Friday, August 10, 2018
THE SPECTACLES (1844)
"The Spectacles" is a moderately successful comedic romp, for all that it telegraphs its payoff. The protagonist is a young man named Simpson, who used to have a French name that somehow metamiorphosed over the years from Froissard to Voissard and so on. Simpson, extremely nearsighted but believing himself very handsome, will not wear eyeglasses that spoil his looks. Therefore, when he falls for what he believes to be a moderately aged woman, one can practically guess that she's going to be more than a little older than him. In fact, just to take the Oedipal elements to an absurd extreme, his would-be lover proves to be his own great-great-grandmother. Simple Simpson is also victimized by a prank into believing he's married the 82-year-old woman, but he gets the consolation of marrying a much younger woman for real-- apparently a cousin, to whom the grand-dame introduces him-- while vowing thereafter never to take off his new spectacles.
SUPERHEROES ARE DAMN-NEAR EVERYWHERE #171
Peripheral PHYLLIS CALVERT acted in TWISTED NERVE with--
Primary BILLIE WHITELAW for FREDDY AS FRO. 7.
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Primary CORRINE CALVET acted in THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER and an episode of BATMAN.
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:Primary HENRY CALVIN became best-known as "Sergeant Garcia" in the 1959 ZORRO series, and also acted in episodes of MAN FROM UNCLE and GIRL FROM UNCLE.
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Peripheral CANDACE CAMERON acted in FRANKENSTEIN SINGS with--
Primary SARAH DOUGLAS from SUPERMAN II.
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Peripheral DEAN CAMERON acted in ROCKULA with--
Primary SUSAN TYRRELL from DIGITAL MAN.
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Peripheral KIRK CAMERON acted in LIKE FATHER LIKE SON with--
Primary MARGARET COLIN of INDEPENDENCE DAY.
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Primary ROD CAMERON acted in G-MEN VS. THE BLACK DRAGON and its sequel SECRET SERVICE IN DARKEST AFRICA.
Primary BILLIE WHITELAW for FREDDY AS FRO. 7.
Primary CORRINE CALVET acted in THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER and an episode of BATMAN.
:Primary HENRY CALVIN became best-known as "Sergeant Garcia" in the 1959 ZORRO series, and also acted in episodes of MAN FROM UNCLE and GIRL FROM UNCLE.
Peripheral CANDACE CAMERON acted in FRANKENSTEIN SINGS with--
Primary SARAH DOUGLAS from SUPERMAN II.
Peripheral DEAN CAMERON acted in ROCKULA with--
Primary SUSAN TYRRELL from DIGITAL MAN.
Peripheral KIRK CAMERON acted in LIKE FATHER LIKE SON with--
Primary MARGARET COLIN of INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Primary ROD CAMERON acted in G-MEN VS. THE BLACK DRAGON and its sequel SECRET SERVICE IN DARKEST AFRICA.
Monday, August 6, 2018
SUPERHEROES ARE DAMN-NEAR EVERYWHERE #170
Primary RORY CALHOUN acted in HELL COMES TO FROGTOWN and ROLLER BLADE WARRIORS.
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Primary BRANDON CALL acted in BLIND FURY and THE BLACK CAULDRON.
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Primary K CALLAN played "Superman's mom" on LOIS AND CLARK as well as acting on an episode of STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE.
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Primary MICHAEL CALLAN enjoyed a recurring role as "Metallo" on the SUPERBOY series, as well as acting in episodes of BIONIC WOMAN, KNIGHT RIDER, VIPER, AUTOMAN and SWAMP THING.
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Primary CHARLIE CALLAS played "Sinestro" in the TV special LEGENDS OF THE SUPER HEROES.
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Peripheral CAB CALLOWAY acted in THE LITTLEST ANGEL with--
Primary E.G. MARSHALL for SUPERMAN II.
Primary BRANDON CALL acted in BLIND FURY and THE BLACK CAULDRON.
Primary K CALLAN played "Superman's mom" on LOIS AND CLARK as well as acting on an episode of STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE.
Primary MICHAEL CALLAN enjoyed a recurring role as "Metallo" on the SUPERBOY series, as well as acting in episodes of BIONIC WOMAN, KNIGHT RIDER, VIPER, AUTOMAN and SWAMP THING.
Primary CHARLIE CALLAS played "Sinestro" in the TV special LEGENDS OF THE SUPER HEROES.
Peripheral CAB CALLOWAY acted in THE LITTLEST ANGEL with--
Primary E.G. MARSHALL for SUPERMAN II.
Saturday, August 4, 2018
SUPERHEROES ARE DAMN-NEAR EVERYWHERE #169
Primary MICHAEL CAINE is now best known as "Alfred" in the Chris Nolan Bat-series beginning with BATMAN BEGINS, and also acted in KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE.
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Primary DON CALFA acted in CHOPPER CHICKS IN ZOMBIETOWN and an episode of THE BIONIC WOMAN.
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Peripheral LOUIS CALHERN acted in FOREVER DARLING with--
Primary JOHN HOYT of FLESH GORDON fame.
Primary DON CALFA acted in CHOPPER CHICKS IN ZOMBIETOWN and an episode of THE BIONIC WOMAN.
Peripheral LOUIS CALHERN acted in FOREVER DARLING with--
Primary JOHN HOYT of FLESH GORDON fame.
Monday, July 30, 2018
SUPERHEROES ARE DAMN-NEAR EVERYWHERE #168
Primary NICHOLAS CAGE acted in the two GHOST RIDER movies, SEASON OF THE WITCH, the 2009 ASTRO BOY, the 2010 SORCERERS APPRENTICE, and TEEN TITANS GO TO THE MOVIES.
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Peripheral JAMES CAGNEY acted in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM with--
Primary VICTORY JORY, a.k.a. THE SHADOW.
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Primary DEAN CAIN is best known for his version of Superman in LOIS AND CLARK, and also acted in FUTURESPORT and episodes of SMALLVILLE, LOST, and SUPER HERO HIGH.
Peripheral JAMES CAGNEY acted in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM with--
Primary VICTORY JORY, a.k.a. THE SHADOW.
Primary DEAN CAIN is best known for his version of Superman in LOIS AND CLARK, and also acted in FUTURESPORT and episodes of SMALLVILLE, LOST, and SUPER HERO HIGH.
Thursday, July 26, 2018
THE BLACK CAT (1843)
The justly famous BLACK CAT is particularly amusing for its inversion of the rational mode of Poe's own detective Dupin. Poe knows that no one reading the story will credit the narrator's opening statements:
For the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief. Mad indeed would I be to expect it, in a case where my very senses reject their own evidence. Yet, mad am I not — and very surely do I not dream. But to-morrow I die, and to-day I would unburthen my soul. My immediate purpose is to place before the world, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events. In their consequences, these events have terrified — have tortured — have destroyed me. Yet I will not attempt to expound them. To me, they have presented little but Horror — to many they will seem less terrible than baroques. Hereafter, perhaps, some intellect may be found which will reduce my phantasm to the common-place — some intellect more calm, more logical, and far less excitable than my own, which will perceive, in the circumstances I detail with awe, nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects.
Obviously, though Poe never shows the reader a literal ghost, any more than he did in METZGERSTEIN, he surrounds his titular feline with so many weird coincidences that no reader seriously believes that the cat can be explained by "very natural causes and effects."
For the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief. Mad indeed would I be to expect it, in a case where my very senses reject their own evidence. Yet, mad am I not — and very surely do I not dream. But to-morrow I die, and to-day I would unburthen my soul. My immediate purpose is to place before the world, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events. In their consequences, these events have terrified — have tortured — have destroyed me. Yet I will not attempt to expound them. To me, they have presented little but Horror — to many they will seem less terrible than baroques. Hereafter, perhaps, some intellect may be found which will reduce my phantasm to the common-place — some intellect more calm, more logical, and far less excitable than my own, which will perceive, in the circumstances I detail with awe, nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects.
Obviously, though Poe never shows the reader a literal ghost, any more than he did in METZGERSTEIN, he surrounds his titular feline with so many weird coincidences that no reader seriously believes that the cat can be explained by "very natural causes and effects."
SUPERHEROES ARE DAMN-NEAR EVERYWHERE #167
Primary JAMES CAAN acted in ROLLERBALL DICK TRACY, ALIEN NATION and the 2008 GET SMART.
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Primary BRUCE CABOT acted in KING KONG, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, and GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS.
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Primary SEBASTIAN CABOT (left) acted in an episode of ZORRO.
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Peripheral SUSAN CABOT (left) acted in WAR OF THE SATELLITES with--
Primary DICK MILLER of SMALL SOLDIERS.
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Primary ADOLF CAESAR acted in an episode of THE WILD WILD WEST and voiced a couple of characters for SILVERHAWKS.
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Peripheral SID CAESAR acted in the 1985 ALICE IN WONDERLAND with--
Primary TELLY SAVALAS from ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.
Primary BRUCE CABOT acted in KING KONG, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, and GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS.
Primary SEBASTIAN CABOT (left) acted in an episode of ZORRO.
Peripheral SUSAN CABOT (left) acted in WAR OF THE SATELLITES with--
Primary DICK MILLER of SMALL SOLDIERS.
Primary ADOLF CAESAR acted in an episode of THE WILD WILD WEST and voiced a couple of characters for SILVERHAWKS.
Peripheral SID CAESAR acted in the 1985 ALICE IN WONDERLAND with--
Primary TELLY SAVALAS from ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.
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