Influential Figures Lost in 2022-- Part 3: Montagnier, Davis, Reitman, O'Rourke

FEBRUARY 

LUC MONTAGNIER, 89

**  A French researcher who won a  Nobel Prize in 2008 for discovering HIV and more recently spread false claims about the coronavirus.  Died February 8

BETTY DAVIS, 77

**  A bold and pioneering funk singer, model and songwriter of 1960s and 1970s who was credited with inspiring then-husband Miles Davis' landmak fushion of jazz and more contemporary sounds.  Died February 9.

IVAN REITMAN, 75

**  Influential filmmaker and producer behind many of the most beloved comedies of the late 20th century from "Animal House" to "Ghostbusters."  Died February 12.  Also "Stripes" and "Meatballs."  Some of my all-time favorite movies.

P.J. O'ROURKE, 74

**   Prolific author and satirist who refashioned the irreverance and "gonzo" journalism of the 1960s counterculture into a distinctive brand of conservative and libertarian commentary.  Died Fenruary 15.  

I really enjoyed reading his articles in the Rolling Stone.

Bluto Meets Clark at Volo Auto Museum-- Part 3: About That 'Vette

This title comes from their having the original Corvette from the movie "Animal House" with Bluto Blutarsky and the Clark Griswold Family Truckster from the movie "Vacation."  Two of my all-time favorite movies.

The "Animal House" Corvette was the one that Eroc "Otter" Stratton owned.

The road to procuring the "Animal House" Corvette was a winding one according to Brian Grams of the Volo Auto Museum,  First they had to deal with the Mercurial Mr. Smith who owned it.  He wanted a six-figure payment for his Corvette and it had to be in cash -- specifically in $100 bills. 

And, that was with the fact that the car's keys had been misplaced and that it hadn't run since the 1980s.

Well, Grams got his car, regardless.  Plus there were some extras that sweetened the deal.  That included the movie's transportation coordinators signed copy of the original film script that came with the car as well as the October 24,1977, dated Universal City Studios receipt for four weeks of rental, along with a copy of the $400 check written to Mr. Smith for that rental.  (What, not four $100 bills?)

Plus, Grams said the car has great value both in the fact that it is a verified piece of movie history and as a solid 1959 model Corvette featuring a dual quad high-performance engine and original paint.

"Corvette people are purists," he said.  "They love original paint, even if it does have a  few battle scars."

"Was It Over When the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor?"  --RoadDog

Bluto Meets Clark at the Volo Auto Museum-- Part 2: Acquiring the Corvette

The Corvette was featured in the 1978 breakout movie for John Belushi, "Animal House" and was featured in posters of it.  (And, it sure reminded me of my dear old frat rat days with the Delta Sigs at NIU.)

That Corvette spent decades in a pole barn near Eugene, Oregon, where the movie was filmed.  The previous owner, before Brian Grams, director of the Volo Auto Museum, said that its previous owner, Paul Smith, bought it in 1975 as a gift for his wife.  But, neither one of them liked the car much, so, it sat, accumulating only about 200 miles on the odometer, most of those coming during the filming of the movie in 1977.

Paul Smith is an old-time drag racer and car guy.  He used to scout cars for film projects, and he offered his Vette when the producers of "Animal House" were looking.

--Cootimal

Bluto Meets Clark at the Volo Auto Museum

From the December 1, 2021, Hi-Liter (Northwest Chicago suburbs) "Treat your family this year to a 'Christmas Vacation' they won't forget at Volo Museum."

It's Bluto Blutarsky meet Clark Griswold at the Volo Museum right now and a tip of Santa's cap to two of the best movies ever made in my opinion.  

They have the 1959 Corvette from "Animal House" and the Family Truckster from "Vacation."  Plus, there is a photo op you can get with Cousin Eddie's "Christmas Vacation" RV in the backdrop background.

"Animal House" is my all-time favorite movie (essentially it was my old fraternity up until the parade and I am sure we would have had toga parties if we'd thought about it.  We'd have been just the guys to do it, you know.)

Plus, "Christmas Vacation" is my second favorite Christmas movie.  But. I have to admit I thought the Wagon Queen Family Truckster had been pretty-well destroyed by Clark's trip into the desert.  And, "Vacation" is in my Top Five favorite movies especially since Liz and I are bigtime old road folks.

--Cooter

Movies We Love: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)-- Part 1

Continued from May 27.

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg wanted to pay homage to the Saturday afternoon serials they grew up watching.  The result was the biggest money-maker of the year and one of the best adventure movies ever made according to Ben Mankiewicz, Turner Classic Movies host.

We're right by Indiana Jones' side as the swashbuckling archaeologist, played by Harrison Ford, attempts to find the religious artifact the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis get it.  (The Ark of the Covenant is a gold-covered wooden chest with lid cover described as containing the  two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments.)

Karen Allen (who played Boone's love interest in "Animal House") played the ex-love interest and sparring partner Marion Ravenwood, still marvels at Indy saying he is "flawed and rarely in the right place at the right time, and the romance was hard won."

--Cooter

Eat, Drink and Be Murray-- Part 8: 'Caddyshack'

**  At the back of the Crowne Plaza in Rosemont, surrounded by a drab parking lot, there is another homage:  The Murray Bros. Caddyshack, one of two "Caddyshack" theme restaurants owned by the brothers (Murray Brothers in case you're wondering).  The other one is in St. Augustine, Florida.

"Eat, Drink and Be Murray" reads the sign.  Inside, a sports bar, outfitted with Bill Murray posters, Murray family holiday pictures and even a real Murray --Andy is the chef, floating between the two locations.

Stuffed gophers sit at every other table to encourage social distancing.  Booths are tartan.

The deep fried golf balls (mashed potatoes, bacon, horseradish) is the clubhouse munchy yopu imagine Indian Hill would prohibit.  They also sell their own brand of vodka.

In allIt's all modestly charming, and yes, Bill drops by-- a few times a year.  A waiter confided:  "Though to be honest, that family is so big it's like one of them is here every day."

**  Before "Caddyshack" was released 40 years ago, Ramis told the tribune that although the film was contemporary, its '70s nihilisms and casual golf club already made it a period piece.

He wished they set it in the '60s like "Animal House"  The movie "should have said at the beginning 'Chicago 1963' because 'Caddyshack' really is about things that don't exist anymore."

--Cooter

About That 'Caddyshack' Movie-- Part 7: 'I'm Alright', the Underdog and Harold Ramis

**  Inane as it sounds, though, Kenny Loggins' "I'm Alright" became the soundtrack's ubiquitous smash hit.  You heard it all over the radio.  However, Ramis originally wanted Pink Floyd to do it.  (They were busy, so didn't.)

**  "Caddyshack" (along with "Animal House," "Stripes" and others like it) celebrates the underdog, but the culture of the 1980s that followed those films were enamored with privilege.  You can see that happening in the film, which at first is about working class kids with summer jobs but gradually tells the tale of the feckless captains of industry whom they serve.

**  The author of this only met Harold Ramis once backstage before an event at Columbia College.  A film student told him that "Caddyshack" was his favorite movie of all time.  Ramis smiled and told him:  "Thank you, but I hope you make better movies than that one."

**  Doug Kenney, the co-screenwriter and producer, died a month after "Caddyshack" was released.  He was found at the bottom of a ravine in Hawaii. Kinney was a very troubled, drug-addled writer that friends assumed he had killed himself.  Ramis liked to say:  "He fell looking for a place to jump."

--Cooter

Thoughts About Movie 'Caddyshack'-- Part 2: What About Lou Loomis and Carl Spackler?

**  Even though the movie was inspired by Illinois, it was set in Nebraska and shot in Florida.

**  The concept was sold as "Animal House" on a golf course.

**  "Caddyshack" may be signature Bill Murray, but older brother Brian Doyle-Murray was more involved.  Bill spent just a short time on set; but Brian provided the idea, co-wrote the screenplay (with Rami and Kenney), then played the manager of the caddyshack.

**  Brian based Lou Loomis, his character, on Lou Janis, an Indian Hill caddy master.  According to Bill Murray's golf memoir, Janis "would bet on anything."  In the movie, Loomis wagered that a member would pick his nose and eat it.

**  As early as the mid-1970s, Bill Murray was performing variations of his character, Carl Spackler --  his side talking, imbalanced, philosophical groundskeeper -- as a cast member at Second City.

--RoadDog

TEENAGERS AND CATS:  Cats and teenagers yawn in exactly the same manner, communicating that ultimate human ecstasy--  a sense of complete and utter boredom.

Thoughts About the Movie 'Caddyshack'

From the July 23, 2020, Chicago Tribune "Forty thoughts on 'Caddyshack' by Christopher Borrelli.

The movie "Caddyshack" was released 41 years ago now (40 years ago back in 2020) and tells the story of working class caddies, slobs, wiseasses, and nouveau rich who clash at a Chicago country club.

This is one of my favorite movies and I was able to watch it a short time ago.  It was great then as it is now.

Here are some of Mr. Borrelli's thoughts on the movie:

**  "Caddyshack" was directed by Harold Ramis, who grew up in Chicago's Rogers Park and died at his home in Glencoe in 2014.  He made his career -- "Animal House," "Ghostbusters, "Stripes" -- on movies about irreverent guys facing down an establishment.  

"Caddyshack" was his first directing job and was based on stories from the Murray brothers of Wilmette--  Bill, Brian, et al.  They caddied public courses in Evanston and at Indian Hill Club, a private course in Winnetka.

Too Funny, Especially the Swimming Pool Scenes.  --CootShack

A Snow Ball Problem in 1919

From the March 20, 2019, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1919, 100 Years Ago.

"Recklessness of boys throwing snow balls is causing complaints of pedestrians.  Yesterday a lad threw a snow ball which struck a little baby girl square in the face.

"Today her face is bruised in three places.  Carelessness in throwing snow balls has resulted seriously many times and it seems that boys might be more careful."

No Throwing Snowballs, Lads.  --CootSnow

Comedy Mavericks-- Part 2: Those Wild And Crazy Guys

The book is organized by movie:  "Animal House," "Caddyshack," "Ghostbusters.", "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" and more..

The author, Nick de Semlyen, said:  "It was an era with relatively little studio oversight, copious amounts of narcotics and pumped-up budgets."

"Would a comedy as over the top and strange as 'The Blues Brothers' - a road-trip musical with a demolition-derby finale - get made today?  I don't think so."

"These stars were impulsive, often difficult people, and so frequently their productions were wild, strife-torn affairs," Nick de Semlyen said.

Regardless, these movies and those characters remain my favorites all these years on.

I  might have to get this book.

--CootFunnyHAHA

Waterman to Get Electricity in 1917

From the February 15, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"The men of Waterman are now at work in the village building lines, etc. for the electric light system.

"They will set no date when Waterman will get power as they are so frequently delayed from lack of material."

Charging Into the 20th Century.  --Cooter

Let's Dance-- Part 10: Give Me Good Old Frat/Soul Dancing Anytime

My idea of fun dancing is what you saw on "Animal House" at the Delta Tau Delta toga party.  That and any type of soul dancing.

We used to do a lot of dancing at our Delta Sigma Phi parties at NIU.  We generally played just four albums (yes, albums as that is what we had back 1969-1973).  They were:  Green River by CCR (our fraternity song was "The Buffalo Song" to the tune of "Lodi"), Sly & the Family Stone's Greatest Hits, Four Tops Greatest Hits and Temptations Greatest Hits.

Play one side of all four, flip them over and do the other side.  Repeat as needed.

I dance where the music takes me.

Give Me a Beat That Can't Be Beat.  --CootFrat