Posted by Skrud at Friday, November 9th 2007 at 7:18pm
I was lucky that the first time I watched Soylent Green, I was about 9 years old and I had a TV in my room. (During the 1993 Stanley Cup final game, the babysitter told me I had to go to my room to bed. She never told me that I had to leave the TV in the basement. So I carried it upstairs to my room – where it stayed – and I watched the final minutes of the Habs’ most recent Stanley Cup victory. But I digress…)
I used to stay up late watching the random movies they show on CBC immediately before they sign off. I remember seeing the entry for Soylent Green in the TV guide and the fact that it was classified as “Sci-Fi” and figured I’d watch it. The first time I saw it (it turns out, Soylent Green is a common CBC late night movie) I thought it was ridiculous and lame. Nothing happened during the entire movie, until “Soylent Green is people!!!”. It didn’t really have much of a point.
The reason I say I’m lucky, is that when I later started watching comedies, many of them parodied and referenced the famous line. If I had seen the parodies before watching Soylent Green, there’s no way I could have appreciated the comedy as much. I would’ve heard the joke, watched the movie, thought “this movie is lame”, and then the joke would forever be in my mind as this back-ported kind of reference. Seeing the movie in my youth let me appreciate the humour.
I wonder how people who haven’t seen the original Star Wars trilogy get through life. Pretty much every popular form of comedy references Star Wars at one point or another. Do they just not get the jokes? Or is it that they’re so used to hearing the Star Wars references that they’ve pretty much pieced together the entire trilogy in their minds? If these people were to watch Star Wars now, could they get any enjoyment out of it? Would the jokes be funnier after having seen Star Wars?
Seriously. Everyone should see Star Wars. At least once. (And Soylent Green, too.)
Tags: comedy, humour, movies, random, starwars | 2 comments
Posted by Skrud at Tuesday, June 13th 2006 at 7:08pm
I went to see both Jem Rolls and Uncalled For last night at the Fringe Festival. It was my second time seeing Jem Rolls and the third time seeing Uncalled For.
Jem Rolls is unbelievably awesome, it’s just impossible to accurately describe what he does to anyone who hasn’t seen him perform – even then, I don’t think you could accurately describe it. If poetry and cunning linguistics were turned shoved into a blender with Reese Pieces, you still wouldn’t have Jem Rolls. Technically, it’s a performance poetry, but that term doesn’t do justice for Jem’s act.
Unfortunately, Jem Rolls does not do any recordings – there are no CDs, DVDs or movies for you to get a sampling from – which only makes it that much more difficult to describe. Suffice it to say that if you even have a remote appreciation for hearing the English language used in peculiar, original and interesting ways you should definitely, definitely check out Jem Rolls before the Fringe is out.
Uncalled For is usually my favourite performance of the Fringe. They’re a wildly entertaining improv troupe that not only performs hysterical sketch-improv comedy, but experiments with it, too. Every Fringe show is completely different – and not only because of audience participation: they’re trying a different experimental approach to improv comedy each night. When Guillaume saw them on Sunday they did everything ”backwards”. When I saw them last night, they tried to show how Stalin was connected to Big Bob from Alberta through degrees of separation (Stalin and Big Bob were both audience contributions). It sure was hilarious, but slightly weaker than last year’s tunip (sic) patch, prison inames, Norway and siamese twins story. :D
I’m going to try to hit Uncalled For at least one more time this Fringe, but I doubt I can make any of the other showings.
Tags: 2006, comedy, events, festivals, fringe | 5 comments
Posted by Skrud at Wednesday, June 7th 2006 at 1:47am
The Montreal Fringe is always one of my favourite festivals. Ever since I saw the One Man Star Wars Trilogy a couple of years ago, I’ve been hooked. Here are the shows I’m planning on checking out this year, and the times. Feel free to join in!
- Jem Rolls Off the tongue is considered “performance poetry”. I saw Jem Rolls perform at my first fringe experience, and it was amazing. He not only tells poetry, but acts it out. It’s not nearly as artsy-fartsy as that sounds, and it’s pretty damn awesome. Update: We’re back to seeing Jem Rolls Monday, June 12th (that’s tonight!) at 6pm.
- Uncalled For 4: For Forever!. Uncalled For is always my favourite of the Fringe. This improv group is ridiculously funny, and I certainly won’t miss the opportunity to see them again. (Monday, June 12th @ 8pm - Subscribe with Google Calendar)
- My German Father. I don’t know much about this one, except that it’s based on a Just For Laughs act, and looks like it’s going to be hilarious. Harley pointed it out, so we’re going. (Thursday, June 15th @ 9pm - Subscribe with Google Calendar)
- The Sketchersons: Sunday Night Live On Tour! looks like another excellent improv comedy show. I’ve never seen nor heard of this group before, but that’s no reason not to check it out. Unfortunately the timing is a little tough to work out (11:45pm to 1am on a Thursday night) but that’s not going to stop us! (Thursday, June 15th @ 11:45pm - Subscribe with Google Calendar)
If you can only make it to one Fringe show, the choice is easy: Uncalled For. You can read my ravings on last year’s show if you’re not convinced.
Tags: 2006, comedy, events, festivals, fringe | 5 comments
