The Stop Making Sense Blu-ray is terrific

A24 has released their re-release of Stop Making Sense (1984) on Blu-ray and 4K. I have the Blu-ray and it’s outstanding. It comes in a case with a long booklet. The film, which I had never seen, is an excellent document on the 1983 Talking Heads concert tour. (I saw them in 1982.) The entire film focuses on the show. The music and performances are great. The photography enables the viewer to see what a good time the musicians had.

Stop Making Sense merchandise from A24

I have the t-shirt of art from Ghana based on Stop Making Sense

Now shipping 📀 Stop Making Sense Deluxe Collector's Edition Blu-ray & 4K featuring an extended cut of the film with never-before-seen footage plus a 64-page interior booklet, 25 min making-of doc and so much more. https://t.co/RFTVAIT63Z pic.twitter.com/NajwJ7gltu
— A24 (@A24) May 8, 2024

Smokey Bear art by Rudolph Wendelin

For decades, Rudy Wendelin lent his artistic talent to my campaign. Not only did he create some of my most iconic posters, but he also designed my instantly recognizable outfit. pic.twitter.com/RItvdbDwdD
— Smokey Bear (@smokey_bear) May 24, 2024

I've been lucky to be illustrated by so many wonderful artists over the years but one of my favorites is Rudy Wendelin who drew himself into this image. I'd love to see your Smokey artwork too – tweet me. pic.twitter.com/IvjRU8fM8A
— Smokey Bear (@smokey_bear) June 24, 2018

🐼Illustration of Smokey Bear welcoming Hsing-Hsing & Ling-Ling to the National Zoo (Artwork by Rudolph Wendelin, 1972) pic.twitter.com/wdQ6FGLNnf
— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) April 16, 2019

I saw this exhibit at the Reading (PA) Public Museum in 2019:

Smokey Bear and the Art of Rudy Wendelin

Here’s a gallery of pictures I took

Louisiana Republicans criminalize the abortion pill

Terrible extremists

Less than two years out from Dobbs, Louisiana criminalizes the abortion pill—teeing up the surveillance, arrest, and prosecution of individuals who share or possess a medication that's approved by the FDA. https://t.co/DP1YhPflK1
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) May 23, 2024

This Louisiana bill also creates a registry, on which every single person who is prescribed abortion medication will be listed – truly state monitoring of pregnancies.

Donald Trump did this. https://t.co/DytQ0V04YD
— Lauren Hitt (@LaurenHitt) May 23, 2024

Louisiana is poised to legally reclassify abortion care medication as a dangerous controlled substance punishable with jail time if obtained without a prescription.

Story: https://t.co/6JHAtvu3sr pic.twitter.com/Ofax00x18X
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 23, 2024

Supreme Court Republicans support racial gerrymandering

Disgusting

They might as well be employees of the Republican party.

I figured the Supreme Court's Alexander would be bad. But it's so much worse than I expected. Alito loaded his majority opinion with traps to make it nearly impossible for any plaintiff to prove racial gerrymandering in court. A full-on gutting of the equal protection clause. https://t.co/KxnZVh14TC
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) May 23, 2024

BREAKING: U.S. Supreme Court upholds South Carolina's congressional map, reversing a lower court decision that struck down the map for racial gerrymandering.

The Court also makes it harder to fight against future racial gerrymandering. More to come: https://t.co/jjfns4cvii pic.twitter.com/ZdpiQUcpun
— Democracy Docket (@DemocracyDocket) May 23, 2024

Justice Kagan dissenting in the South Carolina gerrymandering case:

"The majority's attempt to explain its contrary result fails at every turn. The majority picks and chooses evidence to its liking; ignores or minimizes less convenient proof; disdains the panel's judgments about…
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 23, 2024

Breaking: Supreme Court 6-3 decision by Alito (!) upholds South Carolina congressional district that lower court called "stark racial gerrymander"

Another example of how undemocratic SCOTUS making political system less democratic & rigging it for GOPhttps://t.co/Az2EEONbCc
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) May 23, 2024

Justice Thomas' opinion in Alexander calls on the Supreme Court to overturn the entire line of redistricting precedents, including Baker v. Carr, that established the principle of "one person, one vote." He argues that federal courts never have authority to redraw districts.
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) May 23, 2024

Covers: The Way You Do the Things You Do

“The Way You Do the Things You Do” is a 1964 single by the Temptations.

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Thomas Pynchon was on The Simpsons

Thomas Pynchon is one of the greatest American authors. His novel Gravity’s Rainbow is one of the best ever. He appeared on The Simpsons. This tweet reminded me of it. I haven’t seen the shows.

Thomas Pynchon not wanting to speak ill of Homer Simpson is truly king shit. pic.twitter.com/EhrVJWGd7p
— Ana (@_motherslug) May 13, 2024

Thomas Pynchon (author) on the Simpsons Wiki

Thomas Pynchon (character) on the Simpson Wiki

Roger Corman – films on streaming services

I’m a big believer in physical media. Many of these films are on Blu-ray and DVD.

As promised, I made a list of all the films directed by Roger Corman that are currently available on U.S. Streaming services. RIP to a legend. pic.twitter.com/j4oHjztQFs
— Michael Snydel (@Snydel) May 13, 2024

I lived in Stuyvesant Town in Manhattan until I was 10

Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village is an enormous apartment complex in Manhattan. I lived there from 1953 when I was born until I was 10 in early 1964.

It was unique. One time, we moved within the complex and I changed schools. We had moved from 14th St. to 20th St. I remember seeing John F. Kennedy when he was running for president when he spoke at Stuyvesant Town.

Halloween was an indoor event. You just had to go around on your floor and one or two others and you were good. Did you read the Dick and Jane books in elementary school? My world didn’t resemble theirs. We were not allowed to have a big pet like a dog or a cat. I remember we had a small turtle.

We didn’t have a car for most of the time I lived there. As I recall, my parents were on a waiting list for a space at an outdoor lot. We got the car when we got the space. I went shopping with my father for the 1962 Chevrolet Biscayne which was black with a turquoise interior.

Back then, the apartments were not wired for air conditioning so we had a fan that was three or four foot tall fan.

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More tweets about Roger Corman

Roger Corman film producer gave me my first lead role for college tuition in the The Big Doll House. Peace be still Roger. Fun times.
— Pam Grier Ph.D (@PamGrier) May 12, 2024

Sad, fond farewell to the great Roger Corman, one of the most important figures in American Film History! You had one hell of a run, Maestro! Listen to last year's @BeyondFest tribute to Roger and a handful of his talented acolytes here. With love.https://t.co/hZSHtGjcs1
— Mick Garris & The Post Mortem Podcast (@MickGarrisPM) May 12, 2024

Modern American cinema begins with Roger Corman. Without him we would not have Coppola, Scorsese, Bogdanovich, Nicholson, Demme and countless others. My film school was a drive in theater in the 1970s and Roger Corman was the Dean. pic.twitter.com/P6ReDb5T1K
— Larry Karaszewski (@Karaszewski) May 12, 2024

I knew you well during a time when shooting the film we were making was physically dangerous and you were very brave. We had a good time, we did an exceptional movie and you were wonderful. RIP Love Bill pic.twitter.com/oUFGbUwysS
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) May 12, 2024

RIP Roger Corman, a true legend who leaves behind a one-of-a-kind legacy. We had the privilege of speaking to him last year. He’ll be missed.https://t.co/xMIDTzxdpC
— Dread Central (@DreadCentral) May 12, 2024

Working at New World Pictures for Roger, I helped create the marketing campaigns for some of their films. What an honor and a privilege it was to work for Roger. His was truly the best film school in the world. https://t.co/BFVD7Ub8o2
— Gale Anne Hurd (@GunnerGale) May 12, 2024

I have a Roger Corman story. It’s fun, but weird, as I am gathering most Roger Corman stories tend to be.

I was a fan of his movies and his legend and legacy.

At the very beginning of my comics career, his office contacted me.

1/
— Gail Simone 💙💛 (@GailSimone) May 12, 2024

pic.twitter.com/rv9f5Aw0sd
— American Cinematheque (@am_cinematheque) May 12, 2024

This was one of my favourite parts from the Joe Bob Briggs Roger Corman Jamboree special that was filmed March 15th last year. Bruce Dern starts with a story about making Silent Running (1972) and it becomes something much more than bts trivia. Corman will forever be missed. pic.twitter.com/IoG6TD2g8i
— Rolo Tony (@PoorOldRoloTony) May 12, 2024

RIP the great Roger Corman. Here’s how he voted in our 2022 Greatest Films of All Time poll pic.twitter.com/iDh8AHyl9H
— Sight and Sound magazine (@SightSoundmag) May 12, 2024

If it wasn't for Roger Corman, there would be no Wicker Man Director's Cut.

In the early 1970s, UK distributors sent Roger a 1 inch tape of the film to distribute it in the US, but Roger thought they wanted too much. Roger kept it for decades, and was the ONLY surviving copy! pic.twitter.com/VTWVNTT8xg
— Hollywood Horror Museum (@horrormuseum) May 12, 2024

Tweets with tributes to Roger Corman

Roger Corman, one of the most influential movie directors in my life, has passed away. It was my privilege to know him.He was a great friend. He shaped my childhood with science fiction movies and Edgar Allen Poe epics. I'll miss you, Roger.
— John Carpenter (@TheHorrorMaster) May 12, 2024

"The films I distributed reached a much wider audience than that which could have been reached ordinarily. They made more money than they would have otherwise, and I made a small profit in addition to getting immense satisfaction."

— Roger Corman

Full Excerpt:

Q: Why did New… pic.twitter.com/enwPnpW0ql
— DepressedBergman (@DannyDrinksWine) May 12, 2024

How Roger Corman was involved in creating the 84m Lionsgate studio cut of my favourite horror movie The Wicker Man & in the eventual restoration of the longer director’s cut by Robin Hardy. https://t.co/soPknDWIYc pic.twitter.com/4dIChdtlzi
— Tom Reagan’s Hat (@RufusTSuperfly) May 12, 2024

Roger Corman gave me one of my first jobs in Hollywood. He was always kind to this college intern new to LA and even once drew me a map to Beverly Hills when he needed me to run an errand and I had no clue where I was going. I learned a ton in a short time working for him.… pic.twitter.com/8kg3lWwRNx
— Adam Horowitz (@AdamHorowitzLA) May 12, 2024

The impact of Roger Corman was so huge it's almost impossible to know where to begin. We'll just start here: A BUCKET OF BLOOD is brilliant, its mixture of horror and humor and perfect casting of Dick Miller elevate it among & above all the canonized great works of cinema. #RIP pic.twitter.com/TSKIUrW1oT
— The Pink Smoke (@thepinksmoke) May 12, 2024

Roger Corman was often cast in cameos by directors he gave early breaks to — including Best Picture winners The Godfather Part II and Silence of the Lambs — but few are as funny as Joe Dante spoofing his frugality by making him a guy literally digging for change in The Howling. pic.twitter.com/KXFosZKAWi
— Christopher Smets (@CWSmets) May 12, 2024

Roger Corman produced the first Latino Noir when we made Kiss Me A Killer. We thought the genre would take off. We played lots of cinemas back then and it sold to networks. Thank you #RogerCorman ⁦@robertbeltran74⁩ ⁦@ponchosanchez⁩ ⁦ https://t.co/ThDzLaNo74
— Julie Carmen (@JulieCarmen3) May 12, 2024

It’s not news that Roger Corman was an explosive & truly singular artist. His creations trickled into our collective work in the movies & our collective dreams the world over. He lent me short ends to direct my first film. We are very lucky he was here. https://t.co/kFuLtfd7zE
— Lee Grant (@TheLeeGrant) May 12, 2024

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