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 April 8, 1998 In this issue: |
 Lost Lemurs Watch the Skies Lightspeed Reverb Live Frees Run Like Hell |
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The techno-humanoids of Department Lemur live better than you do. We can't help it. Take this morning for an example: We woke to a tasty continental
breakfast with the never-empty Mimosa carafe (always complimentary here at
Lemur Suites), hopped into the Deluxe Zeppelin and went to see the big
budget remake of "Lost In Space," bypassing any opportunities we might have
had of getting any actual work done. While the movie was kind of stupid
(ah, but pretty) it put us in a sci-fi mood, and as a result this week's pop
culture report is ripe with killer robots, disembodied voices and Tang.
Danger, baby!
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SHOTS IN THE DARK
The alleged "face" on the surface Mars "is really a butte." It is
impossible to read by starlight alone. There are actually 13 to 24
constellations in the zodiac. Everything the producers of NBC's "Asteroid"
know about the actual article would fit neatly on the head of a pin. Foul
in name only, Bad Astronomy takes
pains to debunk all the false information we are fed about the heavens by
television, films and ingrained superstition, and does so in such a witty
and entertaining fashion that even nonbelievers can't help but smile.
Though astronomer Philip Plait claims to be only an "average" astronomer,
his ability to explain astronomy in such basic, friendly terms puts him in
our cool book. Plus, he makes a point of crediting his references, isn't
afraid to admit when he's wrong and looks good in a cheesy spacesuit. |
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RE-ENTRY VEHICLE
Man ... Or Astroman is the sound of things to
come. You only think their sound is drawn from such varied sources as The
Ventures and "The Day The Earth Stood Still" because your puny human mind
is incapable of processing the complex nature of the music. Drummer
Birdstuff, effects wizard Coco the Electronics Monkey Genius and guitarists Dexter X and Star Crunch come from a future where they have sold billions
of "Next Phase" records, and are visiting our time to facilitate the
transformation, or something along those lines. The Passenger just loves
them because they rock, their merchandise is among the coolest he's ever
seen and "A Mouthful Of Exhaust" is among the best driving songs ever
recorded. Your weapons are useless! |
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THIS REMARKABLE JOURNEY
Though Gwen Smith's terrific Sounds of Disneyland page is essentially an
(unofficial) aural souvenir of the redoubtable cultural icon, it functions
on several other, unintentional levels. For one, it is a fitting tribute to
late actor Paul Frees, whose liquid tones were used to narrate the park's
Haunted Mansion, Pirates Of The Caribbean and Adventure Thru Inner Space
attractions. The latter, with its declarations for better living through
chemistry and the work of "adventurous men of science," remains my favorite
Disney attraction, "Star Tours" be damned. Another way of listening to the
site is as pure dada: the kitschy dialogue from "Captain EO," the swanky
song stylings of the "Enchanted Tiki Room" and the music loop from the
"Swiss Family Treehouse" are as demented as they come. And, needless to say, it's fun, fun, fun. |
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HE SELLS SANCTUARY The Logan's Run Sandman Web Page pays homage to the cautionary 1976 sci-fi classic, and you don't need to be a genre freak to see why. In Logan's world promiscuity is encouraged, hallucinogenic drugs are legal, everyone wears pastels, nobody lives past the age of 30 and humankind resides in a giant, domed shopping mall. And if that's not enough, the Ankh is considered a sign of freedom. (I close my eyes and see every coffeehouse in America emptied -- every last black-garbed teen having fled to the domes for a better life.) The movie is silly, but fun, and the creators of the website - the "Fraternal Order of Sandmen" - seem to understand this and do everything very tongue-in-cheek. A big-budget remake is said to be in the works with Leonardo DiCaprio taking the Michael York role, so you may want to see Logan's world as it was meant to be seen: absurd, perhaps, but charmingly straight-faced. And the Passenger still has a crush on Jenny Agutter, even though her hairdo is very bad indeed. Is that it, you ask? Afraid so, kids. Department Lemur is late for the bars, and no force in the cosmos can stop us from missing the shrimp cocktail special at the Lounge. See you next week, with lemon juice on our lab coats. Ciao!
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