Farve and Away
You know, there are few things more divisive than disagreements over politics and religion. I think I've done a pretty good job of addressing tricky issues in the past while keeping my nose out of the fray. So it is with some concern that I jump head in to my next topic. Green Bay Packers football. And believe me,
To The Batcave!
In the last month I've been repeatedly called a movie snob. Maybe it's because I sold out and stopped hiding my love affair with iPic. Maybe it's because every weekend I don't just read the weekly movie grosses, but every piece of media news and analysis at my hands: EW, the New York Times, aintitcoolnews.com, variety.com. cnn.com. gallifreyone.com, and, of course, USA Today. Or heck, maybe I just think I know more about movies than I do. I definitely spend more time deconstructing and analyzing movies than most. In any event, I find that the most common comparison that I make with respect to what I see is to what came before. My conclusion, like many an old codger, is this: they just don't make them like they used to, do they? I've been mulling this point ever since The Dark Knight became the news-making movie of the summer.
Call me crazy, but I grew up on Adam West. And yes, I know that at 36 years old, I was already watching reruns a decade old when I rushed home after school, but nothing gets me like the BAM! POW! ZAP! of the original series. Adam West was the man. The BAT man. And I loved Cesar Romero's Joker. When I got older I wondered why Romero wouldn't shave his white mustache when he donned the purple suit and white cake makeup, but it only really bothered me in the close-up shots, but no bother. It's all good. I would see in my adulthood the fruits of my love for all things Hollywood. Growing up I was probably one of few people who could recall every actor's performance, including the obscure guest roles. For example, I can't forget Victor Buono's riveting performance as King Tut (a delusion brought onto a museum scholar by a swift knock to the head); Tallulah ("Bewitched") Bankhead's Black Widow; or Milton Berle's Louie the Lilac. I can even name all 3 women to play Catwoman in the show. I guess that makes me a bit of an expert on Batman, and for the sake of this piece, we'll assume I'm right. Snob or not.
Hog Wild!
As I write this entry, I hear something that I really don't hear very often--the sound of rumbling motorcycles along the expressway and streets in my Bayside office.
This summer has been a terrific one for Milwaukee. First we got the Harley Museum, then Fonzie* (or whoever that statue is), and now the 105th Anniversary celebration. Here in Milwaukee we're actually able to celebrate our history and heritage in a truly incredible way. This summer alone, we've seen MillerCoors announce a major shift in operations to Chicago. We've seen the bowling congress announce plans to leave, as well. But we still--and always will--have Harley-Davidson. And they're making sure we know that they are here to stay.
