Category: Featured

The Peculiar and Wonderful World of Tiki Animals

Many animals have come to be associated with tiki over the years, and here are some of the most prominent ones, how they became part of tiki culture, and a look at some of Hawaii’s most interesting animals. The Toucan When we think of the Toucan bird, we think of Tiki. In fact, these birds …

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Uncovering the Legacy of the Mother Road: Top Route 66 Museums to Explore

Route 66, often referred to as the Mother Road or the Main Street of America, is a historic highway that stretches from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. Established in 1926, this iconic road played a significant role in the development of the United States, particularly during the Great Depression and the post-World War II …

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Soviet Film Wednesday: The Night Before Christmas

The Night Before Christmas (1951) was directed by the prolific Soviet animation duo of Valentina Brumberg and Zinaida Brumberg, who were also known as the “Brumberg sisters” as well as the “grandmothers of Russian animation.” Some of their most well known films are Little Red Riding Hood and Ivashka and Baba-Yaga. Not your typical Christmas story, it begins …

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Soviet Film Wednesday: Samoyed Boy

Made in 1928, Samoyed Boy was one of the first films directed by the Brumberg sisters, along with directors Nikolai Khodataev and Olga Chodatajewa. It is the story of a boy who fights corruption in his village, then goes on to study in Moscow. It may be best known for its innovative animation; the mesmerizing waves are stunning …

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On This Day in 2004: The Funeral of DJ John Peel

DJ and radio host John Peel’s funeral was held on this day, November 12, 2004, at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in the town of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England. Among the 1000-plus attendees were many artists, including Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker, The White Stripes, and Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey. His brother Alan Ravenscroft read a eulogy …

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Soviet Film Wednesday: Enchanted Desna

Enchanted Desna is a film that gives us insight into the mind of Aleksandr Dovzhenko as a child, growing up by the Desna river. Directed by Yuliya Solntseva, the film is an “autobiographical film story” by her husband, Aleksandr Dovzhenko. Both thought-provoking and beautiful, the film elicits memories and introspection from its viewers. For instance, …

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Soviet Film Wednesday: Birthnight

In Birthnight, Night visits young Tima, a boy who sleeps with the light on because he is afraid of the dark, and she invites him to her nighttime birthday party in the woods. If the story doesn’t sound intriguing enough, the eccentric synth music of Eduard Artemyev is sure to transport you to another world, …

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The Inspiration Behind “Hey Jude”

On this day September 18, 1996, Julian Lennon made the winning bid of just over $39,000 (£21,000) at Sotheby’s in London for the recording notes for the song “Hey Jude,” which Paul McCartney wrote for young Julian to comfort and encourage him during his parents’ divorce. Originally titled “Hey Jules,” Paul McCartney comments on the song’s …

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Soviet Film Wednesday: War and Peace

Between 1966 and1967, writer and director Sergei Bondarchuk’s War and Peace (Война и мир) was released in four parts; a seven-hour-plus long adaptation of Tolstoy’s epic novel depicting the lives of several aristocratic families during the time of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. The stunningly beautiful film skillfully portrays personal stories amidst the political backdrop. Highly …

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On This Day: Werner Herzog

Film director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, actor, and novelist Werner Herzog was born on this day September 5, 1942 in Munich, Germany. Herzog is well regarded as one of the greatest film-makers of our time, best known for the films Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Nosferatu the Vampyre, Fitzcarraldo, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, Grizzly Man, and Cave of Forgotten Dreams. Earlier …

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