DANGER 5

My friend Matt was over the other day and suggested that we watch a fun, campy show that he had recently discovered via the internet (or something like that). The show is called 'Danger 5', and it is really fresh, funny, and different. Here's a little background on the project: 'Danger 5' is an Australian action-comedy series which first premiered on an Australian national public television network back on February 27, 2012. It's a bizarre 1960s interpretation of World War II that follows a group of five international spies on a mission to kill Adolph Hitler. And that's only where the hilarity begins because the show is just so chock-full of oddity (clearly influenced by the world of Sid and Marty Kroft) that you're sure to be simultaneously laughing AND scratching your head in a "WTF is going on here?" sorta way.

To give you an example of just how kooky things get, here's an official plot synopsis of one of the episodes titled 'Lizard Soldiers of The Third Reich':

American GIs are being decimated by Nazi dinosaurs all over the Western front. Danger 5 heads to Belgium to investigate and has a series of close shaves with a trigger-happy Triceratops and a perverted Nazi Pterodactyl. Claire discovers that the dinosaurs have all been implanted with a mysterious type of crystal, native to Antarctica and Danger 5 embark on a journey to the South Pole. Antarctica proves to be a lost plateau of prehistoric wonder where Danger 5 encounter the bizarre Dr. Josef Mengele and his sinister volcano base filled with Nazi dinosaur minions.

Does THAT give you a clear enough idea of the silliness level they're operating on? Speaking of silly, you should see the guy that portrays Hitler. Well, here you go, take a look below...

And here are yet some more stills from the crazy show...

Trigger-happy Triceratops

Here's aiming at you, kid!

Leader of the '5', known as Chestbridge (or "The Colonel")

Don't ask me! I haven't seen this episode yet...

Clearly, a Nazi Dog.

Clearly, a Nazi Nun?

Ummm...

Last, but not least, here's a promotional shot of our intrepid '5'.
L to R - Jackson, Pierre, Claire, Ilsa, and Tucker

Now, if any of that has you intrigued, you should be able to find 'Danger 5' on Netflix for your viewing pleasure. Hope you enjoy it, I sure have!

Ain't nothin' but a clown dog!

I absolutely LOVE dogs, so I thought it would be fun to see what some of them were up to out 'n' about the internets. Here's a bunch I found just "clowning around"...

Yikes! I'm not JOKING,
this one is scary!

        Won't you laugh for
sweet Snuggles?

"Do you like my rrrruffles?"

"I really need a drink!"

I've heard of the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat,
but THIS is ridiculous!




~ All photos via Google Images ~

Trick 'r Treat!

"Boo", everyone!
Please, enjoy this gallery of happy Halloween hijinx...
if you dare!






I can hardly stand seeing this pic. Guess
I just don't have the stomach for it...

  































What you can't see here is the small print
which reads, "Butcher knife sold separately."

  
































Alright. As far as I'm concerned, these pumpkins
are sooo hideous that they're actually "cutting edge!"



























Holy crap! If these kids were walking down
MY street, I'd find me a baseball bat QUICK!



































Nothing funny, here. I just like the soft
candlelight from the jack-o-lantern. Plus,
I think she's a pretty lady.



...And then eat ALL of their candy
once they've gone to bed!



Happy Halloween! And remember, don't open your front door if the Trick 'r Treaters are so tall you can see their eyes through the peep hole!

~ All images taken from Jim Heimann's book, 'Halloween: Vintage Holiday Graphics'. Published by Taschen. ~

Happy Music: 'One Life Stand' by Hot Chip

This fun and quirky electropop band, Hot Chip, seemed
(to me, anyway) to totally come out of nowhere and hit me
like a train! They've actually been together since 2000, and just released their fourth album as of Feb. 1st, 2010. So, obviously, they didn't "come out of nowhere"... The problem was that I hadn't been paying any attention during that time. But I certainly was the other night, when I saw the music video for, 'One Life Stand', the first single off of their new album!

I instantly liked it because I'm a big fan of the whole electronic/pop/dance genre of music, and it has a real catchy beat from the very start. But as the song and the video played on, I liked it even more! I think it's great what the lyrics are saying, especially in the chorus:


"I only wanna be your one life stand
Tell me do you stand by your whole man?"


It wasn't only the groovy beats and lyrics, though. I think what really put a smile on my face was seeing how much fun those guys clearly had making the video. They're just goofin' around, being totally silly. Serving it all up with a deadpan delivery. Basically acting much the same way I'd imagine me and my own friends acting if we made a music video. I guess that some might watch it and think they're all just trying too hard to be wacky, but I was cracking up the whole time! I got the feeling they were all very comfortable and just genuinely being themselves. Did I mention that three of the five of them were old school mates? There's comfort level, right there. Plus, look at them. They must all share the same zip code... in Dorksville! But I truly do mean that in the best possible way because I think they're all totally rockin' that whole "geek chic" thing! Also, isn't it nice any time we see people in the entertainment industry that aren't cookie-cutter-perfect-looking or don't have what many consider to be an ideal body shape?!

Anyway, Roel Wouters, the director, devised a unique concept for the video shoot. He wanted to create an experimental environment in which the band were left alone to explore and develop their own music video. With the rest of the crew closed off from the set, the band became director, cameraman and even choreographer to create a promo that is nothing but "Hot Chip". The band had a minimal set-up to play with of just one fixed camera, one handycam and their instruments. A silver sphere was also suspended in the middle of the room giving the band further creative scope to experiment with different perspectives. The constant revolutions of the band, the sphere and the cameras moving around each other all work to create a surreal and almost trippy experience for the viewer. These visual elements together with the experimental nature of the video and the band's spontaneous input, combine to give the track's hypnotic rhythm a perfect visualization.


In other words, it's way cool! Enjoy...






~Hot Chip photo via Google Images~
~All 'One Life Stand' music video information, including director Roel Wouters, via CreativeBoom~