When the possibilities of PCs and the worldwide web were yet a huge mystery, a flick like this was considered wickedly cool ... but next to idiotic now that people carry computers in their pockets and spend most of the day online. You will just have to keep in mind that it was released at a time before it was considered a necessity to have an e-mail address.
Showing posts with label couples. Show all posts
Showing posts with label couples. Show all posts
friday flick fix:
hackers (1995)
When the possibilities of PCs and the worldwide web were yet a huge mystery, a flick like this was considered wickedly cool ... but next to idiotic now that people carry computers in their pockets and spend most of the day online. You will just have to keep in mind that it was released at a time before it was considered a necessity to have an e-mail address.
back when the world watched charles and diana
Media are currently all abuzz about the upcoming Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. Their names have recently become ubiquitous and redundant as the world's curiosity is stoked by this union.
We who were alive in 1981 can't help recalling the other royal wedding - the one of William's parents, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer.
I was too young at that time to have more than a vague recollection of it now, but I do remember that the world gushed over them for years. It was often referred to as a fairy tale romance between the heir to the throne and "a mere commoner" (or so media people said*).
* I don't know why it was ever said she was a commoner; Diana was the daughter of an Earl and was born into an aristocratic family. Oh well.
I also remember her wedding dress - a voluminous gown with the puffiest sleeves and the longest train ever - I mean, who could forget that?
Younger people might find it hideous today, but fluffy, massive gowns used to be considered beautiful. Her gown was coveted by brides and knocked-off by couturiers throughout the 1980s.
There was also much ado about her haircut, her tiara and the engagement ring.
Image from here.
I remember there were even numerous Princess Diana dolls, including a meticulously-detailed Franklin Mint collectors-item porcelain replica of her on her wedding day.
People went crazy over Diana. There was just something about her; she was regarded in her day as a paragon of beauty and charm and grace and all things (wholesome) that one would want to see in a woman. Plus, she managed to nab a prince. Little girls wanted to be her.
But of course, we know how the fairy tale ended. And I'd rather not say anything about that.
We who were alive in 1981 can't help recalling the other royal wedding - the one of William's parents, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer.
I was too young at that time to have more than a vague recollection of it now, but I do remember that the world gushed over them for years. It was often referred to as a fairy tale romance between the heir to the throne and "a mere commoner" (or so media people said*).
* I don't know why it was ever said she was a commoner; Diana was the daughter of an Earl and was born into an aristocratic family. Oh well.
I also remember her wedding dress - a voluminous gown with the puffiest sleeves and the longest train ever - I mean, who could forget that?
Younger people might find it hideous today, but fluffy, massive gowns used to be considered beautiful. Her gown was coveted by brides and knocked-off by couturiers throughout the 1980s.
There was also much ado about her haircut, her tiara and the engagement ring.
Image from here.I remember there were even numerous Princess Diana dolls, including a meticulously-detailed Franklin Mint collectors-item porcelain replica of her on her wedding day.
People went crazy over Diana. There was just something about her; she was regarded in her day as a paragon of beauty and charm and grace and all things (wholesome) that one would want to see in a woman. Plus, she managed to nab a prince. Little girls wanted to be her.
But of course, we know how the fairy tale ended. And I'd rather not say anything about that.
back when kurt ... well, kurt
I still remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news that he was gone. Heck, I still remember what I was wearing.
It was a sweltering summer morning. I was with my family in my Dad's old car, sweating in my yellow polo shirt and shorts. The radio was on, and news came in that Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home. I couldn't believe it; wanted to overreact upon hearing the horrible, horrible news, but decided I shouldn't do that in the presence of my very religious mother or she might have me exorcised.
Kurt Donald Cobain was a disturbed genius, the Byron of my generation. He popularized a whole new genre of music and demoted another. In 1991, Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit invaded the airwaves with an unpretentious aggression, giving a voice to to the pent-up emotions of the youth. Before Kurt and his guys came in, rock music was all about big hair, spandex, vocal acrobatics and theatrics. Nirvana had none of that; they introduced an edgy, unpolished flavor of anti-art - aptly called grunge - which quickly caught on and made glam rock seem like last night's leftovers.
To this day, Teen Spirit is one of the top rock tunes of all time. It's probably Nirvana's most popular hit, but it wasn't the only one. There also was the similarly testosterone-laden Come As You Are, Lithium and In Bloom, all written by Cobain. The iconic Nevermind was followed by In Utero and an MTV Unplugged album.
Grunge's come as you are philosophy sparked a fashion trend and a way of life. It was suddenly attractive to look disheveled and unkempt, admirable to be so laid-back and low-maintenance.
Alas, on the 5th of April, 1994, A drug-drowned gunshot to the head. A suicide, authorities said. Age 27, in the fashion of other rock superstars like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. His death was surrounded with controversy, as some believe it to be a murder. Read more here.
Dr. Martens Ad
Kurt went away, and grunge left with him. There was suddenly a void where he and his music should have been. Many tried to keep grunge alive, but holding up a standard of it defeated the purpose of anti-art. In the mid-90's came a wave of what was called post-grunge, which was pretty much more cleaned up, watered-down and more sellable.
Kurt and his work was never forgotten, especially not by those he gave a voice to. He remains today an icon of rock, a gritty-but-fond memory of our growing up years.
It was a sweltering summer morning. I was with my family in my Dad's old car, sweating in my yellow polo shirt and shorts. The radio was on, and news came in that Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home. I couldn't believe it; wanted to overreact upon hearing the horrible, horrible news, but decided I shouldn't do that in the presence of my very religious mother or she might have me exorcised.
Kurt Donald Cobain was a disturbed genius, the Byron of my generation. He popularized a whole new genre of music and demoted another. In 1991, Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit invaded the airwaves with an unpretentious aggression, giving a voice to to the pent-up emotions of the youth. Before Kurt and his guys came in, rock music was all about big hair, spandex, vocal acrobatics and theatrics. Nirvana had none of that; they introduced an edgy, unpolished flavor of anti-art - aptly called grunge - which quickly caught on and made glam rock seem like last night's leftovers.
To this day, Teen Spirit is one of the top rock tunes of all time. It's probably Nirvana's most popular hit, but it wasn't the only one. There also was the similarly testosterone-laden Come As You Are, Lithium and In Bloom, all written by Cobain. The iconic Nevermind was followed by In Utero and an MTV Unplugged album.
Grunge's come as you are philosophy sparked a fashion trend and a way of life. It was suddenly attractive to look disheveled and unkempt, admirable to be so laid-back and low-maintenance.
Alas, on the 5th of April, 1994, A drug-drowned gunshot to the head. A suicide, authorities said. Age 27, in the fashion of other rock superstars like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. His death was surrounded with controversy, as some believe it to be a murder. Read more here.
Dr. Martens AdKurt went away, and grunge left with him. There was suddenly a void where he and his music should have been. Many tried to keep grunge alive, but holding up a standard of it defeated the purpose of anti-art. In the mid-90's came a wave of what was called post-grunge, which was pretty much more cleaned up, watered-down and more sellable.
Kurt and his work was never forgotten, especially not by those he gave a voice to. He remains today an icon of rock, a gritty-but-fond memory of our growing up years.
back when johnny dated kate
They used to look so good together.
Johnny Depp and Kate Moss, around the mid-'90s
back when sid and nancy were punk royalty
A (mis)match made in hell?
Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen were a sort of punk royalty back in the late 70's ("Punk royalty"? -- What an oxymoron. But that's what they were called in a documentary on love gone wrong). Sid was the (rather untalented) bassist of legendary Brit punk band Sex Pistols. Nancy was an American groupie, allegedly a former hooker.
Their love was high on heroin and controversy. People around them seemed to agree that they were horrible for each other, but they just had this psychotic dependency thing going on and they stayed together. The romance ended in her murder (still a mystery) and his suicide (which turns out to be assisted by his mother). In his suicide note, he mentioned...
We made a death pact, and I have to accomplish my part of the deal. Please bury me next to my baby. Please bury me with my leather jacket, my jeans and my biker boots. Goodbye. With love, Sid.
Forget Romeo and Juliet. Ain't Sid and Nancy's tale of woe a modern romantic tragedie, in a twisted, demented Mayerling sort of way?
Though probably found repulsive by those close to them, their sick love story (if you can call it that) would seem so romantic to those who watch from a safe distance.
I don't typically enjoy tragedies, but I find theirs intriguing. Though I was only a little over a year old when Vicious died, for some reason I grew up with an idea of who he was and who the Sex Pistols were. For that matter, the name "Sid Vicious" is one of my favorite stage names ever; it's so freaking cool, I wish I'd thought of it.
A Sid and Nancy movie was made in 1986. I haven't seen it yet but I heard Gary Oldman was awesome in that one.
Just a tangent: It's calamitous when a rock star dies young, especially someone so iconic or talented. But there's something fortunate about it too - they instantly turn into legends, like those in the Forever 27 Club. Besides, they wouldn't have to publicly age and fizzle out into rickety, old rock stars. I.m.h.o., it's kinda painfully to see an ancient punk rocker still all defiant and deviant at grandfather age. Have you seen Sid's former bandmate Johnny Rotten lately?
A little bonus. I stumbled upon a series of Doc Martens ads featuring dead punk icons like Joey Ramone and Kurt Cobain. Here's the one with Sid Vicious:
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