The Trah Blog

Happy Holidays from Trah

2010-12-16T21:34:00.001-08:00

Click to Enlarge

Trah on the Small Screen

2010-11-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to announce Trah Shorts being featured on Animation Showtime,
The CreaTV Network.

Catch Trah Shorts every Friday @ 3:30 PM PST, Channel 15
(Com Cast Subscribers only) in San Jose, California.

Live the Adventure...now on your TV

Trah Minimalism

2010-11-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

This is our Phillip Glass-esque Trah Shorts Episode 3: The Saga Continues poster design.

Enjoy!

Trah Film’s Experience at the Orlando Film Festival

2010-11-11T17:26:00.000-08:00

I just got back from a wonderful weekend with the Orlando Film Festival is sunny Florida. We screened the third installment of Trah Shorts, The Saga Continues, which was nominated in the festival for “Best Animation”.

What a great experience and wonderfully orchestrated festival. The Orlando Film Festival stands as a symbol of independent film in the state of Florida and Trah was proud to be apart of the event. The high caliber of films that screened, excellent venue, enthusiastic staff and all around great time is what made the Orlando Film Festival a celebration of cinema.

Daniel Springen, Executive Director of the Orlando Film Festival, is so full of energy that it radiated from him to the rest of the filmmakers and audience. I was really impressed how he knew every filmmakers name, face and film. You really got the feeling the festival cares about cinema. I got the chance to speak with a handful of local residents that came down to check out the festival. Hearing the excitement in their voices as they explained how they look forward to this event every year was really fulfilling.

Some of my favorite films from the weekend include The Absence, Directed by Alex DeMille, Wid Winner and the Slip Stream Directed by Alex Gaynor and Magic in the Forrest Directed by Jon Menick. I saw many great films but these three struck me as pretty extraordinary. Another up and coming filmmaker I befriended was Nick DeRuve, who was there to screen his short film, Schenectady, New York. It was inspirational to see such great work and meet the people behind the camera.

I look forward to the 2011 Orlando Film Festival. Hopefully we will have the chance to screen Trah Shorts Episode 4: When World’s Collide, which is currently in pre-production.

Thanks again Orlando Film Festival and see you next year.

Trah Wins Awards in LA

2010-10-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

Trah Film Wins "Best Animated Film"

2010-10-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

Trah Takes Home "Best Animated Film" Award

We are thrilled to announce we have won "Best Animated Film" at the Williamsburg International Film Festival.

There were over 40 animations involved in the festival and Trah Shorts Episode 3 was selected as the best. We are very proud for this prestigious award. We thank all the fans of Trah Shorts for the support. We are honored to have this title.

Trah Goes to Los Angeles and Orlando

2010-09-28T21:40:00.001-07:00

Trah at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn

2010-09-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

Come watch Trah Shorts Episode 3 Tomorrow
at the Williamsburg International Film Festival

9/25/10
@ the Knitting Factory - Brooklyn
361 Metropolitan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
At Havemeyer Street

Click the images above for more info.

Trah Shorts Tonight

2010-09-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Watch Trah Shorts Tonight!

Come down to the Boulton Center in Bay Shore Long Island tonight
September 22, 2010

to check out
Trah Shorts Episode 3: The Saga Continues
at the 27th Season of the Long Island Film Festival.

The doors for tonight’s venue open at 6:00pm.
Ticket cost is $10.00 to be purchased at the box office. General seating only.

The Boulton Center
37 W Main St
Bay Shore, NY 11706-8307
(631) 969-1101

Trah Shorts Eps. 3 - Official Movie Poster

2010-09-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

Today we would like to unveil the official Movie poster for Trah Shorts Episode 3: The Saga Continues. The poster will be on display at a film festival near you.

The Poster was illustrated by Tom Travers and colored by Jon Wood of Bontebok Design.

Williamsburg International Film Festival

2010-08-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

Trah Film Invades England

2010-08-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

Dates Added to Trah Shorts Eps. 3 Tour

2010-08-09T16:33:00.001-07:00

Click here for more info

Trah Shorts Poster- Concept Art

2010-07-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

Respected pencil and ink artist, Tom Travers, has been brought on by Trah Film to create a movie poster for Trah Shorts Episode 3: The Saga Continues for upcoming Film Festivals.

We would like to share an early sketch of the poster. The final version will be smoothed out and fully colored.

Check out more of Tom’s work on his blogg - Art Beast

Trah Blogg on The Ellen Degeneres Show

2010-06-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I wrote an article for cinemablend.com in regards to some inside info I got from Universal Studios that they were considering a re-make of the 1975 Spielberg classic, Jaws, with Tracy Morgan in the role of Hooper.

Click for Link to original Article

It was just brought to my attention that the news made the rounds on the Internet, ended up being cited in the Jaws Wikipedia Article, IMDB page and made it's way to peoples' twitter.

Hundreds of Film Websites relay original Article.
Google search for Jaws 3D Remake

Gossip people report

People even made not funny You Tube Videos about it, sweet!

The one thing I found most surprising actually is that Ellen Degeneres had Tracy Morgan on her show and asked him about the rumor. Click the video below to watch.

thedorsalfin.com posted:

“Last week Cinema Blend ran a story about a Jaws remake (in 3D, no less), which made mention of Tracy Morgan playing the role of Hooper. Morgan recently appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show and was asked about the rumors. If the mention of Morgan having a starring role in Jaws isn’t enough to turn you off to the idea of the remake, this video should do the trick.”

Trah Shorts Episode 3 is Complete

2010-06-08T17:04:00.001-07:00

We are excited to announce that Trah Shorts Episode 3: The Saga Continues is complete and ready for public release.

We celebrate this with being accepted into the 27th Season of the Long Island Film Festival.

Stay tuned as more festivals are added to the

2010 tour of Trah Shorts Episode 3.

Trah Production Update

2010-05-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

Picture Lock on Trah Shorts Episode 3 is official. Currently we are in the process of finalizing the audio mix.

Our plans include screening Trah Shorts Episode 3 in film festivals all across the country. We will keep you updated as the touring schedule is realized.

The soundtrack for this epic installment will be far more advanced than previous episodes and includes the works of Cole Porter, John Sebastian Bach, The Dreamland Orchestra, Deborah Harry and others…The most dynamic picture and sound ever presented by Trah Film Studios.

We would like to share another production still with you.

Enjoy a nice game of Billiards and an ice cold Grundle Ale
with Machine Gun Murray and Larry the Bartender.

Trah Film Family Photo

2010-05-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

Things are getting hectic down at Trah Film Studios, getting ready for the release of the third installment of our epic saga. We are still some time away before the final product is unveiled but we wanted to get the cast in for a Trah Film Family Photo.

Click photo to Enlarge

From left to right:

Peg Leg Pete and his parrot, The Captain, Sergeant Fritz, Smitty, Ludwig Klaus Van Rumplelurk, Machine Gun Murray, Ted, Larry the Bartender, Nicky the Nose and Ronaldo the Sea Monster.

Four Production Stills from Trah Shorts Eps. 3

2010-04-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

It's been busy down at Trah Film Studios as we are hard at work creating “Trah Shorts Episode 3: The Saga Continues” (Current Working title)

With about 50 % percent of the animation completed we would like to share a few still shots from the project with you.

Kaiser Klink Van Rumplelurk discusses plans for his next attack.

Fritz keeps watch...or does he?

Machine Gun Murray Calls the Shots.

Trah Shorts Episode 3 sponsored by Grundle Ale

2010-03-12T09:57:00.000-08:00

We are proud to have Grundle Ale as an official Sponsor of Trah Shorts Episode 3.

Production Update: All filming has been completed and the colorization and beginning steps of the animation process are fully underway. There are 87 different shots in this next installment of Trah Shorts, episode one only had 15, so this one is taking a bit more time to complete but we are excited to unveil the final product when it is ready.

In the mean time Enjoy a nice frosty mug of Grundle Ale, available in the lobby.

A National Drink, a Healthy Drink, a Family drink, a Friendly Drink...Grundle Ale

The Real Reason Disney Changed Rapunzel To Tangled

2010-03-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Ci n e ma Blend

Admiral Ackbar May Be The New Ole Miss Mascot

2010-02-24T17:42:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Ci n e ma Blend

Quentin Tarantino Saves Classic Cinema

2010-02-23T19:47:00.001-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cin ema Blend

ShoWest To Honor Jerry Bruckheimer

2010-02-22T17:06:00.001-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Life Imitates Art: NASA Steals From Star Wars

2010-02-19T21:02:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Thundercats Ho! Script Leaked, Movie Still Happening?

2010-02-18T21:12:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cine ma Blend

Mortal Kombat Reboot Could Be Blocked By Lawsuit

2010-02-17T21:21:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Lightsaber Flash Mob Attacks An Innocent Shopping Mall

2010-02-16T21:35:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

The Na’vi People Of Hometree Wisconsin

2010-02-16T21:31:00.001-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Motion-Capture Opera? Andy Serkis Says Why Not

2010-02-15T21:07:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Disney’s Rapunzel Retitled Tangled

2010-02-12T22:07:00.001-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Terminator Co-Writer William Wisher Lays Out Plans For More Sequels

2010-02-11T21:38:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Jim Carrey Still In Three Stooges?

2010-02-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Lucasfilm Sues The Other Michael Richards

2010-02-09T17:22:00.000-08:00

New Trah Blog now up @ Cinema Blend.com

Click here to read article at Cinema Blend

Trah Blogs now @ Cinemablend.com

2010-02-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

We are excited to announce that some of our blogs will be featured on popular film blog, Cinemablend.com

Our début on Cinemablend.com features an article we wrote after gaining some inside info on a possible Jaws remake in 3D, following the success of Avatar.

Click this link to read the article on Cinema Blend

Disney Animation is the Best Animation

2010-02-04T09:16:00.001-08:00

Before the Walt Disney Company started to produce the feature animated films we are so familiar with today like Snow White and Peter Pan, they produced short animated films.

This classic I came across on the web is titled “On Ice”. It is a pretty cool, wonderfully animated, short film done by Walt and his crew. It contains all the classic Disney characters Like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy etc. It’s basically a fun little short with everyone going Ice Skating on a frozen lake.

This short was released in 1931, 1931…can you believe that? When you watch this you will know what I mean. The beautiful color (presented in Technicolor, click to learn more), the fluid movement…it’s simply amazing. All of this work was done without the use of computers, the talented team at Disney used pencil, ink, paper, paint and film cameras utilizing 35mm film.

This is why Walt Disney rose to the amount of fame that he did. No one had ever seen animated characters dance & sing, in wonderful color, so in tune with the music and their surroundings ever before in the history of cinema…and the world is a better place for it.

* Special Note: Walt does the voice for Mickey.

To watch this short animation click on this link

Jobs and Gates = Epic

2010-01-29T14:32:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty epic nerd moment. Steve Jobs, Founder of Apple Computer, and Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft, in a rare appearance on the same stage.

They take some time out of their busy lives to discuss their own contributions to the computer world and what they feel the other brought to the table.

This is a pretty cool video for anyone who is remotely interested in the world we live in today. Every single one of us counts on the machines and software that these guys created.

* Trah Film Production Update: Voice recording and filming is underway. This puts Trah Shorts Episode 3 officially in the production process. More to come.

Enjoy this very interesting video.

This is only the first part, click here for the rest.

Stuck in the Past T-Shirt

2010-01-28T16:43:00.000-08:00

I was checking some stuff out today on the internet and I came across this pretty sweet t-shirt design.

ahhhh....to be stuck in the past with Marty and Doc Brown....a boy can dream, can't he?

You can buy the shirt here.

Save Conan Rally Field Piece

2010-01-25T10:22:00.000-08:00

My good friend, fellow Quinnipiac Alumni and popular stand up comedian, Thomas J. Kelly (thomasjkelly.com), produced this video. Tom goes to New York's "Save Conan" rally at 30 Rock, chaos and hilarity ensue.

Enjoy.

About Tom:
Thomas J. Kelly is a stand up and web-based comedian. You can catch him daily warming up the audiences at "The View" and performing in clubs in New York City. He also hosts a web-radio show at ThisShowAgain.com and has starred in a number of TV and web based projects.

Production Update - Rumplelurk Crest

2010-01-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

We are trucking along with the final steps of pre-production for Trah Shorts Episode 3. All sets have been built and all props are have arrived and have completed fabrication.

This last week was spent concentrating that all aspects of pre production for the animation have been completed and can be checked off the list. The next steps will involve voice recording and the filming process; this will officially put the animation into the production process. Once this is complete we will move into post production with sound and picture editing (but we no are where near that as of now).

The Trah Blog has now officially switched focus to documenting the production of our next work. Since our attention is focused on production right now we will only be posting production updates until the animation is ready to be released.

Following the unveiling of Kaiser Klink Van Rumplelurk III we have recently designed the official crest for his Army. We now present this official crest to the public.

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and check back for more production updates.

Trah Film Welcomes a New Family Member

2010-01-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

Today we unveil a new member to our family here at Trah Film, Kaiser Klink Van Rumplelurk III, Second Duke of Lurkenburg and supreme commander of the Rumplelurk Realm.

Rumplelurk has been spoken about in numerous Trah Film productions but has never been seen on screen, until now. Rumplelurk will make his on screen debut in Trah Shorts Episode 3. He was previously mentioned in Trah Shorts Episode 2 (2009) and Episode 2 of Munch Shorts (an unreleased Trah Animation, due to a contractual agreement)

The character’s name was first used in an animated series created by Trah Film, The Farmers Tale (2006). An early version of the character was then transformed into a live action character that was portrayed by Dave Zani in short film made for the national tea council in 2007. In that video Dr. Van Rumplelurk explained the heath benefits of drinking tea.

Please join us in our welcoming of Kaiser Klink Van Rumplelurk III to our family here at Trah Film Studios.

Trah Shorts Eps. 3 - Now in Production

2010-01-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

Its been busy at Trah Film Studios. We are currently in production with the next installment of Trah Shorts. We will post some behind the scenes shots from time to time to give you a peak into the world of creating an episode of Trah Shorts.

Check back for more behind the scenes from Trah Film Studios.

A Day of Golf at the Bush Wood Country Club

2010-01-08T09:35:00.001-08:00

I was getting ready for work this morning when all of the sudden my phone rang, It was my buddy Al Czervik on the line. He told me to drop everything; they needed an extra guy down at the Bush Wood Country Club for a round of golf. Al was blabbering on about some tournament against Judge Smails. How could I pass it up? I threw on a pair of plaid knickers and before I knew it Al was outside my place in his red Rolls Royce. I heard the horn honk so I grabbed my golf bag and ran out the door. As soon as I got in the car we blasted I’m Alright by Kenny Loggins and off we went.

We arrived at the club and got ready to tee up. I pulled a driver out of my bag, very excited to kick off a glorious day of golf…sadly I was abruptly woken up by my alarm clock, I was still in bed…it had all been a wonderful dream. I quietly sat on the edge of my mattress as a tear ran down my face.

Harold Ramis’s Directorial debut, Caddy Shack (1980) is classic and favorite among many. It was the first film Ramis Directed. He had already written sweet films like Animal House (1978) and Meatballs (1979) and would go on to write Ghost Busters (1984) and Groundhog Day (1993), among others.

Caddy Shack has a legendary comedic line up and marks the feature film debut of Rodney Dangerfield, who had already made a household name for himself from his appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show when he told his first “No respect Joke” ("I get no respect. I played hide-and-seek, and they wouldn't even look for me”). An interesting fact about the first few days of filming with Rodney is that he was bummed out at first because none of the crew was laughing at his jokes while being filmed, it had to be explained to him that they can’t laugh or it will ruin the sound.

I think this film is regarded as one of the funniest films in cinema because it showcases different types of humor, they don’t pick one comedic perspective and stick with it. What aided in the film being like this was the different, yet equally brilliant, comedians acting in it and an open script that encouraged imporv. Rodney represented the goofy/slapstick aspect, Ted Knight as the all too serious and dry Judge, Bill Murray delivered the stranger side of things as the deranged grounds keeper and Chevy Chase brought the sarcastic and over confident persona we have all come to enjoy.

Honestly, I don’t really play golf, but you know what…whenever I watch this movie I strongly consider it. I think I would be more into it if I could hang out at Bush Wood.

I have three favorite sports films of all time, they include The Sandlot (1993), Rudy (1993) and Caddy Shack (with an honorable mention to Cool Runnings, 1993)…1993 was a good year for sports films I guess. But Caddy Shack led the way for such films that touch the human soul.

Enjoy the clips

…Four!!!!!

Al Czervik Caddyshack tribute

Egon on Caddy Shack

Bill Murray: Cinderella Man

Spielberg is The Man

2010-01-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons why Spielberg is The Man. He sure has a pretty impressive list of films under his belt, many of our favorites like Jaws, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park to name just a few. His movies have some of the most iconic characters and moments in cinema…his works are usually of epic proportions and make millions of dollars at the box office. But there is one special reason (for me) why Spielberg is The Man.

Way before the release of the first Star Wars film in 1977, Writer/Director, George Lucas, decided to screen an early cut of the film to some of his fellow film buddies. In attendance were Martin Scorsese (Raging Bull, Goodfellas), Brian De Palma (Carlito’s Way, Scarface), Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now), Spielberg and Lucas’s own wife (who also edited the film). Apparently this cut of film was missing some of the music, epic title scroll and some other features we now recognize as staples of the franchise.

When the film ended there was silence among the small audience. Everyone just looked around at each other with an odd expression on their face. They didn’t understand what they had just watched. No one liked it; no one got what Lucas had tried to create. His wife supposedly burst into tears and said it was awful... De Palma started to heavily criticize the film (but actually gave some great feedback, one being the suggestion of the famous title scroll). Everyone agreed the film didn’t work… except for one guy, Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg contradicted the entire room. He was the only one that claimed Star Wars had “the stuff”. He announced, “This movie is going to make a $100 million”. As of 2010 the first Star Wars film (completely by itself) has grossed $461 million domestically, $775 million worldwide…the movie has yielded some of the most historical characters in film and ranks as a favorite by millions of people all over the globe. Spielberg was the only one who saw the potential of what was to come…that’s why Spielberg is a studio head these days, and why he is The Man.

Here is a very early trailer for the film. Notice it lacks the music we have all come to love, the traditional Star Wars logo and how the footage itself is dingy looking (before finalized color and printing of the film) This may be kind of close to what was screened that day.

Daniel-san!

2010-01-06T13:04:00.000-08:00

Remember when Karate and Ninjas use to be really popular in the 80’s and 90’s? There were all kinds of TV shows and movies that involved that stuff. Things like The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series (1987), Films like The 3 Ninjas (1992), Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) and video games like Street Fighter II (1991) and Mortal Kombat (1992). Every kid in town was taking Karate lessons and making homemade nunchucks. Its pretty funny when one company has an idea that hits with the mainstream, everyone else runs out to make their copy. Now the craze is vampires (give me Ninjas over Vampires any day).

But my most favorite Karate movie is the cinema classic, The Karate Kid from 1984. Mr. Miyagi is like an Asian Obi-Wan Kenobi, he’s the man and I love him (both of them actually).

This film has everything you want in a fun 80’s teen movie. You got a lovable hero (Daniel), a wise teacher (Miyagi), classic bad guys (Johnny Lawrence and the douche kids), a love interest (Ali, with an I) and a sweet Karate tournament...o, and did I mention the famous Crane Kick. 80’s teen movies really are the best; I don’t care what anyone says.

You would be lying through your teeth if you didn’t admit to often daydreaming about being entered into the All-Valley Karate Tournament, defending yourself against Johnny Lawrence as he is told to “sweep the leg” (but sensei!). Wipe the sweat off your brow; take a deep breath...its time to remember all that Miyagi has taught you to battle the evil Cobra Kai Dojo.

One of my favorite scenes in the film is when Daniel becomes tired of waxing the car and painting the fence and decides to quite the training. With a loud yell of “Daniel-san” by Miyagi, he is summoned back and is enlightened to what he has been taught. “Daniel-san” is now the quintessential way to get someone’s attention when you are trying to show them the way.

Keeping in mind what I said about Revenge of the Nerds and our love of the underdog, the same theory is at play in our love for this film. Daniel-san finds himself in the pits of despair, a stranger in a new land but is able to regain his footing and fulfill his destiny as the All-Valley Karate Champion.

At the end of the day, deep down inside of your heart and soul…I know you’re a fan of this film. Enjoy the clip

Dont forget...You’re the best around, Nothings gonna ever keep ya down.

Technical Difficulties

2010-01-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

We are currently experiencing technical difficulties here at the Trah Blog and are forced to keep things short today. Rest assured magical elves are hard at work restoring the Trah Network.

I decided to post a video that is fitting.

Epic Moments in Cinema

2010-01-04T10:21:00.000-08:00

I love a good old-fashioned epic moment in a film. There are so many out there…like when Mel Gibson (adorned in blue face paint) gives his powerful speech against English tyranny (freeeeedom!) in Braveheart (1995)…. or when Darth Vader tells Luke Skywalker “No, I am your father” in 1980’s Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Movies rule, don’t they?

But one epic moment in cinema that always struck a chord with me was the song that the Nerds perform in Revenge of the Nerds (1984) at the end of the film. You really don’t get any more epic than that. What a classic scene. For the 80’s, the music they produce with their electronic gear is state of the art. I still get goose bumps when Booger comes from behind the spotlight and strums the guitar in that sweet Elvis outfit. Does anything say badass more than an electric violin with a gold glitter finish…a real panty dropper.

Many love this film, this scene in particular. I think it’s because we all have a little nerd in us, and we all have had a time in our life when the Alpha Beta’s of the world have pushed us around. I hated Stan Gabel, but Ogre was pretty classic (Who later redeems himself in Nerds Part III when he denounces the Alpha Betas and becomes a Tri Lam).

The Tri Lams are some of the most lovable characters. I think they embody what we all look for in a friend…loyal, fun, supportive etc. The Nerds have each other’s backs, one for all and all for one.

I love the fact that they are all different, misfits in a sense. They didn’t have a home but banded together to battle against the oppressive rule of the entitled jocks. Who doesn’t love a good underdog movie? And when that underdog finally triumphs…well, it’s the recipe for an epic moment. Rooting for the underdog is encoded into our DNA as a living creature; it’s the struggle within all of us to prevail, for life to prevail. If you are against the Nerds, you are against life.

I often day dream about being a student at Adam’s College in 1984… rocking out to Thriller, chilling with Lewis and Gilbert…possibly taking part in that ill performance in one of the yellow suits.

I guess this is as close as we can get.

Trah Bonus Clip: Nerds Party

And Awaaay We Go! The Honeymooners Marathon on WPIX

2010-01-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

(New Year’s Day was made to watch The Honeymooners marathon on the classic station, WPIX.)

How many Television shows that air new episodes right now in 2010 will still be aired 50-60 years from now? How many will be considered classics? Off the top of my head I can think of Cheers, Seinfeld, South Park and early seasons of The Simpson’s, but all of those shows were created in the 80’s and 90’s. The point is that not many will make the cut and become apart the elite club of Timeless Television.

Jackie Gleason’s sitcom, The Honeymooners, was produced in the mid 1950’s and is still ranked as one of the best sitcoms of all time. The Show was based around a New York City Bus Driver named Ralph Kramden and his wife, Alice, who live in a small apartment in Brooklyn. Mr. Gleason is one of the true kings of comedy (along with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, and Mel Brooks).

There were only 39 episodes of The Honeymooners produced…yet Ralph Kramden and his buddy, Ed Norton, are recognized as some of the best characters ever in comedy. Ralph’s get-rich-quick schemes were a re-accruing theme on the show; it was always the catalyst for some ridicules situation they would get themselves into. Aspects of the production find themselves being recycled over and over again in shows like All in the Family (1971) and The King of Queens (1998) (Both of the characters that Carroll O’Conner and Kevin James depict are based off Ralph Kramden).

The show illustrates another time, long gone. Certainly not politically correct to our society now but they are still pretty damn funny…you can’t take that away from it. The amazing thing about Jackie Gleason is that he would take things that wouldn’t be considered funny in real life (like raising your fist to your wife) but would make it hysterical with the face he would give and a “Zap, bam, boom…to the moon, Alice”.

Like all great shows, The Honeymooners was pretty cutting edge for the time. During this era all of the other shows had “TV wives” that wore pearls and aprons and stayed as the background homemaker, never questioning the husband and always trying to make him happy. On the contrary, Alice Kramden, played by Audrey Meadows, was constantly challenging her husband on who was the head of the household, not afraid to speak her mind…she represented the progressive woman. Whenever she was presented with one of Ralph’s schemes she always shot it down with practicality in mind but was there at the end to help him when things didn’t go as planed. Alice often didn’t need rescuing; it was she who rescued Ralph. Lets keep in mind Alice was doing all of this a decade before the Women’s Liberation movement in the 1960’s, she was way ahead of her time.

The Honeymooners Marathon on WPIX will always be a favorite of mine on New Year’s Day. I hope you got to watch, Happy New Year to you.

Check out the videos below, a different time when TV actually mattered.

A Tribute to the Great One – Jackie Gleason

Trah Bonus Clip of Classicness - Jackie Gleason on the Johnny Carson Show Circa 1986

Morgan Freeman Has Crumbs On His Face

2009-12-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

Morgan Freeman is a great actor, no doubt. I enjoy his performance as the wise old man he plays in every single movie he has ever been in (Cue Rim Shot, click here and click the red button)

No, but seriously folks…I was watching a movie with Mr. Freeman and I was completely distracted. I don’t even remember the film to be honest…it was some movie where he gives a lot of advise. Sadly, I was hooked on one thing and one thing only.

Why was I so distracted? What was I so focused on…the absurd amount of Oreo cookie crumbs on his face. Jesus, you would think he could take a break from munching on Oreos for one second to clear the crumbs off his face and act in a film free of crumbs, for the love of (Peg Leg) Pete.

I wanted to dig deeper, I knew there was something to learn here. My search had begun for some sort of understanding of this phenomenon. My epic quest was coming up flat until I found and bought the photo to the right.

A prominent paparazzi photographer snapped this candid shot of the actor; we at the Trah Film Blog paid a significant amount for the photo. There are many phony photos floating around out there on the Internet, 100 percent certainty of its legitimacy was required for posting on our site.

We needed photographic proof of the crumb situation. The photo illustrates how Mr. Freeman acquires so many bits on his face. Notice all the crumbs in mid flight… traveling at such a high velocity that they embed themselves into the skin upon re-entry impact.

While the entire world focuses on the Tiger Woods sex scandal, here at Trah Film Blog we are staying focused on the Morgan Freeman cookie crumb scandal…a far more titillating subject if you ask us.

It’s almost as if this is a normal feature on his skin and not crumbled bits of cookies from his afternoon splurge. Thank god these are only cookie crumbs, I would be a real douche for just making fun of little crumb-like specs on his dome piece.

But at the end of the day I am huge fan of Mr. Freeman. Anytime I need advice from a wise old man with cookie crumbs rooted in his skin, I know whom to turn to.

Look at all the crumbs on his face; do you know how many Oreos you have to eat to constantly have crumbs embedded into your skin? A fair amount, we speculate.

The “For-ev-er” guy is a Douche

2009-12-29T09:56:00.001-08:00

I was watching The Sandlot (1993) the other day. That movie is so sweet. In my opinion I feel it is one of the finest sports films ever made…I say that because the film captures the true love of sport without the distractions of million dollar contracts and endorsement deals to get in the way. It’s just a really fun film to watch.

While watching I couldn’t help but notice what a douche Police Chief Palledorous is…ya know, the guy who says “For-ev-er” all weird and stuff.

The scene in the movie occurs when Squints Palledorous (his grandson) is telling the story of The Beast (Hercules) at the sleepover all the kids are having. I found a few holes in his story and all signs point to his grandfather being an Ass Hat.

The story about The Beast, the mean junkyard dog, has him killing and eating thieves that try to break into the junkyard where he lives. Squints says the dog ate so many thieves that after a while the cops started getting suspicious because they were receiving lots of calls with people reporting missing thieves…who the hell is calling the police and reporting missing thieves? That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

Would it have gone something like this?
-----------------------------
Ring Ring

Police Operator: “Police, how may I help you?”

Guy: “Yeh, I would like to report a missing thief. I was supposed to have my TV stolen but nothing happened. I am a tax payer, goddamnit”

Police Operator: “we will send someone right over to check it out”
-----------------------------

No one reports missing thieves, it’s dumb and retarded to think people would. People would just not get stuff stolen if thieves were missing…it’s a good thing and not something the police would get suspicious over. Police Chief Palledorous is a moron to get all in a huff about missing thieves.

Not only is he a moron, he is clueless about the normal protocol of the law. He basically makes himself the Jury and Judge. Palledorous orders Mr. Mertle (the meanest old man that ever lived, but not really) to chain the dog up under his house for an undisclosed amount of time. When Mertle asks him how long he has to keep the dog there Palledorous gives a pretty unprofessional answer. Instead of saying “That’s for the judge to decide” like a upstanding officer of the law… Palledorous tells him “forever” in a very strange way with his lips moving around all weird.

Ummm…I am pretty sure the police don’t have the power to order you to chain your dog up for life with no court order or anything. The ACLU would have gotten involved...Fox News would have reported the developing story.

A few weeks ago I posted about how Quint from Jaws would be my number one choice of any character from cinema to “sit down and drink beer with”…well Police Chief Palledorous is my number one choice for any character from cinema “I would most like to dip my hand in warm oil and slap across the face”. He is just a horrible police chief and a dumb douche.

I posted Squints story below.

Here is what some of the media coverage may have looked like.

Opie and Anthony Short Film Festival

2009-12-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

I’ve been a fan of the Opie and Anthony radio show since I was in high school and they were on 102.7 WNEW in NYC. Since that time they have moved around from station to station and even to new platforms (satellite radio) but I have remained a faithful fan.

Back in mid 2008 O&A hosted a Short Film festival for their fans to participate in. The stipulation was that you had to utilize audio from their show and create an original animation/ short film to go along with it. The show would choose the 25 best pieces and showcase them at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City.

I created and entered an animation (Vos’s IQ 2008) based on audio with the hosts of the show making fun of one of their frequent guests (and friends) about how low his IQ is. The friend whose IQ is in question is comedian, Rich Vos (Comedy Central, HBO).

One cool thing I like about this animation is that that audio comes from a 20-25 minute block that I edited down to make a nice smooth moving 2-minute piece. There was a lot of stuff in between all the good lines that needed to be trimmed…I think it worked well because most people just think it’s a solid 2 minute clip from the show. This animation also marks the first time the Trah process of animation was created and utilized…a process that all current Trah Animations are now created with.

I was very happy to be accepted into the festival, they only chose 25 short films and hundreds were submitted. An added bonus was having Opie and Anthony talk about the animation live on their show.

I posted my animation below and the radio audio with them speaking about it. Please enjoy.

Vos’s IQ (2008)

Trah Film on Opie and Anthony

Merry Christmas from Star Wars

2009-12-25T10:50:00.001-08:00

Taking a break today. Merry Christmas from Star Wars.

Christmas Randomness

2009-12-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

Doing a little something different today. I don’t have much to say so I would like to share some random and obscure clips of classic Christmas TV and commercial moments.

Nintendo 64 commercial circa 1998

Pepsi & Nintendo 1989 TV Commercial

Fruity Pebbles Christmas Commercial

Christmas with The Joker (Batman Animated Series)

Growing Pains: Christmas Episode

Bad Guys Become Good for Christmas (Direct TV)
This is a pretty cool Direct TV commercial. I never saw it before, it has Spanish narration so it may not even get played here. Enjoy.

Wonderful Christmas Time (music video)- Paul McCartney

What’s this? What’s this?

2009-12-23T09:29:00.001-08:00

A Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) may be one of the most unique holiday films ever produced. I say this because it doubles as both a festive Christmas film and a ghoulish delight for Halloween all while incorporating a brilliant and original storyline.

I love the idea that each holiday has it’s own magical far off land where the holiday (and everything associated with it) lives. We follow Jack the Pumpkin King (leader of the Halloween world) as he lets his curiosity get the best of him and steps into the world of Christmas. After being mystified by the holiday, Jack attempts to bring Christmas back to his home of Halloween. It is so much fun to see him try to explain Christmas to the ghosts, skeletons and vampires of the Halloween world and watch them attempt to pull off their own Christmas celebration.

Contrary to common belief this film was not directed by Tim Burton, but by Henry Selick (James and the Giant Peach, Caroline). Burton is credited as the writer and producer of the picture, which is why the film’s official title is “Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas” (and the reason why many believe he directed it). Burton had originally intended to direct the film but placed Selick at the helm because Burton was just too busy with Batman Returns (1992). That is pretty funny to me because this is much more of a memorable film than lame ass Batman Returns with Michael Keaton.

I think we can all agree that the songs in this film kick ass. The music was an original composition by Danny Elfman (Composer of The Simpson’s theme song). In my opinion these are some of the best songs ever written for a film.

The idea for the film was originally drafted from a poem that Burton had written. He was inspired after being in a department store a few days after Halloween. He noticed the store workers taking down the Halloween decorations and replacing them with decorations for Christmas. The juxtaposition of ghosts and goblins with Santa and his elves sparked his imagination.

This film utilizes the stop motion animation technique that I wrote about in the Christmas Misfits piece last week. This technique adds a real special element to this film, a surreal tone that fits perfectly. Believe it or not A Nightmare Before Christmas was the first ever fully animated feature film using stop motion animation. The animators for the film received an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects as a result but ultimately lost to Industrial Light and Magic (Special Effects for Star Wars, Indiana Jones) for their creation of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park (1994).

I don’t think I have ever met anyone who didn’t like this film; I mean how could you not? Unless you’re not a fan of an original idea, great production value, great voice over work, a great script, sweet music, cutting edge filmmaking, magic, fantasy, Halloween/Christmas and fun.

So make sure to get your viewing of this film in for the season. If you missed it for Halloween, now’s your chance for Christmas.

What’s This? Jack discovers Christmas.

Making Christmas in the world of Halloween

Trah Bonus Classicness
Did you know that at Disney World during the month of October completely changes The Haunted Mansion ride into a ride that revolves around A Nightmare Before Christmas? It’s pretty sweet. Check out this video some like-minded fan took for all of us to enjoy.

I said, “I wish I’d never been Born”

2009-12-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

It’s been said that the purpose of art is to up lift mans spirit…Frank Capra’s, It’s a Wonderful life (1946), does just that. When you watch this film it helps you put life into perspective. We all have our down days; we loose sight of how we are all interconnected and what we mean to the other people in our life.

Capra stated that he felt this was the best work he ever created. He was intrigued by the idea of exploring how one mans life reaches out and effects the lives of many. Capra’s vision paired with the sweet performance given by Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey created one of the best films in the history of cinema. We follow Stewart through the full range of human emotions, a performance so sophisticated that it easily holds up in 2009… even with great advancements made in the filmmaking/performance process.

By this time in Capra’s carrier, the peak of his creative powers, he said he wanted to create more soul-searching pictures. With that in mind he established Liberty Films in 1945 with Directors, George Stevens (The Diary of Anne Frank, A Place in the Sun) and William Wyler (Ben Hur, The Best Years of our Lives). It’s a Wonderful Life was Liberty Films first production.

Although considered a timeless classic now, when released the film was not all that popular. When the film was released in the winter of 1946 the east coast was experiencing record low temperatures with heavy snow and ice...most people just stayed home and listened to the radio. Another factor was that many audience members viewed this as too depressing of a film for the holidays, which is odd because we now consider this a holiday classic. The film was not a flop at the box office, but once it left the theaters in a few months it was out of sight and out of mind.

A legal loophole may be responsible for allowing modern generations to discover this classic. In the early 1970’s the copyright on the film had expired. There was an option to renew the copyright for another 28 years but because of a clerical error the film slipped into public domain. Television stations across the country started to play the film with out having to pay any royalties to a copyright holder. Since that time it as evolved into a revered body of cinematic work shown every Christmas season.

Television and Film really are best friends forever. If poor old cinema didn’t have his buddy TV around to help him make friends there is a chance we would never know about some of these classic movies. Well there is now a third buddy to join the group…You Tube. You Tube picks up where TV left off and helps deliver these classic films to younger generations.

Enjoy.

George Bailey is rescued by Clarence, his guardian Angel.

Bailey's famous Speech to Old Man Potter & the Loan Board

I Double Dog Dare Ya…24-hours of A Christmas Story

2009-12-21T14:30:00.000-08:00

As Christmas approaches I know all of you out there are looking forward to TBS’s 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story (1983, Directed by Bob Clark). What’s that...you don’t know about the 24-hour A Christmas Story marathon on TBS? what are you, a communist?

Since 1997 TBS has been airing the film 12 consecutive times on Christmas. Starting at 8 PM on Christmas Eve and lasting until about the same time on Christmas Day. I love when networks go against the grain with things like this. Airing the same movie 12 consecutive times over a 24-hour period seems like a stupid idea, but it has become a Christmas classic for many. I personally leave one TV on in the house that has TBS on the entire day.

In the mid 1990’s Turner Broadcasting acquired ownership of the broadcasting rights. They began to air the movie the night after Thanksgiving to open up the holiday Television season. As the years went on they began to show the film more frequently in their stations time slots and by 1997 they decided to air the movie for a full 24-hour period…a tradition was born.

Personally this film holds a special place in my memories, as it does for many of my other friends I grew up with. At Munsey Park Elementary School in the mid 90’s we had a pretty cool tradition. The last day of school before Christmas break the teachers gathered all of the 5th and 6th graders in the library before the day was over and showed us A Christmas Story on VHS. Looking back now, that was pretty sweet. Pretty much every scene in this film is a classic. It’s no wonder millions demand the 24-hour marathon every year.

I Posted two classic clips below.

I Double Dog Dare ya...

Where else to go when the dogs eat Christmas diner? Chinese Food.

These only scratch the surface. If you crave more I also posted a link to a You Tube search for A Christmas Story. Click Here. Enjoy.

A Festivus For the Rest of Us

2009-12-18T10:34:00.000-08:00

There are many great aspects to Seinfeld; one aspect that stands out is the classic line up of side characters…Frank Costanza being one of the best. When an episode revolved around Frank you knew it was going to be hysterically funny. From lawyers wearing capes, selling computers out of his garage or creating a holiday that incorporates decorating your house with an aluminum pole... he always has some asinine scheme up his sleeve.

Sticking with out holiday theme, the Festivus episode is a series classic. Festivus was first introduced in the episode "The Strike" (Season 9 Episode 166). The episode first aired on December 18th, 1997.

Frank Costanza created the holiday of Festivus. In the Seinfeld universe, Festivus is celebrated on December 23rd and includes practices such as the "Airing of Grievances” and the "Feats of Strength". The purpose of the holiday is to escape the commercial and religious aspects of the Christmas season, as explained by Frank Himself. Festivus is now regarded as a high holy day.

The "Airing of Grievances" segment of the celebration is a sacred and holy practice for the followers of the holiday. This occurs during the Festivus meal in which each person goes around the table and tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed them during the year. After the meal the family gathers 'round the fireplace for the "Feats of Strength". This involves each member of the family attempting to wrestle the head of the family (usually the father) and pinning them to the ground. Festivus is a magical holiday that brings smiles to the faces of children everywhere.

Frank's son, George, has continued the tradition and has set up a charitable foundation that seeks to better his fellow man, The Human Fund…money for people. Because we love you here at Trah Film, We have made a generous donation in YOUR name to the Human Fund to help spread the cheer and good fortune this season.

We would like to wish you a Happy Festivus.

Christmas Misfits

2009-12-17T10:28:00.001-08:00

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964) and Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) animated Christmas TV specials are the most kick ass animated Christmas specials ever (Sorry Charlie Brown, you can have Halloween).

One of the things I really love about these films is the Stop Motion Animation, you really don’t see too much of that these days (although Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox was recently released). This animation style brings so much charm to the overall tone of the film. When I was a kid I was captivated by seeing inanimate objects move around on their own. Watching hand drawn animation or even computer animation, which I do love, its not as dazzling as when you see puppets and sets that you know are inert objects made out of plastic and wood…only they move like they are alive.

Arthur Rankin and his production company, Rankin/Bass Productions inc, produced these specials back in the mid 1960’s and 70’s. Their work has been a staple in Christmas entertainment for over 40 years.

There were many classic characters in these movies but one of my favorites from back in the day was Burgermeister Meisterburger, the bad guy from Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town. I always thought that guy was such a douche. But looking back now…he may have been even more of a douche than I realized. Are Burgermeister Meisterburger and his goons Nazis? Look at the still I posted. I don’t know…maybe its just me, but once you get a group of angry Germans marching around in matching shirts…well lets just say things could be inferred…you decide.

A clip from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Merry Christmas…Shitter was full

2009-12-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, it’s that time of year again. Christmas time, the happiest time of year with smiling children, Santa giving presents, warm cookies baking in the oven and Cousin Eddie emptying his RV’s toilet in your driveway…don’t ya just love family?

I was thinking I should start shifting the focus of my blogs to some classic Christmas films. The wonderful thing about Christmas movies is that you never really out grow them. Something that makes you happy as a kid usually continues to make you happy as the years go on, that’s kinda cool.

Cousin Eddie and The Griswolds make me happy. The classic American family. All poor Clark wants is to have a fun, old-fashioned family Christmas…and who doesn’t after all?

Christmas Vacation is certainly a traditional viewing every Christmas season (as is A Christmas Story - 24 hour replay on TBS…but we will get to that in another blog). I remember watching Christmas Vacation when I was a young kid on VHS at my friend Charlie’s house and loving every minute of it.

One of the cool things about this movie is that different stuff makes you laugh at different times in your life. When you are younger you are getting more of a kick out of the physical slapstick humor. I still love that aspect of the film but now as I get older I enjoy the humor that derives from the family dynamic…The grumpy old grandfathers, the drunk uncle, the desperate father who just wants to have the “hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye”, according to Clark himself.

This film is a holiday classic just like Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life.

O…so getting back to Cousin Eddie emptying his RV’s toilet in your driveway. Just pretend it’s your family. Enjoy.

Watch the entire Christmas Vacation Movie, Below part I is posted. Follow the related videos link on You Tube for the entire film. Have fun.

Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women

2009-12-15T16:19:00.000-08:00

If I had to pick one character from cinema to sit down and throw back beers with it would have to be Quint, Captain of the Orca, from Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws.

What a classic guy he is. Champion Arm Wrestler, World War II Veteran and Shark Hunter…Quint is a real no nonsense type of guy, he drinks his vodka out of a Styrofoam cup. The best character in the entire film, hands down.

Quint is the type of dude you see at the bar down by the docks holding court with his fellow sailors. You know not to mess with him so you grab a beer, sit quietly and listen to him tell his tales. He is almost like a character from Greek mythology, a traveler of the seas. As he takes a sip he tells about the time he entered an arm wrestling contest at an Okie bar in San Francisco, how he got to the semi finals celebrating his third wife’s demise and a big Chinese fella pulled him right over.

One thing I always noticed about him was the terrible crease he has in his hat. You know what that tells me? That Quint is the real deal badass motherf*cker. I know that because anyone else would feel like a douche walking around with said crease, you have to be pretty secure with your inner illlness to pull that off.

Alas, sadly you can't sit down at a bar with Quint and listen to his stories, damn shark ate him. But you can grab a nice cold one and watch the video below. Enjoy!

Old School Nickelodeon Rules

2009-12-14T17:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, so I just happen to flip on Nickelodeon, what treacherously awful programming they have on these days. There is zero imagination or creativity in this junk. Growing up in the mid 90's was pretty much the golden age for kids television. You never realize what you had until it's gone, I guess.

The line up of shows that Nick aired during the 90's was epic. Salute Your Shorts, Pete and Pete, Ren and Stimpy, Doug, Hey Dude, Clarissa Explains It All, Welcome Freshmen… The list goes on and on. Why does the programming on Nick not measure up these days? There is a real lack of imaginative ideas and the taking of chances. It feels like they just got lazy and less apt to produce material with a bit of an edge to it.

Remember Ren and Stimpy? There was definitely material on there that you look back on now and realize “wow, they would never put something like that out again”. Why are they so scared these days? Did that stuff really do any harm to us?

The really sad thing is that Viacom (the parent company of Nickelodeon) has not even released our old classic shows on DVD. Viacom only released the first and second season of Pete and Pete and no seasons of the other shows previously mentioned.

For the love of these old shows, faithful viewers have transferred their old VHS tapes to digital files and posted them onto You Tube. I did some searching around and found some of these old shows for your viewing. Enjoy

Salute Your Shorts Season 1 Episode 1 (Part 1)

Salute Your Shorts Season 1 Episode 1 (Part 2)

Salute Your Shorts Season 1 Episode 1 (Part 3)

Click here to buy Pete and Pete on DVD

Terminator 2: Judgment Day…What if ?

2009-12-13T14:28:00.000-08:00

Today I was watching Terminator 2, I love that movie. Arnold is pretty badass in that one, that may be his most badass movie of all time (not including Kindergarten Cop of course). Running around in that sweet leather jacket on a motorcycle, blasting people away. Don’t you just love Hollywood? Everything seems to work out perfectly.

So it got me thinking. At the start of the film Arnold arrives naked and needs to get himself some clothes. Just by coincidence he happens to be near a biker bar with all kinds of dudes wearing leather jackets, biker pants and cool shades. He kicks all their asses (sweet) and gets some badass threads. So, by that logic it's only coincidental that Arnold looks pretty cool in that movie.

With that logic in mind....what if Arnold just happened to get zapped back near a geeky computer club’s weekly meeting, packed with nerds? He would have walked in, mid conversation about Microsoft, and just started ruthlessly beating geeks up and stealing their clothes. Poor nerds would have no idea what was going on. Arnold would have been decked out in full nerd attire, not knowing the better.

Now close your eyes and picture the classic action sequences from that film, only Arnold looks something like this…