When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, it’s a good core workout. If you’re sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More
Many of us remember coming home from our elementary schools with freshly glazed pinchpots, cups, or whatever else our young imaginations could conjure up. Saturday mornings at the Randall Museum can bring that memory back, or create a new one for the youngsters. Ceramics make great gifts — especially on Mothers' and Fathers' Day. Hop on board for the Randall's once-weekly class, and for $6 and two weeks to have your work fired and glazed, you'll have all the materials you need.More
December is almost over - the New Year is coming up and everyone is busy drying off from the rain or holiday shopping. Let's take a look at what's happened this month.
You may measure your true 415 cred by the amount of times you've strolled into the diner that "never close[s]" (as the sign says), sidled up to the bar, ordered a drink, and received a shot of ouzo on the house — without blinking, looking sideways, or feeling the need to keep an open line to flee for the exit.
December is almost over - the New Year is coming up and everyone is busy drying off from the rain or holiday shopping. Let's take a look at what's happened this month.
What’s the worst film ever made? No, it’s not Pixels or Fantastic Four or Jem and the Holograms whatever other movie that the Internet is all cranky about. [UPDATE: I have been informed over Twitter that Jem and the Holograms is indeed the worst movie ever made. Okay, then!] But I would argue that it is also not Harold P. Warren’s 1966 Manos: The Hands of Fate, if only because Barry J. Gillis’ 1989 film Things is far worse. But it’s Warren’s Manos which which Synapse Films has just released on Blu-ray, in a shiny new restoration by a man named Ben Solovey.
The quote-story-unquote of a family of vacationers who run afoul of a demonic cult, I go back a long way with Manos: The Hands of Fate. I’ve argued in the past that it’s not "so bad it's good," nor is it "so bad it's bad." Instead, Manos exists in an inexplicable universe of its own making which that defies all attempts at quantification using such linear biped concepts as "good" or "bad". I’ve watched it countless times on Mystery Science Theater 3000 since that episode’s premiere in January 1993, including a near-religious experience with a packed audience of fellow fans at the second ConventioCon Expo Fest-A-Rama in 1996.
As he explains on both a post called “Why Manos?” on his website as well as in an interview I did with him last year on that one nerd-culture blog, film aficionado Ben Solovey purchased a carload of 16mm and 35mm prints salvaged from the long-moribund Emerson Film Enterprises. Among them were both a theatrical print and a workprint of Manos: The Hands of Fate, and after a Kickstarter which I did my best to help promote in 2012, the restoration was underway.
The Blu-ray also includes the “Grindhouse Unrestored Version” of the film, allowing for an up-close examination of the restoration. For example, here’s a frame in which writer/director/producer Harold P. Warren (standing on the right) demonstrates his keen grasp of the directorial arts. Click the image to see every grain up close!
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…and here’s the restored version.
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Even though it was shot on a craptacular 16mm camera, one of the things I love about the utter artlessness of the film is that the restoration gives a sort of you-are-there quality that was lacking in the original version. The production values are slightly above that of a home movie, and in the restoration, you always get the sense that you’re watching non-actors making a very bad movie; it’s like a documentary of its own making. And I love it so much for that.
Speaking of me, I had the honor of hosting the San Francisco premiere of the restored Manos: The Hands of Fate at Bad Movie Night last year. (True story: We were originally going to do it as part of that Big Annual Comedy Festival You’ve Probably Heard Of, but the organizers of that Big Annual Comedy Festival You’ve Probably Heard Of nixed it for fear that my show doing Manos might hurt their relationship with the Mystery Science Theater 3000 people.)
And another fascinating thing about me is that because contributed to the Kickstarter at the Sponsor level, my name is in the restoration credits, though I’ll forever be overshadowed — undershadowed? — by the American Enlarged Knee Association.
But new 16mm and 35mm prints of the restored version have been made, meaning there are least two film prints out there that have my name buried deep in the credits. And even if it wasn't, the rebirth of Manos: The Hands of Fate is a thing to be celebrated.
Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"
