Coffee With Jeff 9-26-10

Jeff considers taking up a bad habit, if only for the congratulations when he gives it up and he also tries Jerky, a new breakfast treat. A story about Annie Taylor, the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and much more. Can you guess the musical artist? So come on now, have a cup of coffee with Jeff!

Tags: annie taylor, bad habit, breakfast treat, jerky coffee, comedy, fun, niagara falls, talk show

The ending song to today's show is
By British Sea Power and is called "Zeus"
Click Here for Free Download!

In the Peter - Brian NFL Challenge, Brian is ahead 19 to 18.
Here are both these teams picks for this week

Herman's Hermits Hold On!

A couple days ago, the 1966 film Hold On! was on Turner Classic Movies. This, of course was the wacky adventures on Peter Noone (AKA Herman) and his fellow Hermits. I tried to watch this with an open mind and put it into a historical perspective, and with keeping this all in mind, the film a still an embarrassment.

A quick history lesson for those who don't know Herman's Hermits. They were originally a English rhythm and blues band fronted by former soap opera star, Peter Noone. Eventually the band was taken over by Mickie Most. Mickie controlled everything about the band, picking songs and projects and pretty much used the band like puppets. With his guidance, the band had a huge success, even giving the Beatles a little competition, but only for a very short time. By the late 60's, the band had faded into the rock and roll history.



I assume this film was the bands answer to the Beatles films, Hard Days Night and Help but, unlike those films, Hold On! was neither fun or entertaining and the music was dismal.

As I watched, I could help but feel embarrassed for the band. There is a scene in which Peter, in a fantasy segment, is dressed up as Knight and singing a silly childish pop song to a girl on the beach. I can't even begin to describe this scene.

While a few years earlier this film might have been understandable but by 1966 rock and roll had really began to move away from this kind of nonsense. Herman's Hermits manager failed to realize this and kept the band in 1965. Yet, the band seemed happy and I've never read an interview in which any of the band members complained about their situation. Maybe they were all just five happy guys who enjoyed the ride as long as it lasted.

They are still touring today, with Peter Noone

Coffee With Jeff 9-19-10

Another great show. Terrence seeks the Rock & Roll memorabilia black market to help with the Manchester Gallery, Willy and Lisa goes to the Uproar Festival and we learn the importance of not using gasoline to do laundry. Also Jeff talks about better booties and Parallel universes.

Tags: manchester gallery, gasoline, booty, rock and roll, uproar festival, parallel universes, comedy, fun coffee, wake up

The Brian - Peter NFL Picks Challenge!


The Song used on the ending credits to this weeks Coffee With Jeff was Urge Overkill with the tune Effigy - Click to hear the complete tune!

For information on improving you Booty, the magic way - Click Here!

And to find out how to travel to multiple Universes to visit yourself - Click Here

Star Wars Remake - Empire

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

The first thing I'd do with this film is chop out that whole beginning section on the snow planet, Hoth. Even if I did have that scene in the film, I'd get rid of the insane At-At's. These things are not illogical. I mean, a vehicle that a thin piece of yarn could cause to topple over isn't much use. At-Ats are slow and the size, how did they get them to the surface? I notice George didn't show us that, now did he.

Since I save an half hour or more with losing that scene, I can actually have the rescue of Hans from Jaba the Hutt as part of Empire. This way it makes Chapter 5 a complete film. Although Empire is probably my favorite of all the films following the original, it still bugs me that it ended with w cliff hanger.

So film start out with the whole gang together in a space station. Luke and R2D2 go on a patrol in his X-Wing fighter. He is attacked by some TIE fighters and Hans, Leia and C3PO go to help in the Millenium Falcon. Before help arrives, Luke crashes onto a planet, maybe that ice planet. This is where the ghost Obi-Wan tells Luke about Yoda. One little change, Obi-Wan will still have his complete beard.

Now for a while the plot goes back to the George Lucas version. Once Luke gets his ship up and running, he goes to Dagobah, the other three run from the Empire and wind up on Cloud City, being followed by Boba Fett. On Cloud City (which could use a better name), all goes pretty much like before except there is know big battle between Darth and Luke. They only meet for a second or two. I would also add a scene in which Darth senses something about Leia, after all, she is his daughter. Again George's version is so full of sexism as only the boy child mattered. The twin sister is not important in the original.

Now the big finally in on Tatooine. Darth show's up during the rescue and it is then, when Hans is getting ready to be thrown to the monstrous Sarlacc, Luke gets his hand chopped of by Darth and finding out that he is daddy. It is Lando that saves Hans and Leia at the pit. This confirms him to really be a good guy, and then Hans, Leia, Lando, R2D2 and C3PO pick of handless Luke and fly away, leaving Darth a bit angry.

What all this means is a major re-write of Return of the Jedi. And Leia wil have a much better role in the third film.

Me and Kane

For a couple of weeks now, during Coffee with Jeff, I've been talking about explaining my fascination with the Orson Welles classic Citizen Kane. Instead of boring the folks that view the show with my story, I decided to write it out. Why not.

It was 1973 or 74 when this story took place. Sorry if I'm not quite sure but it was a long time ago.

One of the first changes from grade school to Junior High School was the joy pf picking some of your own classes. Junior High is sometimes called middle school. In out area is was grade 7th and 8th. A course in film study seemed like an easy one, so, of course I registered.

Now at this time movies were just a mild form of entertainment. I thought things like Tower Inferno and Dirty Mary Crazy Larry were classics. I really don't remember if these two movies were out at the time, but you get the idea. Movies were just something my and my friends went to so laugh, joke around, and eat a little popcorn.

And then near the end of the class, we watched the film that would change the way I look at films, and possibly the world. OK, I know that may sound a little pretentious but in some small way, I was introduced to film making as an art form and perhaps, to art itself. Not in a grand, I'm a changed person, I now wear scarfs spend my time at the art institute, but, and this is looking back 35 year, but one of the small seeds that help my grow into the person I am today. Wow, what a load of crap.

Now that I got that bull out of the way, the film!

I don't think I even new the name of the film. I remember the teacher telling us about Rosebud and trying to keep it a secret and that it was based of the life of William Randolph Hearst. I'm sure I really didn't care at the time. The only thoughts I probably had was, just show the damn movie!

I have a memory of being totally absorbed my Citizen Kane. I don't remember being bored at all. (I have receive that complaint my many people who've I've convinced to watch the film). It was a way of making films that I have never seen before. Suddenly I began to see the importance of the director. It was the way the film was shot, the angles and the atmosphere of every single frame of film, I found amazing.

And the story. What story? Although in later years I would begin to understand there actually was a story, but at the time I remember thinking how could a movie without a real story fascinate my so much. No one was trying to solve a murder or save a people from a burning building, no one was could in a silly situation because of a hair-brained scheme. It was just of a man and his life, and what others thought of him. Simple.

The one shot that I remember going on and on about was the one in which the camera pans up to the club Susan Alexander is singing at, though the sign, to the skylight on the roof and looks down into the club. Years later I would appreciate the depth of field used in many shots and much more but that was beyond my understanding in 7th grade.

I almost never recommend this film to anyone anymore. Too many people tell me how boring it is. I don't argue when they do. I know this is one of those films that isn't for everyone. When I friend goes to great lengths ti tell me why the new Adam Sandler film is a masterpiece, what are the odds they would appreciate at film like Kane!

Coffee With Jeff 9-12-10

Star Wars, cooking, a couple of phone interruptions and you've got the next installment of Coffee With Jeff.

Tags: star wars, cookies, comedy

Star Wars Remake Part 2

So I watched Star Wars the other day. The original, that is, Episode 4!

Do you realize there are no Women, except for Leia and Aunt Beru! Talk about sexism. There was not one lady in the empire and not one in the rebels.

I guess this was a long, long time ago in a sexism galaxy far, far away. While the men are out fighting, what are the women doing? Cooking? Cleaning? Even Leia, who was portrayed as a strong leader who can handle a gun early in the film just sits a watches while the attack on the Death Star takes place. Not one freaking female in a TIE Fighter! Not one?

Now I realize that George Lucas was making a action film for young adolescent boys, but come on! Who wouldn't want to see a lady or two get blown up at the end? OK, so maybe that is something we don't want to see, but it would give the film a little edge that it needed.

And as the series goes on, how about giving Luke a girl friend? Seriously! He has the hots for his sister, and as soon as he realizes that ain't happening, there should be someone around that would do the hero of the rebellion! But we will get into the other films later.

One last note. Do you really thing a bunch of bad ass Nazi style Storm Troupers wouldn't have a bordello or something in the Death Star? Don't Storm Troupers have urges?

I think there is going to be a lot more work on this Remake than I thought!

Coffee With Jeff 9-5-10

Wake Up! In this show, Jeff doesn't tell you why he loves Citizen Kane, but he does tell youabout is old band, Stratofortress. Willy has a special tribute to Goin' South. As a special bonus, we have some bowling tips and, of course, Who Dat Artist!

Tags: citizen kane, stratofortress, goin south, bowling, music, comedy

Star Wars Remake

I'll let you on to a little secret. I am waiting for Coffee With Jeff to take off to I can buy the rights to Star Wars from George Lucas and make the whole thing over.

First of all, I'll never believe that George had the whole thing planned out from the beginning, as he claimed. For one, at the end of Return of the Jedi, Leia tells Luke show has vague memories of their mom. One freakin' good memory since their mom died the DAY THEY WERE BORN!

There are so many inconsistency, I could write about forever.

Let's start with Episode 4:A New Hope. This will stay pretty much the same. The two big things will be that my film will be more like the original version, before George got the neat toy called CGI and had to fill every frame with strange characters. Whatever. Hans will shoot first and we will cut that line near the end when he is leaving with his reward. He looks at Luke, and says "May the force be with you." Never have I seen an actor trying so hard to keep from laughing.

Oh, and I'll figure out a better seen, after Ben dies and Luke help console him. That is bullshit. She just lost her whole damn planet and she is a princess. Are we really suppose to believe she wouldn't be having her own grieving?

Speaking of that, now that her whole planet his gone, is she still a princess? Princess of what.

Next Friday I'll write my changes to Episode 5:The Empire Strikes Back! That one needs a lot of work!

The Personal Blog

I've gone back in forth on the personal blog. More often than not they are more like these blogs are more like a diary. When my search for intelligence began I came across hundreds of these and I first thought "Why?" Do I really want to hear about they guy you met at Starbucks today? I'm sorry you're lonely but . . .

Now as time went by and I've read a few of these, there is something I find intriguing. There are those that just tell you about there boring day, in a lifeless and humorless way but some people do a wonderful job baring their soul for all to read. I mean, I've thought of this but family and friends read this and do I really want them to know what a sick bastard I really am?

Sometimes you find some bloggers who really dig deep to express real insight into their lives, as if they are using the Internet as a virtual analyst. Others tell you about their lives in a more humorist fashion. And then there are those that combine both humor and deep insight.

Of course I guess we have to mention family blogs. I have come across many of these, parents documenting the raising of their kids. There are many single moms who write blogs about their struggles. Most of these are only an interest to those involved, family and friends, yet some do offer a bit to others who might be in the same boat, like the struggling single parent.

Now as far as intelligent blogs, I've got one that has nothing to do with what I've just wrote. It's called It's Good to Mock. This is a blog by Billy Y in which her pretty much mocks everything. Funny stuff here and you should check it out.

It's Good To Mock