h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So... since the week is drawing to a close, and you'll shortly have more readily available internet access ...

did you have the opportunity to watch any of the movies during your vacation week? I hope they all worked OK. Sometimes, dual-layer discs make tetchy copies.

Incidentally, if you know the name of that Dylan Moran stand-up DVD you'd mentioned, I know someone who might enjoy it. What was it called?

It's going to be quite warm here this weekend. I think we may pick up an additional oscillating fan while I wait for my landlord to get off his ass and switch my A/C unit on. It's not like I can climb up on the roof and do it myself- you've heard what kind of damage I can do falling a mere three-and-a-half feet. Three *stories* would be courting disaster...

Hope you had a fun week off.

I have had, thank you. my actual birthday on the Wednesday wasn't that amazing - I had a nice game of Iranian Rules Snooker with Mark, that was the highlight - but Tuesday I went to Felixstowe and had a serious long walk in the sunshine which did wonders, and Si took me out there again yesterday to fleece a bookshop for Mary (it's her b'day today).

Three and a half feet, that's quite a way for you! Reminds me of Mrs. Doyle at the window.

I didn't have a specific Dylan stand-up show in mind but I know there are some good ones out there. There might be some snatches around on 'tube. I did watch Seventh Seal yesterday, and loved it. It wasn't quite as weird as I was imagining but fascinating all the same, and even funny some times.

Tonight Tom's coming over with Pan's Labyrinth, at last.

I'll be sending a couple of CDs over next week, I hope you enjoy. A word about Dub Side Of The Moon though, you're going to want to skip track 2 "On The Run" which is pure drum and bass, even I can't stand it. The rest is either gorgeous, or hilarious, or both.

Hope the heat doesn't affect you too harshly, it's hinting at getting a bit humid here now. Unless you read the Daily Mail, we're all going to fry any day.

Was Pop Overthrown??

>Three and a half feet, that's quite a way for you! Reminds me of Mrs. Doyle at the window<

Bite me. Mrs. Doyle at the window is actually a reasonably fair comparison, though...

I'd meant to wish you a happy birthday before the fact. Arse. Happy belated birthday!

I'll poke around for some Dylan material on YouTube- good idea. I tend to forget about all of these newfangled internet thingies.

We haven't seen "Pan's Labyrinth" yet, either. It's in the queue; the USAnian DVD release is May 15th. I've heard some comments to the effect that it was a bit overrated, critically, but still quite enjoyable, so I am sure I'll like it regardless. Enjoy!

Oh, and I don't know as that Pop was totally Overthrown. Apparently Sunday afternoons don't draw a huge crowd, and they were the second act. The queen working the door actually made me pay the cover charge- I had to set the cymbal bag down to fish the money out of my purse. Whatever- it looked to me like he needed it to buy himself a replacement for his Prada knockoff bag.

It was a good show, though. They sounded really tight. Quite an accomplishment, considering the music-muffling acoustics of the venue...

Thanks in advance for the CD! I'll have to inflict some more goodies on you at a later date, as well.

Thanks for the birthday wishes I'll let you know how I get on with Pan. Then it's time for something a bit more intellectual (Santa Claus Conquers The Martians, perhaps)

Pan's Labyrinth was amazing. Entirely up to the hype, breathtaking and brutal in equal measure. You are going to love it, I guarantee.

Look what Tom got me. It's about the size of a broadsheet newspaper, chunky and chock full of incredible images.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cosmos-Field-Guide-Giles-Sparrow/dp/1905204299

Wow! That's awesome! Looks like a gorgeous book.

I'll definitely look forward to seeing "Pan's Labyrinth", then. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it. We'll hopefully see it within a few weeks. Sometimes we wait a little longer for new releases because we have around 300 titles in the queue and manage turnaround along the lines of 2-3 discs per week.

Up to anything else exciting this weekend? I'm planning to do as little as possible.

Amen to that! I went to a party at Gina's last night, had a greattime but I'm feeling a little fragile today. Since I'm back to work tomorrow I'm going to take it easy too, put some CDs together and watch some more movies. I got Hellboy at the boot sale just now, but have quite a few to get through yet...

A 300-film queue is quite some challenge; I wish I had that sort of long-term vision! Enjoy whatever you're up to, and the rest of your weekend.

Feeling a bit hung over, eh?

Yesterday was nice and relaxing, as planned. I did a very little bit of tidying up, a couple loads of laundry, and ran the dishwasher. Otherwise, we watched a couple of movies. Watched "O Lucky Man!" last night, which I hadn't seen for about 20 years or so. I seem to remember really liking it then, but last night I found it a bit boring. I wonder if it was because I was feeling kind of tired and run down...

This afternoon, we're planning a foray to a local Cineplex for a matinee viewing of "Grindhouse". That'll keep us out of trouble for a few hours.

Were you a fan of "Apocalypse Now?" If so, I've got a DVD you might appreciate a copy of.

I countered the hangover by drinking more. I love the smell of nosebleed in the morning.

Who wouldn't love a masterpiece like Apocalypse Now? I'm curious what you're referring to if not that, but I like the sound of it. I've found myself moved to an Upwardly-Mobile White-Trash Heart Of Darkness these days... great view but I really don't belong there. My friends are begging me to move closer to them.

Watched the two MST3K movies yesterday. Jesus Christ! Some amazingly bad movies there. Manos The Hands Of Fate was particularly challenging, but Joe and the robots were typically entertaining, given what they had to work with... I loved the "poopie reel" on Manos too, that was excellent. It reminded me of that one you gave me before, which I stupidly passed on to someone with a multi-region. The one with the giant crickets clambering over Chicago. Damn, I miss it now (and Space Ghost).

Sent CDs to you this morning. Padded it out with a bit of World music you might appreciate - an album of stuff that Peter Gabriel drew from for his soundtrack to Last Temptation Of Christ, for one. Dub Side Of The Moon, Lawnmower Deth and all that noise. And that one album with that one track.

I'd love to know what you made of Grindhouse, looking forward to that - Planet Of Terror sounds particularly good. Hope you enjoyed it. I'm Peter Graves.

Just read your other post. Glad you did!

Oh, but the badness of the movies is what makes the MST3K boys' comments so damn funny...

Yeah, we loved "Grindhouse". Gawd, did it kick ass. "Planet Terror" made me laugh out loud more times than I could count; "Death Proof" had me squirming in my seat- had to cover my eyes once or twice. The suspense nearly killed me.

What I've got is a little compilation of "Apocalypse Now" short parodies called, appropriately, "A Parody Now". With such titles as "A Pile Of Gifts Now" (starring Rudolph) and "Apoohcalypse Now", with none other than Winnie himself. I about pooped myself. Will send you a copy- wear plastic pants.

PS- I think the funniest damn thing about "Manos" was the preternaturally HUGE knees...

I did look at that and thought "either that guy has gout, or John Holmes has competition."

And I love the sound of A Parody Now.

http://www.b3ta.com/questions/graffiti/post77982/

Got your parcel yesterday evening- thank you! I haven't listened to The Divine Comedy yet, but I might have an idea what track 12 sounds like. Anyway, how cool- thanks! Other than that, the only bits I checked out were from "Dub Side of the Moon". Perhaps not *exactly* my usual "thing", but hey, anything obscure or obtuse is worth having available to annoy my coworkers.

Have you heard Konono No. 1? My friend Edward the Bonobo told me about them a year or so ago... we have one CD and I can sneak a track or two into another comp CD when I send A Parody Now over.

Kee-rist, is A Parody Now funny.

Haven't heard of Konono No 1, look forward to finding out. Hope you can enjoy *some* of the stuff I sent you, if only for the novelty..

Money's looking tight for the next couple of months, phone and electric bills looming, so I might not get to that festival after all. No Blockheads, no Tentacles. As the doorman said to Cthulhu.

The library toilets are out of order and I really need to piss. Take care, have a good weekend

Watched The Loved One yesterday, and loved it. Another utterly bizarre treat! I imagine that's what it might have looked like if the Coens did Ealing comedy (ignoring the Ladykillers remake). Thanks again