce give it a decided Asian twist.
Our updated chicken and ham version simmers all day in your crockery cooker. Early Virginia settlers made this hearty stew with squirrel meat.
For a savory sandwich they'll love, pile shredded pork high on a toasted bun and top it with creamy coleslaw (a traditional topper in eastern North Carolina).
Two kinds of pork make this hearty stew extra flavorful. Sop up the wine-flavored gravy with chunks of Italian bread or rolls.
If kids are on the guest list, apple juice is a fine substitute for the whiskey in these tasty sausage-and-beef meatballs.
Kielbasa, a smoked pork sausage, comes in chubby links and usually is precooked. It's often labeled Polish sausage. Cabbage and potatoes are classic pairings with it.
Cook the pork and sauerkraut in a crockery cooker. Serve on rye bread with Swiss cheese.

subset: commoncrawl


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A Permit Technician earns an average wage of $15.92 per hour. Most people move on to other jobs if they have more than 20 years' experience in this career. A skill in Customer Service is associated with high pay for this job.
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Permit technicians play an important role in the processes of building and construction, though they typically work in offices to perform both technical and clerical tasks for construction companies, usually in building regulation departments and especially for larger employers. They often answer calls, return calls, and meet with others in the industry to gain the proper permits for construction projects. They may also help customers deal with the permitting process, answer questions, and provide other needed information, and guide clients to the proper government offices when they cannot resolve concerns directly. They also also set up and plan appointments for inspections of construction projects and resolve zoning issues as necessary.Read More...
Permit technicians also prepare and file reports, file blueprints with the appropriate offices, and perform other clerical duties on a regular basis. They often meet with designers and others to develop handouts and other informational material for customers, as well. With so many clerical and technical duties, strong organizational and communication skills are essential in this position, as is the ability to work well with both clients and regulating agencies. Computer skills, filing skills, and other in-office abilities are also important.
A high school diploma may be a minimum requirement for this position, and some employers require an associate's degree and/or prior experience in the field, particularly with larger employers. Ongoing education is also necessary to keep up with changes in building/zoning laws and requirements.
Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.
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The Rap Map
Osborn High School
From "Yellow Brick Road" by Eminem
LyricsAt Osborn handing out some flyers, he was doin some talent shows
Eminem attended Osborn for a year before failing out of 9th Grade and dropping out. While there, he met Proof (R.I.P.) and other future members of D12 as part of the school's rap battle scene. Because he didn't graduate, he'll never get to wear the t-shirt pictured at left. That is the only thing that his poor, less successful classmates can lord over him


text:
Books / Livres
Omaha Beach - Utah Beach
= 49 €
Figures / Figurines
Click on the photo
to order
bbi & D-Day Publishing have team together to offer you this very fine 60th anniversary of D-Day limited edition 1/6 fully articulated figure series.
This series represent the four characters presented in the portrait book series. (Forrest Guth, Bob Piper, Doc McIlvoy, Ben Vandervoort)
Only 1,000 pieces have be produced. Each box is individually numbered.
Exclusively sold by D-Day Publishing.
For more details click on the figure
"I just wanted to "Thank You" for having BBI produce the 4 figures that were released for the D-Day 60th anniversary. I am positive that that was one giant headache for you and will probably never happen again. I'm sure you were besieged with mail from everyone wanting there's now, now, now,!!"
"I got Cpl. Guth and I thought your service and attitude were great! I just wanted to let you know from a guy who has been there {V.P. of a figure company for 4 years}. The figures were amazing and the uniforms, gear, and boxes were superb. I just thought you might like to know…"
Sloan Wolff


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Visit the new dedicated festival website for all program of events and booking details.
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ARIA's 2016 LONG TABLE DINNER Brought to you by the Australian Good Food and Travel Guide Saturday 6 February […]Read More
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….KNIGHTFEST Kingscliff Lantern Markets Friday 6 March – from 5pm DST Autumn has arrived and we are so looking forward to […]Read More


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HR Advance can help you be more efficient with your time and your money when it comes to your workplace documentation. HR Advance is a multi-award winning cloud based tool hosting legally compliant HR and Workplace & Safety documents that can be customised and stored to your business account.
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Four Yearly Review of Modern Awards - Annual Leave
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Results: Kubrat Pulev wins decision over Dereck Chisora
Kubrat Pulev won the European Heavyweight title and an IBF eliminator heavyweight bout by winning a 12-round split decision over Dereck Chisora. Pulev controlled the action with quick combinations and Chisora was never able to get in a groove to land any hard power shots. Pulev won by scores of 118-110 and 116-112. It seemed clear that he deserved the decision, but one judge saw...
Via Pro Boxing Fans
May 07, 2016 | Discuss
Kubrat Pulev vows to cause Dereck Chisora "great pain" after heated presser; Chisora promises knockout
Kubrat Pulev (22-1, 12 KOs) and Dereck Chisora (25-5, 17 KOs) almost came to blows at today's final pre-fight press conference ahead of their IBF title eliminator on Saturday night at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany. During the customary head-to-head photographs, Chisora lived up to his bad boy reputation by grabbing Pulev by the neck and attempting to pull him to�...
Via Pro Boxing Fans
May 03, 2016 | Discuss
Kubrat Pulev: Dereck Chisora is in for a rude awakening
Kubrat Pulev (22-1, 12 KOs) has vowed to make his coach Ulli Wegner proud again following the loss suffered by the legendary German coach's star pupil Arthur Abraham last weekend in Las Vegas. Pulev faces Dereck Chisora (25-5, 17 KOs) on May 7 at the Barclaycard Arena in a European Heavyweight title fight and IBF World title eliminator. The Bulgarian fighter says he will atone...
Via Pro Boxing Fans
April 14, 2016 | Discuss
Kubrat Pulev vs. Dereck Chisora set for May 7th in Germany
Kubrat Pulev (22-1, 12 KOs) and Dereck Chisora (25-5, 17 KOs) will meet in a European title fight and IBF title eliminator on May 7 in Hamburg, Germany. The heavyweights collide as part of a blockbuster Team Sauerland bill at the Barclaycard Arena, and there is a lot on the line as both men look to reclaim the European crown and land a second shot at world honors. Pulev has recorded...
Via Pro Boxing Fans
March 15, 2016 | Discuss
Wladimir Klitschko Delivers His Most Impressive Performance In A Decade, Stops Kubrat Pulev
Kubrat Pulev came to fight against the heavyweight champion Saturday, never backing down, roughing him up, suffering some heavy blows and coming right back to land some big shots of his own. It was exactly what we've been hoping someone might do to Wladimir Klitschko someday. Klitschko withstood it all, and responded to every second of Pulev success with even more punishing blows...
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November 15, 2014 | Discuss
Deservedly Inevitable: Wladimir Klitschko Vs. Kubrat Pulev Preview And Prediction
This is just about as good as it gets for the modern heavyweight division: The true champion is facing the most qualified opponent he hasn't yet defeated. It's a legitimate fight, Wladimir Klitschko vs. Kubrat Pulev. HBO is televising Saturday afternoon, as it should, no matter how tedious Klitschko fights are to many of us, because people watch in droves. We just all know...
Via The Queensbury Rules
November 13, 2014 | Discuss
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Rooted Nutrition chef Andrea Potter prepares easy Whole Grain Calzone recipe using spelt flour.
The filling is made with a variety of vegetables such as chard, peppers, mushrooms and along with soft creamy goat cheese.
Each week's Empowered Health episode will be accompanied by a page in The Sun full of stories and tips designed to put you in control of your health.
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Odell Beckham Jr. won't practice on Wednesday with the team, but is making progress, Tom Coughlin said.
Schwartz hurt his knee during Tuesday's practice.
Beckham has been able to do light drills, but is yet to work with the team in practice due to his nagging hamstring injury.
Geoff Schwartz won't practice on Thursday night with the team due to a knee injury.
Schwartz hurt his knee during Tuesday's practice.
New York Giants


text:
Gartner paints optimistic picture of server arena
Worldwide server shipments for the second quarter of 2006 increased 12.8% over the same quarter last year, while worldwide server revenue for the same period climbed 2.5%, according to Gartner.
This Article Covers
Worldwide server shipments for the second quarter of 2006 increased 12.8% over the same quarter last year, while worldwide server revenue for the same period climbed 2.5%, according to Gartner.
Defining the datacentre needs of 21st century enterprises
A collection of our most popular articles on datacentre management, including: Cloud vs. Colocation: Why both make sense for the enterprise right now; AWS at 10: How the cloud giant shook up enterprise IT and Life on the edge: The benefits of using micro datacenters
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The market research firm found that worldwide server revenue totalled $12.4bn for the quarter, as worldwide servers shipments reached two million units. 'The two server categories that exhibited the greatest strengths were x86 and blade servers,' comments Jeffrey Hewitt, research director at Gartner.
'x86 servers and x86 blade servers continue to be the systems of choice for growing the front and middle tiers of the Web infrastructure. RISC-Itanium Unix servers grew 1.8% in shipments for the quarter but dropped a more significant 2.6% in revenue. This segment continues to be hotly contested on a global basis, but suffered from constrained revenue overall in the second quarter.'
IBM continued to lead the worldwide server market based on revenue and also managed to increase its shipments 13.8%. The firm retained its overall blade server lead in revenue and shipments as its blade server shipments increased 45.4%.
In server shipments, Hewlett-Packard dropped 0.1% in share, but it retained its worldwide server shipment lead and extended the share gap between it and second-place Dell by just over 2 percentage points. HP's year-on-year shipment growth was 12.5%.
Sun Microsystems posted significant annual growth in shipments and revenue for the period – 13.1% and 13.7%, respectively. The only other global vendor to have growth in the second quarter for revenue and shipments was Fujitsu/FSC. Gartner found that Dell did manage to increase server shipments by 2.3% over the same quarter last year, but it experienced a drop in server revenue of 1.8% for the same period.
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Strength training
Do these bike and 'bell routines when time is tight and you need to get fit fast
No matter what your days look like, you can easily fit this quick—and effective—muscle-building exercise into your schedule
And two core exercises athletes should absolutely avoid
Find out if you've yet to unlock your hidden strength with these three simple core tests
If a pill's benefits are in your head, will you be more or less likely to use it?
Specifically geared toward new cyclists, these five exercises help strengthen your frame, and increase your joy and comfort on the bike
Crooked, flat, close together, far apart: Here are the reasons abs can look so different
Your whole body needs to be strong for a strong cycling performance. Here's how to train it.
You might want to wash your hands after your complete your sets
Learn about the muscles that power your pedal stroke, and how to make the most of them
Squats and lunges are great strength-training moves for cyclists—if you do them right


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The problem with having a land line is that no one ever calls it any more.
Oh sure, the phone rings, but when I look at the Caller ID it is typically from someone wanting to sell something or for me to donate money or to give answers in some sort of poll. They come in a variety of forms: "Unknown Name," "Caller Blocked," "Toll Free Number" or "Out Of Area."
Unless I recognize a phone number, the call is unlikely to be answered. There are times, however, when the number is a local one, and I may answer to see if it is someone whose name is not recognized by Caller ID.
So it was a few Saturdays ago when the phone rang. The caller's name was not given, but it was an Aiken number, and I answered.
"You're to blame for it," came the voice at the other end.
I was taken aback. I'm to blame for lots of things, I'm sure, but I usually like to be told in advance what error I have committed. For example: "That column you wrote last week about the Navy. It was lousy. Can't the paper find someone better to write for it?"
In the case above, I am immediately confronted with what is seen as my shortcoming. I am at ease because I know where the caller is coming from. But a blanket, "You are to blame …" just took me by surprise.
The caller went on to identify himself as Jim Osbon. He reminded me that we had met at a book signing for Allen Riddick's book "Memories of Growing Up and Living in Aiken, SC." In that book Allen used several local writers and his own work to compile memories people had of growing up in our fair city. Jim had a couple of contributions, and I had one, as well.
We sat next to one another at the book signing, and now Jim was calling to let me know that he had just completed a book of his own. The "your fault" thing was that a column I wrote some time ago prompted Jim to write the book. I deny ever writing a column in which I encouraged Jim or anyone else to write a book.
Nonetheless, Jim wanted me to know that the book he had just completed was a historical fiction book that took place in Aiken. He titled the tome "Sand River."
Jim delivered a copy of the book to my house, and I recently completed reading it. It starts in Aiken of 1948 with a fictional family. Most everything in the book is true with the exception of the characters that Jim created and the events of their lives. The rest of it might just as well have come from the historical pages of Aiken and Aiken County.
The book tells the story of a changing city from 1948 to 1956. It was a place that went from being a sleepy Southern town with the mysterious charm of its Winter Colony to a city bursting at the seams with the arrival of thousands of construction workers and later permanent Savannah River Plant employees. They altered the course of Aiken and continue to leave an indelible mark as impressive as that left by the Winter Colonists with the massive homes on Colleton Avenue and throughout the Horse District.
Jim weaves an interesting tale of the orphaned Casey Gannon and his love for the city that adopted him. The plot of the story aside, it is an interesting read for anyone who wants to get a glimpse of what Aiken was like 65 years ago. Jim tells of how a slumbering town woke up to find itself in the midst of the nuclear age.
There were challenges and opportunities that came with the arrival of SRP (now SRS), and "Sand River" shows how city leaders approached being thrust into a brave new world that grew out of splitting the atom.
As one of those who arrived in the midst of the SRP boom, I was interested in reading the perspective of a person who had been born and raised here. There are plenty of historical Aiken people in the book – Mayor H. Odell Weeks, Sen. Strom Thurmond, J.O. Willis and Eulalie Salley, to name a few. They give it the feel of realism that those who have lived here for a long time will appreciate.
For those who don't go back so far, "Sand River" is still a good read to discover what Aiken was like and how it was changed. It paints a portrait of this town that once was but has matured into the vibrant 21st century city that we know today.
Yes, I was initially shocked about being told I was to blame for this literary creation. After reading "Sand River," however, now I'll tell Jim what I think about his comment. Thanks. Thanks a lot.
Jeff Wallace is the retired editor of the Aiken Standard.


text:
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Amorphophallus Species
A selection of articles related to amorphophallus species.
Original articles from our library related to the Amorphophallus Species. See Table of Contents for further available material (downloadable resources) on Amorphophallus Species.
- Manifesting World Enlightenment: Part 5
- All things in the universe have at their basis, one fundamental essence which governs their creation, destruction and on-going actions. That singular essence is consciousness, (also known by some as God, or the Unified Field). Everywhere in Nature does...
Mind >> World Mind
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Mind >> World Mind
- Transforming World Mind Inertia (GM7)
- Our entire world society is ultimately governed by the components of consciousness, not governments, corporations or institutions. Regardless of the apparent creativity of the architectural sciences, engineering or the ideologies we create, the true...
Mind >> World Mind
- Manifesting World Enlightenment: Part 3
- One of the very best ways to raise personal or group consciousness, is to MANIFEST spiritual Intentions into the environment at large. The projection of love into one's surroundings for instance, results in love being reflected back to the sender, like...
Mind >> World Mind
- The Earthmind Material
- Part 1 | Part 2 Author's Note All references made in the first person(s) herein, are grammatical conveniences created for the sake of the reader. Such words as "I", "OUR", and "I/WE" are therefore not meant to be taken as literal...
Mind >> World Mind
- Angelica: The Herb of Angels
- Angelica, from seed your beauty weaves, Strong stems and healing leaves. I ask your blessings to bestow, As I nurse and watch you grow. From morning's dew through afternoon, To ray of stars and midnight's moon. Michael comes upon this day, To watch you grow...
Herbalism >> Herbs dictionary A
- Survivalists' Guide for the New Millennium: Chapter 1
- FACING OUR REALITY Lets face it, the pace and direction of worldly changes have run far ahead of the current human capacity to change with them. Modern society has become a force with its own momentum; a great machine of mass production and...
Philosophy >> Survivalists Guide for the New Millennium
Amorphophallus Species is described in multiple online sources, as addition to our editors' articles, see section below for printable documents, Amorphophallus Species books and related discussion.
Suggested News Resources
- What's on Your Botanical Bucket List?
- The enormous, foul-smelling blooms of the Amorphophallus titanum belong to a rare plant native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. ... The species' common name comes from the notion that climbing the spikey tree safely would puzzle even a monkey.
- Growing curiosity: What's in the greenhouse on top of Milbank?
- "We have approximately 1,000 individual plants at any given time, somewhere in the neighborhood of 750 to 800 different species of plants," Gershberg said. "We're able to provide living material for whomever is studying plant science—specifically ...
- Lesser known world heritage sites around the world…
- The parks are home to Rafflesia Arnoldi, the world's largest flower as well as Amorphophallus Titanum, the world's tallest flower. The parks are made up of 174 species of mammal and 360 species of bird. Spot Orangutans, Sumatran rhinoceros, Bornean ...
- Lagi Bersihkan Kebun, Gunawan Temukan Bunga Bangkai
- Sementara itu, Direktur Time Sumatera Budi Awaluddin membenarkan tumbuhan yang ditemukan tersebut adalah bunga bangkai (amorphophallus titanum). "Bunga yang ditemukan warga adalah termasuk species raflesia, sejenis bunga bangkai," kata Budi.
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The last few years have been tough on Ramu with his films not working at the box office. Will his latest release The Attacks of 26/11 do well and mark his comeback? Tarot explains… Ram Gopal Varma has certainly taken a risk with The Attacks of 26/11 and with the appearance of the Five of […]
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मौनी रॉय जल्द करेंगे शादी, ब्वॉयफ्रेंड मोहित रैना ने किया शादी की तारीख का खुलासा!
सलमान को नहीं बल्कि इस एक्टर को दुनिया का सबसे हैंडसम आदमी मानती हैं ऐश्वर्या
अनुष्का शर्मा की 'माँ' ने अनुष्का को रणबीर से शादी करने की दी सलाह
'बेफ़िक्रे' का प्रमोशन शुरू, रणवीर सिंह और वाणी कपूर मास्टर शेफ़ के किचेन में पहुंचे!
जानिए प्रभास की जिंदगी के 20 ऐसे राज़ जो आप शायद ही जानते होंगे


text:
If you are a parent and live close to at least a tree or two, chances are you have participated in some of the greatest autumn rituals known to mankind.
I'm talking about burying the baby in a big old pile of freshly raked leaves!
Or watching your toddlers getting a running start for a majestic leap into the heap on the front lawn!
It's a tradition as old as the wind and kind of indebted to it, too.
See, as moms and dads with rakes and digital cameras, we are forever at the mercy of a very very strong natural urge to scoop up our babes and deposit his or her tiny body in that crunchy mountain of goodness whenever the chance presents itself.
Then, later on, we encourage our kids to get in there and roll around and toss leaves up in the air, because we remember how awesome it was when we were that age.
That's the kind of memories that a leaf pile is equipped with if you're willing to just hurl yourself at it.
Pictures of our youngsters flopping around or buried up to their teeny eyeballs in a grand pile of gold and red and orange and yellow fall leaves are some of the best we will ever take. You can be sitting there, clicking rapid-fire through some friend's newly posted Flickr shots of their kids and you might be bored out of your proverbial skull, BUT…if you come across the legendary baby-in-the-leaves, or an action shot of a couple of 6 year-olds all charged up on autumn glory, well, let's just say it's a whole different story then.
So, in the spirit of the season, let's have some of that fantastic kids-in-the leaf-pile-action…right here, right now.
Smiles 1 of 19If you want to make a kid smile, show 'em a big old pile of fallen leaves and tell them to have at it.
Image: flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo
A Gentle Reminder 2 of 19Autumn leaves are like a gentle reminder that, sure summer is gone and all, but there is still PLENTY of fun to be had out there in the world.
Image: flickr.com/photos/thesullys
Our Father's Leaves 3 of 19Jumping into a pile of leaves is a very old tradition for kids everywhere. Our dads did it, and their dads did too.
Image: flickr.com/photos/andrew_gillespie
Just A Couple Of Trees 4 of 19You don't have to live on a farm or in the country to be able to play in the fallen leaves. All you need is a tree or two...and a mom or dad who is ready to watch you jump on in!
Image: flickr.com/photos/ericskiff
The More, The Merrier 5 of 19Even though dad might kind of curse the leaves under his breath, kids rejoice when big trees dump a lot of them right in the front yard.
Image: flickr.com/photos/1krissz
Group Fun! 6 of 19Show a couple of youngsters toward the local leaf pile, and you are going to have to drag them away from it when it's time to go inside.
Image: flickr.com/photos/pagedooley
Happily Buried 7 of 19There is nothing quite as sensational as the feeling of being buried underneath a billion crackling leaves.
Image: flickr.com/photos/trinity
Energy Burner 8 of 19Of course, for us parents, watching our kids playing in the leaves is a guarantee that they will sleep real real good tonight.
Image: flickr.com/photos/sempivirens
Laughter On The Lawn 9 of 19Something about climbing all up into a heap of leaves makes kids giggle and crack up. And kids know a good thing when they see it.
Image: flickr.com/photos/donhomer
Grab a Handful! 10 of 19For kids, part of having a blast in the autumn leaves is picking up big scoops of them with their tiny hands. Those things are begging to be flung up into the sky, and kids are happy to oblige.
Image: flickr.com/photos/hryckowian
Picture Perfect 11 of 19If you don't have any photos of your little ones in a pile of freshly raked up leaves, shame on you! But chances are...you have a hundred of them.
Image: flickr.com/photos/8136496@N05
The Fountain of Youth 12 of 19Kids of all ages love leaves and the games you can play in them. In a way, a pile of leaves is like The Fountain of Youth...age is irrelevant.
Image: flickr.com/photos/carrietayloe
Perfect Running Start 13 of 19Getting that perfect running start is every kid's desire when they are headed towards a leap and a fall.
Image: flickr.com/photos/dave_minogue
That Magic Crunching 14 of 19The sound of leaves crunching beneath a kid's feet as he or she runs through them is a sound they will remember forever and return to year after year. Even when they have kids of their own.
Image: flickr.com/photos/wwworks
In Our Hair and Everywhere! 15 of 19A big part of playing in the leaves as children is getting them in our hair, and feeling them itching us down our shirts and sweaters. It's just part of the whole experience.
Image: flickr.com/photos/donlavange
But Once A Year 16 of 19Because leaves only fall once a year, the act of playing in them with our friends and family is that much more special.
Image: flickr.com/photos/plasticrevolver
Flying 17 of 19Kids all wish they could fly at some point. And jumping into a mountain of leaves sort of lets them do that for just a little while, huh?
Image: flickr.com/photos/lecates
Work, Work, Work 18 of 19Of course, for mom and dad, there is a lot of work to be done when it comes to all those leaves out there. And sometimes, kids are into helping out with that, too. (There's my little girl again!)
'Til Next Year 19 of 19So get out there and rake 'em up, folks! But before you stick them in the bags and get rid of them forever, let your kids have a ball. Heck, you might even find yourself jumping in a big old pile yourself...just like you did a long long time ago.
Image: flickr.com/photos/areyoumyrik
Image: flickr.com/photos/lecates