Hucklebug Episode 170: RIP Joe Biden’s Mom and Sparky the Fish, shout-outs, movies (Bet: none; Stennie: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Galaxy Quest, The Hangover, Another Thin Man), highlights and lowlights, fuck-offs and you-rules, Top Five Favorite Movie Characters.
Music: “The Hucklebuck,” performed by Otis Redding, Lee Rocker, and Frank Sinatra.
Bet didn’t choose Tony Leung in Chungking Express?
Stennie’s #1 was an easy call, which I’m sure she’s well aware of.
Top 5, off the top of my head:
5. The character living the life I wanted to lead: Indiana Jones
4. The character that most likely would have made me do the same thing Neff did: Phyllis Dietrichson
3. The guy with the noble intentions beneath the aloof exterior: Rick Blaine
2. You’re just going to have to deal with this: Jim Stark (James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause)
1. If I ever need a bodyguard, I’ll never do any better than this guy: Yojimbo
And now I’m thinking of who else should have made it: Guy Patterson, Shaft, Gort, Maggie Cheung in In The Mood For Love, John Wayne in The Searchers, Mr. Hulot, Roger O. Thornhill, Antoine Doinel (good call on that one), Clint Eastwood in the Dollars films, Madeline Kahn in Young Frankenstein (or as Trixie Delight), Travis Bickle, Navin Johnson.
And there were too many who were adapted from books: Nick and Nora Charles, James Bond, Zatoichi, HAL9000, Philip Marlowe, Diabolik…
NTCNTC’s high pitched whine/shriek is done when he’s frustrated or pissed, it’s not the happy shriek. And don’t worry, he’ll get removed from the Wal-Mart equivalent if he starts that up in public. Right now he gets the finger pointed at the nose, with a really loud “HEY, STOP THAT”, which works to some extent. I am starting to get the “mommy, mommy, mommy” thing, but it’s still kind of cute.
Here’s the real thing about Leno—he’s NOT funny any more. He used to be funny when he was edgy and would go on Letterman, but he’s not worth giving another show to.
An eff-off by proxy, please, for Pat Robertson. As soon as I heard about the earthquake in Haiti, I knew someone was going to insist it was a sign that God was striking down voodoo. And good old Pat didn’t disappoint—there was a headline on Drudge about how Pat reminded everyone that Haiti had made a pact with the devil…
The one thing that did make me sick was the looting going on. I’m getting sympathy fatigue for those places around the world where we’re supposed to feel horrible about the hideous goings on but you also see that the people who live there don’t help matters much. It made me wonder exactly how much looting took place in lower Manhattan on 9-11. I’m thinking it was…none.
Most of my favorite movie characters come from literature it seems. When I thought about your topic these came to mind:
5. Sydney Greenstreet’s Kasper Gutman from the Maltese Falcon.
4. The Steve McQueen character Bullitt in the movie of the same name.
3. Captain Renault in Casablanca as played by Claude Rains
2.Scrooge
1. Sherlock Holmes
Some others:
Rhino the bloodthirsty hampster in Bolt.
Humphrey Bogart’s Dixon Steele from In a Lonely Place.
Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet
John Wayne’s Marshall Reuben J. ‘Rooster’ Cogburn from True Grit.
Toto from Wizard of Oz
As for next week’s topic of great villains, I have one in mind that’s a shoe-in. No, it isn’t from Star Wars either. Think back to great villains of the 60’s. I’m interested to see if it shows up on your lists.
First, the comment I meant to leave last week:
The Roundtable was indeed awesome, if middlebrow-free, but Bet’s repeated and unabashed use of the word “pussy” made it art.
Thanks for the including Gordo, TBPYES, in your RIPS and in memoriam. He was truly a great dog and dear friend.
So, five favorite movie characters:
– Captain Louis Renault, Casablanca
“He’s just like any other man, only more so” Like Han Solo, a completely lovable scoundrel: Definitely looking out for number one, but not completely without a heart. Claude Raines is Just such a delight to watch; he really steals the movie with a perpetual twinkle in his eye and, I think, a little man-crush on Rick (cinema’s first bro-mance?).
– Dr. Friedrich “Freddy” Frankenstein, Young Frankenstein (“Actually, it’s pronounced ‘FRONK-en-steen’)
“You know, I’m a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I could help you with that hump.”
– Leroy G. “Gordo” Cooper, The Right Stuff
“Who’s the best pilot you ever saw? You’re lookin’ at him.” I know we’re not supposed to pick real-life people, but that movie plays so fast and loose with the historical “facts” (to great effect, IMO) including the people involved, that it seems worthy of an exception for the character that Dennis Quaid, Tom Wolfe and Philip Kaufman based on the actual Gordo Cooper. Plus, he’s the namesake of my dear departed Labrador; how could you keep him out knowing that?
– Ferris Bueller, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Pretty self-evident, I should think.
– The Limey, The Limey
Everything you need to know about this movie and this character can be summed up as follows: “Terence Stamp kicks nine kinds of ass. The end.”
– Ulysses Everett McGill, O Brother Where Art Thou
This one is based so loosely on The Odyssey of Homer that I think it qualifies for an exception. I don’t recall the original Odysseus proclaiming, “I don’t want Fop, goddammit, I’m a Dapper Dan man!”
– Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride (from a book, I suppose, but too wonderful to leave out). “HA-LO . . . !
I know it’s probably too late for this week’s show (let’s just celebrate the fact that I made it to the party at all) but at some point I’d love to hear your top five screen adaptations / best movies based on books. Some other topic ideas:
– top five movie sidekicks?
– best ensemble casts?
A word about Neti Pots:
AS A SINGER I LOVE THEM!!!!
I have a deviated septum, so I’m constantly dealing with nasal issues too gross to mention. But once I neti, I can sing better (with more vibration in my nose) and can breathe better in general (and thus sleep better at night).
My Neti Pot advice, if it’s not on the side of the neti pot itself:
1. Use filtered water, as tap water can have impurities.
2. Make the water warm but not hot; it helps the blood vessels open up without the nose getting burnt.
3. Use purified salt (a tiny scoop) in the water. Table salt might have impurities. Neti Pots usually either come with them, or you can find official neti pot salt that is not too expensive, since it’ll last you long.
4. Relax the back of the throat while keeping the nasal muscles closed, and you’ll get used to it.
5. After, blow your nose, then stand with your legs apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor to either side of you. Take your right hand and bend the torso, taking your right hand towards your left foot (and keep your head straight with your spine). Do the same on the opposite side – this uses gravity to get all the water out of your nose.
6. After use, wash your neti pot with hot water and soap.
I’m neti pot-less at the moment, as my last plastic neti pot sprung a leak. Gotta go back to Whole Foods…
My fav. movie/tv characters:
1. Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood in Singing in the Rain…a consumate professional (“dignity, always dignity”) who knows how to give a newcomer gal a chance…God, but Donald O’Connor runs a close second.
2. Malcolm McDowell as Alex in A Clockwork Orange (although it’s true I love the book as well, so that informs my love of the character). The best anti-hero in scifi literature, IMHO.
3. The cast of MST3K – no one makes puppetry and getting stuck in space watching bad movies funnier. Or am I missing the point of this survey…?
4. Jay the Pal. YEAH!!!! ‘nuff said!
5. Lastly, GOJIRA (Godzilla) & GAMERA! Not only have they been villains, but they’ve been badass heroes, bringers of fire and destruction, comic relief, dancers, fathers, spiritual leaders, friend to children, savers of the planet Earth, and immortalized icons. Can’t get better than that!
-S