AlbumWhich ones do you take?
Book
Film
Complete Television Series
(Stolen shamelessly from Shakespeare's Sister.)
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Desert Island Decisions
Imagine you're going to be stranded on a desert island (with plenty of electricty and a full entertainment center) and you get to take one of each of the following with you:
(Stolen shamelessly from Shakespeare's Sister.)
(Stolen shamelessly from Shakespeare's Sister.)
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Album: Lord, is this tough .... Uh ... Radiohead, OK Computer.
Book: It's tempting to cop out with an überbook like the Bible or the Complete Works of Shakespeare. But assuming that's like wishing for more wishes, I'll say Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man.
Film: I think it has to be GoodFellas. I must stumble across that on cable once a month and, every time, I watch it right through to the end.
TV Series: On pure entertainment-per-second strengths, I'm really tempted to go with "The Simpsons." But I think I might want to see some real people. So I'll say "Homicide," since it had six strong seasons and then some weaker ones, but with great acting and some nice music to help me cheat on the stupid "one album" thing.
Album:Mmmm...I'll go with Radiohead, The Bends, just to be contrary.
Book: Probably The Three Pillars of Zen, by Phillip Kapleau, or mybe HH2G.
Film:The Big Lebowski or Raising Arizona.
TV Series: I'm thinking "Homocide", though a truly great series, would wear thin after 100 viewings...a million Sideshow Bobs could step on a million rakes for a million years and it would never get old...
Album: Talvin Singh, Anokha
Book: Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Doug Hofstader. This is a book that covers philoposphy, art, AI, music. It is rich, dense and complex and would keep me entertained for a long time!
Film: Spaceballs. That scene with Dark Helmet firing his laser into Colonel Sanders crotch never gets old. In fact, this whole genre of crotch humor never gets old (Football in the groin, football in the groin!!)
TV Series: Six Feet Under. I could watch that again and again.
How about the opposite, what album, book, TV series and film would you LEAST want to have with you?
Album: Anything from a past winner of American Idol
Book: No Spin Zone, Bill O'Reilly (The Bible or the Koran was a close second)
Film: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. I've never seen this movie but to me it epitomizes chick flicks. I would have also accepted Beaches, Fried Green Tomatos and possibly Jerry Macguire
TV series: Any David Spade sitcom.
TV Series: I'll field this one first, because it is the only no-brainer for me. I will also take "Homicide." Best show ever on television, hands down. I can only think of ONE episode I don't like, and it is still better than any Law & Order.
The Simpsons are tempting because seasons 2 through 5 or so are great. Season 1 kinda sucks, and I gave up on the series about ten years ago. That DOES mean I would have ten years of new material to enjoy, but I know much of it will be sub-par...
Album: Incredibly tough. Earlier this week, I was listening in the car to The Posies' "Frosting on the Beater" and thinking it was a perfect album. It is.
I would probably take that.
I might once have said Little Feat "Waiting for Columbus" but I find myself skipping those tunes when they come up on the suffle lately. (On a Radiohead specific pick, I would take the bends over OK as well...)
Book: Also very tough. I'll go with James Ellroy's "American Tabloid." It's like the "Homicide" of books. (Not counting, of course, "Homicide" the book...)
Film: Probably "Pulp Fiction" It's not the best movie of all time, but probably the one I'd enjoy watching over and over the most...It brings everything to the table.
Opposite picks (the things that would be in my own personal hell...):
Album: It could be Heino(us), but I never actually heard it, so I'll go with...any Kid Rock. He really kind of pisses me off.
Book: Thomas Harris' "Hannibal." Absolute shit.
Film: Dogma. Contained an absolute shit creature, and that's right about when I shut it off.
TV Series: The Golden Girls
Album: One of my favorite Sinatra albums, "Nice 'N' Easy." Highlights of the contents: Nice 'N' Easy, That Old Feeling, You Go To My Head, Fools Rush In, Nevertheless, Try A Little Tenderness, Embraceable You, Dream, The Nearness Of You and Someone To Watch Over Me.
Book: Kevin Phillips' latest, "American Theocracy."
Film: "Command Decision"
TV series, "Dallas."
Book: Kevin Phillips' latest, "American Theocracy."
Excellent choice. Not only would it be a good read, but it would make you thrilled to be stranded on the desert island, far far away from the coming apocalypse.
You people disappoint me. The answer to this one is obvious.
Book: The SAS Survival Handbook or perhaps The US Army Survival Manual. Honorable Mention: Robinson Crusoe.
Film: Cast Away. Lots of good tips on survival here. The second half of the movie is pretty worthless, though. Honorable Mention: The Blue Lagoon.
TV Show: Gilligan's Island, which narrowly defeated Lost because of the latter's inevitable decline into late X-Files crapitude. Honorable Menion: MacGyver.
You forgot an album, iRod. I'm guessing Randy Newman's "Sail Away"?
Nive pick on the Three Sides Live, Joe. I"d probably go "Seconds Out" myself, but they were both contenders for me...
Album: I am so torn, because there are some Metal albums I think I can't live without, but at the end of the day, I'll take the Taj Mahal: In Progress and In Motion 1965 - 1998 3-disk compilation. It's a little of every type of blues from the "Savior of American Roots Music."
Book: While I'd love to take along Charlie Papazian's "Complete Joy of Home Brewing," I doubt that coconut-and-palm-leaf beer would be terribly good. Hm...cocnut stout? Hm... ANyway, in lieu of that, I'll take The Prophet by Khalil Gibran.
Film: Predator. "Strap this on your sorry ass, Blaine."
TV Series: I will get yelled at by some of you, but Monty Pythons Flying Circus.
Setting aside practical items such as The Desert Island Cookbook or Build Your Own Seagoing Vessel in Three 20-Minute Lessons, here's my picks:
Album: hmmmm...Il'll have to come back to this one
Book: The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. I can get engrossed in that any time.
Film: Boogie Nights. It's one of the few movies that I own.
TV series: Seinfeld
Album: This one's tough. Maybe Television, Marquee Moon? (If I had to choose Radiohead, I'd go for Kid A, without a doubt.)
I was in the Peace Corps back when my colon still worked normal (thank you very much, tropical parasites!), so I kinda sorta had this experience.
I found that what I most wanted was stuff that made me think of home. Since I was in a tropical hot spot, I really liked wintery stuff, like a Cmas album or Ethan Frome. It was also a great chance to read "classics" that I would never read by choice. How the hell anyone else reads Henry James I'll never know.
Oh, and porn. I wasn't in a position to pursue romance with the locals (even they had standards), so I was on my own, if you know what I mean. Man did I desperately need some good ol' American porn, and I don't mean the Rush Limbaugh human pyramid of depravity porn.
Album: Ray Coniff and the Ray Coniff Singer's Christmas Album.
Book: porn. preferrably a multi-volume set.
Movie: porn, but I don't know any names.
TV series: Rockford Files (don't ask)
TV series: Rockford Files (don't ask)
It's porn-like soundtrack?
All things considered, the practicality of the Army Field book and porn video probably carries the day...
That just leaves the music and tv to personal choice for me. I'll stick with the Posies and Homicide...
"Man did I desperately I desperately need some good ol' American porn, and I don't mean the Rush Limbaugh human pyramid of depravity porn."
Bravo, thrillhous, that last is an excellent line. Nearly fell off my chair laughing.
Album: Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
Book: Illuminatus Trilogy
Film: This is a tough one, but I'm gonna go with Andy Warhol's Trash.
TV Series: La Femme Nikita
album: Bob Marley's Exodus
Book: our band could be your life
film: apocalypse now
TV series: ouch, MASH, Saved by the Bell, or the Simpsons
and otto: what gives man HREF="http://fuelfriends.blogspot.com/
I don't own these bad album covers, Alex. They belong to the ages.
Album Les Miserables (London Cast Recording)
Book I could read Dune 50 more times. But considering all its talk of desert and water, maybe I'd take The Once and Future King instead.
Film Something spacy or icy...or how about a lush costume drama? Phantom of the Opera
TV Series Married...With Children, since I'd need some comedy.
Note to self: if ever trapped on desert island with Mrs. T, drown self. Take Rockford Files DVDs with you, as wife doesn't deserve them.
TV Series Married...With Children, since I'd need some comedy.
Am I the only one confused by this sentence?
TV Series Married...With Children, since I'd need some comedy.
Am I the only one confused by this sentence?
Nope. Married...With Children was already typed in as my hell selection, when I realized looking at Cristina Applegate could be a redeeeming quality. Then I remembered The Golden Girls.
But seriously, even though The Golden Girls is worse, Married...With Children is my immediate Pavlovian response when I think of horrible television...
Married With Children? Really? I can't even get through one episode of that show without cringing. But, to each their own, I suppose. My Desert Island Selections are:
Album: No doubt in my mind, Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. I will never, ever get tired of that album.
Book: I sound like I come from High Fidelity, but it's true: Cash by Johnny Cash.
Film: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Action! Adventure! Comedy! Drama! Romance! Snakes! Could be one of the most perfect films ever made.
T.V. Series: My initial knee-jerk reaction was Futurama, but after a little reflection, if I had to live on a deserted island, I'd need Bob Ross to keep me sane and calm, so I'll go with The Joy of Painting.
I'd need Bob Ross to keep me sane and calm, so I'll go with The Joy of Painting.
I think hearing Bob Ross talk about his happy little trees over and over again would make me got batshit crazy.
Ok, I have a hard time talking about favorites in any of these categories, but here goes:
Album: I was already thinking this week what an utterly perfect album OK Computer is, so I'll still with that.
Book: I just re-read Lolita and dammit it's good.
Film: Amelie (Contrived, I know, but I fricking love Paris).
TV Series: I was gonna go with Arrested Development, but then gave it another second's thought and decided on Six Feet Under. More seasons.
Album: Fair Warning - Van Halen. It's this or Dylan, and I'd want to remember what a guitar solo sounds like.
Book: A Prayer for Owen Meany - cuz I'm a sappy motherfucker.
Film: Mitchell (preferrably the MST-enhanced version), to remind me that being cut off from humanity is not entirely a bad thing.
TV Series: Scrubs - highbrow, lowbrow, and would suffice as porn if it came to that. The Todd has got it goin' on!
Film: Mitchell (preferrably the MST-enhanced version), to remind me that being cut off from humanity is not entirely a bad thing.
Excellent choice. And definitely the MST3K version. "Arteries clogging .... Mitchell! Blood pressure rising .... Mitchell!"
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