Yet again, I have my dad to thank for a (what is certain to be) lifelong appreciation of Monty Python. He grew up watching the stuff on PBS when he was in college, and as such cultured a love for Mssrs. Chapman, Cleese, Gilliam, Idle, Jones, and Palin in my heart from a very young age.
The Meaning of Life is my favorite of their films. From The Crimson Permanent Assurance to Part VII: Death (“But I didn’t eat the salmon mousse…”), I love everything about it. The Python crew were ridiculously intelligent, so as I’ve grown older, I can appreciate a new piece each time I watch it. For example, when I first saw the movie, the scene pictured above didn’t have an impression on me. Now, it’s another part where I laugh out loud.
Was it incredibly awkward to watch this for the first time when you’re 16(ish) with your dad, and he fast-forwards through “Part II: Growth and Learning”? Yes, yes it was. But I will most definitely subject my children to the same someday.
Cait’s Favorite Things:
My “Shakespeare and Film” class that I took my undergrad senior year.
Reasons to love this class:
The professor was gorgeous (and kindly wrote me a letter of recommendation for grad school).
It introduced me to Blackadder, among other things.
This class also introduced me to Henry V, which was perhaps the best thing that happened.
I can now say that I’ve watched softcore porn for class. Yes. I had to write an essay on it. Let me say here that watching Tromeo and Juliet with 25 other college students is both hilariously entertaining and tremendously awkward (particularly when Juliet become part-bull).
Theme from “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm,” by Shirley Walker
Before Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, before I was allowed to watch the Batman films with Michael Keaton — there was Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. I absolutely ADORED this cartoon (and the entire television series, as a matter of fact), and we’ve still got a VHS copy of the movie somewhere around the house.
But, this theme is my absolute favorite — it’s something I still listen to (and actually paid money on iTunes to download). I may even prefer it to Danny Elfman’s original theme (which I also love).
Cait’s Favorite Things:
“Got My Mind Set On You,” George Harrison
I have to thank my dad for introducing me to this song — one of my dad’s constant requests is for me to burn him CDs of music he’d listen to when he was my age, and this is one of those songs. This song never ceases to put a smile on my face.
Cait’s Favorite Things:
Hyperbole and a Half
I have my friend Sean to thank for introducing me to this website/comic series. One day at my old job, he sent me a link to this comic. I spent roughly five minutes reading the comic, and then time throughout the rest of the alternating between reading the rest of the site and wiping tears of laughter out of my eyes so I could see the monitor. Needless to say, that wasn’t the most ‘productive’ day at work.
Although the author hasn’t updated in a while (as explained in the most recent post), it’s well worth checking out the backlog of posts. :)
Opening Credits » BBC’s Wallander
Cait’s Favorite Things:
The opening credits to Wallander
I mean, I love the show in general (and way before anyone had heard of Tom Hiddleston, being the Kenneth Branagh fan that I am), but I just LOVE these credits, combined with the song “Nostalgia” by Emily Barker & the Red Clay Halo.
Cait’s Favorite Things:
Blackadder
Reason #1 to watch BA: Hugh Laurie (as a lovable idiot) Reason #2 to watch BA: Rowan Atkinson (in sarcastic perfection) Reason #3 to watch BA: Stephen Fry (as — do you really need a reason to watch Fry in anything?) Reasons #4 and #5: Tony Robinson and Tim McInnerny (who you might not have heard of before but will love after watching this)
I’d recommend to anyone that you check out series 2 first (series 1 is kind-of weird), though series 4 (pictured above) is my favorite.
Cait’s Favorite Things:
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
I’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for bluegrass music — my uncle’s in a couple of bands, and bluegrass is practically all my favorite aunt listens to. As such, I know that a lot of people hate the stuff with a passion normally reserved for country music.
That’s why Steve Martin is particularly wonderful. He’s been playing the banjo since he was a teen, and he recently joined up with the Steep Canyon Rangers (a pre-existing bluegrass band) and started seriously playing bluegrass. Because Steve Martin is a comedian, known for his stand-up, films, and novels, he has brought a whole new audience to bluegrass music, introducing the stuff to people who would have never checked it out.
Above is a performance of the Martin-penned “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs.” It doesn’t showcase any bluegrass instrumentation, instead highlighting the a cappela nature of some gospel tunes. In future posts, I might showcase some more instrumental numbers.
I hear in my mind all of these voices I hear in my mind all of these words I hear in my mind all of this music And it breaks my heart And it breaks my heart And it breaks my heart When it breaks my heart
Cait’s Favorite Things:
This song and music video. The video can be found here.
“Rolling ‘Til the World Ends,” an Adele/Britney mashup
Cait’s Favorite Things:
Painting Doctor Who graffiti at UConn last summer
I did the right side with a few friends, ran out of paint, and went back to do the left side by myself a week later.
Cait’s Favorite Things:
“The World is Awesome,” a.k.a. the Boom De Ah Dah video
From Stephen Hawking to Adam lighting Jamie on fire, this video just makes me smile.
Cait’s Favorite Things:
Breaking Bad
Still a bit depressed after “The Reichenbach Fall”? Want to be even more sad, this time about the human condition in general? Do you also want to watch some truly quality AMERICAN television?
I have a solution. Check out this AMC series, starring Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. This is what happens when a man diagnosed with lung cancer decides to provide for his family by cooking meth. It’s a darkly funny and violent show that’s not for the squeamish, and it constantly surprises me, both with how freakin’ GOOD it is, and with some crazy plot twists. Seasons 1-3 are available on Netflix Instant.
Cait’s Favorite Things:
the writings of Mary Roach
Mary Roach is a science writer, but not the science you’re thinking about. The two books pictured above are two of the four she has written, and they’re not exactly what you’d expect. Stiff, subtitled The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, discusses what happens to bodies that are donated to science (including entries on body farms and crash-test dummies), and Spook looks at the afterlife (including that whole “can you measure the human soul?” question). Her other two books, Bonk and Packing for Mars, tackle sex and life in outer space, respectively.
She’s funny, and she talks about these subjects which could be morbid at best in a way that keeps you entertained. But, at the same time she asks some serious questions and doesn’t take her subject matter too lightly. Odd, yes, but check them out anyway.
