#TOM CRUISE AWARD WINNER ERA

[nicollekidman]

oh my god????

#TOM CRUISE DRAMA RESURRGENCE??? #TOM CRUISE SILVER FOX ERA?????? #TOM CRUISE AWARD WINNER ERA??????????????????/

[msclaritea]

Review: What's the point of the Golden Globes anymore?

"The Golden Globes came back last night. We were better off without them.

Yes, I'm talking about that awards show that's like the Oscars, only drunker, cruder and crasser. The Globes are like your least favorite uncle at a family Thanksgiving – everyone has to tolerate the show as a part of the Hollywood adulation machine, but they're also a bit embarrassed by it.

I wouldn't fault you for not even knowing that the awkward third wheel of awards season aired Tuesday night on NBC. That's because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which bestows the awards, was embroiled in scandals over the past few years over the lack of diversity in its membership and bribery and corruption allegations. Hollywood turned swiftly on the organization and its famously alcohol-fueled awards show, with Tom Cruise returning his three trophies and studios and publicists threatening a boycott of the group. The 2022 pandemic-era Globes unfolded without an audience, a network home or nominees in attendance.

But all's well that keeps the money flowing in Hollywood, apparently. After the HFPA added 21 new Black, Latino, Asian and Middle Eastern/North African members last fall and promised other reforms, the Globes escaped from their time out. (NBC extricated itself from a deal that cost it $60 million a year for a one-year commitment at a sharply reduced price.) So on a rainy Tuesday in Los Angeles (a weekday chosen because of an extended NFL season), Hollywood put on the glitz and glam and turned out for the red carpet.

More:Jerrod Carmichael skewers HFPA in Golden Globes opening monologue: 'I'm here 'cause I'm Black'

But there wasn't much in the 2023 Golden Globes that really justified its return. At a time when ratings for awards shows are crumbling, when the TV and film industries are going through major upheaval and when diversity and inclusion efforts in Hollywood are nowhere near accomplishing their goals, the Globes no longer feel like they have a place. The show is a relic, as cheaply gilded as the gaudy statues the HFPA hands out.

Tuesday's broadcast was an awkward affair, hosted by comedian Jerrod Carmichael, a huge talent who was completely out of place on the stage of the Beverly Hilton Hotel (which at one point he somewhat tastelessly referred to as the building that "killed Whitney Houston."). Carmichael's opening monologue addressed the racial controversies the HFPA faced ("I'll tell you why I'm here, I'm here 'cause I'm Black") but ignored the rest.

He popped up too frequently all night, making barbs at the expense of Tom Cruise and "The Little Mermaid" a bit too casually. It felt as if, at any moment, the buzz of audience conversations and clinking of glasses would drown out his attempts at jokes. The speeches were way too long at the start and droned on longer from there, pushing an already interminable event well over the three-hour mark. If Carmichael's jokes landed only sporadically, the presenters' barely touched the ground.

And sure, there were more winners of color than in the past few years, a few good speeches and standing ovations and lifetime achievement awards handed to Ryan Murphy and Eddie Murphy. Yet it all felt more fake and more hollow than the already curated, gilded production of other awards shows. It's just hard to believe that the actors and producers and directors from Colin Farrell to Michelle Yeoh to Steven Spielberg – who were oohing, ahhing and weeping over winning a Globe – were really that emotional being honored by a group they shunned a year ago.

When HFPA president Helen Hoehne came onstage late in the show to boast about the organization's changes, the response from the crowd was muted. And it should have been. The HFPA remains a small, mostly white, inscrutable, scandal-prone organization that wields an outsized amount of power in Hollywood. A few new members doesn't change that.

Perhaps the loudest statements were made by those who didn't say anything. Many major winners, including Cate Blanchett, Zendaya and Amanda Seyfried didn't even show up. When HBO's "House of the Dragon" won for best drama television series, only three members of the cast and crew were even at the ceremony to walk onstage for one of the biggest awards of the night.

At the end of her long, winding speech, which was in many ways a repeat of her speech at the more-prestigious Emmy Awards in September, "White Lotus" star Jennifer Coolidge said "this is fun!" But fun for the people in the room isn't enough. Three good jokes in a three-a-half-hour broadcast isn't enough.

Many times over the past two decades, awards shows proved must-see TV, when the producers and hosts and presenters crafted something nearly as entertaining as the movies and TV shows that were being called the best of the year. "Titanic" and "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" won best picture at the Oscars. Neil Patrick Harris danced and sang at the Tonys. Jennifer Lopez wore that dress to the Grammys. Even at earlier Globes ceremonies, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler spat out jokes that cut like a knife whether you were in the room or watching from home.

Those days are over. Maybe it's time to rethink the awards show as an event altogether. The Globes would be a good place to start."

Hollywood has made it clear through Academy members like Whoopie and completely ignoring regional film critics that the public's opinions on films don't matter, that only select films are of their personal choosing are worthy. Add to that all of the negativity coming out of the Industry in various forms: crime, trafficking, blatant theft of ideas, cults and endless attacks on stuff people do enjoy, it's no wonder that people are losing interest. They want to make films just for themselves, no one has to watch.

[phantomofthepairofdice]

The Rosscars 2020

Wow. It’s that time of year again, only this time it’s different because it’s on a blog that no one will read! (hold for applause) Welcome to the first annual online publication for the Rosscars (hold for applause while the reader acknowledges how positively droll it is that I combined my name with “Oscars”). Who can forget such indelible Rosscar memories like when Steven Soderbergh surprised us all and won Best Director for Out of Sight or Bill Irwin’s beautiful speech upon winning Best Supporting Actor for Rachel Getting Married?! The Rosscars mean something different to everyone, but we all know that they mean quality choices made by a committee of one schmuck. This year’s Rosscars are bizarre because in an effort to be more like the Academy guidelines, film’s nominated have been released between January 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. As usual, theatrical windows be damned, streamers are welcome. Of course, I have my gripes. I like categorizing movies by release year – specifically, when they become available to the plain old public like yours truly – not at festivals, limited runs in NYC and LA. Well, the Oscars are still weeks away and I feel like everybody wants to forget about last year and move onto this one that we’re already three months into - So here are my awards for the films, performers, and craftspeople that stood out in a pretty exceptional year for movies even though distribution was stranger than ever. 

**A few caveats and guidelines to Rosscar newcomers (which I imagine is just a formality since we all know the Rosscars so well)**

The rules and categories are a little different around here. First, not every category is honored directly. That’s for a few reasons, chiefly that I don’t feel qualified to reward the technical categories properly – I suppose I should say that I feel less qualified to do so than the “above the line” categories. In keeping with the Academy standard, there are five nominees in each category, except for Best Picture, Best Non-Fiction/Documentary Feature, and Best Ensemble Cast which allow up to ten. Every category, save those three, will have the possibility of honorable mentions, because I want to highlight some things that just barely missed the cut. The narrowing down of a lot of these categories was awfully tough.

Nominees are listed alphabetically, and the winners are in bold and italics.

Also, it’s important to keep in mind that I couldn’t see everything (this isn’t a job and it’s still $20 to rent The Father, y’all) and that these are just the opinions of one (self-described) “bozo on the internet.” If you’re a reader and have different picks, feel free to share!

Special Commendations for some things that I want to recognize: • Ludwig Goransson for his Tenet score which is an absolute banger • The costumes of Emma. (Alexandra Byrne), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Ann Roth), and Small Axe (Jaqueline Durran, Sinéad Kidao, and Lisa Duncan) all struck me as exceptional • Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross with their scores for both Soul and Mank. Crazy that Pixar is working with the guy who made “Closer” • The cinematography of Da 5 Bloods (Newton Thomas Sigel), First Cow (Christopher Blauvelt), Beanpole (Kseniya Sereda), and A White, White Day (Maria von Hausswolff)

The Rosscars red carpet was, as usual, a bizarre affair. People filed into the theater and it seemed like the only encounters were awkward ones. Vin Diesel showed up in character as Bloodshot, Aaron Sorkin started getting really verbose about what a lovely night it was, and it became clear that most of the celebrities in attendance didn’t read their invitations closely enough to realize that this was not, in fact, the Academy Awards.

Everyone’s seated, and the show is under way. After a medley about the nominees this year by Common and Seth McFarlane that was more corny but clever than it was funny, the first official category is here, and the presenter is none other than... Ross!

Best Supporting Actor:

1. Chadwick Boseman for Da 5 Bloods

2. Matthew Macfadyen for The Assistant

3. Jesse Plemmons for Judas and the Black Messiah

4. Paul Raci for Sound of Metal

5. Glynn Turman for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Honorable Mentions:

• Lucas Hedges for Let Them All Talk

• Orion Lee for First Cow

• Bill Murray for On the Rocks

Best Supporting Actress:

1. Vanessa Bayer for Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

2. Candice Bergen for Let Them All Talk

3. Gina Rodriguez for Kajillionaire

4. Amanda Seyfried for Mank

5. Yuon Yuh-jung for Minari

Honorable Mentions:

• Jane Adams for She Dies Tomorrow

• Charin Alvarez for Saint Frances

• Talia Ryder for Never Rarely Sometimes Always

• Debra Winger for Kajillionaire

Everyone loves a montage. The audience gets comfortable in their seats as the video screens start to show a montage of some of the most famous moments from Hollywood’s most magical movies. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers waltz, gliding across a dance floor like two hovering angels. There’s a clip of Leo declaring himself king of the world in Titanic, the flying bicycles in ET, Bogart stares longingly into Bacall’s eyes, and then there’s some scene where Tom Cruise rides a motorcycle from 2010′s Knight and Day. The audience all seems confused how that last one got in there. The John Williams music swells as little Kevin McAllister screams when puts on aftershave. We see clips of Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia embrace Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, Bruce Lee smoothly declares that boards don’t hit back and... wait... was that a clip from Michel Gondry’s Green Hornet with Seth Rogen? And that’s a clip from What Happens in Vegas... Bad Teacher... Vanilla Sky... Shrek 2... Any Given Sunday... Everyone is flummoxed. The last clip fades out and a sole editing credit appears: Cameron Diaz. The lights come up and there’s some applause, but mostly confused murmurs. 

The ceremony has had a bit of a misstep, but nothing it can’t recover from, especially as the next category is announced over the PA, and it looks like the presenter is... Ross!

Best Ensemble Cast:

1. Bacurau

2. Da 5 Bloods 

3. Kajillionaire

4. Let Them All Talk

5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

6. Minari

7. Nomadland

8. Pieces of a Woman

9. Small Axe

Best Original Screenplay:

1. Danny Bilson and Paul Dameo & Spike Lee and Kevin Wilmott for Da 5 Bloods

2. Lee Isaac Chung for Minari

3. Brandon Cronenberg for Possessor

4. Sean Durkin for The Nest

5. Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles for Bacurau

Honorable Mentions – a very difficult task to weed this down to five.

• Shaka King and Will Berson for Judas and the Black Messiah, from a story by Kenny and Keith Lucas

• Steve McQueen, Alastair Siddons, and Courttia Newland for Small Axe

• Kelly O'Sullivan for Saint Frances

• Thomas Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm for Another Round

Best Actor:

1. Ben Affleck for The Way Back

2. Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

3. Delroy Lindo for Da 5 Bloods

4. John Magaro for First Cow

5. Mads Mikkelsen for Another Round

Honorable Mentions:

• Riz Ahmed for Sound of Metal

• John Boyega for Small Axe

• Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah

• Hugh Jackman for Bad Education

• Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson for A White, White Day

We have a break in the action and it looks like Darius Rucker has showed up to perform what he would have nominated for Best Original Song. The crowd is absolutely furious as he starts playing a song that apparently was in Trial of the Chicago Seven. An ocean of sonorous boos and curses overtakes the the once docile crowd. The Rock just ripped his chair from out of the ground. Jane Lynch somehow smuggled in a civil war era flintlock pistol that she’s now pointing at the stage! Suddenly, the crowd unifies around what started as a confident chant of one lone audience member - John C Reilly. It’s growing... Ja Ja Ding Dong, Ja Ja Ding Dong, Ja Ja Ding Dong - it’s like the macabre circus performers from Tod Browning’s Freaks, but instead of chanting “Gooble Gobble” they’re clearly pining for Darius to change his tune to the silly and delightful jam from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Darius, scared for his life, leaves the stage, but here come Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams to deliver the goods. Busy Philips and Michelle Williams burst into tears. Tom Hanks nods in approval. A segment saved by brave artists placating a toxic group of fans... we’ve just witnessed a live version of the Snyder Cut, folks.

Jack Nicholson seems completely unfazed, giving a thumbs up to the camera and blowing a kiss to the next presenter. Coming to the stage is... Ross... again...

Best Actress:

1. Jessie Buckley for i’m thinking of ending things

2. Carrie Coon for The Nest

3. Han Ye-ri for Minari

4. Sidney Flanagan for Never Rarely Sometimes Always

5. Vasilisa Perelygina for Beanpole

Honorable Mentions – these cuts were especially painful

• Haley Bennet for Swallow

• Morfydd Clark for Saint Maud

• Frances McDormand for Nomadland

• Christin Milioti for Palm Springs

• Geraldine Viswanathan for Bad Education

Best Adapted Screenplay:

1. Charlie Kaufman for i'm thinking of ending things from Iain Reed's novel

2. Sarah Gubbins for Shirley from Susan Scarf Merrell's novel

3. Kelly Reichardt and John Raymond for First Cow

4. Simon Rich for American Pickle from his short story "Sell Out"

5. Mike Makowsky for Bad Education from Robert Kolker's "The Bad Superintendent"

Best Non-Fiction/Documentary Feature:

1. Boys State

2. Collective

3. David Byrne’s American Utopia

4. Dick Johnson is Dead

5. Feels Good Man

6. In & Of Itself

7. The Painter and the Thief

8. Time

Jimmy Fallon has come out on stage to do a bit about the pandemic and watching movies at home. People are just absolutely not having it. He tries not to laugh at his own jokes while doing what I guess is technically a pretty good impression of Dr. Fauci interviewing James Corden as Martin Scorsese (the less said of this impression, the better) on what is or isn’t cinema. The bit doesn’t track and Fallon is absolutely tanking. The producers cut away from the stage to spare the viewers at home from this monstrosity. We see crowd shots of Millie Bobby Brown shaking her head in dismay, Colin Firth is simultaneously grimacing and trying to stave off laughter, Cynthia Erivo is texting, and director Tom Hooper is taking notes for his next film. Corden yells, “Carpool Karaoke! Remember?!” Ron Howard has fainted. This thing is almost completely off the rails.

Coming back to the stage is the next presenter, a clearly embarrassed... Ross! He’s in a total flop sweat, but stumbles his way through a joke about how Fallon should try co-hosting the Oscars with James Franco sometime. There are scant chuckles throughout a crowd that mostly just wants to see who won and go home.

Best Director:

1. Christopher Nolan for Tenet

2. Spike Lee for Da 5 Bloods

3. Steve McQueen for Small Axe

4. Kelly Reichardt for First Cow

5. Chloé Zhao for Nomadland

Honorable Mentions:

• Kitty Green for The Assistant

• Eliza Hittman for Never Rarely Sometimes Always

• Charlie Kaufman for i'm thinking of ending things

• Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round

Best Picture

1. Bacurau

2. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

3. Da 5 Bloods

4. First Cow

5. i'm thinking of ending things

6. Judas and the Black Messiah

7. Never Rarely Sometimes Always

8. Nomadland

9. Small Axe

10. Tenet

Accepting the award for best picture is none other than Eve, the cow actor who played the titular First Cow! The audience is enamored with how graceful she looks in her cow gown, and her speech, though indecipherable, is likely simple, observational, and deeply profound for those who speak cow.

Wow, what a ceremony! Hearts were broken, property was damaged, dreams were fulfilled... blood was shed? Damn it, Meryl Streep came in and mugged Charlie Kaufman before absconding with the trophy. Oddly, she’s a previous winner, so the attack isn’t out of need for hardware. People are reading through articles about production on Adaptation for potential motives. Streep made time for a photo opportunity, but remains at large.

I could go on ad infinitum about all of these nominees and winners themselves and why they did or didn’t make the cut, but that’d be better served in a different piece. For now, my thoughts on most of these can be found on the Best of 2020 write-up and over on my Letterboxd. And, as always, these awards can be revoked and redistributed at will, so don’t get too cozy with that statue, Danny Bilson!

On behalf of the RAOGL (Rosscars Association of One Guy at a Laptop), thanks for reading, and stay tuned as we’re establishing a tip line for anyone has seen Ms. Streep or her stolen valor Rosscar. We’ll see you next year. Keep watching movies, and keep arbitrarily quantifying them in terms of subjective quality!

#awards #movies #film #Rosscars

[back-and-totheleft]

Total Recall: 10 Best Oliver Stone films

He’s won 10 Golden Globes, nine Oscars, and four BAFTAs during his long and illustrious career — but Oliver Stone has somehow never been the focus of his own Total Recall, so we decided to change that in honor of this weekend’s Savages, an intriguingly cast drug drama based on the Don Winslow novel about a pair of pot farmers racing to free the woman they love from a Mexican drug cartel. Given his lengthy filmography, you know Stone’s got some good stuff in his filmography — and the cream of the crop is right here in this week’s list.

10. W.

The most recent chapter of Stone’s presidential trilogy, W. served George W. Bush — who was wrapping up his second term while it was filmed — with a somewhat muted, surprisingly sympathetic biopic that traced his occasionally haphazard rise from political scion to oil baron and back again. While Josh Brolin earned near-universal praise for his work in the title role, critics found W. as a whole a little harder to take, citing its laconic pace and insufficiently hard-hitting approach as particularly troublesome flaws. For others, however, it proved a warm, fairly witty farewell for the GWB years; as the Chicago Tribune’s Michael Phillips put it, “The film may be ill-timed, arguably unnecessary and no more psychologically probing than any other Stone movie. But much of it works as deft, brisk, slyly engaging docudrama.”

9. COMANDANTE

For a lot of Americans — especially those who grew up during the early years of the Cold War — Fidel Castro is less a world leader than a shadowy boogeyman whose thirst for brinkmanship nearly triggered World War III. But whatever his sins, Castro remains a longtime veteran of international politics and a subject worthy of investigation — hence Oliver Stone’s Comandante, a 93-minute distillation of the three days he spent filming the Cuban leader in 2002. While a sizable number of critics chafed at Stone’s aggressively friendly attitude toward his subject, others saw something of significant, albeit flawed, value; as Alan Morrison argued for Empire, it is “An opportunity frustratingly squandered, but one which still makes for fascinating viewing thanks to Castro’s natural charisma. Errol Morris would have nailed it.”

8. WORLD TRADE CENTER

Oliver Stone is known for his willingness to entertain conspiracy theories, his leftist political leanings, and his fondness for lurid cinematic violence, so when word got out he was planning to direct a movie about the September 11 attacks, some people were understandably nervous. But like any other director worth his title, Stone understands his role as a storyteller, and World Trade Center — starring Nicolas Cage and Michael Peña as a pair of real-life police officers who were caught in the wreckage after the buildings fell — has no room for politics or conspiracies. Its clear-eyed dedication to the people first affected by the attacks — and the selfless bravery of the men and women who worked to rescue the living — was appreciated by critics like David Denby of the New Yorker, who wrote, “The world may not make sense anymore, but Oliver Stone, a warrior still, celebrating courage and endurance, has, in his own way, come home.”

7. NIXON

In the years immediately following JFK, Stone took detours into war epic territory (Heaven & Earth) and social commentary (Natural Born Killers), but he wasn’t finished with the White House yet. With 1995’s ambitious Nixon, Stone gave us Anthony Hopkins as the disgraced former president and Joan Allen as his wife Pat — and while the 192-minute political epic failed to generate much heat at the box office, both Hopkins and Allen received Oscar nominations for their work in the film, which follows a non-linear path through Nixon’s life and career, taking viewers from his California youth through his resignation. “What it finally adds up to,” argued Janet Maslin of the New York Times, “is a huge mixed bag of waxworks and daring, a film that is furiously ambitious even when it goes flat, and startling even when it settles for eerie, movie-of-the-week mimicry.”

6. WALL STREET

Smart, sleek, and eminently quotable, Stone’s yuppie jeremiad Wall Street gifted Michael Douglas with what arguably became the most iconic role of his career: He was simply perfect as the oily, morally adrift Gordon Gekko, and although Gekko’s signature proclamation that “greed is good” would go on to haunt Douglas, he was an emblematic character for an era in American history when it became acceptable to not only dedicate your life to the naked pursuit of wealth, but to attain it by any means necessary. Stone, who co-wrote the screenplay, based the character on a number of stockbrokers — including his own father — and Douglas embodied Gekko so well that he ended up winning an Oscar for his work. “Like the rest of Stone’s oeuvre, it’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer,” wrote Christopher Lloyd of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. “But his filmmaking style is like heavy metal: When he hits the right chords, nobody plays with as much power or brash energy.”

5. TALK RADIO

A rare starring vehicle for monologist/playwright/character actor/cult hero Eric Bogosian, Talk Radio found Stone behind the cameras for a loose adaptation of Bogosian’s play of the same name. Inspired by the real-life assassination of Denver DJ Alan Berg, Radio centers around Dallas radio personality Barry Champlain, whose deliberately provocative style (and decidedly non-Red State political views) make him a target of hate mail and bomb threats even as his show is poised to achieve national syndication. Saying it “has the loony intensity of those impassioned conspiracy theorists who look out at the world and see patterns of corruption spreading in all directions,” the Washington Post’s Hal Hinson declared, “it’s another of Stone’s wake-up calls to America.”

4. JFK

A two-time Oscar winner and controversial, career-rejuvenating smash hit for Stone, JFK reconstructs John F. Kennedy’s assassination and then spends most of its epic 189-minute length sifting through the wreckage, treating the killing as a murder mystery that New Orleans D.A. Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) doggedly attempts to solve at any cost. With an impeccable supporting cast that included Sissy Spacek, Kevin Bacon, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gary Oldman, as well as a screenplay that challenged long-held assumptions about Kennedy’s death, JFK reignited interest in the assassination, eventually leading to new legislation that ordered a reinvestigation and promised that all documents related to the killing would be made public by 2017. And while many critics agreed that the movie could have benefited from a more rigorous approach to the facts, it remains, in the words of the Washington Post’s Desson Thomson, “A riveting marriage of fact and fiction.”

3. PLATOON

The first installment in Stone’s so-called Vietnam trilogy, 1986’s Platoon took a hard look at American involvement in the Vietnam War — and earned Stone Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars and the Golden Globes in the bargain. Taking a grunt’s-eye view of the war, it puts a human face on the conflict, pitting Willem Dafoe (as Sergeant Elias, mentor to Chris, the young soldier played by Charlie Sheen) against a fellow sergeant (played by Tom Berenger) in a dreadful battle for the platoon. It is, as Roger Ebert wrote, “A film that says…that before you can make any vast, sweeping statements about Vietnam, you have to begin by understanding the bottom line, which is that a lot of people went over there.”

2. BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY

He earned positive reviews for his role in Rain Man, but to many scribes, the Tom Cruise of the late 1980s was little more than the pretty face out in front of critically savaged hits like Cocktail — likable under the right circumstances, but lacking real depth. Oliver Stone saw something different, trusting Cruise with 1989’s Born on the Fourth of July — and Cruise repaid him by delivering the most harrowing performance to that point in his career, committing so deeply to his portrayal of paralyzed Vietnam vet Ron Kovic that, according to Stone, he came close to injecting himself with a solution that would have incurred temporary paralysis. Not all critics loved Fourth of July, but even those who had issues with the film were forced to take notice of Cruise’s performance — and for Vincent Canby of the New York Times, the end result was “the most ambitious nondocumentary film yet made about the entire Vietnam experience.”

1. SALVADOR

Stone’s films have received a combined 31 Academy Award nominations (and counting), but he picked up his first for his co-writing credit on the screenplay for Salvador, a 1986 war drama about a rather unlikable American journalist (James Woods, also nominated for an Oscar) who’s burned so many bridges that his only professional recourse is to head to El Salvador with his unemployed DJ buddy (Jim Belushi) to try and find stories in what they initially regard as a relatively inconsequential war. Like a lot of films that try and shine a light on war while shots are still being fired, Salvador bombed at the box office — but it found an appreciative audience with writers like Rob Gonsalves of eFilmCritic, who called it “One of Oliver Stone’s best films, and absolutely James Woods’ best performance.”

-Jeff Giles, Rotten Tomatoes, Jul 5 2012 [x]

#oliver stone #rotten tomatoes #best of #lists

[kirarasan]

BY A.W. KAUTZER

Maurice

Next was a film that I had not seen in about two decades ago.  To further compound issues it was on early era Bravo (when they used to be an art house/independent film channel) in a heavily edited version.  So, we can count this one as a fresh viewing.

Before they screened the film James Ivory sat down with Ben Mankiewicz for a great 30-minute discussion about the film and more.  Ivory, a recent Academy Award winner for Call Me By Your Name, at 89 years was a delightfully spry and witty interview.  One of the juiciest tidbits was the before Maurice, Ivory almost made a film with Tom Cruise about treasure hunters, going as far as to have a script commissioned by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (Remains of the Day).  Other interesting bits were that Ivory is wanting to direct a big budget version of Richard II, and his second sole written screenplay is about to go into production with Alexander Payne directing.  It was a fascinating conversation, which is more the case than usual with the TCM Q&A’s.

Maurice fits perfectly in the Merchant/Ivory productions of the 1980’s and 1990’s dealing with society and repression.  Maurice (James Wilby) and his life are no different than Henry Wilcox from Howard’s End or James Stevens from Remains of the Day.  Moving in society because of what is dictated to them and their sense of society’s rules and boundaries.  Part of this films breakthrough is how Ivory has created a film that is at points very specific and other times is universal.  The director working from a wonderfully modulated script by Jhabval has created an empathetic portrait of a fully realized homosexual man with wants, needs, pressures, love, and sexuality.  Its honest portrayal of sexuality is much more explicit than anything in Call Me By Your Name.  The film never feels salacious but truly heartfelt and passionate.  One wants nothing more than for Maurice to be happy and find what he so desperately wants, love.  Wilby as Maurice is a revelation.  If this film had been released this year Wilby would surely be up for Marvel movies, or whatever big budget productions you will have. Hugh Grant and Rupert Graves show up as Maurice’s respective paramours.  Graves is electric as the younger more forward thinking and thirsty Alec Scudder.  Grant shows some true chops beyond his normal stammering giving life to Clive, the repressed first love.  Denholm Elliot, Ben Kingsley, Simon Callow all show up and do exemplary supporting work.

Cohen Media has actually done a 4K restoration for Maurice’s 30th anniversary.  The film looks nothing short of stunning.  As is the norm with Cohen Media there is sure to be a limited theatrical run, followed by a Blu-Ray and DVD release.  Do not sit on this one if you have not seen, Maurice is worth your attention.

#james ivory #maurice 1987 #maurice restoration #tcmff2018 #A.W. KAUTZER #james wilby #rupert graves #hugh grant #james wilby is a revelation #graves is electric #grant beyond his normal stammering #enjoyable report

[placetobenation]

On the same day 25 years ago, Greg Maddux threw a 94 pitch complete game shutout in Colorado against the Rockies to lower his ERA to 1.56, while Tony Gwynn had 3 hits in Houston to raise his average to .394 with 45 games remaining. It was August 11, 1994 and the longstanding war between MLB owners and the Players Association would go nuclear very soon, with a players strike starting the next day wiping out the remainder of the 1994 regular season, playoffs, and 252 games the following year. The game once called America’s Pastime was tarnished.

Because it was the players striking for the 5thtime since 1972, much of the blame fell on them in the public narrative, with owners receiving criticism but not nearly as much as the players and Union president Donald Fehr. 

The earliest labor disputes in baseball after the formation of the MLBPA in 1966 centered around minimum salaries, arbitration rights, and funding of pensions for retired players, the latter of which was the main issue in the 1972 strike that cancelled 86 games. The nullification of the reserve clause in December 1975 in the Seitz decision led to the advent of free agency, and increasingly hostile labor negotiations.

The next ten years passed with four work stoppages (three strikes and one lockout) mainly relating to free agency compensation rules and salary arbitration rights. The owners sought to impose a free agent system with heavier compensation to drive down salaries while the players fought for a free market approach. 

Under the guidance of MLB commissioner Peter Ueberroth for three years starting after the 1985 season, owners refrained from making lucrative offers to free agents from other teams, depressing the market for those players. As an example future Hall of Famer Tim Raines became a free agent after the 1986 season at age 27, but returned to the Montreal Expos on May 1, 1987 after getting no offers as a free agent. The union filed a collusion grievance against the owners each year, and players were eventually awarded $280 million in damages, but any trust that existed between players and ownership evaporated with the rounds of collusion. (Note: Per the collective bargaining agreement, “clubs are not allowed to concert with other clubs and players are not allowed to act in concert with other players”)

Owners forced out commissioner (and ownership critic) Fay Vincent in 1992 and installed Milwaukee Brewers owner Bud Selig as acting commissioner for the coming labor war, one that would see the owners demand a salary cap similar to what the NBA had and what the NFL had implemented in their most recent bargaining talks.

In June, the owners offered a salary cap with a 50/50 split of revenues. But put yourself in the position of the players: why would you trust the owners when they had just been caught cheating your side out of millions of dollars? The players were forced into a strike because they could not have a good faith negotiation given the history involved, and the owners were threatening to declare an impasse and implement their own system with a salary cap, which they did several months into the strike.

It is also hard to empathize with owners who talked of using replacement players before a strike date was even set. The following spring training saw replacement player games before a court injunction led to a return of the regular players for an abbreviated 1995 season. Replacements would have led to two teams not fielding teams: the Toronto Blue Jays were prohibited from using replacement players due to Ontario labor law, and the Baltimore Orioles refused to field a team because owner Peter Angelos was a highly-regarded labor lawyer.

Discussion of these labor issues in Major League Baseball isn’t much fun but trying to project how the rest of the 1994 season would have played out might be, with apologies to the rightfully upset Montreal Expos fans. Let’s assume that the MLBPA called off the strike in exchange for assurances of no lockout in 1995 or declaration of an impasse in negotiations by the owners.

AL East

There was a changing of the guard in the division with the two-time defending World Series champion Toronto Blue Jays taking a big step back with a 33-46 start. They won 22 of their last 36 games but that wasn’t enough to catch the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles in the division. The Yanks (70-43) held a 6.5 games lead over the O’s (63-49) on the strength of a career year from AL batting champ Paul O’Neill (.359/.460/.603) and a resurgent year from Wade Boggs (.342/.433/.489), who had his best power year since 1987. 

This was a very different Yankees team than the group that would dominate the AL East for the next decade: no Jeter, no Pettitte, no Rivera, and no Posada. They got 19 homers from Seinfeld guest star Danny Tartabull, over 300 innings between Jim Abbott and Melido Perez, and the back end of the bullpen was anchored by Bob Wickman and Steve Howe. All would be gone before the 1996 World Series.

Cal Ripken was the constant for the Orioles, as his streak stood at 2,009 consecutive games at the time of the strike, with Mike Mussina anchoring the rotation and Lee Smith in the bullpen. Their fate likely would be decided by the 15 remaining games against fellow wild card contenders Kansas City, Chicago, and Cleveland. Prior to the strike they did get a boost from = Armando Benitez, who gave up 1 run in 10 innings after his late July call-up.

The rebuilding Red Sox started 20-7 before collapsing to finish 54-61, and the Tigers both scored and gave up a ton of runs to ensure mediocrity.

Result: Yankees cruise to a division title with 95-100 wins, while a 87-90 win Baltimore team falls short of the wild card.

AL Central

This division was by far the best in baseball in 1994, with three playoff contenders and no teams on a track to lose more than 90 games. The defending division champion Chicago White Sox led the way, followed by a rising Cleveland team in its shiny new Jacobs Field, and a sneaky good team in Kansas City. An intense rivalry built between the White Sox and Indians centered about the Albert Belle corked bat controversy.

Frank Thomas won the MVP with Ted Williams-esque numbers (.353/.487/.729, with 109 BBs, 38 HR, 101 RBI in 113 games) but their strength was their starting rotation of reigning Cy Young winner Jack McDowell, veterans Alex Fernandez and Wilson Alvarez, and young Jason Bere all with ERAs under 4.00 with over 140 IP. 

That pitching would be needed against a Cleveland club on pace to score nearly 1,000 runs over a full season. Their regular lineup boasted 7 players with an OPS+ at 106 or higher including young Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez. The starting rotation led the league with 17 complete games, perhaps a necessity with the bullpen being the clear weakness of the team. Cleveland still had 30 home games left to play, and they were 35-16 at Jacobs Field in its inaugural season.

Kansas City is something of a surprise contender because they would not even finish .500 again for another 9 years. David Cone won the Cy Young and led the team in WAR in the 2nd season of his second stint with his hometown team, while Tom Gordon and Kevin Appier were 2ndand 3rdin WAR for the Royals. With the retirement of George Brett, the lineup was below average, with only Wally Joyner and one-hit wonder Bob Hamelin carrying the load.

Result: The White Sox barely hang on with 95 wins and hold off Cleveland (94 wins), who pick up the wild card. Kansas City finishes 3rdwith 85-87 wins. 

AL West

This is the opposite of Garrison Keillor’s fictional Lake Wobegon, the place where all the women are string, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average. The American League West was more like Camp Crystal Lake from Friday The 13thin 1994 with the four worst records in the 14 team league. 

Texas “led” the way at 52-62, on pace for 74 wins in a full season. Their lineup looks fit for 2019 with lots of home runs and even more strikeouts. Jose Canseco hit 31 homers in a strong comeback from an abbreviated season where a fly ball hit him in the headand a pitching performanceled to Tommy John surgery. Kenny Rogers did toss a perfect game, and they also had a young Darren Oliver who hung around long enough to actually pitch in a World Series for Texas. While their new stadium (which closes in 2019!) did not bring the same success as it did for Cleveland, it did embolden their ownerto seek political office. 

Oakland was a game back, but lost Mark McGwire to a foot injury at various points of the season. Steve Ontiveros became a footnote in history as one of the most obscure ERA champions in history with a 2.65, and Rickey Henderson returned from Toronto for his 3rdstint in the East Bay. The A’s had stretch losing 31 of 37, followed by winning 19 of 23. 

In mid-July, four ceiling tiles fell from the Seattle Kingdome’s roofwhich led to the Mariners finishing the year on the road, so the strike saved them from what would have become a 70 game road trip. While their best players like Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner, and Randy Johnson excelled, the rest of the team was about as functional as their home stadium. The July call-up of 18 year old Alex Rodriguez did not last long and he was sent back to the minors after 6 errors and 0 extra base hits in 13 games.

The California Angels also saw their home stadium damaged in the Northridge earthquake in January, repairs were made prior to their season. The Halos had little going for them, with the exception of a bizarre outlier season from 33 year old 3B Spike Owen, who posted a .418 OBP in 321 plate appearances, nearly 100 points above his lifetime OBP.

Result: Seattle tires from playing 2 ½ months on the road, and Oakland edges Texas and saves MLB from the embarrassment of a sub-.500 playoff team by winning the division with a record of 81-81.

NL East

With the Marlins and Mets rebuilding and the Phillies backsliding after their ’93 NL pennant, the NL East was a two horse race between the Expos and division newcomer Braves, since Atlanta was strangely in the NL West previously.

Montreal had the best team in franchise history with the top outfield in the NL of Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom, and Larry Walker. All the regulars in the Expos lineup were just entering their prime, as the oldest player was 3B Sean Berry at 28 years old. Of the top 4 starting pitchers, young Pedro Martinez had the highest ERA at 3.42. The bullpen 1-2 punch of John Wetteland and Mel Rojas was a factor in their 21-14 record in one run games, in contrast to the Phillies and their 12-26 mark in such contests. 

With a wild card spot in play, the Braves would not have to win at the same breakneck pace as the prior year in their race with the Giants in West. They would be able to ride their quartet of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Steve Avery to a playoff berth and take their chances with their always questionable bullpen in a short series.

Result: Montreal keeps their foot on the gas and finishes with 105 wins, while the Braves cruise to 97 wins and a wild card spot locked up with over a week left in the season,

NL Central

The outlook was not positive for the Houston Astros despite being in a virtual tie with the Cincinnati Reds because of MVP 1B Jeff Bagwell suffering a season-ending broken wrist two days before the strike. With Chris Donnels and Sid Bream backing up, there would be a massive dropoff from the 213 OPS+ the future Hall of Famer provided. 

Cincinnati had a well-rounded lineup, placing 4thor higher in all key offensive categories as a team. Underrated big game pitcher Jose Rijo led the starting rotation, and there were not any notable trainwrecks in the Reds bullpen, positioning them well for their first playoff run in four years.

The Pirates were still recovering from the loss of Barry Bonds after the 1992 season, the Cubs got a 3 HR gamefrom Karl “Tuffy” Rhodes on opening day (a game they lost 12-8 anyway), and the Cardinals did almost nothing of note the entire season.

Result: Cincinnati rolls to 96 wins and the division, while Houston falls back and finishes with 89 wins. 

NL West

With realignment and the departure of Atlanta to its rightful spot in the East, the Dodgers and Giants battled for control, while the Padres and 2ndyear expansion Rockies continued to build.

Coming off a 103 win season, the Giants got almost no contributions from anyone in their lineup not named Barry Bonds or Matt Williams. The latter was famously on pace to chase Roger Maris’ then single-season record of 61 HR, but Bonds had 37 HR of his own to go with 29 SBs so he was on his way to the 2nd40-40 season in MLB history. Darryl Strawberry arrived in July and provided some pop, but would find himself under indictment for federal income tax evasion before 1994 ended. 

The pitching staff kept them competitive, but who knows if William VanLandingham and company could keep fooling hitters for another 7 weeks. San Francisco did win 20 of their last 30 which included a four game sweep of the Expos in Montreal.

The Dodgers held a 3.5 game lead, but still had six more games with Atlanta, against whom they were 0-6 to that point. Mike Piazza followed his Rookie of the Year campaign with another strong year, but Los Angeles got two outlier seasons from a couple of grizzled veterans. Tim Wallach (age 36) and Brett Butler (age 37) both set career highs in OPS, perhaps a signal that baseball was evolving into an era of inflated offensive numbers. Raul Mondesi became the 3rdstraight Dodger to win Rookie of the Year.

San Diego was rebuilding after their fire sale trades of Fred McGriff and Gary Sheffield the year before, but the story was of Tony Gwynn and his quest to hit .400. With 45 games remaining, he was on pace to have 171 more at bats based on his total to that point if he played every game, requiring him to get 71 hits in that time to finish with a .400 average. In his final 171 ABs of the ’94 season, Gwynn had 69 hits so it is far more likely that Gwynn finishes in the same range as Ted Williams in 1957 (.388) and 1980 George Brett (.390).

Colorado improved from their inaugural season and were about to move out of cavernous Mile High Stadium and into Coors Field. The strike cost them a chance to set a new single season attendance record, but the 1994 Rockies still have the highest average home attendance (57,570 per game) of any team in MLB history.

Result: The Giants claw their way back and finish tied with the Dodgers with 86 wins, leading to a one game playoff for the division, won by the Giants avenging the Dodgers eliminating them in game 162 a year earlier.

Playoffs

The original wild card playoff formatwas different and in many ways made no sense with the wild card team assigned to play a specific division winner rather than the team with the best record. The NL West champion would play the wild card, and the AL Central champion would play the AL Wild Card unless the two teams were in the same division.

ALDS1: Cleveland over NY Yankees (3-1) – The Yankees end up falling behind in the series early when manager Buck Showalter forgets that he can use his best relief pitcher on the road in a tie game in extra innings.

ALDS2: Chicago over Oakland (3-0) – The White Sox win their first playoff series in 77 years

NLDS1: Atlanta over San Francisco (3-0) – The Braves went 21-2 in NLDS play from 1995 to 2001 and this season would have been no different.

NLDS2: Montreal over Cincinnati (3-2) – Buoyed by raucous sellout crowds of hockey-starved Quebecers (due to the ongoing NHL lockout) for games 3-5 after falling down 0-2, the Expos come back and win three straight to advance to the NLCS for the first time since 1981.

ALCS: Chicago over Cleveland (4-2) – This series is mostly remembered for an incident in game 5 where young absent-minded baserunner Manny Ramirez forgot to run to 2ndbase on a would-be walkoff single in the 10th, keeping the game tied and allowing the White Sox to win in 12 innings in an incident forever known as “Manny’s Boner”. 

NLCS: Montreal over Atlanta (4-2) – After losing the first two games at home, the Expos rally to win four straight after another unfortunate national anthem incident at game 3 in Atlanta where the Canadian flag was flown upside down….again. 

World Series: Montreal over Chicago (4-2) – A costly error in game 6 by Julio Franco, playing 2ndbase in place of Joey Cora due to the lack of the DH, leads to a 5 run Montreal 3rdinning in the clincher. Canadian Larry Walker wins series MVP as the Expos become the third straight World Series winner from Canada. 

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

[itsworn]

Resto and Custom Muscle From the 2019 Detroit Autorama

A Sure Cure for the Late Winter Blues

For many, the Detroit Autorama is first and foremost about the Ridler Award, which is viewed as the most coveted trophy for custom-car builders. The award was created in 1964 in memory of Don Ridler, who had been commissioned by the show’s organizers to make the Detroit Autorama the greatest automotive extravaganza in the world. The success Ridler enjoyed prior to his untimely death at just 54 years of age prompted the creation of the Don Ridler Memorial Award.

One of the wildest cars in the building, and one of the Great 8 contenders for the Ridler Award, was Sonny Freeman’s 1965 Chevelle named Reflection. Built at Mike Goldman Customs, the Chevelle had such body modifications as a 1967 Chevelle roof, extended rocker panels, machined door handles, lowered wheel openings, a custom billet grille, and lengthened 1967 Chevelle SS hood bulges with custom machined vents. Power comes from an LS7 engine with a Bowler Tremec T56 transmission.

Each year, eight cars are selected to be in the running for the Ridler Award prior to the public opening of the show. The Great 8 are displayed at the main entry doors to Detroit’s Cobo Hall. The entire weekend is abuzz with debate as to which car deserves the Ridler. It was of little surprise when the late Steve Barton’s spectacular Cadillac/Nomad mashup, Cadmad, was declared the Ridler Award winner for 2019.

Harold and Pat Ehlert are the original and current owners of this 1970 Plymouth Superbird. The Limelight wing car was parked in 1973 and restored by Nathan and Paris Ehlert in 2016. A 440ci four-barrel engine rated at 375 hp sends power through a four-speed manual transmission.

Muscle cars have a presence at the Detroit Autorama, but they are not the main attraction. That said, there are enough of our 1960-1974-era muscle cars on display to warrant making the trip to Detroit. The 1970 Monte Carlo SS owned by John and Connie Fifer was remarkable, as was the 1965 Tri-power, four-speed GTO that belonged to Scott Tiemann’s parents, which was looking assembly-line fresh following its restoration. There was a number of original, unrestored muscle cars on hand, including a 4,495-mile unrestored 1969 Z/28. Check out some of the other muscle cars and a few of the wild hot rods that were at the 2019 Detroit Autorama.

The big-block A-body Mopars have been tearing up the dragstrips for decades. Darin Gehr restored his 383-powered four-speed 1968 Dodge Dart GTS to perfection. Paint work was handled by Pat O’Connor.

One of the most incredible restored muscle cars at the Detroit Autorama was John and Connie Fifer’s 1970 Monte Carlo SS. The drivetrain consists of the 360hp, 454ci LS5 engine; M40 Turbo 400 three-speed automatic transmission; and 12 bolt 2.56-geared differential. The Fifer’s Monte Carlo was researched and restored to make sure all numbers and date codes are matching and correct. Every bolt, nut, clip, and clamp was cleaned and replated. All factory chalk marks and paint code markings were accurately reproduced.

Charlie Pate owns this restored 1970 Chevelle SS. The LS5 454/360hp engine, M21 four-speed transmission, and 12-bolt 3.31 Positraction rear provide the ultimate muscle car driving experience. The Cranberry Red SS454 has only travelled 34,482 actual miles and is well equipped with Cowl Induction hood, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, SS five-spoke wheels, bucket seats and console, gauge package, AM/FM radio, and power windows.

Scott Tiemann’s parents, Jerry and Carolyn, purchased their Fountain Blue 1965 GTO at Royal Pontiac on May 21, 1965. The car is absolutely loaded, with options that include the Rally gauge package, wood steering wheel, padded dash, power windows, power steering, mirror group, lamp group, console, AM radio with rear speaker, and rear window defogger. The GTO’s Tri-power 389 is joined to a M20 four-speed transmission and 3.55 Safe-T-Track axle. Scott handled the entire restoration at his shop, Supercar Specialties in Portland, Michigan. Fantastic provenance, history, and restoration make this car a standout, and easily the one car I would have loved to drive home from Autorama.

The 1968 Hurst/Olds owned by James Kryta is one of 515 produced. The Peruvian Silver H/O is powered by a 455ci engine that produced a factory-rated 390 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. A Turbo 400 transmission and 3.90-geared differential finish off the powertrain. Paint and bodywork were performed by Nyle Wing at Wings Auto Art. Scott Tiemann handled the restoration detail and assembly. Chrome work was from A&W Chrome.

Fritz Helmuth owns this one-of-100 1970 Trans Am Javelin, which was restored by Lavine Restorations in Nappanee, Indiana. The 390ci engine is restored to absolutely new condition. A ram-air hood provides fresh air induction for increased horsepower. A BorgWarner T10 four-speed transmission and 3.91 Twin Grip AMC 20 differential combine for spirited acceleration. Dealer-installed Sidewinder pipes and an eight-track radio were hot items in 1970.

For 1970, AMC built 4,116 AMXs. Joe Papelian owns this Golden Lime example, one of 1,632 built with the 390 Go Pack. The AMX features a Ram Air hood, a four-speed T10V BorgWarner close-ratio transmission, a 3.54 Twin Grip rear, and leather seats. Rob Eppler and Willie Shaw performed the mechanical restoration of this outstanding AMX.

Diversified Creations brought out this red 1970 AMX modified with an AMC 401 engine with a 3/4 racing camshaft and a high-rise intake manifold. Also onboard are a 700R4 GM four-speed automatic transmission and a Vintage Air A/C system. Smart updates make for a great-driving AMC with plenty of visual pop.

Mark Bonnet doesn’t mind the manual steering and manual brakes found in his 1964 Dodge 440. The 426ci Wedge engine and 727 TorqueFlite transmission make a perfect combination for street/strip speed and reliability. This Mopar was built at Geno’s Custom Paint and Moe’s Body and Paint.

The Cream, a 1966 Dodge Hemi Charger, is owned by Mark Kersher. It was restored by PSI in Sterling, Michigan, with a numbers-matching 426 Hemi engine built by Ted Spehar. The car originated from the Chrysler Lynch Road Assembly plant.

The 1966 Dodge Charger owned by Mark Lavelle is powered by a 383 V-8. The GG1 Dark Green Poly Charger was restored in loving memory of John Quinn at After Hours Restorations LLC. A 727 TorqueFlite three-speed automatic and a 3.23-geared 8 3/4 rear were the bread-and-butter combination in 1966.

Black Betty, a 1967 Chevelle SS396 owned by John and Felisha Marecki, was looking strong in day-two attire. The engine is a modified 396/402 big-block with LS5 heads and a Holley 770 Street Avenger carburetor. John thanks John Marecki Sr.; Alex Baydoun and David Garnett of Alex & Dave’s Auto Repair; Nick Lutomski; and Matt Brabeau.

It’s all about stance. Debra Borsos’ 1967 RS/SS Camaro had plenty of it with the vintage American Racing 200S wheels and BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. The Camaro was looking ready for comfortable cruising with its rare fold-down center armrest and column shifter.

This unrestored original 1969 Z/28 Camaro has 4,495 original miles on its DZ302 engine. Diversified Creations had the car on display. An original 2×4 cross-ram manifold was found in the trunk.

This unrestored original Wimbledon White 1969 Ford Fairlane Cobra only has 33,000 original miles. It is equipped with the 428 four-barrel engine, four-speed Top Loader transmission, and bucket seats. The rare Cobra was purchased at Dils Motor Company in Parkersburg, West Virginia.

The Ford guys were happy to see Kevin Shelton’s restored 1970 Super Cobra Jet Mach 1. The Shaker hood and Magnum wheels looked great. The highly detailed engine compartment was sporting all the right stickers, details, and factory markings.

Cadmad, a custom 1959 Cadillac, was the 2019 Don Ridler Memorial Award winner. The stunning two-door Nomad-style wagon is powered by a twin-turbo 632-inch big-block Chevy built by Nelson Racing Engines. Jordan Quintal Sr. and his crew at Super Rides by Jordan in Escondido, California, built the car. Owner Steve Barton passed away prior to the completion of Cadmad, but his brother, Craig, displayed the finished car in his memory.

Another Great 8 winner was ZL69, a customized 1969 Camaro owned by Pat and Debbie Moran. The original taillights were replaced with 2012 Camaro taillights in reverse position. A Camaro SS roof was grafted on and chopped 1 inch at the A-pillar. A 6.2L LSA supercharged engine rests comfortably in the Schwartz Industry G Machine chassis featuring rack-and-pinion steering, Ride Tech adjustable coilover shocks, and Baer Brakes.

Brace yourselves, muscle car buddies! This is a real A12 liftoff-hood 440 Six Pack car. But when it was found, it was a cut-up and butchered drag car with the original drivetrain long gone. For that reason, owner Brian Storm decided to build a killer Hot Wheels–style 1969 Super Bee. He had legendary chassis builder Jim Homier of Speed & Custom in Woodstock, Georgia, build the car, with help from Noah Storm. Beautiful paint and bodywork were done by Newberry Bodyshop. A 572ci aluminum Indy Wedge powers the radical Mopar. Gargantuan Budnik wheels complete the radical Hot Wheels theme.

The Doctor’s Orders 1965 Dodge Coronet Hemi two-door sedan is owned by John and Kim Barich. They started with a one-owner Florida car with factory tinted glass and heater delete. The rear springs were relocated, and subframe connectors were installed. Bodywork and paint were handled by PSI Automotive in Sterling Heights, Michigan, while the Hemi was built by Automotive Machine in Fraser, Michigan. The engine features an original 1965 magnesium cross-ram intake, Holley carburetors, Stage V aluminum heads, and TTI long-tube headers.

The Shadowoods Auto Center 1968 SS/A Hemi Barracuda is owned by the Tignanelli Brothers, Jim and Tom. Both brothers have shared driving and wrenching duties. Tom was a Chrysler engineer who helped catapult Chrysler drag racing into the spotlight in the 1960s and 1970s.

Since Chrysler built only 83 LO23 Hemi Darts for 1968, Jerry Helfman decided to build his own Hemi Dart clone car called Red Beauty. The 580hp 426 Hemi features aluminum heads, cross-ram intake, and two 770 Holley carburetors. A Passon Performance A833 four-speed transmission with Hurst shifter sends big torque to a Dana 60 4.10 rear. Special features include a lightweight front end and doors, Lexan windows, A100 seats, and original-style steel wheels with dog dish hubcaps. Helfman thanks Brian Dickey from Motor City Solutions for his help with the construction of the Rolls Royce Tudor Red Hemi Dart.

Gorgeous EW1 white paint and V1W white vinyl top set off this 1970 Challenger R/T, equipped with a 440 Six Pack, a Shaker hood, and a four-speed. According to the owner, the Track Pack with Dana 3.54 rear, R/T stripe, and other options make this E-body a “one of one known to exist.”

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[thejacksmit]

Projection Room: The Smit Awards 2018

What a year it’s been. YouTube channels got ripped apart, launched and ripped apart even more, Disney actually closed the Fox deal, life at two cinemas has become the norm, superhero films have dominated the box office, and for a change Hollywood has had less scandal than it usually does... hang on, I sense a Gunn has been fired somewhere. 

As ever, here on TheJackSmit.com, we end every year with our satirical awards that honour the best and worst of the last 12 months. It’s our way of looking back at a year where 66 films got reviewed in-cinema, a new strand of screening was conquered, and I got to witness actual film production for the first time. So, let’s just get on with it. Welcome to this year’s edition of the Smit Awards.

Before we begin…

Time for the usual rules and regulations of these elusive honours. There are none, except for the main Film of the Year- that has to have been screened on a British cinema screen (whether it’s previews, Screen Unseen or general release) between January 1st and December 23rd, and the important bit: if it was nominated for any of the major Hollywood awards back in February, it’s of no interest here. So, here we go, and be warned, there are potential spoilers ahead.

DIRECTION

Bart Layton, American Animals

This guy worked wonders on this film. After making a few documentaries in the past, his first true feature film blended the worlds of fact and fiction incredibly well, and stylistically, this film just worked on so many levels. I really wanted to give this award to a fresh filmmaker, and for Layton, he did his thing at the right time.

PERFORMANCES

Lead: Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody and Viola Davis, Widows

These set of awards were difficult. And as usual, because of the way distribution works, I can’t go with the big films yet- so these two are the strongest performances in my eyes. Malek was able to become Freddie Mercury pretty damn well, and for Viola Davis, she is able to pull off quite a complex role and make it her own.

Support: Timothee Chalamet, Beautiful Boy and Claire Foy, First Man

Again, it’s been difficult to pick these awards. Chalamet continues his blistering rise into Hollywood’s elite with his work on Felix Van Groeningen’s adaptation of Beautiful Boy (and that performance arguably saved the film, believe me), and with Foy’s performance in First Man- a film which has been looked down upon by cinemagoers, it is subtle, nuanced and very thoughtfully worked out.

Ensemble: Bad Times at the El Royale

I can’t not give this film some love- when myself and film production guru Ed Greenberg seen this one back in October, we were rather taken back by the quality of the entire cast- so it felt like the natural choice for this year’s Ensemble award.

SCREENPLAYS

Original: Bad Times at the El Royale

And speaking of the El Royale, Drew Goddard’s script really did make that film come alive- we all know how good his films have been, and this one is no exception, every character has their own narrative, and it is balanced so well that even the mighty Ed Greenberg (who I have worked with more than ever for this blog over the last year) was impressed with it. And me and him are not easy to impress. 

Adapted: Black Panther

Hail to the king. Ryan Coogler added a whole new take on the superhero genre with his work on Marvel’s February release this year, and his script with Joe Robert Cole felt refreshing. This may be the big award it scoops at the Oscars, and considering the success of this film, it is fully deserved if it wins the big one.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

First Man

You can’t really argue with the work of Linus Sandgren nowadays... unless it’s on films like Nutcracker and the Four Realms. Just the sheer scale of that landing sequence in First Man was enough to convince me for this award- but obviously shooting it for IMAX is the real reason that cinematography worked.

Traditionally we’d deliver an award for Visual Effects in this bit. But because the standard this year has been so good, picking one film wouldn’t do any justice. So here’s the best of the best.

AQUAMAN

AVENGERS INFINITY WAR

READY PLAYER ONE

MARY POPPINS RETURNS

All of these films had some top quality CG, and like I say, picking one sole winner would be too difficult.

MUSIC

ORIGINAL SCORE: Daniel Pemberton, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

This guy has had an absolute killer few years. Steve Jobs, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, Molly’s Game, Ocean’s 8, and now his masterwork- not bad for a guy who once upon a time wrote the title music for Peep Show. Watch the film first, then listen to that score again- because it fits the action perfectly.

SOUNDTRACK ALBUM: A Star is Born

Obviously. The impact this film has had in the charts kind of warrants this particular award, and potentially that Oscar for Best Original Song too.

WTF MOMENT OF THE YEAR (THE I SMELL BULLSMIT AWARD)

The entire film, Sorry To Bother You

Anybody who’s seen this film will know exactly what I mean when I say that the ending was literally unexpected. But seriously though, Sorry To Bother You is the most surreal thing I’ve seen in a cinema screen, and that’s saying something.

TURKEY OF THE YEAR

Awarded to the film that disappoints audiences and critics alike

There were so many contenders for this award in 2018. But there could only be one.

SHOW DOGS

Angry. Disappointed. Regular readers will know that those are the most scathing words I can bestow upon a film, and in this case, those are the most suitable.

In a year where we’ve had Venom, The Happytime Murders, Patrick, Nutcracker and The Four Realms as well as Robin Hood, none of them could compare with the mediocrity of Raja Gosnell’s Show Dogs. It truly was horrific. And that’s before I mention the infamous ‘zen place’ joke.

THE ‘MYSTERY FILM NIGHT’ AWARD

Awarded to the most surprising Screen Unseen film of the last 12 months

AMERICAN ANIMALS

I am honestly surprised that this film didn’t open wider than it did- because it was a film that really came out of nowhere. It was bold and unique, especially considering the true nature of the story, and quite honestly, seek this film out when it’s released on DVD- because it’s unlike any heist film you’ve ever seen.

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

WIDOWS

It’s been a rocky road for this film at the box office, but Widows was another masterclass from Steve McQueen, one that qualifies for this honour through its link with Film4- it’s Ocean’s 8, but way more serious, brooding, and it’s a much better take on the female heist movie.

BEST ANIMATED FILM

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

This was a real surprise considering that we finally got The Incredibles 2 this year- but seriously, Spider-Verse really delivered upon the goods, and broke Sony’s curse of making some pretty mediocre superhero films. It has some brilliant comic-inspired animation, a perfect script, and so much more.

THEJACKSMIT.COM FILM OF THE YEAR 2018

The big one. Which film will follow Dunkirk, Arrival, Brooklyn and others into the history books? It has been an incredibly difficult decision, but the 2018 Film of the Year is...

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT

Now, because of the way the awards films are released, we haven’t had the proper contenders like The Favourite or Green Book here in the UK yet, which is a real shame. But in terms of what Chris McQuarrie did with Mission 6, there isn’t much to fault. Everything about this film was incredibly well thought out, and even with a slight injury to Tom Cruise, the film got finished on time, and it delivered upon the hype. I rewatched it earlier this week during the final deliberations, and it is just hard to believe that this is a 2 and a half hour film.

2019: Back to Basics

And that just about does it for 2018 here on the blog- but as you’ve seen in December’s Journal and our little rebrand last week, there’s a few changes on the horizon. Guest writers, merch, podcasts, and 100% less bias to any cinema chain will become the norm over the next 12 months. And readers, you are a key part of it all. Keep your eyes peeled on the blog over the next few weeks for further announcements, because this is a bold new era for TheJackSmit.com. An era where we are all #BornIndependent.

[krakowergroup]

PR: FIFA 19 The Journey: Champions Soundtrack

ELECTRONIC ARTS AND LAKESHORE RECORDS ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF FIFA 19 THE JOURNEY: CHAMPIONS – OFFICIAL VIDEO GAME SOUNDTRACK

With Original Score by Oscar®-winner Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe

(September 27, 2018 – Los Angeles, CA) – Lakeshore Records is excited to announce a new title in its partnership with Electronic Arts with the release of FIFA 19: THE JOURNEY: CHAMPIONS – Official Video Game Soundtrack. The release will feature composing legend Hans Zimmer (Oscar® and Golden Globe for Best Original Score) and composer Lorne Balfe’s (4 ASCAP Film and Television Awards for Top Box Office Films) soundtrack to The Journey: Champions, the story driven mode within FIFA 19 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC*, available worldwide now.

The Journey, which debuted in FIFA 17, was the first of its kind. Powered by both user choice and actual match gameplay, the story driven mode focused on a single character’s career. Thanks to powerfully-rendered cinematics of the Frostbite™ engine on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC versions of the game, players follow Alex Hunter as he rises to the pinnacle of world football after taking the Premier League by storm. Continued in FIFA 18 with The Journey: Hunter Returns, players return to win the MLS Cup with the LA Galaxy before heading to Europe to lead Hunter’s club to a domestic league and cup double. Reaching its dramatic conclusion in FIFA 19 with The Journey: Champions, Hunter now joins Real Madrid in the dramatic finale to chase UEFA Champions League glory with his favored number 29 shirt.

“Lakeshore Records is incredibly excited to be working with EA to release some of the absolute very best soundtracks by some of the very best composers working in visual media today,” said President of Lakeshore Records, Brian McNelis. “It is an honor to be invited to work with such talented people on such great projects and we hope working with EA will continue to elevate the awareness and status of game music while providing the best possible services to the community.”

In addition to releasing new soundtracks for upcoming EA titles, Lakeshore Records will also be releasing soundtracks from the vast EA catalog, including first ever soundtrack releases and reissues of out-of-print recordings.  In the next few weeks, Lakeshore will be announcing releases of catalog titles including the soundtracks for top-selling EA franchises that include Dragon Age™, Battlefield™, Mass Effect™, Need For Speed™, Command & Conquer™, Titanfall™, Medal Of Honor™, and The Sims™.

“Lakeshore has proven themselves to be at the next level of marketing and streaming for the very best film and television music being created today,” says Electronic Arts Worldwide Executive of Music Steve Schnur. “And because they appreciate and understand the medium and its fans like no other label, we’re proud to be their first-ever video game partners. EA's composers, among the top talents in movies, television and games, are equally excited about the skill and fervor Lakeshore brings to the table.”

# # #

*FROSTBITE GAME ENGINE AND THE JOURNEY: CHAMPIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON XBOX ONE, PLAYSTATION 4 AND PC PLATFORM VERSIONS ONLY. UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CONTENT AVAILABLE ON XBOX ONE, PLAYSTATION 4, PC AND NINTENDO SWITCH VERSIONS ONLY. PLEASE VISIT https://www.easports.com/fifa/features FOR MORE DETAILS ON WHAT FEATURES ARE AVAILABLE ON EACH PLATFORM.

ABOUT HANS ZIMMER

German-born composer Hans Zimmer is recognized as one of Hollywood’s most innovative musical talents‚ having first enjoyed success in the world of pop music as a member of The Buggles. The group’s single Video Killed the Radio Star became a worldwide hit and helped usher in a new era of global entertainment as the first music video to be aired on MTV. Zimmer entered the world of film music in London during a long collaboration with famed composer and mentor Stanley Myers‚ which included the film MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE. He soon began work on several successful solo projects‚ including the critically acclaimed A World Apart‚ and during these years Zimmer pioneered the use of combining old and new musical technologies. Today‚ this work has earned him the reputation of being the father of integrating the electronic musical world with traditional orchestral arrangements. A turning point in Zimmer’s career came in 1988 when he was asked to score RAIN MAN for director Barry Levinson. The film went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture of the Year and earned Zimmer his first Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Score. The next year‚ Zimmer composed the score for another Best Picture Oscar recipient‚ DRIVING MISS DAISY‚ starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman. Having already scored two Best Picture winners‚ in the early ’90s Zimmer cemented his position as a pre-eminent talent with the award-winning score for THE LION KING. The soundtrack has sold over 15 million copies to date and earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Score‚ a Golden Globe‚ an American Music Award‚ a Tony and two Grammy Awards. In total‚ Zimmer’s work has been nominated for 7 Golden Globes‚ 7 Grammys and seven Oscars for RAINMAN‚ GLADIATOR‚ THE LION KING‚ AS GOOD AS IT GETS‚ THE PREACHERS WIFE‚ THE THIN RED LINE‚ THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and THE LAST SAMURAI. With his career in full swing‚ Zimmer was anxious to replicate the mentoring experience he had benefited from under Stanley Myers’ guidance. With state-of-the-art technology and a supportive creative environment‚ Zimmer was able to offer film-scoring opportunities to young composers at his Santa Monica-based musical ’think tank.’ This approach helped launch the careers of such notable composers as Mark Mancina‚ John Powell‚ Harry Gregson-Williams‚ Nick Glennie-Smith and Klaus Badelt. In 2000 Zimmer scored the music for GLADIATOR‚ for which he received an Oscar nomination‚ in addition to Golden Globe and Broadcast Film Critics Awards for his epic score. It sold more than three million copies worldwide and spawned a second album “Gladiator: More Music From The Motion Picture‚” released on the Universal Classics/Decca label. Zimmer’s other scores that year included MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2‚ THE ROAD TO EL DORADO and AN EVERLASTING PIECE‚ directed by Barry Levinson. Some of his other impressive scores include PEARL HARBOR‚ THE RING‚4 films directed by Ridley Scott; MATCHSTICK MEN‚ HANNIBAL‚ BLACK HAWK DOWN and THELMA & LOUISE‚ Penny Marshall’s RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS AND A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN‚ Quentin Tarantino’s TRUE ROMANCE‚ TEARS OF THE SUN‚ Ron Howard’s BACKDRAFT‚ DAYS OF THUNDER‚ Smilla’s SENSE OF SNOW and the animated SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON for which he also co-wrote four of the songs with Bryan Adams‚ including the Golden Globe nominated “Here I Am.” At the 27th annual Flanders International Film Festival‚ Zimmer performed live for the first time in concert with a 100-piece orchestra and a 100-piece choir. Choosing selections from his impressive body of work‚ Zimmer performed newly orchestrated concert versions of GLADIATOR‚ MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2‚ RAIN MAN‚ THE LION KING‚ and THE THIN RED LINE. The concert was recorded by Decca and released as a concert album entitled "The Wings Of A Film: The Music Of Hans Zimmer." In 2003‚ Zimmer completed his 100th film score for the film THE LAST SAMURAI‚ starring Tom Cruise‚ for which he received both a Golden Globe and a Broadcast Film Critics nomination. Over the past year‚ Zimmer has scored Nancy Meyers’ comedy SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE‚ the animated Dreamworks film‚ A SHARK’S TALE (featuring voices of Will Smith‚ Renee Zellweger‚ Robert De Niro‚ Jack Black and Martin Scorsese)‚ and most recently‚ Jim Brooks’ SPANGLISH starring Adam Sandler and Tea Leoni (for which he also received a Golden Globe nomination). His projects also include Paramount’s WEATHERMAN starring Nicolas Cage‚ Dreamworks’ MADAGASCAR and Warner Bros.’ BATMAN BEGINS. Zimmer’s additional honors and awards include the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in Film Composition from the National Board of Review‚ and the Frederick Loewe Award in 2003 at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. He has also received ASCAP’s Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement.

ABOUT LORNE BALFE

Lorne Balfe [THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, CHURCHILL] is a Grammy Award-winning, EMMY and BAFTA nominated composer from Inverness, Scotland. He has scored in virtually all genres and in all visual media with projects ranging from major studio to independent films, tentpole video game franchises, beloved animated feature films, critically acclaimed television series, and documentary features.

Lorne Balfe recently received an Emmy-nomination for “Outstanding Main Title theme” along with Hans Zimmer for GENIUS (National Geographic), the Ron Howard produced TV series about Albert Einstein. His most current film and TV credits include CHURCHILL (Head Gear Films); THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE (Warner Bros.); MARCELLA (Buccaneer Media); other credits include TERMINATOR GENISYS” (Paramount Pictures); 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI (Paramount Pictures). He also served as score producer for DUNKIRK. His upcoming projects include the Dean Devlin sci-fi thriller GEOSTORM.

Balfe big break came when he scored his first major feature film, MEGAMIND, which he co-composed with Hans Zimmer. Within a year, he expanded his scoring talents into video games, composing alongside Jesper Kyd on ASSASSIN’S CREED: REVELATIONS, which received a BAFTA nomination for Best Original Music. His video game credits now include CRYSIS 2, four titles in the SKYLANDERS series (SPYRO’S ADVENTURE, GIANTS, SWAP FORCE, and TRAP TEAM), ASSASSIN’S CREED III, ASSASIN’S CREED III: THE TYRANNY OF KING WASHINGTON, CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2, and BEYOND: TWO SOULS.

Lorne Balfe continues to receive critical acclaim and accolades for his work in all visual media including the animated features HOME and PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR, based on the beloved British TV series, THE SWEENEY, the historical epic IRONCLAD, the Gloria Trevi-biopic GLORIA, acclaimed documentaries MANNY (about the life of Manny Pacquiao), SALINGER (about JD Salinger) and THE LAST MAN ON THE MOON (Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan). His television work includes the epic mini-series THE BIBLE (co-composed with Hans Zimmer) and SONS OF LIBERTY. In 2012, Lorne Balfe earned his first EMMY nomination for the mini-series RESTLESS.

ABOUT LAKESHORE RECORDS

Lakeshore Records is the four-time Grammy Nominated independent music division of Lakeshore Entertainment, producers of such films as The Age Of Adaline, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Ugly Truth, The Exorcism Of Emily Rose, The Underworld franchise, and Million Dollar Baby winner of Four Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Lakeshore Records has released popular and classic soundtracks to such films as Drive, Stranger Things, Moonlight, Lady Bird, The Walking Dead, Star Trek Discovery, Little Miss Sunshine, The Hurt Locker, Napoleon Dynamite and many, many more.

Lakeshore Records has released score albums from composers such as Jonny Greenwood, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Nick Cave and Warrren Ellis, Danny Elfman, Clint Mansell, Cliff Martinez, James Horner, Thomas Newman, John Powell, Mark Isham, Graeme Revell, Rolfe Kent, Gustavo Santoalalla, Philip Glass, Dario Marianelli, Mark Mothersbaugh, Christophe Beck, Christopher Young, Rachel Portman, and Marco Beltrami.

ABOUT ELECTRONIC ARTS

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers. EA has more than 300 million registered players around the world.

In fiscal year 2018, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.15 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Need for Speed™, Dragon Age™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, Ultimate Team, Battlefield, The Sims, Need for Speed, Dragon Age, and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. NBA, UFC, NHL, and FIFA are the property of their respective owner and used with permission.

http://www.lakeshorerecords.com

For more information contact The Krakower Group, @KrakowerGroup on Twitter and Instagram

#video game #videogame #video games #video games soundtracks #new music

[theboisebeat]

The crowds really showed up for the Emmett Show and Shine Car Show last Saturday. A wide range of cars, starting with a 1911 Maxwell and a 1918 Dodge Brothers Touring showed up for the event, held annually in Emmett, Idaho. The Emmett Show and Shine Car Show was held at Emmett City Park and the whole park was filled with a variety of cars, including a ’57 Chevy Bel Air, a 1927 Model T Hot Rod, a Mercedes SL500 convertible and a 1966 Mustang. Sedans, convertibles, horseless carriages and even pickups and a full-size Chevy work truck filled the park. Many of the cars at the Emmett Show and Shine Car Show even got awards, presented by each of the event’s sponsors. The event, put on by the Emmett Lions Club, appeared to be a huge success.

Photo essay follows post. All photos by Ed Simon for The Boise Beat.

There was plenty of food, as well as great music also at the Emmett Show and Shine Car Show. In the afternoon, the crowd was dancing to music from Gerry and the Dreambenders, who do a great British Invasion Rock Era Tribute Show as well as some great Tom Petty covers. The Emmett Lions Club put on both a Pancake Breakfast and later on grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for hungry guests. There were also several vendors in attendance with many different types of food and beverages.

This was the 30thyear for the Emmett Show and Shine. Starting in early morning, cars came from all over the Treasure Valley to attend the day’s festivities. After the show, many of the cars from 1978 and older attended another tradition and cruised through Emmett, with the route lined with many chairs and tents for spectators. Like many, those fans will now be awaiting the 2019 event, sure to be another winner.

1918 Dodge Brothers Touring

Camaro Z28

Classic in color

A classic Chevy

Camaro SS

Corvette 1950’s

Chevy Bel Air looks great!

A really cool pickup truck

A nice convertible

This isn’t your kid’s Radio Flyer!

Lots of cars and tents

Chevy Impala 1964

Gerry and the Dreambenders playing

Chevy Truck

Driving on out of the park

Dodge Brothers emblem

Corvette Stingray

Convertible interior

Gerry and the Dreambenders

Classic Volvo

Beautiful Corvette convertible

Hot cars

Long, lean and shiny in Emmett

Maxwell 1911

Mercedes style at the show

Model T Hot Rod

Maxwell 1911 taillamp detail

The Bomb

T Bucket engine

Talk about a great shine ! 2

T Bucket Ford 1927

Pink Cadillac

Now there’s an engine!

    Emmett Show And Shine Car Show Had Many Great Looking Cars The crowds really showed up for the Emmett Show and Shine Car Show last Saturday. A wide range of cars, starting with a 1911 Maxwell and a 1918 Dodge Brothers Touring showed up for the event, held annually in Emmett, Idaho.

#cars #Chevy #Corvette #Ed Simon #Emmett #Emmett Show and Shine Car Show #hot rod #Idaho #Model T

[newsvomit-blog]

Mary J. Blige makes Oscar history with 'Mudbound'

On Sunday, award-winning R&B soulstress Mary J.Blige will step onto the grandest stage of entertainment when she performs her Oscar nominated song, “Mighty River,” at the 90th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.The Bronx-born, Yonkers-bred Queen of Hip Hop Soul will also be sitting in the audience, among the glitterati, as one of the esteemed contenders in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role as Florence Jackson in Dee Rees’ acclaimed Netflix drama “Mudbound.”With her two nods, the “No More Drama” singer makes history as the first person to be nominated in an acting and song category for the same film.“I didn’t anticipate any of this,” she told Deadline about the nominations, adding: “I just knew I was part of a very powerful, important film, and I was happy to be a part of it.”Though Blige is in great company with a few other legendary singer/actresses who have been nominated for their acting roles — such as Ethel Waters, Diana Ross, Bette Midler, and Queen Latifah — she stands out on her own for the song “Mighty River,” which was co-written with Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson.Saadiq previously worked with the nine-time Grammy Award winning artist — most notably co-writing and producing “I Can See in Color,” which was featured in the multiple-Academy Award nominated 2009 film “Precious.”Blige’s previous acting roles include Tyler Perry’s “I Can Do Bad All By Myself”, the Tom Cruise-headlined “Rock of Ages” and a 2016 appearance on the television drama “How To Get Away With Murder?” In 2015, she starred as Evillene in ’s “The Wiz Live!”Kenny Leon, who directed her in the star-studded, multiple Emmy Award-nominated television event told BLK that Blige is “always authentic, always truthful and always magical.”“Mary J.is the real deal,” the Tony Award winner added.

“What an amazing talent and an even better human.She is so deserving of these Oscar nominations and I could not be more proud or happier.”Since her 1992 “What’s The 411” debut, the Sean “Diddy” Combs protégée has connected with a largely female, mostly urban audience with her style of street savvy Rhythm & Blues.Popular songs such as “Real Love,” “Be Without You” and “I Can Love You” hit all emotions of unrequited love, heartbreak and redemption.Award winning marketing and public relations expert Jaqueline Rhinehart worked with Blige as an executive at Uptown Records during the promotion campaign for her 1995 “My Life” album.

She worked with Blige again at Arista Records for 1996’s “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack, which yielded the Top 5, platinum selling hit “Not Gon’ Cry.”“I’ve been impressed with Mary’s depth of soul, guarded vulnerabilities, directness and her hard-won evolution,” Rhinehart told BLK.“I recall during that period I addressing music journalists that their empathy and criticism should follow the coverage of a modern Billie Holiday – with respect for her gift regardless of how incoherent they thought of her personal life.Rhinehart said when they first started working together, Blige was at the turning point of her life and career.“The “My Life” album was not just a commercial hit, it was her soundtrack.… That was a period of pivotal growth.

I am proud and honored to have been close enough to contribute and bear witness to her continuing evolution,” she continued.“When I saw her last I told her: “You are ‘My Personal Oprah’.”As a sharecropping matriarch in the World War II era Mississippi based film, Blige tapped into a deeper instinctive state and received some of the best notices of her career with “Mudbound”.“I learned that I’m a really powerful woman,” she told “New York” magazine about the role.“I mean, other than just being Mary J.

Blige, the superstar, I learned that I’m powerful because I don’t have to say much to be heard.” But win, lose or draw, Hollywood continues calling.On her 47th birthday in January, Blige received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame and has since booked a new acting gig.It has also been reported that Blige has signed on to star on the upcoming Netflix superhero series “The Umbrella Academy,” which is currently filming.And with the Mar.23 release of “Sherlock Gnomes,” audiences will get to hear her voice again — this time in her first big animated feature film.“If Mary J.

Blige wins an Oscar this year, it will be a game changer and also signal that the Academy is mindful of the greater need for diversity,” Philadelphia’s WRNB-FM radio personality Dyana Williams told BLK.“Even with her two nominations, this next level career reinvention has her soaring and is welcomed by her longtime and new admirers.”FOLLOW BLK ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.Source: NBC News.

Mary J. Blige makes Oscar history with ‘Mudbound’ was originally published on NewsVomit

#blige #history #makes #mudbound #oscar

[gta-5-cheats]

The X-Files, Fight Club, and More – The Weekend Chill

New Post has been published on http://secondcovers.com/the-x-files-fight-club-and-more-ndash-the-weekend-chill/

The X-Files, Fight Club, and More – The Weekend Chill

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Last Friday, Syfy gave us a new image and premiere date for Krypton, the Superman prequel series set on his native planet about 200 years before his birth. It’ll arrive March 21.

Over the weekend, John Williams revealed in an interview that he’d be composing a theme for Solo: A Star Wars Story. The rest of the score is still being handled by John Powell. The standalone Han Solo film releases May 25.

The 32 Most Anticipated Movies of 2018

On Tuesday, Netflix released a brief teaser for A Series of Unfortunate Events season 2, starring Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf. The show returns March 30, and adapts books five to nine.

Later that day, Paramount announced that the next Cloverfield movie – which may or may not be called God Particle – has been moved back to April 20 from February. The film stars Daniel Brühl, Elizabeth Debicki, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw among others.

On Wednesday, Netflix said that a Bright sequel is in the works, with stars Will Smith and Joel Edgerton along with director David Ayer all attached. This confirms the Bloomberg report from two weeks ago.

That’s all the entertainment news for this week. Welcome back to The Weekend Chill, your one-stop destination for what to watch, play, or listen to this weekend. Here are the best picks:

TV: The X-Files Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny reprise their roles as FBI special agents for an eleventh year in the second year of the show’s revival era, whose rating success (despite negative critical reception) convinced Fox to greenlit a 10-episode new season. The premiere and finale will focus on the long-arc storyline, with the other episodes being standalone.

Recurring and guest stars include Annabeth Gish, Robbie Amell, Lauren Ambrose, Karin Konoval, Barbara Hershey, and Haley Joel Osment. Scully (Anderson) and Mulder (Duchovny) attempt to locate their son at the beginning of the series, while battling a mysterious organisation led by Erika Price (Hershey).

The X-Files season 1 has gotten average to good reviews from critics, with Vox’s Todd VanDerWerff surprised “how rejuvenated it feels”, and terming it “a damn sight better than the 2016 one”. Uproxx’s Alan Sepinwall concurred with VanDerWerff that it’s not anywhere near its season-three peak, but “it’s much better than it has any business being, particularly given what we got two years ago”.

The Gadgets 360 Winter 2018 TV Guide

How to access: Hotstar Time commitment: 40 minutes

Grown-ish In the penultimate episode of the third season of ABC’s popular African-American family sitcom Black-ish, the eldest daughter Zoey Johnson (Yar Shahidi) went off to college. Usually, audiences would just see less of her from the next season – as has become the case with the ongoing season 4 – but here, she’s gotten her own spin-off.

Stylised like the original, Grown-ish follows Zoey as she begins her freshman year at Southern California University. Joining her is Charlie Telphy (Deon Cole) – now part of Black-ish’s main cast – f and Aaron (Trevor Jackson), who has a recurring role on Black-ish. New cast members include Francia Raisa, Chris Parnell, Emily Arlook, and Jordan Buhat.

Reviews for the show’s first season – critics have seen a few episode – are mostly positive, with EW’s Dana Schwartz praising Shahidi’s chemistry with her Latina Republican roommate Ana (Raisa) and the snappy dialogue, while Variety’s Maureen Ryan called it “a smart, breezy expansion of the Black-ish family”.

How to access: Freeform Time commitment: 1 hour first week, 30 minutes thereafter

Rotten Do you like true crime shows and are concerned about food production? This Netflix original documentary series is tailored especially for you then. Rotten focuses on the growing global food industry, exposing the corruption, waste and dangers of your everyday eating habits. “The food industry is under full-scale assault,” the trailer narrates. “The crisis is global.”

Episodes will look at the honey industry – a scam known as Honeygate that involved smuggling in inferior honey from China via Australia to the US – alongside the rise of severe food allergies, chicken farms, organic and unpasteurized milk, and regulation of the fishing industry. The show comes from the same production company that regularly collaborates with Anthony Bourdain.

“In a world where huge global supply-chains are increasingly intertwined and consolidated, this series starts on your dinner plate… and follows the money to the shocking consequences – intended or not – of regulation, innovation and greed,” Netflix’s official description for Rotten reads.

Shop On SecondCovers

How to access: Netflix Time commitment: 6 hours

Movies: Fight Club We’re going to talk about Fight Club (sorry). The film that gave the world’s youth endlessly-quotable lines, that gave the generation some good values and some screwed-up ones, and that inspired foolish individuals to start their own fight clubs, completely missing the point the film – directed by David Fincher, and based on Chuck Palahniuk’s novel – was trying to make.

For the unaware, Fight Club stars Edward Norton as the unnamed protagonist and narrator, who’s disgruntled with his white-collar job. He visits support groups for terminal disease patients just to have someone to talk to. He meets Brad Pitt’s soap salesman on a flight one day, and starts a “fight club” with him, where they organise bare-knuckle boxing matches for people like them.

Fight Club was one of the most controversial films of the year in 1999, and though it received polarising reception from critics, it has gone on to become one of the greatest films of its time. Pitt’s acting, Fincher’s work, and the anti-consumerism message make it a must-watch.

How to access: Amazon Prime Video Time commitment: 2 hours and 19 minutes

L.A. Confidential Two decades on, it’s still a surprise that L.A. Confidential – a brilliantly written, powerfully acted, and gritty depiction of 1953 Los Angeles mixing police corruption and Hollywood – lost most Oscar categories it was nominated in to Titanic. (If you love Titanic, please go away.) But it did pick up two very well-deserved awards, Best Screenplay and Kim Basinger for Best Supporting Actress.

Basinger plays a call girl who looks a lot like a popular film star, and she becomes central to an investigation into a multiple murder at a coffee shop after two detectives – Bud White (Russell Crowe) and Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) – discover ties to the call girl service operator. The film also stars Kevin Spacey as a “Hollywood” detective, so whether that influences your decision to watch it given the recent revelations, is up to you.

L.A. Confidential is one of the best films of its era, with a 99 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 90 score on Metacritic. It’s dark, cynical, pessimistic and twisted, and it manages to craft compelling characters and wade into their psychology, while still being a taut crime thriller.

How to access: Amazon Prime Video Time commitment: 2 hours and 17 minutes

Fantastic Mr. Fox Wes Anderson has a new stop-motion animated feature on the way, and his previous venture – a comedy based on Roald Dahl’s children’s book about a fox who steals food from three mean and wealthy farmers – is a fantastic (pardon us) family adventure all-around. It’s also got a terrific voice cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, and Owen Wilson among others.

Clooney and Streep voice Mr. and Mrs. Fox, who’ve built a peaceful life for themselves after time as thieves. But after 12 years, Mr. Fox’s animal instincts pull him back into his old life as a chicken thief, which puts not just his family but the whole animal community at risk. The farmers are determined to catch him at any cost, which forces the Foxes underground.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is a whole-hearted funny romp for people of all ages, full of personality, charm, wit and emotional undercurrents, and brought to life beautifully by set designers and animation directors, alongside a wonderful score by Alexandre Desplat.

How to access: Amazon Prime Video Time commitment: 1 hour and 26 minutes

Other mentions: For those who’ve seen every movie listed above, and want something more recent, there are a few choices on Blu-ray: the Tom Cruise-starrer American Made, based on the true story of a pilot who became a drug smuggler for the Medellín Cartel in the 80s; Emma Stone and Steve Carrell in Battle of the Sexes, which is loosely based on the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs; and Ben Stiller in Brad’s Status, where he re-examines his life while on a college tour with his son.

If you’re on the lookout for more new TV, Showtime has a coming-of-age drama from Lena Waithe – Emmy-winner with Aziz Ansari for Master of None season 2’s “Thanksgiving” episode – called The Chi, with rapper Common as an executive producer. It’s set in the South Side of Chicago with Jason Mitchell (Straight Outta Compton) in the lead, who dreams of opening a restaurant. It starts Sunday in the US, and might be available on Hotstar in India, given the latter’s deal with CBS.

There’s also BBC One mini-series McMafia, inspired by journalist Misha Glenny’s book of the same name, which focuses on the British-raised son of a Russian mafia boss who’s trying to get away from the family business. You can watch it via BBC iPlayer.

Star Trek: Discovery, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, One Day at a Time, and More on Netflix in January

Beyond that, given it’s the start of the month (and year), all streaming services have added tons of new content. On Netflix, you can find the third season of Jane the Virgin; the first and only season of One Punch Man, the anime about a superhero who can kill anyone with one blow and how that depresses him, and both versions of Fullmetal Alchemist, the 2003 one that was made before the manga was complete, and the 2009 edition Brotherhood that’s more faithful to the source material.

Meanwhile, Hotstar now has every single episode of The X-Files, starting from the first episode in 1993 to the latest one that came out this week (as mentioned earlier). It has also brought back The Wire – one of the greatest series of all-time – in addition to all nine seasons of 24, and all 12 seasons of Bones.

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[robertkstone]

Crowning a Singular Champion: Behind the Scenes at 2018 Motor Trend Car of the Year

The 2018 Motor Trend Car of the Year program started out as so many of them have for the past seven years: with me stopping off to grab three bottles of good whiskey—to be consumed in the evenings once our cast and crew were safely ensconced at our hotel, naturally. As James Joyce wrote in Ulysses, “The bards must drink and junket.” To put it in the parlance of our times, we had 46 cars to test and evaluate in two weeks of intense Mojave Desert heat and wind. Do you know how much bickering that could entail? A good stiff drink or two is essential for inspired debate.

Before the editors arrived to judge the field subjectively, our hard-bitten advance team of testing director Kim Reynolds, road test editor Chris Walton, and associate road test editor Erick Ayapana spent a week at the Hyundai Kia Proving Grounds. These guys ran our field through endless 0–60 dashes, 60–0 halts, quarter-mile blasts, dizzying figure eights, and anything else that could place a quantifiable number to the relative performance of our field. To say this trio (along with number cruncher Alan Lau) looked spent is an understatement. Now it was the judges’ turn to take the wheel. Kim and Chris joined the panel to be sure the empirical data was fairly included in our deliberations.

After a small delay due to air travel, the 11 judges were assembled at the vast blackness of the proving grounds’ vehicle dynamics area, better known as the VDA. At this point we do our walkarounds based on comprehensive notes explaining why each particular new car is at Car of the Year, what’s new if it’s a refresh, and what it competes against. Unlike what comes later on (the fighting!), our walkarounds are lighthearted and, frankly, fun. You can usually find international bureau chief Angus MacKenzie huddled up with our legendary guest judges Tom Gale and Chris Theodore guffawing about some mangled attempt at an A-pillar, me talking over everyone else, and editor-in-chief Ed Loh screaming at us to stay on target because we’re running out of daylight.

Walkarounds are a little bit of shoptalk, a little bit of design critique, and whole lot of tire kicking. This year’s greatest moment occurred when features editor Christian Seabaugh decided to remove the hood from one of the Smart Fortwo EDs. The hood, which I think would be better referred to as a “quote hood,” is not hinged or even permanently attached to the Smart. It’s cabled to it, like a leash on a surfboard. I guess if it flies off in a crash, you won’t have to walk far to find it. I mention this because it took us about five minutes to figure out how to reattach the “hood.” The best part was that it baffled Chris Theodore, the former head of engineering for both Chrysler and Ford. There we were, standing around, trying to figure out a way to get it reconnected. Hot tip: do not remove.

With walkarounds complete and our collective brains stuffed chock-full of new knowledge, it was time to make the 35-mile schlepp to our hotel in the high-desert hamlet of Tehachapi. Christian and I volunteered to take the Tesla Model 3—even though that meant getting up 30 minutes before everyone else the next day so we could hook it up to the Supercharger in Mojave. Like all Teslas, the newest one is loaded with Easter eggs. Click down four times on the cruise control lever, and you enter Rainbow Road, which shows a moving rainbow on the instrument cluster and plays the audio from the “More Cowbell” skit from Saturday Night Live. There are a few other options to play around with, as well. There’s Mars Rover mode, which turns the nav screen into the Martian surface and the directional arrow into what I guess is Tesla’s Mars rover. Because, you know, Elon Musk wants to go to Mars. There’s also an egg that changes the central screen to a doodle pad. I’m not going to tell you what NSFW things Christian and I drew on the Tesla’s screen, but we laughed for 20 minutes straight.

Heading to the Supercharger in the morning, we happened to pass a massive gas station under construction on Tehachapi’s main drag. Driving past it in the Model 3 left me with an incongruous feeling. Who’s out of touch? Tesla or the coming-soon petrol palace? Heading down Highway 58 and seeing what must be thousands and thousands of electricity-generating windmills, you get the feeling that Tesla knows something others don’t. That said, after more than an hour of charging, the Model 3’s battery still wasn’t full, and we were forced to call in the cavalry (visual assets czar and COTY whisperer Brian Vance) because we couldn’t be late to the morning briefing. It seemed to us that the baby Tesla doesn’t supercharge nearly as quickly as the Model S and X.

After some procedural words from the fine folks at Hyundai Kia and a warning from executive editor Mark Rechtin to keep the notes regarding our 46 cars short and pithy (we tend to overwrite), it was time to begin the monumental task of hacking our massive field of contenders down to a more reasonable, manageable group of finalists. Motor Trend’s Car of the Year is the hardest two weeks of work within the auto industry. I’m going to put in a plug for our process. Unlike our main competitor, which quits when it gets to the point we reach after two initial days (they hand out some sort of participation trophy/everyone’s-a-winner award), after we’ve identified the top candidates, we keep on going before declaring an actual Car of the Year. It sure ain’t easy. But the reward for our due diligence, at least on the first day, was tacos.

As is often the case, there’s a contest within a contest, a race within a race. At Car of the Year, the secret competition is who can eat the most of Wantacos’ delicious creations. First thing that needs to be said is that Ed cheats every year. See, real tacos have two soft corn tortilla shells (if you’re not from California, I’m sorry to break this news to you). But every year, Ed asks for his tacos with only one shell. Blasphemous gringo? Absolutely, but he’s also into being thin. Weirdo. Whatever his motivation, the result is just straight-up cheating. Who actually wins isn’t a matter for public record, but the industry as a whole might be shocked to learn that the photo and video crew routinely out-eats the editors. That’s because while the editors are driving in air-conditioned splendor, the visual assets crew is running around in the desert scrub, seeking out the just-right vantage point to shoot their art while hot-footing it past some of nature’s nastier creatures. Tacos ingested, we head back out for more of the same. The first day concludes with all 11 judges having driven somewhere between 20 and 25 cars. The photographers are cashed out. Useless zombies, we eat some pizza and pass out. The whiskey stays sealed.

Morning brings the highlight of the entire event: Tom’s design showcase. We could charge money for this. We should. Tom is the former head of design for Chrysler during a golden era and the person behind the first-generation Dodge Viper. What more do you need to know? Every year Tom lines up all the contenders in a specific nonrepeating order then analyzes them one by one, explaining what it is we’re actually looking at. Tom—and to a large, though secondary, degree, Chris Theodore—hits us with all the industry speak we can handle. Gesture, grain and gloss, surfacing, horizon lines—they don’t talk down to us, but those two are way over all our heads. Anyhow, Tom is very careful not to tell us what to think but rather to explain how a design works. Why we like what we like or dislike what we dislike. “Whoever designed this should be arrested,” barked Tom as we walked up to the new Honda Odyssey. In Tom’s defense, he’s right.

After a day spent sprinting to track-test the rest of the field, it’s 4 p.m. and time to start cutting down the field. All 11 judges pack into a room, guzzle enough La Croix and Gatorade to fill a hot tub, and start eliminating the cars we don’t think have a snowball’s chance in the Mojave of being Car of the Year. This isn’t a pretty process even when we’re in agreement. When the Smart ED was dismissed for having only a 58-mile range, technical director Frank Markus said, “Thank God. Could you imagine spending 300 miles in one? That should be against the Geneva Convention!” It got cruel from there. “This is as far from the ultimate driving machine as they’ve gone,” said Chris Theodore about the BMW 5 Series. After Detroit editor Alisa Priddle explained how much she enjoyed the “More Cowbell” in the Model 3, Angus weighed in with his feelings: “I hate f—ing cowbell.” When we got to the Lincoln Continental, a person who shall remain anonymous began defending the car. “There’s a lot of money to be made from this level of tastelessness.” At one point, things got so heated that Mark sardonically blurted out, “Let’s just piss off every automaker, shall we?”

However, one large theme emerged after the “discussion.” The Korean car industry is on the ascent. Two Kias made the final cut—the surprisingly good Rio and the impressive Stinger, making up 25 percent of the finalists—and the Hyundai Elantra GT Sport was our bubble car, meaning it almost came along for the final two days. “Good value, good warranty? No! Good cars,” Chris Walton said of the Korean entries. Angus said if he were Japan, he’d be worried. The room agreed.

Speaking of Japan, we took an unusual step with the Honda Civic Type R, electing to not only bring it along as a finalist but also to separate it out from its lesser brethren, specifically the Si. See, the Civic itself was actually new two years ago and was a finalist in our 2016 competition. We dig that car. In fact, the Civic went on to win one of our Big Tests, straight-up beating every other car in its class. We view the Civic Si as a variant of the Civic we already know and love and therefore not Car of the Year material. The Civic Type R? An entirely different animal.

I’ve rarely witnessed so many people so impressed by a performance car. Angus crowed it’s the most impressive car from Honda since the original NSX. I kept asking the question, “What if the new NSX was this good? Hell, half this good?” Using the excuse/insider knowledge that the Type R is actually designed and built by a crew in the U.K., as opposed to Ohio, we took the unusual, probably unprecedented step of bringing the Type R along as a stand-alone finalist.

Anyhow, we had our Elite Eight.

That night we finally broke into the liquor and even a couple of cigars.  If Tom’s design showcase is the part of Car of the Year evaluations we could profit from, then knocking back a couple while talking shop about the car industry is the part that would cost us. Tales and truths are told. Boardroom dramas revealed. Due to the possibility of personal defamation lawsuits, perhaps the less said here, the better.

The Finalists

The next morning began our standard finalist drive loops. Because we had gotten our high-speed thrills out of our system at the proving grounds, for the most part the loops were uneventful. (I got pulled over by a friendly Tehachapi officer for something or another but was let go with a warning.)

The talk at lunch was mostly about how good all the finalists are and how the argument the next day should be a knock-down, drag-out type of affair. I developed some sort of flu and headed back to my room as soon as the loops were done. Everyone else went off on a photo shoot and then dinner.

A pounding on my door woke me up at around 9:30 p.m. It was Ed and Frank. They wanted the whiskey. I handed over three bottles. Two of them came back the next day.

We had four loops left the following morning, then lunch, and then the main event. Of the eight finalists we brought along, seven were deemed competent enough to take home the Golden Calipers. After shining on the test track, the Lexus LC 500h had failed to impress us out in the real world. We probably should have brought along the V-8, but the thinking was that because Toyota has built its rep as the leader in hybrid tech, bringing along the gas/electric LC 500h was the smart play. Turned out we brought the right car, but only because it made our decision-making process easier. With such stiff competition you’d think that the deliberations would be testy. For the most part, though, they weren’t, with several cars being billed as “great car, just not Car of the Year.”

If there was a single car I think most judges would have stolen, it was the Porsche Panamera Turbo. Yes, sure, of course, it starts at $147,950, but have you driven it? Forget about straight-line speed (0–60 in 3.0 seconds, quarter mile in 11.4 seconds at 121.2 mph), on the winding track the 550-horsepower, 4,662-pound big-dog Turbo cornered so hard that the windshield wiper fluid sloshed out of its container and across the windshield. It happened to me! That said, the “little” 4,498-pound twin-turbo V-6 4S Panamera was pretty sweet in its own right.

Although either Porsche constitutes a legitimate finalist, the decision was made to bring the 4S—not the Turbo—along. I gotta tell you, I was against this. However, most people felt the Turbo constituted “too much.” I’m not s from PerformanceJunk WP Feed 3 http://ift.tt/2BjR3IP via IFTTT

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[craigmoore-blog]

Nobody Does It Better?

On the 5th October 1962, at the London Pavillion, a British icon transported himself from the pages of Ian Fleming’s best-selling novels and on to the big screen. At the edge of a baccarat table in a casino somewhere in England, Sean Connery announced himself to the world as James Bond with the class, assurance and snobbery that would come to define the character over the next twenty-four films and fifty years.

Dr. No, the very first Bond film based off Fleming’s book of the same name, was a massive success - it’s box office intake was quadruple that of its budget despite initial mixed critical reception. It introduced several (but not all) of the elements that the franchise would become famous for; Terence Young’s lavish direction made perfect use of Cuba’s beautiful shorelines and established Connery and the female lead Ursula Andress as two of the biggest sex icons of the 60′s. It brought to life the first of the franchise’s enduring villains, Dr. Julius No (played by Joseph Wiseman), and also gave audiences their first look at Production designer Ken Adams’ elaborate visual style that would become a hallmark of both the series and cinema of the era in general. And, to top it all off, the conducting prowess of future Academy Award winner John Barry gave rise to one of film’s great signature music themes.

These successes were elevated even further over the next four films. The popularity of Connery (a man who Fleming originally disapproved of as Bond) skyrocketed until he left the role after the release of You Only Live Twice in 1967. The technical aspects and overall vibe of the 60′s Bond films were innovative and groundbreaking for the time. The introduction of the character through the point of view of the now iconic gunbarrel sequence, and the title sequence designed by Maurice Binder accompanied by the specifically written title song, as well as franchise’s use of gadgets and technology was unlike anything audiences had seen up until that point.

The creative and box office high that Bond went through under Connery in the 60′s was never truly matched by any of the five actors who stepped into his tuxedo, but the series still enjoyed great success thanks to the formula that was established previously - the mix of the master villain with a diabolical scheme of destruction or domination, glamorous locations and beautiful women, fine liquor tasting, fast cars, gadgets and elaborate action sequences all ensured that audiences kept returning to the theatre to watch James Bond save the world. A British icon became a worldwide phenomenon.

However, somewhere along the way, Bond stopped being the trend-setter he once was. Each actor imprinted their own personality on the character, sure, but it wasn’t the acting that became the problem. When Moonraker was released in 1979, it was a blatantly obvious attempt to cash in on the popularity of Star Wars, released two years previously. Bond was no longer the innovator.

By the time Pierce Brosnan hung up his holster and handed in his tuxedo after 2002′s Die Another Day, it was time for the series to hit the reset button and fully reboot itself. Even by the franchise’s crazy standards, the Irishman’s last outing featured invisible cars, ice palaces and tsunamis that were more suited to the ridiculousness of Vin Diesel’s xXx instead of Bond. Brosnan has successfully brought the character across the fallen Berlin Wall with GoldenEye - a fan-favourite entry and one of the biggest films of 1995, but poor scripts and a bigger focus on 90′s blockbuster action as opposed to mystery and intrigue left a large portion of fans increasingly frustrated. The changes in the real world following events such as 9/11 and the Iraq War led to a change of taste - overblown, fantasy driven action heroes were not popular for the time being and Bond found itself temporarily out of fashion. The sudden popularity of a certain Matt Damon-led action franchise changed audience expectations when it came to western action cinema.

When Daniel Craig controversially stepped into the role in 2006 with Casino Royale (a modernised adaptation of Fleming’s first Bond novel), it was met with acclaim and became the second biggest Bond film of all time. Craig was praised with bringing some humanity to the character and for grounding the film with some semblance of realism. While his sophomore effort, Quantum of Solace, wasn’t nearly as well received (many felt it too closely resembled a Bourne film rather than a Bond film), it was also a huge success. It wasn’t until the release of Skyfall in 2012, however, that “Bondmania” was to make its first appearance since the Connery era. In the franchise’s 50th anniversary, the anticipation for the film was massive. Months of marketing time was spent making sure every corner of the world knew there was a new Bond film coming soon. As a result of this (and the glowing reviews upon release), Skyfall became the highest grossing Bond film of all time (unadjusted for inflation) and the first to make more than a Billion dollars at the box office. Director Sam Mendes returned in 2015 with Spectre, which was met with a mixed reception due to its retconning of the four previous Craig storylines and its inconsistent tone and performances. Despite its flaws, Spectre still grossed almost 900 million dollars worldwide.

However, the mixed reception of both critics and fans to the latest film has brought up many questions about the enduring creative viability of the series in general. As even the most brief search on Google will testify, several horrible films have made incredibly huge profits over the years. Now, I am not saying that Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre are horrible films (Okay, Quantum is pretty bad) but they most certainly have revealed the noose that hangs around Eon Productions’ neck. And that noose is the formula that they themselves created in the 60′s - the “Bond Formula”.

As I mentioned before, when we refer to the “Bond Formula”, we are referring to the iconic elements established in the Connery era - the template that nearly every film followed until Casino Royale in 2006. Gadgets, Martinis, Cars and Women. However, Craig’s first film dispensed with nearly all of these elements or at least strived to include them in a natural way. Classic characters like Q and Moneypenny were left out of the story, which instead focused on Bond’s first mission and depicted him as an angry, cocky rookie. Royale, directed by Martin Campbell, felt fresh. It felt unique. It was a Bond we hadn’t seen before. It promised a bright new future for the series. 

However, the three films that followed, while still anchored by a commanding performance from Craig, suffered from an identity crisis. Under Sam Mendes, a director of unquestionable talent, the series has still somehow gone from fresh and revitalised to self-conscious and ridiculous in the space of two films. Ian Fleming’s James Bond was not a particularly interesting character. He was a bit of a bastard, really. A highly prejudiced tool of the state, if you will. He was a faceless assassin who knew his days were numbered, so he spends the majority of his time indulging in the finer pleasures of life. Mendes, and Eon for that matter, have hopped on the reboot bandwagon started in such wonderful fashion by Christopher Nolan with Batman Begins. Instead of revelling in James Bond’s mystery and charm (even Fleming viewed Bond more as an expression of male desires and fantasy than anything else) they have attempted to add “layers”. These attempts culminated with the rebooted Bond-Blofeld stepbrother fiasco that tipped Spectre off the creative cliff last year. But, at the same time, while they attempt to demystify the character, they’ve awkwardly adhered to the formula and continually reference the elements that once were so great about the character.

This creates a horrible juxtaposition that is almost apologetic in nature. The message you are subjected to, at the end of the second act of Spectre, is “look at how we have deconstructed this hero and brought him into the modern age. But also, look at how great he once was!”

Ironically, in an attempt to stay fresh, the series has become more stale than ever. And even more ironically, other franchises have infused more Bondian elements to huge success. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, the fifth installment of that Tom Cruise franchise, is more of a Bond film than Spectre is.

With another production hiatus expected for the forseeable future thanks to the current lack of a distributor for the films, and the possible departure of Craig from the role as a result, perhaps it may be time for Eon to re-evaluate their creative attitude to the series and create a long term plan for once. They owe it to the legion of fans who helped ensure that Bond is the fourth most successful franchise in history. 

One answer may involve binning the “Bond formula” entirely, but who knows for sure until you try? Sometimes other people do it better. There’s nothing wrong with that.

[itsworn]

1968 Plymouth Hemi GTX Has Traveled From Michigan to Hawaii—More Than Once!

It is a given that rare coins travel, but so do collector cars. We first encountered this pristine Medium Dark Turquoise Metallic 1968 Hemi GTX at St. Ignace, Michigan, back in 1999. It was our intent to photograph the car, but due to inclement weather we missed the opportunity.

Fast-forward to 2012. We are on the Big Island of Hawaii attending the 10-day cross-island cruising extravaganza known as Cruise Paradise. Parked in the registration area at event sponsor Kama’aina Motors Dodge-Ram-Jeep was a very familiar metallic turquoise 1968 GTX with a black vinyl top. It said “Hemi” on the front vanity plate and on the rear Michigan license plate. Thinking that perhaps one of the locals may have purchased the Mopar stateside (a common practice in the 50th state), I went off in search of its current owner. Then someone introduced me to Michigander Dan McGladdery.

Dan grew up in Detroit. His father Bill worked as the sales manager at Dearborn’s Bob Ford back in the day when the hottest Henrys from Ford’s Total Performance Era rumbled through its doors. Now, young Dan may have very well gone on to become a Ford man had it not been for the fact that his dad managed to acquire controlling interest in Grand Rapids, Michigan’s Wonderland Dodge, and that is where Master McGladdery learned the ins and outs of Mopars. On the weekends, he and friend Tom Russell learned the fine art of drag racing out at Martin, Michigan, “practicing” with Danny’s 273ci, 1965 Dodge Dart.

“Tom coached me how to cut a light,” Dan recalls. “I won my first trophy with that car. In fact, I beat the local hero who had been undefeated in class for the last six weeks.” Dan continued working at new car dealerships from the 1970s into the new millennium with stints as the parts manager at local GM, Volkswagen, and Datsun dealerships, all the while keeping an hand in the Mopar side of the collector car hobby with cars like a 1969 Charger, a 1969 Super Bee six-pack, and a big-block 1972 Duster. Then in 1998, Dan bought his prized street Hemi. Dan says, “Mopar collector Lewis Kannellis had the car listed in Hemmings along with a Plymouth Road Runner, which I had originally been keen on buying. But once I saw the GTX, which listed for $16,000, had 35,000 miles on the odometer and sported the original numbers-matching Hemi under the hood, I said ‘I’ll take it!’”

Upon closer inspection, Dan found the GTX to be a “50-foot car,” as he describes it. The front fenders had come off two different cars, and the driver-side door and decklid had been replaced, too. “The thing had definitely been ridden hard and put away wet.”

Dan and his son Martin began work on the GTX by rebuilding the 3.23-geared, 8 3/4-inch rearend and the torsion-bar front suspension, adding items like a Sox & Martin solid pinion snubber and heavy-duty, gas-charged shock absorbers. The wheels on the GTX are Ford-bolt-pattern 15×8 Magnum 500s because, in Dan’s opinion, Mopar didn’t offer a 15-inch wheel that year that looked good enough.

When it came to the engine, father and son and a friend, Mike McDonald, were largely responsible for bringing the old Hemi back to life after it expired after three years of faithful service. The numbers-matching block was line honed and balanced, and the stock street Hemi crank was micropolished to perfection. A new set of 10.25:1-compression TRW forged-aluminum pistons was matched to the reconditioned street Hemi connecting rods. A Ray Barton street Hemi camshaft was also installed. Muscle Motors street-ported the OE Hemi heads and installed all new Mopar Performance valvetrain hardware.

The entire bottom end was reconditioned using a new Melling high-volume oil pump and pickup inside a Mancini Racing 8-quart oil pan. The OE 2×4 Carter intake was likewise blueprinted, and the street Hemi ignition system has been upgraded to fully electronic components. Engine cooling was enhanced with the inclusion of a Flow Kooler high-flow water pump. And lastly, TTI headers and exhaust were installed. Backing it up is a Chrysler 727 TorqueFlite transmission using a Dynamic torque converter and a combination of Mancini Racing and A&A internals. Credit for smoothing out the GTX’s mismatched sheetmetal goes to local body man Jeff Klekota. Once ready for paint, the GTX was resprayed in the original code-K Medium Dark Turquoise Metallic hue with multiple coats of clear.

When it came to the interior, McGladdery installed a YearOne OE black vinyl upholstery kit. Other upgrades include an Auto Meter tachometer and gauges, and an RJS driver-side lap belt. Completed just in time for the 1998 running of the St. Ignace Car Show, Dan’s GTX has been a feature car and the winner of Top 40 honors twice. But you may still be wondering how the Hemi get all the way over to Hawaii.

“I had read about cruising the Big Island of Hawaii as far back as 2007, and had seen an installment of My Classic Car with host Dennis Gage covering the 2009 event,” says Dan. “That’s when I started emailing people trying to find out more about the show. I latched on to fellow street Hemi owner Darryl Turner, who ran the local Dodge dealership, and found out that the event only ran every three years.

“In 2012 my son Martin and I made our first trip over with the car and discovered what the Aloha Spirit truly meant. The GTX was an absolute ball to drive around the Big Island of Hawaii, and everybody loved it. We won back-to-back Long Distance Awards in 2012 and 2015, and we’ll be back again in 2018. She may be old and kind of cantankerous, but she certainly makes people smile!”

At a Glance

1968 GTX Hemi Owned by: Dan McGladdery, Grand Rapids, MI Restored by: Owner; Martin McGladdery; Mike McDonald; Jeff Klekota Engine: 426ci/425hp Hemi V-8 Transmission: 727 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic Rearend: 8 3/4 with 3.23 gears Interior: Black vinyl bucket seat Wheels: 15×8 Magnum 500 Tires: 225/70R15 BFGoodrich Radial T/A

Both Dan McGladdery’s Hemi GTX and your author are well traveled. I shot the B-Body along the Grand River near Dan’s Grand Rapids home. The GTX is a regular at local events like St. Ignace, the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise, and the Traverse City Cherry Festival. It has also visited the Big Island of Hawaii a couple of times.

Dan and the GTX enjoy a little liquid sunshine while on the Big Island’s Cruise Paradise, heading south on Interstate 11 toward Keaau.

The numbers-matching street Hemi was expertly rebuilt by Dan, his son Martin, and Mike McDonald. The rebuild included a Ray Barton cam, Muscle Motors street ported heads, a Flow Kooler high-flow water pump, and TTI custom exhaust.

Dan jokes that during the interior’s revamp, he consulted with the countermen at YearOne by telephone so many times that the employees got to know him by voice. Interior upgrades include an Auto Meter tachometer and gauge trio, and an RJS Safety lap belt for the driver.

Described by its owner as “ridden hard and put away wet,” the GTX had been in a few fender-benders. Both front fenders, the driver-side door, and the decklid had been replaced. Local body man Jeff Klekota smoothed everything out prior to repainting the GTX in the original factory shade of Medium Dark Turquoise Metallic.

The trim tag decodes as a real-deal GTX hardtop Hemi car with the automatic transmission, built on December 14.

Two more shots from the Cruise Paradise trip on the Big Island: Chugging over Luapahoehoe Gulch without even the slightest (mechanical) complaint; pulling into Big Island Candies, one of the tour’s most popular stops.

Dan says his GTX gets maybe 12 mpg “downhill,” but we applaud him for using it the way it was intended!

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[itsworn]

The 2017 York Nostalgia Weekend Honors the Drag Racing Stars and Cars of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s

For fans of East Coast racing history, the second weekend of July has been the best time to come to the hills of central Pennsylvania, as the combined York Nostalgia show and accompanying York US30 Nostalgia Nationals takes place, honoring the heritage of the stars and cars from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The pair of shows has been a dedicated celebration of speed for 12 years now. Indeed, this year featured a TV crew from France as well as local news organizations, with nonstop activity from the opening on Friday through the last pass down the 1,320 on Sunday evening.

The show portion is held at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing in York Springs, located on the Latimer Valley Fairgrounds 20 miles north of Gettysburg. Promoted by longtime NHRA Division Director Darwin Doll; his wife, Pat; and a crew of volunteers, York Nostalgia was created to honor the racing heritage of the now-defunct track/airport near the city of York. York US30 Dragway operated from 1959-1979 and was the location of several major races. With a large number of automotive enthusiasts based in the surrounding states, the show moved to the museum location two years ago and is again growing.

Among the special activities are the Legion of Honor ceremonies on Friday, where gasser pilot Gene Altizer, longtime NHRA racer Al Brown, and photographer (and Deluxe contributor) Bob McClurg were among the 2017 inductees. This was also titled Dave Strickler Day, with a special afternoon discussion among his noted associates and family. George Curetan’s newly completed Tokyo Rose sedan delivery was there, as was George and other racers.

Saturday saw a large turnout for the annual car show, which Doll calls “Cruising Into Summer.” More than 100 cars came from around the region to participate. Meanwhile, there were other cars invited to display all around the museum grounds, a swap meet, ongoing seminar programs, gatherings for group photos, and more. The Best of Show award this year went to a gorgeous ’59 Chevrolet Apache pickup owned by Carl Lynes, whose appearance summed up the event quite well. The grand finale was a Cackling Thunder fire-up session before people packed up for the next day.

By then, action was already under way 90 miles north, where Bob and Donna Marie McCardle hosted racers, fans, and even campers at the Beaver Springs Dragway. The wide, grassy aprons; quaint tower; and personal hospitality make this perhaps the ultimate nostalgia racing facility. Though they run a selection of eliminators on Saturday, the big day is Sunday, the annual York US30 Nostalgia Nationals. This year had eight classes of racing plus a select group of exhibition cars. No body style later than 1972 is allowed to run, no whining permitted, and leave your delay box at home. It is old school all the way, including a qualifying session that is flag-started. The track had its own Legends of Drag Racing program, then more than 200 cars made the first round call, including more than three dozen Nostalgia Super Stockers and several grouped exhibition racers like the Ohio Gassers and Pure Vintage Drags.

What always makes the weekend special is the people: friends seen year after year, racers who tow in from far away just to enjoy the scene, and a solidarity with the past. Why is this a great event? Think back on the heroes of racing, the colorful cars they ran, and the less-stressful era they existed in. The clock turns back for one weekend each year for those memories and new ones, and you can look forward to more of them.

First Time: The era of Junior Stock roared to life as Junior Stock racers George Curetan and Wayne Jesel raced each other for the first time in history. Neither could recall a time they had met in eliminations back in the day, and they always ran cars in different classes. Curetan had not lost his touch and was off the line first in the faster car to take it. Jesel later raced the Daddy Warbucks Falcon and won with a 7-second handicap.

Junior Stock Heroes: The men joked before the impromptu race at Beaver Springs on Sunday morning. Curetan (left) won the 1967 NHRA World Championship at Tulsa, and his tribute Tokyo Rose sedan delivery came in courtesy Mike and Connie Szczepanski of Winona, Minnesota. Jesel’s tribute was completed about three years ago, but this was his first time driving it on the track in a race environment. These kinds of reunions have helped establish the weekend’s legacy for fans.

Best of Show: Carl Lynes’ beautifully restored ’59 Chevy Apache pickup was the victor in the Saturday Cruising Into Summer car show, as the wonderfully refinished truck won Best of Show honors. While some might want to make it a little bigger and badder, it would be a perfect evening driver to the ice cream store just as it is.

Dave’s Day: Here is the Larry Brinkley-owned ’62 409 Impala with Ammon R. Smith and Jenkins Competition lettering. Its driver, the late Dave Strickler, was honored with a Dave Strickler Day this year, which included friends recounting his career with much of his family present. A number of them talked about the FX days at York, when Strickler was willing to spot cars a half-track length and still row through the gears to beat them.

Big John Tribute: Rocky Pirrone’s Big John Mazmanian race-ready Willys tribute was placed in the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing drag racing hall for display. The EMMR uses the wall behind it for sponsorship bricks, which had been widely supported by fans of all types of motorsports. There were many other notable cars on display both here and down in the show field area.

Flamed Ford: Dan Mentzell Jr.’s Tudor wasn’t the fastest car in its class, but Dan enjoyed a great weekend of racing it. The track runs quarter-mile for most classes during this event, and several quicker cars had to play catch-up with him during qualifying and racing. They had nothing on him for style points, however. The ’30 Model A has a 350ci Chevy engine and TH350 transmission with 3.25 gears in a 9-inch Ford rearend.

Winning Bucket: Meanwhile, the 2017 winner in Comp was this hot little yellow T-bucket called the Hilltown Shaker and raced by Josh Nevells, who is a regular at the event. He ran consistent times with his small-block Chevrolet combo, with just enough wheel-lift to make it interesting.

Surprise: You never know what will turn up on Sunday, which included exhibition cars and eight race classes. This Cheetah was a surprise, as the originals are rare and pricey, and few people even remember them today. Modified Production is a simple breakdown: A/MP for pre-’66 cars, B/MP for ’66-’72, and run your dial-in. A faster Comp class, two NETO groups, the East Coast gassers, Nostalgia Super Stock, and Junior Stock round it out.

Honored: Among the inductees to the Legion of Honor in 2017 was the late Al Brown, who attended and raced at the NHRA Nationals for more than 40 years. His son Tom, now a chaplain for Racers for Christ, gave a moving eulogy on the family of racers. The Legion adds new members each year, and those accolades are held in perpetual honor at the EMMR facility.

Chevy Deuce: One of the nicest period-style rods was the ’32 Chevy coupe of Podunk, Pennsylvania’s Tony Barone. Featuring a great small-block engine with the correct vintage parts and a circa-’60 scalloped paint job, the car took the top place in the Special Interest category on Saturday during the cruise-in.

Ramp Up: No award was given for the largest displayed vehicle in the show on Saturday, but Earl Metzler’s ’54 1-1/2-ton truck with its primered ’41 Willy coupe on the back ramp would have been a shoe-in. The Cruising Into Summer event featured a lot of variety this year, with an even divide between rods and muscle.

In Training: Longtime racer Mickey Hale and his football-type Austin run on the Ohio Gasser match-race circuit. Showing there is still a place for younger people in racing, his crew here included a back-up girl in training. These cars put on an amazing show with long burnouts and sometimes-violent wheelstands, while keeping the distance to 1/8-mile to maintain parts longevity.

Willys Wheelie: Once again, Mike Etchberger and his Willys gasser were stars of the wheelstanding effort, though this one would end up maxing out the suspension travel and making for a short day during round one. However, every camera in the place was focused on him each time the black primered coupe came into the water box. Go big or go home; this one goes big…

Legends: Comp racer Larry Lombardo (left), best known for driving for Bill Jenkins later in Pro Stock, recalled that his first-ever paying match race was for $20 offered by Bob McCardle the year the track opened. He took the opportunity during BSD’s Legends of Drag Racing ceremony to give the money back to Bob in appreciation, and to the cheers of the crowd.

Still Active: For a track that closed almost 30 years ago, memories and commitment remain strong. These are the former York US30 employees gathered for a photo. As can be seen from their yellow shirts, several remain active helping with the annual reunion. Darwin and Pat Doll are on the left.

Big Tent: Without the large buildings (and overhead) from the York Fairgrounds, this large tent was erected for the invited cars. It holds approximately 20 vehicles. Other cars were displayed in pavilions nearby, with a select few in the museum itself on an adjacent ridgeline.

Fired Up: For a grand finale as the show closed late Saturday afternoon, several nitro cars were fired up. A crowd gathered as Bob Bilbow warmed up the Lynwood Engineering dragster, complete with weed-burner headers and a lopey, period-type camshaft. The York events tend to gather East Coast cars, and Lynwood built cars for a number of big names in those early years of the sport “back east.”

Treasure: We do not have a clue what this poster from the late Teens/early Twenties might be worth. Barney Oldfield and his legendary Golden Submarine circle track car traveled by rail to locations nationwide for match races on fairgrounds dirt tracks like the one now restored at Latimer Valley. The EMMR museum is filled with treasures like this, and well worth a careful walk through to see it all.

Ohio George: George Montgomery made the trek up to the dragstrip on Sunday and was seated on the starting line for a quick interview. Noteworthy for his many accomplishments, the Dayton, Ohio, racer has had a well-rounded career, with drag racing titles and later management of the entire engine business for the former Indy Lights open wheel series.

Flatheads on Fuel: The Pure Vintage Racing group runs a self-contained bracket that consists of vintage, all-steel Ford-bodied or -powered cars. Running period-original speed equipment and older high-wheel Indy car tires, these cars harken back to the very earliest days of the hobby. Make the best of your paint skills, buy the pieces you need to look good and go faster, and bring it. An eighth-mile course keeps it safe, even for those flatheads on fuel. The cars run drags, salt, beach front, and more. Seven were on hand this year.

Flag Man: A tradition of the event is the flag starting of round two of Nostalgia Super Stock, handled by “Spry George” Nye, the former flag starter at York before the advent of the Christmas tree, and later its best-known announcer. Today he conducts guided bus tours at the Hershey facility near Harrisburg. On Sunday, he was playing “tuck in tight” as a combined 800-plus horsepower passed on either side.

All-409 Final: When the smoke had cleared, for the first time in the 12-year history of the race, a pair of 409 Chevys had hammered all the Fords and Mopars into oblivion before the final. Bob Conway won the race in his New Jersey-based 1963 model with runs in the 11-second zone, besting a field of almost four dozen cars that made the round one NSS call. McCardle also ran special 409, FE Ford and Hemi-only programs on Saturday for racers who wanted two days of action, as well several other classes that ran again on Sunday.

See You Next Year: Waving them off in the tradition of the region’s sprint car heritage, the mascot of the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing beckons fans to come and see the show during summer weekends. Located off of Route 15 approximately 20 miles north of Gettysburg, the museum is scheduled to play host to York Nostalgia again in 2018. For more info, log on to yorknostalgia.com for the York Reunion and beaversprings.com for the BSD Nostalgia Nationals.

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