Cool Shades

 

Summer 2026, Cruisin' for a Bruisin': Group Photo #1

     Some people think that summer is over once the 4th of July has passed, but I'm throwing a BS flag on the field.

   Time to climb into your car and cruise the loop! Let's see what's on the Holiday Horror Shelf!

    

    For 1983's Christine, Scott Baio and Brooke Shields were considered for the film's leads. Brooke would have been an easy fit for the role of Leigh Cabot, but it might have been strange to see Scott, as Arnie Cunningham, slowly become crazy and evil. I bet he could have pulled it off, though.

    Here's what I learned from 2011's Super Hybrid: if you are walking along a dark alley, and you come across a 1969 Chevy K-20 Pickup, or a 1069 Lincoln Continental, or a 1971 Dodge Charger, or a 1973 Mercury Colony Park, or a 1976 Chevy Nova, or a 1985 Chevy C-10 pickup, or a 2004 Chevy Corvette C5 and the vehicle is unlocked and the keys are in the ignition... run away as fast as you can. 

    1977's The Car is now touted as being inspired by Duel (which I will bring up later), but I remember when the first DVD of The Car came out (second from the right). The film was advertised as, "It's Jaws, but on dry land!" The original three cars used in filming The Car were Lincoln Continental Mark IIIs ('69 -'71 chassis) that were modified by Chuck Barris (a hero). The fourth car was loosely attached onto a Ford Thunderbird chassis and was shot out of a car cannon (that's a thing?) for the final shot.

    2019's surprise sequel, The Car: Road to Revenge, really has more in common with Christine, than The Car. "The Car" in question is a Chrysler 300 SRT8. Later in the movie, this "Car" is given parts from the original "Car", and in the end the vehicle looks kinda cheesy. Kinda like the artwork on the Blu-ray that's in the middle of this picture. Cartoon drawings... really?

    FYI: The Holiday Horror Shelf theme for today is, "Dude, that car is killer."

    Drive safe!

4th of July 2026: Group Photo

    Happy 4th of July! Let's see what's on the Holiday Horror Shelf!

    Welp, it's not horror movies today. Today I'm going Sci-Fi. The film's title is pretty obvious.

    I want to explain the CD before I get into the film. I've got the Fountains of Wayne's album Utopia Parkway dead center on the shelf because it contains the song "A Fine Day for a Parade." Today Charlotte will be marching with her snare drum as a high school section leader in Urbandale's 4th of July parade. Marching band is a very big deal at our house, and Char cannot wait for today's performance. It's gonna be a hot one, but she's ready. 

    I found the VHS tape on the left at Goodwill last week ($1.40) and the 20th Anniversary Edition DVD on the right at Half Price Books ($1.80 with the teacher discount) on the same day. I'll confess that both were purchased for this display in mind. I had the thought while I was writing this post  Do I have this on Laser Disc? So I looked, and yep, I did indeed buy this sometime in the past on Laser Disc. So, that went on the shelf, too.

    I saw Independence Day when it first opened in theaters 30 years ago. I went with a friend from work. I had a really good time watching this movie, and I wasn't alone. The crowd was also really into it. As the movie was reaching its climax, I turned to my friend and enthusiastically whispered, "Isn't this movie great?" 

    He replied, a bit too loudly, "I don't know... I find this all to be bit too... implausible," and he dismissed the film with a wave of his hand. 

    Several people near us shot him an angry look. Man, was I ever embarrassed. Then a guy three rows behind us yelled, "Shut up... NERD!" Several peopled laughed.

    My friend sank low into his seat in response. 

    Did I feel bad for him? A little. 

    Did I agree with the guy three rows back? A lot. 

    Hope you have a great 4th!

Birthday 2026: Group Photo

    I know my birthday isn't a real holiday, but what the heck. Let's see what's on the Holiday Horror Shelf!

    The original posters for 1981's Canadian slasher Happy Birthday to Me had the blurb, "John will never eat shish kebab again. Steven will never ride a motorcycle again. Greg will never lift weights again. Who’s killing Crawford High’s snobbish top ten? At the rate they’re going, there will be no one left for Virginia’s birthday party… alive. Happy Birthday to Me Six off the most bizarre murders you will ever see." That's quite a spoiler and quite a mouthful. (SWIDT?)

    In 2017's Happy Death Day, a character relives her birthday over and over with references to Groundhog Day. In 2019's Happy Death Day 2U, the same thing eventually happens, but the movie references are to Back to the Future II. I was hoping for a second sequel, but I don't think that's going to happen.

    In 2010's My Soul to Take, it seems like a deceased killer called The Riverton Ripper is coming back for the seven children who were born on the day the Ripper was killed. Say what you will about this Wes Craven film, but an alternate ending on this release made me choke up. Didn't see that one coming...

 

    Here's a little info about my birthday t-shirt choice:

        In the late 80's there was a popular TV drama called Thirty Something. The series was about seven people living in Philadelphia dealing with their everyday adult angst. My mom really liked that show.

    

       A Chicago band named Local H released their first LP, Ham Fisted, in 1994. "Mayonnaise and Malaise," is a song on that record, and it has the lyric, "It's really something to be twenty nothing." I thought was clever, and I wore this rock tee all the time in the 90s. 

    I remember wearing it while shopping in Sioux Center, Iowa, and a stranger stopped to tell me how much he liked my shirt. To me, that's almost the ultimate compliment.

    Anyway, here's the shirt I wore to dinner tonight.

    Charlotte hadn't seen this shirt before, and she complimented me on this rock tee. High praise, indeed.

        In my small bubble, for a small amount of time, I was a main character... Yay!