Crossing the Streams

Good evening everyone and welcome to a rather tragic entry of The Magical Mystery Blog.

Dearly beloved, we gather around our screens tonight to bid a fond farewell to the late, great Harold Ramis.

comicbook.com

Harold Ramis was an actor and director born in 1944 in Chicago, Illinois. He wrote parody plays in college and was heavily inspired by the famous Marx brothers. In his college years, he freelanced for the Chicago Tribune and even Playboy. After attending the Washington University in Wisconsin, he worked in a mental institution in St.Louis for seven months, and claimed that it prepared him for the madness of Hollywood.

Upon returning to Second City in 1972, he discovered that Belushi took his place as a comedic king, and became his deadpan foil. Belushi then led Ramis, Bill Murray, and other Second City performers to New York to work on the radio program, The National Lampoon Radio Hour. These actors along with Gilda Radner, Christopher Guest, and Joe Flaherty went on to perform in The National Lampoon Show, the successor to National Lampoon’s Lemmings; a show similar to Woodstock only filled with comedic sketches, great music, and Belushi’s best impersonation of Joe Cocker.

Ramis then went on to become an actor and the head writer of Second City TV. He declined working for Saturday Night Live and chose to work with SCTV for its first three years.  After the three years, Ramis left SCTV to pursue a film career; his first project was a script he wrote with National Lampoon magazine which later became National Lampoon’s Animal House. It was the highest grossing and raunchiest film of its time.

Ramis and Murray teamed up and produced some of the greatest films ever such as Meatballs and five others.  Not only did Ramis write them, but he propelled Murray to his superstar status. Ramis also co-wrote with Dan Aykroyd and created Ghostbusters and Ghostsbusters 2. Ramis also created popular movies such as National Lampoon’s Vacation, Analyze This, Caddyshack, Analyze That, and other classics. He also acted in a great deal of his works and other movies like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Stealing Home, Baby Boom, As Good as it Gets,Stripes, and many more.

In 2004, he was inducted into the St.Louis Walk of Fame. The following year he received the Distinguished Screenwriter Award from the Austin Film Festival. In 2009, he stated that Ghostbusters 3 would be in theaters by Christmas 2012 – regretfully, this did not occur because he contracted vasculitis in 2010.

Vasculitis develops when the immune system goes against veins and arteries. It can starve organs, cause harmful tissue damage, and can possibly lead to aneurysms. It left Ramis immobile for a while, but he gained his ability to walk. However, in 2011 he suffered a relapse from this disease, and ultimately caused his death on February 24^th, 2014.

He died at the tender age of sixty nine as a fantastic director, an extraordinary writer, a terrific actor, and the grandfather of two grandchildren. Harold Ramis will go down in cinema history as a man who brought smiles to our faces by way of his particular style of tongue in cheek pep talks, sloppiness and improv, and rage, curiosity, and sloth in a high articulated voice.

Even though he is deceased, we will still call on you Harold Ramis, to make us laugh with your Twinkie analogy, to brighten our days with the crazy antics of Mr. Griswold, and to make us smile by just being you. May you rest in peace, Mr. Ramis and enjoy the company of your good friends in the clouds overhead. 

The Game is Afoot at the Sherlock Theme Park

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

This past week the Internet exploded with word of a Sherlock Holmes theme park being built in Portsmouth, London. Portsmouth is where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle resided and created the beloved fictional characters and stories. Within this theme park, there will be rides and holograms of everything related to Sherlock Holmes.

As a ride junkie, I always loved to see what rides people come up with, how they work, and the experiences they offer. I imagine that they will use the original Sherlock as opposed to the modern Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr.) because the park is also paying tribute to Conan Doyle and the original works. Below are some ride ideas for the upcoming Sherlock theme park.

3) A Case of Identity

In the article I have linked above, it claims that the theme park will feature interactive and high quality activities. In A Case of Identity, Sherlock solves a rather simple, but elementary case of an engaged couple. I specifically chose this case because it’s not too easy or hard and it would fit the attraction I have in mind. I imagine that they would build this attraction as three places that tie together: Sherlock’s residence, Miss Sutherland and her fiance’s place, and the church. Within each place, guests can touch specific items that give them clues and information to solve the mystery. Once they’ve gathered all the clues, they could go to a secret room behind the church’s altar to see if their deductions were correct or not, and to hear how the case ended.

2) The Reichenbach Falls

Ah yes, the fall at Reichenbach – the one episode of Sherlock that broke many fans’ hearts, but the original story shattered many readers’ hearts as well. In the story of The Adventure of the Final Problem, Sherlock has decided to confront Moriarty once and for all. The guests would walk through an entry way consisting of scenes that look like Sherlock’s residence. As they roam about, Sherlock is heard explaining how dangerous Moriarty is and what he has done. The final room prior to the loading area would feature Moriarty and Sherlock animatronics conversing in a study, with their dialogue heard through hidden speakers. The loading area itself would look like a London study.

This would be a log flume ride with a very basic track mostly considering of turns, small drops, and uphill climbs. It would also highlight the important features of the story such as Sherlock explaining his plan to John and the guests, the three events that nearly kill Sherlock, the telegram that informs Sherlock Moriarty has escaped, and John being tricked by the letter. This ultimately builds up to the final drop, at the bottom of the lift hill John is panicking and worried about his friend. He calls for Sherlock and talks to himself through hidden speakers, hoping Sherlock is safe. As the car climbs higher, guests hear John’s concerns fade away, and they see Sherlock and Moriarty fighting.

The big drop itself represents Reichenbach Falls, which leads guests to an enclosed area where they see John reading a letter Sherlock left him. As they go through the area and to the loading station, they hear John’s voice reading the letter aloud over the speakers.

1) The Hound

Everyone is familiar with the famous Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles. In this tale, an attempted murder is inspired by a legendary, loathsome Hellhound. The Hound would be a wooden roller coaster and would have an enclosed entrance, featuring rooms with clues from the case, important and iconic conversations between the characters playing from hidden speakers, and at times, Sherlock’s violin playing a mysterious yet eerie tune. The rooms will be designed to be Sherlock’s residence and the Baskerville residence.

After walking through the rooms, guests will enter the main chamber: the foyer of the Baskerville residence where Watson, (a live actor) will explain to everyone that the Hound is loose and that they must follow Sherlock’s lead in order to be safe. After this, the gates will open, and guests will go to a loading area themed as a forest before the moor where the hound is. Sherlock’s dialogue will be playing over the speakers urging guests to stay close, be careful, and that the game is afoot side while owls hoot, crickets chirp, and a chilling howl is heard at times along with snarling.

The cars will have safety bars and its track will bear a similar resemblance to Disney’s Big Thunder Mountain, being an indoor/outdoor ride. Guests will go up the first hill as the forest is splayed around them, with animatronics of Sherlock and Watson talking about the hound. As guests reach the top of the hill, the hound appears before them howling at a luminous moon, and they drop down the first hill. They are taken through a series of curves, hills, and miniature drops while surrounded by a forest exterior.  At times, the hound appears with glowing eyes and gnashing teeth as well as Mr.Baskervilles who is seen running through the forest or hiding.

Once again the guests return to a dark enclosure where Sherlock and the hound are facing off. This entire section is another climb as the hound is heard snarling and growling at Holmes. Sherlock yells at Watson to find Mr.Baskerville and run. No sooner he gives this command, the cars drop from the hill and plummet into more curves, sudden drops, and swift turns. At last the ride ends with the hound defeated, Mr. Baskerville found, and everyone returning to the forest themed station.

What would you like to see at the Sherlock theme park? Feel free to comment and as always, feedback and followers are welcomed.

A Little Late Night Reading

Hello everyone and welcome to a late night version of The Magical Mystery Blog.

Tonight I thought I’d do something completely different. Instead of writing up my usual list of things, reviews, or entry of current events, I’ve decided to post one of my poems. I've been writing poetry since I was a child and am often inspired by nature, my own thoughts and feelings, and anything that sparks something in my mind. This is one of my poems I sent in to my old college's magazine in hopes for it to be published. Feel free to offer any improvement on it and as always, enjoy.

Morning

The prepubescent glow
bathes the chamber in dusty blue,
sleepy eyes shy away from the
arrival of a new day, and seek
comfort in the fading dark.

Shadows cling to corners
still scared of their ritual
demise – though temporary
until nightfall.

Parting stars slow with time,
dividing the blackened ocean,
making way for the gilded bringer.

Leaves capture flecks of gold,
a cluster of hanging basins
bound to one form, whose arms
embrace the oncoming warmth,
and witness the golden birth.

It's Sexy to be Single

Good evening everyone and welcome to a sultry, sexy version of The Magical Mystery Blog.

Valentine’s Day has come and passed. Some people love it, others hate it. People enjoy this holiday with their beloved or their friends, while others might have spent it alone. Growing up, I always spent this holiday by myself, being the last resort or the ugly duckling of the class. But now that I have a boyfriend, it’s almost expected to celebrate the holiday in a stereotypical fashion of going out, and romancing it up. This is our second Valentine’s year to date, but yet, it has also made me realize why it’s perfectly okay to be alone on Valentine’s Day.

3) It’s Just like Christmas

Valentine’s Day is just like Christmas: you give gifts to show how much you love someone, but really don’t understand the purpose of the holiday. You can show your affection for someone any time or day of the year, which makes this holiday pointless. However, behind the heart shaped boxes of candy lies a bloody history to this specific day. Valentine’s Day was originally created to celebrate Saint Valentine who married young couples despite the law banning their marriage. This law was made because it was believed unmarried men would do better in battle than those who were wed. Saint Valentine was eventually caught for his crime and beaten, stoned, and decapitated. The term ‘Valentine’ derives from his name and a letter he wrote to a young lady in which he signed ‘from your Valentine’.

2) You Save Money

Chocolate is an iconic symbol of Valentine’s Day and in many cases, we see a heart shaped box of chocolate is the best way to show our love for another person.  While some of us buy the popular box on Valentine’s Day if not prior to, it would be best to not buy them until after the holiday has passed. That way you can purchase the same chocolates for a lower price and still have enough money to rent a heart wrenching movie.

1) You Don’t Always Need Someone

Growing up, we are exposed to tons of Valentine’s Day specials where it’s almost a requirement that you need a Valentine for this day. In life, you won’t always be with someone. You won’t always have a partner by your side to shower you with love or compliment you and that’s okay. While you might think otherwise, you will grow in time to see that being alone is fine. By being alone you get to learn more about yourself, have fun in ways only you can, and understand that being single isn’t the end of the world.

What do you think of Valentine’s Day? Feel free to comment and as always feedback and followers are welcomed.

Curtain Call for Some of Broadway's Greatest Hits

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Today an Edgar Allen Poe musical entitled ‘Red-Eye to Havre de Grace’,  popped up in my newsfeed and sent my bookwormy self into a hysteria of happiness. The plot of this musical entails the final days of the great poet and how he died. To my dismay, it was an article published in the early fall of 2012; thus meaning that this brilliant musical was no more.

However, this old news made me think of all the great musicals that were taken off Broadway.  Over the years, tons of shows have been produced, and performed beautifully by many actors and actresses. Yet time rolled on and one by one these musicals were plucked off Broadway one by one. Below are my top three shows that should have not been kicked off Broadway:

3) ‘Beauty and the Beast ‘

It’s a tale as old as time that was a hit Broadway musical. Sticking to Disney’s version of the classic fairy tale, this show toured the nation and dazzled audiences with its lavish sets and costumes. The show even included songs that weren’t in the movie such as Maison de Lunes, Human Again, Home, If I Can’t Love Her, and many others.  ‘Beauty and the Beast’ started its Broadway run in 1994 and completed it in 2007 and was considered to be Broadway’s eighth longest running musical. Even more intriguing about this play, the woman who played Belle also voiced Meg in the Disney classic, Hercules.

2) ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’

Some things in life are bad, like getting kicked off Broadway. This play “ripped off” Monty Python’s Holy Grail flick and created a parody of the King Arthur age that differed from the movie. While the musical heavily touched on King Arthur, Camelot, and his court, it also focused on other Arthurian myths such as the Lady in the Lake. Starting in 2005, it ended four short years later leaving audiences rolling with laughter. It featured many songs, including the ever popular The Song that Goes Like This. Literally, that’s the title, and it’s perfect for that tune.

1) ‘RENT’

How do you measure the years after Broadway? By a live action film featuring Anthony Rapp and enough fans (also known as ‘RENT’ heads) to take up the entire district of Alphabet City. Originally based off of Giacomo Puccini’s classic opera La boheme, this musical focuses on starving artists trying to survive and create in New York.  ‘RENT’ took to the theaters in 1996 and finished its run in 2008, causing its run to last for 12 years.

What Broadway musical would you like to see return to the stage? Feel free to comment and as always feedback and followers are welcomed. 

Walkin in an Olympic Motherland

Hello everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

Tonight the Sochi Winter Olympics welcomed everyone with their opening ceremony. Teams from all over the world gathered in Sochi, Russia to represent their nation and strength. The Olympics is a special time of the year when viewers everywhere see the athletic talent of other countries. With every performance, a nation’s culture is displayed by how an athlete interprets a song through ice skating or how an athlete shows their skills in bobsledding.

As mentioned before, I am not a sports fan, but I am fond of ice skating. I’ve always enjoyed the grace skaters displayed while performing with bladed shoes. To this day, I am still fascinated by their skill and beauty.  Although there will be tons of figure skaters in Sochi’s Olympics, I still refuse to watch this special program.

• The Olympics is a time of coming together and celebrating various nationalities, regardless of race, color, and/or orientation. When asked about having homosexuals in Russia, Putin replied that they are not accepted; especially after he passed an anti-gay law last July. This led to an onslaught of violent attacks towards those who are interested in those of their own gender. Not only does this go against the purpose of the Olympics, but it terribly violates people. In response to this outrageous treatment of homosexuals, Google has changed its Olympic logo to the colors of the rainbow – the symbol for homosexuality. The Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion also rallied for homosexuality in Russia and the Olympics by making a PSA.

CNN.com

• In order to prep for the coming of the Olympics, Sochi had to clean up its town. This meant getting rid of trash, restoring some of their hotels, and killing stray dogs. Yes, the last one is sickeningly true. Apparently, dogs roamed around the parks in Sochi, and no one seemed to mind; they even enjoyed the company of a fluffy, four legged friend. But with the Winter Olympics approaching, this drastically changed; pest control was hired to kill dogs by any means possible to make the Olympic Village more sanitary and beautiful. Thankfully, animal rescue shelters and charities have been able to save most of the dogs from death.

The Olympics is a celebration of life, strength, nationality, and unity. When the country that’s hosting the Olympics abuses homosexuals and murders dogs, it’s a contradiction. There are other places that would have been better suited for the Winter Olympics that uphold the themes of unity and admiration.

Where would you like to have seen the Olympics?

Feel free to comment and as always, feedback and followers are welcomed.  

Coca Cola's Vision of America

Good evening everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

With the Superbowl finished (the Seahawks slaughtering the Broncos and taking the trophy (just as The Oatmeal predicted)), people are still abuzz about a few things; namely, the game and the Coca Cola advertisement.  For those of you who didn’t bother to watch the game, here is the Coca Cola commercial that everyone is fighting over:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8iM73E6JP8 – Coca Cola: America, the Beautiful

People have been tweeting Coca Cola no sooner they saw the commercial. Each tweet contained a message of people deeming Coca Cola “un-American” and vowing to never drink their product. Their ultimate reason for this is because that the song America, the Beautiful was sung in eight foreign languages.

(theblaze.com)

But what is America exactly? Most of us have different definitions of it. America is patriotic, idealistic, the land of opportunity, the home of dreams, and my personal favorite, the ultimate supplier of bacon. Coca Cola envisions America as a diverse melting pot, culminating with races and languages of different nationalities. This theme was seen and heard throughout the ad which featured a homosexual couple roller skating with their daughter, a family dinner, friends engaging in various fun activities such as surfing and watching a movie, and various nationalities joining in on the fun.

Coca Cola’s intent was to “get people talking and thinking about what it means to be American” (Lee, USA Today). While their attempt was promising and understandable, most people thought otherwise. As for myself, I’m not a big fan of Coca Cola for what it does to your body, much like other sodas. However, I believe the commercial was decent and carried out a meaning of America that has been always defined this nation.

America has always been a melting pot that speaks more than one language. The most popular languages spoken in this nation are: English, French, and Spanish. They are languages that have migrated to this country by way of people. Over time, more people have come to this country in search of a new life, and with it, they brought their language regardless if it was Japanese or Italian. So why are we now causing a commotion over something that has been happening for ages with this nation?

Feel free to leave your comments below and as always, feedback and followers are welcomed.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Greetings everyone and welcome to The Magical Mystery Blog.

This Sunday is the Sunday football fanatics have been waiting for: Superbowl Sunday. The Superbowl is a time honored event when two triumphant teams fight each other for bragging rights, a ring, and a trophy. While most people tune in for this special occasion, others like myself, only enjoy it for a few things. Honestly I’m not a big fan of football, I tried to get into it, but it just wasn't my jar of jam. Yet I still like the Superbowl for the following reasons.

3. The Puppy and Kitten Bowls

Because how can you resist the playful glimmer of puppy eyes or the soft, sweet little meows of kittens. This Sunday, the Animal Planet channel will be hosting the tenth puppy bowl at 3 pm.  However, for those who enjoy fluffy kittens over puppies, the Hallmark Channel will be showcasing the first ever kitten bowl. Tons of adorable meowing cutie bombs will take over television on Sunday, at 2 pm.

2. Feasting and Drinking

Who doesn't love a drink, especially on a day filled with excitement, frustration, and insanity? While some may consider watching the Superbowl to be incredibly boring, a drink can easily remedy that. If you’re not much of a drinker it’s all right because Superbowl food is fantastic. Hoagies, party snacks, football themed desserts all wait to enter your stomach and make you want more.

1. The Commercials

The commercials are the second thing that draws the attention of many to the Superbowl. These ads have been known to be controversial, funny, sexy, and strange. So far, we’ve only seen a few of this year’s Superbowl commercials leaked onto the Internet. One of them in particular is Budweiser’s Puppy Love ad, featuring the friendship between the beer’s iconic Clydesdale horse and a sweet little puppy. This commercial has caused many hearts to melt and increasing urges to get a puppy. Bud Light has revealed tons of secretive commercials, hinting at what content may be shown in the Superbowl ads for this year. Even Doritos has unleashed some ads by means of the Internet.

Are you a Superbowl fan? What do you enjoy the most about it? Feel free to comment and as always feedback and followers are welcomed.