EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert

The documentary by Baz Luhrmann opens in theaters this week. I have been seeing rave reviews.

The movie features long-lost films found at the Graceland estate and restored.

The Hanford Sentinel posted a review which starts with:

Over the years, countless attempts have been made to resurrect the King, whether it was movies, TV specials or musical ventures celebrating his artistry and legacy, attempting to bring him back and keep him among us.

No single project has done a better job of making Elvis feel present and alive than "EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert," director Baz Luhrmann's dazzling documentary-slash-concert film, which lets us see and feel Elvis on stage, in his element.

It's a pure joy to see, to feel, to behold, as Elvis tells his story, in his own words, and hits the stage to let us bask in his greatness. The movie, meanwhile, helps to reclaim Elvis as a singular force of nature, an otherworldly dynamo, not the parody of himself with which we've come to associate his Vegas years.

The movie will be opening February 27 at the Red Rock 10 Theaters in Gallup. I'll be seeing it there.

To read more, go here.

"Buying Alaska" Snippet

As previously mentioned, I stumbled upon Buying Alaska on the Roku Channel. I had never heard of this show before. 

In each episode, people are taken  potential homes or cabins by realtors in various places in Alaska. The places shown run the gamut from rundown shacks to million dollar mansions. 

I find the shows to be entertaining and informative.

Here's a sample of one such episode:

10 Greatest Horror Movies of the Past 40 Years

Above, Godzilla Minus One (2023) made the list.

Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed horror movies. You can thank my mom in particular for this. She was also fond of horror movies.

That aside, what are the 10 greatest horror movies to come out of Hollywood and elsewhere (like Japan, for instance) during the past 40 years?

Collider answers that question in a new article.

They start it off with:

If you limit things to the past 40 years, when talking about great horror movies, there are inevitably a whole host of titles that just get automatically disqualified, so RIP to those. Psycho, Alien, The Shining, two versions of Nosferatu, Godzilla (1954), and all the original Universal Monster movies… sorry, y’all. This isn't your time to shine. Go collect some more cobwebs (not necessarily a bad thing, since cobwebs are spooky).

But then focusing on the past 40 years, so everything released post-1985? There are a bunch of iconic titles, and some of them are just old enough to be considered classics (namely, the ones that are more than 25 or 30 years old). And the others will likely be classics, once enough time has passed for them to be defined as such, but either way, all of these are great, and well worth watching if you’re feeling a craving for something scary, be it because it’s Halloween or otherwise.

To see what they consider the greatest horror movies of the past 40 years, go here.

The Bar D Wranglers

Short video clip of the Bar D Wranglers performing "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" at the Bar D Chuckwagon Dinner and Show in Durango, Colorado.

Above, Jessica and yours truly at the Bar D Chuckwagon Dinner & Show.

Bar D Ranch Photos

Above, the Bar D Wranglers perform following dinner. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with having a chuckwagon barbeque dinner and seeing a show, Bar D Chuckwagon has other things to see and do.

They include a train ride, blacksmith's shop, art gallery, record shop, gold panning and refreshment stand that serves Margaritas.

We had a good time there and would go again.

Here's some more photos of our visit:

 

Fun Time At The Bar D

Above, at the Bar D.

Last night, we attended the Bar D Chuckwagon Dinner and Show in Durango. 

We had a great time wandering around various shops and attractions (including gold panning) before the barbecue dinner started.

Jessica had a beef dinner and I had a chicken dinner. 

Above,  the Bar D Wranglers. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 

The entertainment was provided by the Bar D Wranglers, the house cowboy band. They played a number of familiar western songs.

We both agreed we'd do this again.

Best Japanese Movies With English Subtitles On Netflix

Above, Tokyo Station demolished in Shin Godzilla (2016).

So you're stuck indoors at home either due to illness, coronavirus government restrictions or just plain winter weather. What is there to do?

Well, you can watch movies. Not just your run-of-the-mill Hollywood movies but JAPANESE MOVIES. 

To help you along, Time Out Tokyo has a list of the best Japanese movies and series with English subtitles on Netflix.

Full disclosure: I don't subscribe to Netflix.

They begin the list with:

Whether you’re stuck inside on a freezing/rainy day or in the mood for a cheeky weeknight binge, Netflix is a gold mine of movies and tv shows to get stuck into when you’re bored. There is an abundance of titles in the anime category with new episodes available every week, but there are also seamlessly crafted documentaries, heart-tugging dramas and guilty pleasure reality TV shows that are just as worthy of your attention. Here are the best Japanese series and movies available with English subtitles on Netflix right now (note: regional restrictions may apply).One of the movies they list is Shin Godzilla (2016).

One of the movies available is Shin Godzilla (2016).

Here's what they have to say about it:

Shin Godzilla

Synopsis: Members of the Japan Coast Guard set out to investigate an abandoned yacht in Tokyo Bay when their boat is destroyed by something in the water. The cause of destruction, initially thought to be abnormal volcanic activity, is later confirmed to be a creature known as Godzilla. While government officials prepare to evacuate the city, experts on the case make a disturbing discovery – Godzilla is ever-evolving and becomes more dangerous every time it’s attacked. 

Overview: ‘Shin Godzilla’, directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, was the 31st installment of the Godzilla franchise (now available in full on Netflix) and marked the beginning of the Reiwa-era reboot of the kaiju series. While there are dozens of Godzilla films that have been produced since the original in 1954, the box office success of ‘Shin Godzilla’ reinvigorated enthusiasm for modern-day kaiju films and went on to win several awards for its fresh take on a Japanese classic. It’s a story that’s been told before, but the keen self-awareness of the film makes it a triumphant reintroduction to kaiju movies while avoiding the usual cliches. 

To read more, go here. 

Rodney Dangerfield and The King

While perusing around Google yesterday, I came across a photo of comedian Rodney Dangerfield with Elvis Presley.

Judging from Elvis's hair and that he was thin as a rake, I am guessing the photo was taken in Las Vegas when both were performing there circa 1970.

Lots of respect here!

New Cassette Player

Above, the new stereo set at its temporary location in the living room. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For various reasons over the years, all of my cassette tape players have become broken. Some from internal damage or from years of non-use.

I finally bit the bullet and bought a stereo set that includes a cassette player, turntable, CD player and other features. It is not the greatest unit, but at least it serves the purpose given its relatively low price.

I have 200-300 cassette tapes that I have purchased since 1968.

During the late 1960s, cassette, 4-track and 8-track tape players came on the market. 4-tracks seemed to have disappeared relatively fast in favor of 8-track players. I was not impressed with 8-track players as they were much larger than cassettes and they often would interrupt song by changing tracks.

Cassettes, on the other hand, were smaller, and because of their two-sided format, emulated LPs with the order of the tape's play list. They were convenient and the only real flaw with them was the noticeable hiss when played. The Dolby noise-reduction system ("Dolby B") was developed to counter the hissing.

As things turned out, cassettes eventually put 8-tracks out of business.

Right now, I have the stereo set on a small table. Unfortunately, the speaker wires are only about two feel long (RCA type) and this prevents me from putting the unit into the entertainment center (except for the speaker wire problem, the unit would fit nicely). So I have ordered a couple of 12' speaker wire extensions so I can put the unit into the entertainment center. Since I have another stereo set in the den (one without a cassette player), this one will remain in the living room.

I listened to some of my tapes yesterday and they brought back a lot of memories. 

In-Flight Entertainment Soon To Disappear?

Above, seat-back screens aboard a Singapore Airlines Airbus A380. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During the past several years, the airline industry has been gouging customers in a number of ways.

Fees are being charged for fuel, luggage, food & drink and seating. Prices have also been rising while service declines. It used to be a luxurious way to travel.

Now there's talk about doing away with in-flight entertainment.

Condé Nast Traveler has posted an article on the arguments, pro and con, about those seat-back screens that provide entertainment to passengers. It is titled, "Why Airlines Should Ditch Seat-Back Screens".

They start it with:

Word at 30,000 feet is that in-flight entertainment systems may be the next casualty of the airline industry. We know. We'll miss the rom-coms too. Blame it on the cost: Ten thousand dollars per seat-back is apparently too much to swing in an era when passengers are increasingly bringing hand-held devices and laptops on board. Travesty? We think so. Well, at least most of us do. Our editors weigh in.

During the past few years, I've noticed that I make less use of the airline-provided entertainment than I used to, with the exception of those long eleven-hour flights to Japan (and the nine-hour return flights). Most of the movies provided are lackluster Hollywood fare (well, at least Korean Air showed Astro Boy cartoons). If anything, if I'm not reading a book or napping, I'll just watch the map of the flight's progress.

To read more, go here.

Reunion In Las Vegas

Above, a shot of us before heading out to dinner. 

My plane arrived in Las Vegas on Monday around 3:30 PM.

My friends Mitchell Geriminsky and Max Bettman picked me up from there and we headed to our hotel, The Excalibur. Nice hotel, but (as we found out later) they tack on charges on top of charges such as amenities fees and taxes on those fees, an upgrade fee (upgrade from what, we wondered) and a tax on that. That's modern-day Las Vegas for you!

This was a reunion of college frat brothers. I hadn't seen Max since the late 1970s.

Above, Max, Mitch and I on board the S.S. Catalina 44 years ago.

We headed to Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. The street is now enclosed with a roof (that's actually a video screen) and has been spruced up a bit. There's an odd assortment of characters there (I guess they are supposed to be performers/entertainers) with very revealing garb. It is now called the "Fremont Experience".

Above, the roof is a video screen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We managed to get dinner at Binion's (formerly Binion's Horseshoe Club) at a barbecue restaurant called Benny's Smokin' BBQ and Brews.

Above, many of the oldtime casinos are still at Fremont Street. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After dinner, we wandered around the Fremont Experience for a while and then settled down at a table at Starbucks and just people-watched.

The Pioneer Club has long been closed down and replaced by souvenir shops, but its old "Vegas Vic" cowboy sign (a Vegas landmark, if there ever was one) is still there. "Vegas Vic" made an appearance in the old 1957 science-fiction movie, The Amazing Colossal Man.

Some of the sights at the Fremont Experience:

Above, the old "Vegas Vic" cowboy sign is still there. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Max getting some attention at Starbucks. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a live rock band performs. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, one of the street entertainers. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On the way back to the Excalibur hotel:

Above, Chef Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rodeos USA

Above, a New Mexico Junior High Rodeo Association contestant. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During the spring and summer months this year, I went out to attend several rodeos in Gallup's Red Rock Arena at Red Rock Park.

During our daily breakfast gathering at Denny's this morning, the subject of rodeos came up. I said I had such a good time at each of them that I am looking forward to going to them next year. They're very entertaining.

It was mentioned that the town of Prewitt, New Mexico has a good rodeo. I've seen their rodeo grounds from Interstate 40. Prewitt is about 28 miles from Jamestown.

There is a website, Rodeos USA, that has a calendar and email newsletter of upcoming rodeos. They haven't put up the 2019 schedule as yet.

They can be reached at https://rodeosusa.com/

Route 66 Casino and Hotel

Above, the Route 66 Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I was going stay only one night at the Route 66 RV Resort, I decided that I would spend my first day at the Route 66 Casino.

Above, the marquee of the Legends Theater. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After getting situated at my campsite, I contacted the office and requested a shuttle to the casino. Within 5 minutes, the shuttle arrived and transported me to the casino.

The casino is relatively new (about a couple of years) and has the usual Las Vegas-style gambling machines and tables: slot machines (many denominations), roulette, blackjack, craps and bingo.

Above, the Thunder Road (named for the Robert Mitchum movie, I presume). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It also has several restaurants to choose from. For lunch, I went to the Hungry Cowboy Buffet, which had a nice selection of different cuisines. For dinner, I ate at the Thunder Road Steakhouse & Cantina and had some prime rib, which was excellent! Before dinner, I stopped at the Poker Pub for some adult beverages.

Above, the main entrance to the casino. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I asked security about photography, they said that it's a no-no to photograph their gambling machines and tables, but everything else is okay.

Above, a price I wouldn't mind winning, a 2018 Mustang. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I did do some gambling, about an hour's worth. That was sufficient enough to keep me entertained.

For more information on the Route 66 Casino, go here.

News From JAPANiCAN

News On Japan's New Look

On occasion, a website will do a whole make-over and change the look of their sites and pages. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Many times I prefer the old layouts over the new.

The latest website I usually peruse (most of them I subscribe to and receive email notices) that did a complete revamp was News On Japan, a Japanese news website. I primarily read their travel and entertainment pages.

I didn't much care for their old look, but when I went to their website the other night, I was pleasantly surprised over their changeover.

This one works! I like it! It is easy to read, with subject categories that are easy to navigate.

At top of this blog post is a snapshot of their main page. To read News On Japan, go here.

Tokyo Shopping Districts and Entertainment Centers Preparing for 2020 Olympics

Above, the Ginza shopping district. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Looks like Tokyo's retailers are getting the jump in preparing for the hordes of visitors for the 2020 Olympic Games.

According to the Mainichi Shimbun:

Shopping streets and entertainment districts in Tokyo are getting ready for the 2020 Summer Olympics, teaching store staff how to use English to assist foreign visitors while planning various events as cultural exchange programs before the big event. 

"May I help you?" Yuko Suzuki, 35, a greengrocer in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward asked a customer in English. The customer is Canadian English teacher Steven Conning, 34, who plays the role of a foreign tourist. The conversation is part of English lessons the ward office has been offering to local store staff.

This all sounds fine. But, what about communicating with foreign visitors who don't happen to be English-speakers? Will they also learn Spanish, French, Swedish, German, Hungarian, Portuguese, Polish and other languages?

To read more, go here.