A Retro Gallery

by blogSpotter
Welcome to my pop culture photo gallery. These are four favorite, iconic images from the 1960’s (Although the Hey Jude album cover might technically qualify as 1970). I’m in my mid-50’s and probably trapped in a time warp of decades past. But as I look with weary boredom at our boxy, blandified, silver-gray Twitter/Tweet world I long for a past where we were heroically bold and beautiful. Let me share my 4 objets d'art and say why I like each. There may be some critical remarks that contrast these images to the world of 2012...

Marilyn, the Last Sitting
This picture was taken by Bert Stern in June 1962. It captures "latter day" Marilyn who was probably more grounded by life events at this point. She was trying to project sexuality for the photographer but sadness and an inner light came through instead. To people who think that Marilyn consisted mostly of blonde hair and red lips, you've missed the essentials completely. Nobody has captured her essence since her passing... a beautiful soul is difficult to mimic cosmetically.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the Movie
This movie about the 1880 outlaws was primarily a work of fiction, featuring two of the most fabulous actors in their prime -- created by an "outlaw" pop culture which was also arguably in its late-60's prime. The ultimate cool of this pairing is hard to describe -- it's the intersection of machismo, humor and bromance. If I had to think of a modern comparison I might summon Robert Downey and Jude Law in the Sherlock Holmes series. But it's not the same -- the moment has lost some of its historically-based magic.

The Beatles, Hey Jude album cover
I absolutely love this picture, taken shortly before the Beatles disbanded. In their early 30's, they weren't trying to fit a marketing image or be cute in any way. They were counterculture heroes making a quiet transition from the day-glo uniforms of Sergeant Pepper or the hippie nehru jackets worn for an Indian guru. Their new look in this picture is one that is timelessly awesome, unselfconscious and a little bit Ralph Waldo Emerson. I challenge any one of us and three friends to look this iconoclastically good.

Pontiac GTO, 1969
Who said I can't mix in some apples with my oranges? I think that 1968-1969 was the pinnacle of American car style. As I look at the current econo-boxes that we drive in silver and black, I long for the days when cars had style and energy. Cars of today have the excitement of a kitchen appliance or a toaster oven. Yes -- they are safe, ecological and have On-Star. They also will bore the socks of someone like me who remembers the bad old days.

There is my gallery, very briefly. It could really have a thousand more pictures -- I left out the Rolling Stones and Olds Cutlass. If you're under 30, you'd probably beg to differ, you might even suggest that I didn't finish my prune danish this morning. What about Justin Beiber, One Direction, Ford Focus and Gwen Stefani? Well, they all seem kind of derivative next to the awesome originals from that awesome decade that inspired all of it. But it is probably a matter of age and vantage point. I will finish the prune danish, and continue to revere the images above.
© 2012 blogSpotter

Robert's Excellent Adventures

All the green birds- Pic courtesy of Wikipedia

by blogSpotter
Today’s entry is a little of this and a little of that…some local travels as well as a movie mini-review. I must have a little of Lewis & Clark in me because I love to discover new “worlds” no matter how trivial they might seem to real travelers.

KATY TRAIL REVISITED

A few years ago I blogged about my then-recent discovery – the Katy Trail. This re-purposed railroad track cuts through the Oak Lawn section of Dallas and gives you a view into the backyards of the Dallas well heeled. Until last week, I’d only ever walked from Knox Street down to Lee Park. Last week, I threw caution to the wind… I started near Lee Park and walked the rest of the trail, past Revershon Park all the way to American Airlines Center. I have to say; the trail has beautiful overlooks and entry stairways. Some donors have been very generous. Hillwood/Perot developers provided landscape for portions near AA Center and it looks like a botanical garden. From one or two vantage points one can see several Dallas landmarks in one sweep – the Hunt Bridge, the W Hotel, the Anatole and AA Center. The only negative to this is that it took me until 2012 to discover it existed. There is also now a beer garden, Katy Trail Ice House, open to the trail. It had booming business even in the 100+ late July heat.

DALLAS ORANGE LINE

The Dallas light rail known as DART extended its reach last week to the Irving Convention Center with the addition of the new Orange Line. I partook in the festivities and rode it from Bachman Station through University of Dallas Station, Las Colinas and finally the Irving Convention Center. The ride was bumpy in places and the train languished at a couple of stops for 5+ minutes. Looks like they may still have some schedule and technical kinks to work out. BUT on the whole, it was a mass transit “thrill” ride – soaring high over rivers, creeks, bramble bushes and a few industrial yards. Dallas has the biggest light rail network of any American city now.

DID I SEE A GREEN BIRD?

Rounding out my new (and newish) experiences was the sighting of monk parakeets at White Rock Lake. These beautiful green birds have probably been there 10 years -- they aren’t exactly new. But somehow I hadn’t noticed so many, clustered so profusely near the pump station. In a gray/brown world, it’s cool to see an animal that dares to be different. In fact, they blend so well in the canopy of the trees they become invisible. Sometimes it pays to be different.

TOTAL RECALL – RECALLED

I went to see the 2012 remake of Total Recall with Colin Farrell. The movie has such spectacular special effects, they make it worth the $11 price of admission. The air-cushioned auto chase is incredible...  Just don’t look for the macho insouciance of the first movie. Colin’s character is more like a trembling Hamlet, ever unsure of his next step. Here are my quibbles…

* The whole movie is on Earth – a colony in Australia is the new “Mars”.
* The movie has a decidedly new feminist bent – two females nearly steal the show from Colin. Colin spends much of the movie afraid he’s going to hurt someone’s feelings.
* Gone are the lines of dialog that were famous from the previous movie:
“Consider that a divorce!”
“I’ll see you at the paaahty!” (said while throwing a man his severed arms)
“Let the people have aiyuh!” (Let the people have air, said with Austrian accent)

In sum, the 1990 version wins on style and wit, but the new one is still worth a whirl. Hope you enjoyed my excellent adventures, dull as they are by comparison to most peoples’… I’ll wrap this up now and probably take a walk on the Katy Trail.

© 2012 blogSpotter