It all began on a dreamy summer afternoon. I was sitting under a tree with my kitty, Dinah, listening to my Sister read from a book.... oh, wait. Not.
It's a strange connection of events, y'see.
It really began during a slumber party ay Allison's house back in 1989. I think.
I couldn't sleep in a room full of gently snoring girls, so I snuck out with my pillow to her TV room and quietly watched cable. MTV.
And there was this amazing little video on (ever notice how the truly good stuff was on at 2 AM?) that was this little kid and a great big metal robot.
A Friend is a Friend
Nothing can change that
Arguments, squabbles
Can't break the contract
That each of you makes
To the death, to the end
Deliver your future
Into the hands of your friend.
Wow, says I. Wow. The end of the video was a bit where they've trapped the Iron Man in a pit, filled it in, and thought it was over. Years, pass, and a picnicking couple are using forks and knives and the Iron Man digs his way up and comes out under their little checkered picnic blanket. And the little kid meets him, and they just stand there, looking at each other.
Wow.
A few years later, I came across "The Iron Man- The Musical by Pete Townshend" in the CD section of Camelot. This was back when CDs had those great big cardboard sleeve/box holders around them. Must buy. Must acquire this thing. Did I even know anyone with a CD player at this point? No. Did I buy the thing? Of course! Great music must be obtained whether you own the medium to play it on or not!
So eventually we get a computer, and it has a CD-ROM drive that can also be used as a CD player on it. Way cool. And the CD? Way cooler. It's based on the Ted Hughes children's book. Pete Townshend as Hogarth (the little boy), Nina Simone as the Space Dragon!
And..... John Lee Hooker as the Iron Man himself.
I eat heavy metal
Gargle premium gas
I drink heavy water
Nitro-demitasse...
Swell. This is the start of my ecclectic collection of CDs, really.
And I listen to that for a CHUNK of years. Play it LATE at night on The Demon 91.7 FM.
And then along come the rumor whispers around 1996 or so.
They're making a film of "Iron Man."
animated
Rachel from Friends is in it
Harry Connick, Jr. is in it
(and Harry being a local boy and all; well, I gotta see it now, right?)
But the bummer is that it isn't going to be the same as Pete's vision. But Harry is in it!
And it opened in 1999.
But no one was interested in going to see it. And I was in England for July... and, well, never got around to it. Dang.
So every now and then it would run on Cartoon Network, but I'd always miss it.
OK. So now it's 2004. I'm clicking around, late at night... and there's this thing on the TV Guide channel about The Chronicles of Riddick. And this vaguely familiar looking guy is showing off the sets with a tone of voice I've only ever heard a few times before. A tone of .... genuine feeling. Like he's proud of the work that somebody put in. Like he's enjoying the fact that he has something to play off of besides the now ubiquitous green-screen.
Wow. An action movie guy (Pitch Black, my brain reminds me, followed rapidly by Fast and the Furious and XXX, none of which I've ever seen) who seems to be interested in the scenery. Must learn more about him.
So, a few clicks of the mouse and Ardath Rekha's site and a trip to The Art of Vin Diesel (off line for now)later, I'm hooked on the man and his work.
And guess what? He was the Iron Giant in the movie based on "The Iron Man" by Ted Hughes.
Neat.
Gets funnier.
I go to Circuit City en route to Target while Christmas shopping. Guess what's out in the BUY THIS NOW section? "The Iron Giant" Special Edition DVD.
I open the Parade Magazine the next Sunday and what's highly recommended for purchase for Christmas?
Yep. "The Iron Giant" Special Edition DVD.
It's the Circle of Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife! And it Moooooooves us aaaaaaaaaaaallllllllll!
You ought to listen to the Townshend musical. John Lee Hooker's songs are tres plus cool.
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