PSAs : Don't Break Eggs

PSA

     In the 1980's there was a new mood in the country to stop these things called drugs and so the media had to join the fun.   So  television public service ads had to jump into tell people "Hey you, don't do those drugs."

     The war on eggs. 

      One of the most famous ads from this time was the ad that went "This is your brain..."    In 1987, there was a new set of ads  created by Partnership for a Drug-Free America.    The first ad came in 1987 the famous one we know and love. ( woah calm down there)



      So they had  John Roselius (whom you may know as Admiral Drake on "Jag") play an unnamed guy in the kitchen  who is now yelling at people saying  is there anyone out there  who doesn't  know what drugs do to your brain?  He grabs an egg and tells you .. "this is your brain" ( I was with him until he said that)  Then he points to his pan (not pot) and said this is drugs.  Then cracks the egg and the egg starts cooking where he says this is your brain on drugs.  "Any Questions?"  (Well yes, are you going to share?)

Meanwhile. bacon is your liver and the pan is alcohol ,any questions? 

  

       Now if you did have questions, I guess you had to Yahoo it, (whispers new info) oh go to the library and research drugs and their effects on their brain. 

Meanwhile here at WJOL-TV we only have a 15 second spot left before we get back to Lassie vs the Alien. what are we to fill that 15 seconds with? 

      

     They made 15 second and 10 second versions of the ad.  The above one is 15 seconds. It is slightly creepier.

          The music is creepy and voice is disembodied also sounds annoyed with it's viewers. It's the same lines and the egg is frying.   The 10 second version is funnier out of context because it says "Brain, Brain on Drugs, Questions?"  that might be more confusing  than helpful.

Can I have my brain poached, please? 

   

     Meanwhile, 

    Fake meeting in 1997. 

  George : Remember that ad we made telling people to question eggs on drugs or something? 

  Harry:  Yeah? 

  George: I think people didn't get the message very clearly. 

  Harry: Yeah?

  George:  So I think it's time we make a new one? 

  Harry:  Yeah?

  George: Why do I talk to you ,Harry?

 Harry: I'm not real, George, you are talking to no one right now! 

     Anyway, 10 years later it was time to make this old fashioned ad work for the Xtreme 90's! Xtreme! 

    So they hired Rachael Leigh Cook (whom you may know from the 2001 remake movie of Josie and the Pussy Cats") They continued the theme of your brain being an egg. 

 So now we have a lady in a very nice kitchen. So there's an egg but it's your brain. (First comes the chicken then comes the brain)  Then she has a frying pan which is not just any drugs it's heroin. (woah)  Instead of saying your brain becomes fried and ready for bacon and toast , she smashes the heck out of it.  But wait there's more!  She then proceeds to continue the metaphor   to destroy the kitchen.  She then asks the line of any questions?  (I have a few, like why are you my kitchen?)

It's time to fry! 

        Guess it's a little better than the first one because it says a drug can mess up your life, and might make some people decide , "I ain't doing that."  And safe enough  to air during that broadcast of "Recess". 

more after the jump

Those PSA's (not episodes) : I'm Dying in the Smog , Charlie Brown

Peanuts  PSAs

             First off, I think this is our first educational film covered on this site.  (Accomplishment) Not the first Peanuts media we've covered though.  What are we looking at ?  This time we are looking at an education film from 1979 for schools to show students starting the Peanuts characters and put this in the background of the 1970's environmental movement. It's called "Clean the Air" (this is a film about keeping the ocean clean)

       It starts with Charlie Brown talking about training dogs, like the shake and throw method  where you be like the mother dog and shake the dog and drop it.  ( Excuse me?)  Linus says there's no way he thinks a puppy could learn from that so then Snoopy shakes and drops him. (this is a very violent special, they need the no violence educational film) I think that learns him. (yes we know grammar, this is a joke)   Linus sees that Snoopy's a bit edgy and Charlie explains the reason. (He was shaken then thrown?)  The crazy cat next-door's owner has burning leaves  and etc. causing ashy soot on Snoopy's dog house.

Clean Me 

    Charlie Brown asks his neighbor if he could stop and he offers and ultimatum  if Snoopy tunes up his motor cycle then he'll stop burning trash.  (I'd like to see how that works, like hey neighbor tell your dog to ....fix his motor cycle?  Why do I live in this neighborhood? That's right the houses were cheap)   I also learned that Woodstock is not a good mechanic.  Now, there's a baseball game and Lucy threatens she'll quit if they don't win. (Condescendingly speaking: No, don't quit , that'd be bad)  So anyway, the game progresses and Lucy was trying to see the ball but can't yells to Charlie Brown that's she quits and starts coughing. (I didn't know she meant quitting like that)  There's too much pollution.  She says she could get killed out there.

Charlie Brown looks he's thinking about it. 

   Linus quits too because of the litter, so does Snoopy. Charlie Brown sees his Psychiatrist (Lucy) and he says he's depressed because of the pollution and litter.  Lucy suggest he gives a report in school. (Yes) She has pamphlets from the American Lung association just hanging around in her booth.  (Maybe she is a doctor , after all)  Because its a 6 minute film we don't get a montage of Charlie Brown researching we just get him giving facts to a class.

25 CENTS? Darn 70's inflation. 

        As an educational film it's entertaining and  that's just because it's the Peanuts but the Peanuts really make this work. Since Peanuts works well with short stories because comic strip.  The story in the film is well fashioned at getting the point about pollution out.  It doesn't go overboard it does something that those viewing in the classroom could encounter in their life.  The causes of pollution , Charlie Brown explains are all simply put out and again things that the students watching would encounter in some form. 

This is just quite charming.  

       The solutions Charlie Brown says are also simple and things that the viewers would be able to remember and do themselves or convince their parents to do or not do. 

   I won't harp on the animation because it's an educational film done with a government grant , also it's alright.  the backgrounds are kind of stilled but it kind of works because the Peanuts normally are in a still backgrounds (while being still themselves) so, this more a motion comic style. Musically, It has Peanuts stock music which is nice.    It's also nice for an educational film that it still has that respect for its audience that you get in Peanuts.  

    I usually ask these questions in my "Those PSA episodes series "
   Did it do it's PSA message clearly?    Yeah it does I get the message clearly it talking about how air pollution effects our lives and what to do.  
Was it a Good PSA?  Yes, and not just because it was Peanuts but it's entertaining and informational and well balanced and doesn't stray from it's message that it's giving you. 

 If you want to see the film you can watch after the jump.  Tune in next time when we have Peanuts discuss why you shouldn't do drugs.  

After the Jump is the film 

But First These Messages: Refreshing and fizzy

But First These Messages 

          This television program and or movie is making me thirsty  thanks to that popcorn and or potato chips.  So we need to take a break during our movie or television program and have a soda to refresh the tastebuds.  But First these messages.

 

   Fresca is still being made today,  personally it is the only sugar free soda I can tolerate drinking without any problem, in fact I didn't know it was sugar free when I was a kid.

   Fresca tastes like Fresca is, whatever that means, some of the adjectives used also work for shampoo.

mmm snowy Fresca 

   I'm not feeling the Fresca though maybe something more lemony ,not grapefruity. 

 I don't know anything about this soda really except that it was made by the Seven Up company and it was around in the 70's.

       The jingle is catchy, though I get they are rhyming it with thirst, but it also rhymes with worst.

 Most of the commercial shows people doing something sporty  when drinking our drink except the part where the guy (guessing a father) is buried under sand but that's strenuous too.  But hey be active and still drink soda is a good message too.

   The lemonade flavored drink is being mocked by that lemon

     I  don't want anything citrus  I should just go with a classic cola. 

 Coke adds life, Coke adds life.

   The commercial from 1977 is lively as Coca-Cola is the soda for the young , who don't have time to say the full name, they say Coke.  It also is going for that 50's nostalgia sound as apparently the 70's having 50's love is like the 2010's having 90's love, minus Netflix making it go out of hand.

This is me without my disguise. 

  Coke's theme of it adding life continued in 1979 as well, with a different tune. 

Coke doesn't just add life it also reproduces itself.

      So Coke's message here is hey you , yeah share the Coke, it's for everyone. (plus you buying two is better than you buying one for us.)

Coke adds... life , hmm those ellipses are scary. 

more after the jump 

CNN International Makes Some Changes In September

NEWS  CNN 

    

   CNN International is making changes for it's "European-Middle East" line up from September 10th. 

  First off, Amanpour , which currently airs at 8PM CET (Central European Time) will be moving to a new hour long format  airing weekdays 7PM CET, replacing  a simulcast of CNN US's "Wolf".   This series is also airing on PBS in the United States in late night.  

Moving up an hour also  are be "Hala Gorani Tonight"  to 8PM CET, and "Quest Means Business" moving to 9PM CET. 

 CNN US program , "The Lead with Jake Tapper" will now simulcast on CNN International weeknights at 10PM CET.   

  The 3PM CET hour  currently programmed with "CNN Money" will have a new series called "First Move with Julia Chatterley" it will be a business show in content. 

The 6PM CET  "Quest Express" anchored by Richard Quest will be re-branded as  "The Express"   

For viewers in Europe and Middle East they will now be able to watch the first hour of "CNN Today" Mondays-Thursdays 11PM CET. 

 Current 8:30PM CET  program, "State of America" is being cut ot a weekly show  airing Fridays at 11PM CET. 

 Here's the schedule all in CET. 

3PM  First Move with Julia Chatterley 

4PM   International Desk 

5PM  Connected the World with Becky Anderson 

6PM  The Express 

7PM   Amanpour 

8PM    Hala Gorani Tonight 

9PM    Quest Means Business 

10PM The Lead with Jake Tapper

11PM     CNN Today  (M-TH)  ; State of America (Fridays) 

Press release after the Jump 

The Peanuts Film Festival : The Peanuts Movie (Part 2)

Peanuts

  Previously, we started talking about the Peanuts Movie (2015) and then we stopped (yeah what's up with that ?)    But before we continue with the movie plot it's time to talk about the music.  (Oh, great this is going to take forever!) 
 
  The Peanuts specials (most of them ) are known for their musical scores, especially the early specials and the use of Vince Guaraldi Trio music .  So this movie  had to have that in it.  It was going to be music we already knew because Guaraldi is no longer with us.   They tapped Christophe Beck to score the movie. He was the main composer for "Buffy"  during season 2-4 and did many a music score.  David Benoit , who did music in many of the specials, also returned to help contribute.  They did get contemporary   pop stars to also do some music like  Meghan Trainor, and Flo Rida.  They had a couple songs made for this movie and are sprinkled in.   For some, it might be jarring but I don't think it feels too out of place.   The background music fits the scenes where used pretty good, Beck's scores really don't feel out of place.

   Now back to the movie itself.  (again some spoilers)

    Previously: Charlie Brown gets a high score on a test and everyone (not Lucy) is impressed and trying to gain his "wisdom" and understand his genius. I think he even started a cult. (not really)

maybe / copyright Blue Sky 

     Charlie Brown remembers he has a book report due by Monday, and he needs to get it finished.  The special decides to "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" reference itself and have Charlie Brown look for "War and Peace".  He's going to try and read "War and Peace" in a weekend. (Oh my)  He does a better job at reading it here than in the New Year special.   They even got his not used to pens gag in there. He writes the book report with Red's pen. (that might be used again)  Sally made Charlie Brown merchandise as he's expected to get an award.    That thing that I didn't mention except in passing happens here where Charlie Brown gets his test back and figures out it wasn't his after he bumped into Peppermint Patty putting his name on her test by accident in hurry.  He decides to admit the truth.   Later on as  Linus was explaining to Red (told ya) about the book report, it gets destroyed after it gets out of Charlie Brown's hands and flies in the sky and gets destroyed.

Even Lucy joined/ Copyright Blue Sky

                                 

despair , I'm with you C.B/ Copyright Blue Sky 

     In despair, Charlie Brown throws away his kite, puts away the football, and baseball glove.  The movie does cross back between more of  Snoopy's story.  Now the movie skips ahead to spring because we need some spring in this movie.  A kid  who I think it might be one of the minor characters asks for help from Charlie Brown to fly a kite , which works but for Charlie Brown because reasons. Snoopy does get his girl in  the end of his story. The critics (Lucy) don't like this story though.
                   

   Now , it's the last day of school.  In class there's a summer pen pal project, Patty jumps for PigPen's (woah alright) of course, Lucy jumps up to be Schroeder's.  When it's Charlie Brown's turn , Red gets up and says that she will be his pen pal.  Charlie Brown thinks she picked him because she felt sorry for him. Finally, Charlie Brown decides to go up an talk to her using her pencil that he grabbed at the first day.  She's on her way to summer camp  and he chargers his way there. He also flew a kite.  Which amazes everyone and they start following him.  Finally, he talks to her.  She says what she liked about him that he's honest, compassionate, brave , and his never give up attitude.  Even Lucy is nice at the end,

  woo hoo/ Copyright Blue Sky 

         Now I talk about  some other aspect of the movie,  the voice acting.  They kept the vain of Peanuts tradition and used child actors.  They once again used voice cuts of the late Bill Melendez to voice Snoopy and Woodstock. Which has been done in Peanuts media post his death.   The voices are fine, though I was thrown  off by Peppermint Patty's voice because usually her voice was more raspy sound  (they did alternate from boy and girl voicing her in the specials  and past movies)  so I was a little taken a back but that doesn't take away.  Though if Linus didn't sound as Lispy as before either.

        The movie itself is a Peanuts fan-service it  has everything you expect from Peanuts, so it did play it safe , in a sense.  The movie was thought by Charles Schulz son and grandson, and if anyone understands the Peanuts  fully it would be them.  I think a lot of thoughtfulness went into it and paid off well. I am also glad, the animation was well done.

    Watching this movie, I do expect bad things to happen to Charlie Brown  the one thing that did break me was the part where the book report got destroyed I  paused it and just said no no no for like 10 minutes because I felt bad for C.B. after he invested all the hard work in reading that book then  writing that paper all night.  Guess I got invested in it.  The movie showed  that Charlie Brown gave up a chance to what looked like an impressive magic show to help his sister, Sally, showing that he tries hard  when he practiced dancing, his honesty ,and perseverance.   They pay off at the end was nice it's the kind of win you hoped for in some of the specials.  The ending did make me smile and slightly tear up with joy again this movie had me invested.  (And I have watched it before)  Snoopy's plot kind of mirrored Charlie Brown's in away, but his was a story he was doing but his quest for Fifi matched Charlie Brown with the little red head girl. 

     Peanuts is timeless yet not timeless at the same time, and so this movie did that well. The typewriters,  kids not having cell phones , even the clothing kind of is back in time. (As stated before the comics and later specials did change some of the clothing) I wouldn't expect any different from anything with the Peanuts.  The movie will be timeless for a long time ,because it didn't do anything to really lock it to a time in the first place.

   Yes, it's not a complex movie and it's not meant to be  none of the Peanuts movies overly complex (and I do mean movies not the specials) we have strong characters that are always interesting to see. The simple story telling is  because Peanuts is what we simply call "Slice of Life".  One of the themes for Charlie Brown was failure and disappointment ,yet  never quitting. Like with me being really annoyed that the book report got destroyed because  he is someone we are rooting for to succeed and when he's happy we are happy.
     
    It's not forced appealing to people's nostalgia but can please it anyway. It's there to tell a story and it does that greatly. If the fear for the movie was that it was going to be like other movies that were trying  what  gets  accusations of trying to cash in on the nostalgia factor  and nothing else, then this movie from its creation was shown more as a labor of love and to bring its audience something they'd enjoy.  Peanuts has a special  place in our world , it ran as a comic strip for 50 years, it had over 40 specials , a few movies, a couple TV series and more. That brings people a shared experience that can be passed down generations . It also was both a familiar Peanuts story and a new story because for once, Charlie Brown actually mustered up and talked to the Little Red Headed Girl something we've not seen before. They still kept  him Charlie Brown  with knowing that C.B may have failures and mishaps , but that he always tries his best, he has a good character.  We know that sometimes the others are rough on on him , but there's still even them caring for him.
 
     I did get laughs , enjoyment , tears, anger, and happiness from this movie.  If you like Peanuts you'll love this movie. If you want to start someone on Peanuts maybe start with this movie.  (read the comic strips too)   I am glad it exists.

 

That's it for now, tune in next time when we get the movie where Charlie Brown finally kicks that football.

     

The Peanuts Film Festival : The Peanuts Movie (Part 1)

Peanuts 

             The Peanuts started as a comic strip in 1950 and ran until 2000 meaning it ran 50 years , 50 years amassed with a legacy and people growing up with it, passing it on, and then it was passed on again to the next until its apart of our world like Shakespeare. (Maybe we are stretching it, maybe not.)  The one thing the Peanuts has amassed is nostalgia that connects people to the characters and stories it told.  The Christmas special has run since 1965 non stop only switching networks once.

        After the comics stopped and Schulz's death there was still more Peanuts media made.  From new Christmas specials, new Valentine's Day special, to a few random non specific specials.  There is 50 years of comics to pull stuff from and make it work. The biggest thing would be a movie.   Now we have had these movies that took something nostalgic and put together that did well but maybe aren't received well so hearing the idea of  a Peanuts movie seems to be something to fear.  But it was done with loving hands by the family of Charles Schulz meaning we didn't get a  movie that would be somewhat a disappointment at best, or  worst, terrifying.

    The point for all this is our talk about the 2015 movie , "The Peanuts Movie".   I am breaking this up into 2 parts because it gives us a little more room to breathe.

   First the animation.
          This isn't a long winded talk about every part of the animation in the movie, this is to talk about  Peanuts and animation.    The comics were hand drawn by hand for the entirety so it has that style plus Schulz drawing style.  In 1965, the comics were translated into their first animation special (not their first animated appearance though)  and when you see the specials like " A Charlie Brown Christmas" you see  they have a style to them.  As animation changed it kind of where it followed the new techniques but didn't change the characteristics.    "It was my Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown" used parts of digital ink. Other specials used that tech after that.   They didn't go for a traditional 2D hand drawn or flash made movie, they also knew not to use 3D CGI that many animated movies use now.

     The animation style is CGI and does give a hint of the 3rd dimension but it still feels like the comics.   I will pick up they went with the more classic designs meaning that characters like , Lucy, are back in dresses when they started wearing pants in the 1980's.    The animation was seemly carefully thought out as a way to make sure that it didn't make Peanuts fans go ugh in disgust and condemn the movie  or something. Personal line:   I do think it would have been nice to have a traditional style of animation movie  but,  they did a nice compromise.

      I'll talk about the music later.

      Let's talk about the movie ,(there are spoilers ahead ) and again I am breaking this up into __ parts so we aren't going to be doing it all in this post.

more after the jump