Phantom of the Paradise of Winnipeg

 In 1974, Brian De Palma released Phantom of the Paradise.  It’s a difficult movie to classify.  It’s been classified as a horror/musical or a rock musical comedy horror film.  The studio didn’t know how to market it so the advertising was minimal.  In most places, it came out, and quietly closed quickly. 

Except in Winnipeg.

In Winnipeg, it ran for 18 weeks at the Garrick Theatre.  It continued to run off and on through 1976 for a total of 62 weeks.  The soundtrack album sales, in Winnipeg alone, were 20,000 and this pushed the album to a Gold Record status in Canada.

The movie was rated as PG or Parental Guidance – which meant that you were supposed to get your parent’s approval to see it if you were underage.  But, back then, that didn’t mean much at the ticket office.  The next rating up, PA or Parental Accompaniment would have meant that you would need a parent with you if you were underage. 

This was also the time when they would not empty the theatre between showings.  The idea was that, if you came late, you could stay through the next showing to catch the part that you missed.  This also meant that you could stay for repeat showings with one ticket.

I was too young when it came out and I didn’t catch it in the theatre like many others here did.  I did see it for the first time on late night TV when it appeared and I certainly had friends whose older siblings had the album.  When I was much older, I got the CD, and later the DVD.  It was a film that my young daughter watched several times at a probably inappropriate age, along with Tank Girl.  She liked the music in both of them.

Even though the movie did not do well traditionally elsewhere, it had it’s influences on many other things – The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the KISS/Alice Cooper makeup, Darth Vader’s outfit, as well as Guillermo del Toro, and Daft Punk.

It has also had a few celebrations up here where they have played the show on the movie screen, as well as bringing up some of the cast.  Because of this, this is now the movie that I have most seen in the theater – with 4 viewings. 

They just had the 50th anniversary, and brought up much of the cast that was still alive.  In addition, they ran a documentary, Phantom of Winnipeg, the night before the celebration, and had Kevin Smith there to answer questions.  It seems the director of the documentary is a very good friend of his and he came up to support him.

 

For more info, you can also check out this site – with more of the history, or even the wiki.

Figure Painting Total - September 2024

 I preordered the new “cursed crate” expansion for Don’t Look Back, with extra figures for the Northwoods Killers packs.  But I did not pick up anything new otherwise.

I was able to finish of the Allies side of the Dust Tactics original core.  I’m working on the Axis side now.  Then I will do the mechs.  I also have to make an insert for the figures as well.

 

Bought

 

Painted

Dust – Core – Assault Rangers – 5

Dust – Core – Combat Rangers – 5

Dust – Core – Recon Rangers – 5

Dust – Core – Joe Brown – 1      

 

Sept total – 0 figures bought, 16 figures painted

Running total 2024 – figures bought 232, figures painted 33

 

 

Figure Painting Total - August 2024

 I was finally able to get a Totenmeister for Dust Tactics in the Axis Hero pack.  That was the last one that I really wanted.  I’m also still looking for an Allied Grim Reapers, an Axis Gorilla Support Squad, and some extra SSU KV47s (1 regular, and 1 support).  I’d love to get the Cthulhu Mythos, IJN, and maybe some Mercs as well, if I can find them at a decent price.  For Blood Bowl, I already have a Treeman, and a Blitz Bowl set of Halflings, so I should be able to field a decently bad Halfling team.

 

I finally put in some time and finished a few more figures.  I worked a bit more at the Allied forces from the Dust Tactics Core set.  The Axis side is mostly in black, so that should be quicker to finish.

 

 

Bought

Blood Bowl – Greenfield Grasshuggers – 12

Blood Bowl – Kara Temple Harpies – 12

Dust Tactics Axis Hero Pack – 3

Dust Tactics Laser Grenadiers – 5

Dust Tactics Recon Grenadiers – 4 (missing 1)

 

Painted

BSS – FBI Agents – 2

BSS – Paranormal Investigators – 2

BSS – The Grimchesters – 2

DLB – Pack Killer – Possessed Patients – 3

MU – Iron Patriot – 1                       - painted as Warmachine

 

 

 

Aug total – 36 figures bought, 10 figures painted

Running total 2024 – figures bought 232, figures painted 17

 

Books read - May to August 2024

 May

Miracle at the Forks by Allan Levine and Peter C. Newman

Falling by T.J. Newman

The Unofficial Universal Theme Parks Cookbook by Ashley Craft

 

June

Company’s Coming: most loved appetizers by Jean Pare

The Hellfire Club by Jake Tapper

The Devil May Dance by Jake Tapper

 

July

Burrow & Badgers – A Skirmish Game of Anthropomorphic Animals by Michael Lovejoy

Silver Bayonet: Canada by Ash Barker

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook by Ashley Craft

Silver Bayonet: Egypt: Shadow of the Sphinx by Joseph A. McCullough

All the Demons are Here by Jake Tapper

 

Aug

A War Transformed: WWI on the Doggerland Front by Frederick Silburn-Slater

Nothing to Lose by Lee Child

Vegetable Cook Book by Better Homes & Garden

Disneyland Resort: the official Vacation Guide 2024 by Birnbaum

 

A Matter of Scale

 A 6 foot tall person is roughly 1828mm tall.  A 5’11” tall person is 1803mm tall.  So you can use 1800mm as an easy start for a person’s height – with variance.

This would be 1 to 1 scale (1:1 or 1/1), also known as life-size or full-size.

 

Three quarter scale (3:4 or 3/4) is almost full-size.  A 6 foot tall person would be 4’6” tall or about 1350mm.

 

Half scale (1:2 or 1/2) is the next one down and a common scale.  A 6 foot tall person would be 3’ tall or about 900mm.

 

One quarter scale (1:4 or 1/ 4) is another common one.  A 6 foot tall person would be 18” tall or about 450mm.

 

 

Doll scale is one sixth (1:6 or 1/6).  A 6 foot tall person would be 12” tall or about 300mm (304mm).  Barbies, the big GI Joes, and the large Star Wars figures were this scale.

 

Action figure scale is about one ninth (1:9 or 1/9).  A 6 foot tall person would be about 8” tall or about 225mm.  Mego figures, and larger superhero figures are this scale.

 

Dollhouse scale or 1 inch scale is one twelfth (1:12 or 1/12).  A 6 foot tall person would be 6” tall or 150mm.  The Star Wars Black Series figures are this scale.  He-Man was close to this scale (about 5.5”). 

 

A large model car scale is 1:18 or 1/18.  A 6 foot tall person would be 4 inches tall or about 100mm.

Small action figures (Star Wars and GI Joes) are a bit smaller than this.  These figures are 3 ¾” tall or about 95mm.

 

The next scale is very popular.  It is a common model car scale, and the same scale as Playmobil figures.  This is 1:24 or 1/24 scale.  For doll houses, it is also known as half inch scale   A 6 foot tall person would be 3” tall or 75mm.

 

Another popular scale for model cars is 1:32 or 1/32.  A 6 foot tall person would be 56mm tall.  This is known as 1 scale in trains and was roughly they scale for the Thomas the Train sets.

 

 

A popular scale for army figures is 1:35 or 1/35.  A 6 foot tall person would be 2” tall or between 50mm and 52mm.

From experience, even though they should fit easily, it still takes a lot of work to fit a 1/35 figure into a 1/32 model car.

 

O scale trains are about 1:43.  A 6 foot tall person would be about 42mm.

 

Lego minifigs are oddly shaped – wide for their height.  They are 1:40 or 1/40.  A 6 foot tall person would be 40mm tall.  This is also the scale for Marvel Crisis Protocol.

 

Another fairly common model scale for army vehicles is 1:48 or 1/48.  A 6 foot tall person would be 38mm tall.  This is the scale for Dust Tactics and Dust 1947.  Mega Size Model Gundams are in this scale.

 

A lot of newer miniature game figures are now coming out in what would be 1/56 scale.  A 6 foot tall person would be 32mm tall.

 

Perfect Grade Gundams are in 1:60 scale.  A 6 foot tall person would be about 30.5mm tall.

 

Heroic scale would be about 1/65.  A 6 foot tall person would be 28mm tall.

Hot Wheels cars are actually 1/64 scale but, due to the bases and bulk of these figures, look too small for them.

 

The former popular scale for miniature games was 1/72.  A 6 foot tall person would be 1” tall or 25mm.  This is still very popular for army figures.  Note that due to their bulk, most 25mm figures look huge compared to the 1/72 plastic models.

 

1/76 model airplanes will also be close in scale but look very small due to the bulk of these figures.  A 6 foot tall person would be 24mm.

 

HO scale trains are 1/85.  A 6 foot tall person would be 22mm tall.

 

There were also some smaller miniature figures in what would be 1/90 scale.  A 6 foot tall person would be 20mm tall, however figure at this scale were often measured to the eyes instead of the top of the head (due to helmets) so 20mm figures are probably closer to HO scale.

 

Master grade, and some High Grade Gundams are 1:100 scale.  A 6 foot tall person would be 18mm tall.

 

In the UK a very popular size for miniature wargames would be about 1/120. A 6 foot tall person in this scale would be 15mm tall.

 

Another scale for airplane models is 1/144.  A 6 foot tall person would be 12.5mm.  Gundams in Real Grade, Entry Grade and most High Grades are in this scale. Wings of Glory/Wings of War airplanes were suppose to be 1/144 scale but a figure this size would never fit.  They are probably closer to 1/200 scale. 

N scale trains are between 1:148 to 1:160.  A 6 foot tall person would be 12mm to 11.5mm.

Micro Machines were close to N Scale – between 1:148 and 1:160 for most vehicles, and figures about 1/77 scale.  They weren’t always consistent though and included larger scale vehicles as well even smaller for spacecraft.

 

Another common scale for bigger battles is micro armor scale (1:285 or 1/285).  A 6 foot tall person would be 6mm tall.  Battletech is also supposed to be in this scale.

 

Naval scale wargames run the range from 1:1800 for the Axis and Allies:War at Sea game, through 1:2400, 1:3000, 1:4800, up to 1:6000.

 

Star Fleet Battles had ships in 1/3788 scale.

 

Figure Painting Total - June 2024

 I picked up some more figure from Black Site Studio with their June sale.  I also bought some figures directly from the people who have the molds for the Starship Troopers figures.  We enjoyed the Fallout TV series.  I picked up the figures since they are good for both Wasteland Warfare, and Fallout Factions – a new skirmish game that I might get sucked into.

While I came close, I was not able to work on painting anything this month.  I was able to get another 6 dice for my Dust Tactics Core box, meaning that it is only missing 1 die now.

 

 

Bought

Unmatched – Slings and Arrows – 6

BSS – Camp Counselors – 2

BSS – Horror Pack B – 6                (Candyman, Jason’s Mom, Hannibal, Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, Mummy)

DLB – Manhunt – 2

DLB – DeGraw Cleaning Crew – 3

Fallout – Hollywood Heroes – 4

SST – Arachnids – Cliff Mites – 5

SST – Arachnids – Firefries – 5

SST - SICON – Heroes – Sniper – 1

SST- SICON – XM-550 CHAS – 1

 

Painted

 

 

 

June total – 35 figures bought, 0 figures painted

Running total 2024 – figures bought 196, figures painted 7

Scrappy-Doo - menace or misunderstood?

 I am quite surprised at the love and acceptance for Scrappy. I can only assume that these viewers started with the series at Scooby-Doo and Scrappy Doo or later. For me and my friends, who started with the New Scooby movies, the reruns of Scooby-Doo, Where are You? and then the Scooby-Doo/Dyno-Mutt Hour and then Laff-a-Lympics, we were already fond of the standard formula.

The change in Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, both in replacing the main 'normal' characters characters of Fred, Daphne, and Velma with Scrappy, as well as crossing into actual supernatural villains was a bit jarring. Even bringing back Daphne in later seasons didn't help. While we loved Daphne at the time, we didn't realize we needed Velma's competency for success.

Scrappy was loud, brash, over confident, unrealistic in his abilities, and a bully. He was like the friend you have who gets you into fights because he couldn't keep his mouth shut when in dicey situations. He was the friend who 'helped' build a deck on improper footings, or took out a load-bearing wall, while assuring you that he knew what he doing.

Flim-Flam compounded this with many similar traits in The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo.

Bikes in the zombie apocalypse

 So we watched The Walking Dead: The Ones that Lived. I got to thinking - why aren't more characters riding bicycles? They don't need fuel, you can have a basket, they are pretty quiet, and yet easy to lift and push if the roads get rough.

Sure, it's not at cool as a motorcycle but you can draw zombies by ringing the bell, or putting cards in the spokes.

Also, why aren't more characters using cell phones? You should be able to charge from the solar chargers if no other source of electricity is available. Even if the networks finally go down, you should still be able to take and look at pictures and videos.

Or did all the cell-distracted characters get cleared out earlier?

Figure Painting Total - May 2024

 I picked up the rest of the Aliens figures from GaleForce 9.  The USCM figures will be tricky with all of the camo, but the aliens and assets should be pretty basic paint jobs.  I placed an order for some more Starship Troopers figures and bugs direct from the new manufacturer.  If it goes well, I may pick up some more but I want to dig out the faction books first to see how the forces break down.

 

Bought

Aliens – Alien Warriors – 12

Aliens – Assets and Hazards – 34

 

Painted

 

 

 

May total – 46 figures bought, 0 figures painted

Running total 2024 – figures bought 161, figures painted 7

 

Figure Painting Total - April 2024

 Even though the gameplay on Another Glorious Day in the Corp from GaleForce 9 didn’t excite me from what I’ve seen, the figures did catch my eye.  I must not have been the only one as they had released the figures from the game and its expansions separately.  So I picked them up to use in upgrading my old Aliens board game from Leading Edge.  I also got the missing crates and tank traps from the Dust core set, as well as some dice and figures.  I thought it might be another squad, and it is almost a full squad of Allied combat rangers, with the bazooka soldier swapped out for another figure from a different squad. I may end up using them for objectives or casualties, or even as generic figures for other skirmish games.

I spent most of the hobby time for this month on assembling the Green Lantern Corps and Teen Titan sets from last month.  I was able to get a few figures across the finish line – my first for the year.

 

 

Bought

Aliens – Alien Queen – 1

Aliens – The Heroes of Hadley’s Hope – 13

Aliens – Sulaco Survivors – 4

BM – The Riddler and Bot Army – 4        

Dust Tactics – Allies – (combat rangers w/o bazooka)?? – 5 

 

Painted

DLB – The Curse of Oak Hill – 2

DLB – The Gourd Reaper – 4

DLB – Multipart Killer – 1

 

 

Apr total – 27 figures bought, 7 figures painted

Running total 2024 – figures bought 115, figures painted 7

 

Books read - January to April 2024

 Jan

High Wizardry by Diane Duane

Spike! Presents 2022 Almanac by Games Workshop

Warhammer Leviathan (10th edition) by Warhammer Design Studio

 

Feb

A Wizard Abroad by Diane Duane

Don’t Look Back by Matt Burns

Connections by James Burke

Dice Men – The Origin Story of Games Workshop by Ian Livingstone with Steve Jackson

 

Mar

The Wizard’s Dilemma by Diane Duane

On the Road to Abandoned Manitoba by Gordon Goldsborough

Blizzard Cosplay – Tips, Tricks and Hints by Blizzard Entertainment

 

Apr

Hidden Empire by Orson Scott Card

Made in Manitoba: best of the Open Road stories by Bill Redekop

Running Blind by Lee Child

 

Miniatures starting kit

 I had a friend start in the hobby miniatures painting and I put together a basic list of simple items that they should think about having in addition to paints and brushes.  Some seem quite obvious, and some less so.  I share it here with you.

Good brush set - you don't really need a lot of brushes.  You can get by with three good brushes - a 1, a 000, and another brush for dry brushing.

Good paints - find a few that you like.

Liquid model glue - for styrene figures and models.  I use Plastruct but Tamiya is also nice.

CA glue - for metal and resin figures and moddels.  I used to buy Zap-a=gap but it always dried up before I could finish half a bottle.  I'm currently using Gorilla Super Glue in regular and gel.

PVA glue - for basing.  Most brands are fine. 

 

  

Emery boards – for sanding.  You can get a bunch in a pack at the dollar store.

 

Cheap brushes – for glue or terrain.  You can pick up a pack at the dollar store.  

 

Cheap paint – for terrain or bases.  The Apple Barrel or Americana type paints at Walmart, or dollar store.  At least a black, brown, and two tones for you bases.

 

Ziplocks bags – different sizes.  

 

Reaper (or similar) dropper bottles with a medium mix - for thinning paint.

 

A few slick mats for gluing on.  Like the kind stickers come on.

 

A few thick newspaper – for a drop cover to protect you r table from spills or splatters.

Plastic gloves - useful when priming.

Chip board sheets - like the back of a legal pad, or a cereal box.  Useful for crafting terrain or bits.

 

Paper towels or facial tissue - to remove paint from brush when drybrushing, and to clean up spills.

 

Possibly also get the following:

A craft knife and cutting board

Toolkit - or pencil/shoe box.  For holding your tools.  A container or spot for your paints is also handy.

Small holders for tokens/bits - the dollar store has many different types.

 

Also needs:

more brushes - larger, smaller, extras.

Small wire cutters - for cutting models, sprue, and wire for bits and pinning.

Side/flush cutters – for cutting sprue.

Dedicated water holder - for cleaning brushes.  Distinct enough to avoid drinking accidentally.

Tweezers - I don't really use them but some people really find the useful.

Clips/clothespins - for holding some pieces while the glue dries.

Toothpicks - for applying paint, glue, and for crafts in terrain.

 

Optional:

Wood rods/skewers

Silicon popit – for mixing paints

Bandages - have handy for when you cut yourself

Stir sticks, craft sticks (popsicle), wide craft sticks (tongue depressors)

Dollarama jewelry chains

Christmas hooks (instead of paperclips) - much easier to cut for use in pinning pieces together, or to replace hoses for the figures or terrain.

 

Later:

Figure holder – or blutac and cork or bottle to hold figure while painting.

Helping hands device - to hold pieces when gluing.

files - a flat, round, and half round.

Sharpener for craft knife - to extend the use of your blades.

Spare blades

Used blade holder

brush cleaner

Flashlight – for finding pieces that fall on the floor.

Nail polish remover – for fingers that get stuck by CA glue.

Cork sheets - for terrain.

Clip boards/hardboard - for bases for the terrain.

Foam core

Work tray? - to be able to move your setup easier if you don't have a dedicated spot to work.

Notebook – for marking down your paint mixes to match later.

This is only a start.  You may find other essentials as you work.  Good lighting is always helpful.

 

Figure Painting Total - March 2024

Unfortunately, the Knight Models sets that I picked it up were the newer ones and came without cards.  I’ve been having trouble getting the cards from their site.  They want you to go through their online app for them.  Luckily I had already printed off the DCU cards for the Green Lantern Corps.

 

Bought

Blitz Bowl Ultimate Edition – 12

BM – Teen Titans Batbox – 11

Combat Arena: Contest of Champions – 4

DCU – Green Lantern Corps – 5

 

Painted

 

 

 

Mar total – 32 figures bought, 0 figures painted

Running total 2024 – figures bought 88, figures painted 0

Starship Troopers - want more

 So lately I've come across a few Starship Troopers references in my feed.  First I saw a youtube video about making the armor from foam.  It's been one of the costumes that seemed pretty easy, except for the helmet.  But we haven't really done much in way of costuming lately.

Then I came across this video, where someone shows off their collection of figures.  Since I've been getting back into painting, it made me want to get some more figures.  I have all of the books and a bunch of the figures.  But not all of them.

It does make me want to get more figures,  While ebay is always an option, I can also get some of the non-movies metal figures direct from Rebel Minis. After my next purchases, I will probably try to get some of them.

Figure Painting Total - January 2024

 I got some more Dust figures.  The Gorillas and Zombies are already painted but I will probably touch them up.  I’m good for Zombies now, but still need to pick up a Gorilla Support squad.  I also pick up some SSU troops.  I am mainly getting the walkers for the Soviets but want a few troops.  I still need another walker, as well as a helicopter.

I assembled a bunch of the Don’t Look Back figures.  We had some really nice weather but I did not get them primed before it turned.

 

Bought

Dust Tactics – Axis – Gorillas – 3

Dust Tactics – Axis – Zombie – 5

Dust Tactics – SSU – Red Army Command squad – 5

Dust Tactics – SSU – Rifle Squad – 5

 

 

Painted

 

 

 

Jan total – 18 figures bought, 0 figures painted

Running total 2024 – figures bought 18, figures painted 0

 

My top 10 games of 2023

 

I have put together my top 10 games for 2023.  Note that these are games that I have played for the first time in 2023, not necessarily games that were released in 2023.  With all the games that I already have, I got another x games plus expansions last year.  Some were gifts, some were purchased at the thrift stores, and some were new.

 

The new games were: Chosen Men, Don’t Look Back – second edition, Gelatinous, Marvel Splendor*, Marvel Villainous: Twisted Ambition, Marvel Villainous: We Are Venom, Scooby Doo: Betrayal at Mystery Mansion, Silver Bayonet, Spectre, Star Wars Villainous: Scum and Villainy, Unmatched – Brains and Brawn, Unmatched – For King and Country, Unmatched – Teen Spirit, Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze, Warhammer 40,000 – tenth edition - Leviathan.

 

The ones I picked up not new were:

 

 

A lot of these did not hit the table this year.  Some games from previous years were finally played.

 

Games that I played for the first time that did not make my list were:

10 – Boggle Jr – a very simple version of the regular game for young kids. 

 

9 – Stay Alive – I had seen this one as a child but had never played it.  You have to move sliders and try to drop your opponents’ balls while keeping your balls from falling into the holes.  It does play pretty well. 

 

8 – Draftosaurus – is a quick drafting game using dinosaur shaped meeples instead of cards.  You draw 6 dinos from a bag and place them on your own board to score depending on the areas and number of dinos in them.

 

7 – Trash Pandas – a quick card game for up to 4 players where you play as a raccoon digging through trash cans for leftovers.  It combines set collecting with push-your-luck.

 

6 – Cover Your Assets – a card game for 4-6 players where you try to make sets of assets cards but your topmost pile can always be stolen.

 

5 – Gelatinous – is basically a gamer version of LCR.  There is no decision making or strategy involved, you just roll your dice, move them depending on what you rolled, and then continue until someone wins.  The green sparkly dice are very pretty though.

 

4 – Pokemon Jr Adventure Game – a very simple RPG for young kids, with a very preprogrammed path.  It would have been much better enjoyed if we had been able to get to this ten years ago, but was still fun.

 

3 – Munchkin – The Nightmare Before Christmas – it is our first Munchkin game played.  It is a dungeon crawl kind of game with a heavy take-that element.  It was a bit slow to start but picked up as we got the hang of it.  I don’tknow if it is different from the regular Munchkin but the rest of us were at level 9 when someone won.

 

2 – Dust Tactics Revised Core – I was finally able to play the introductory scenario.  The rules seem pretty basic once we got the hang of it.  I was glad to finally play this as I keep buying forces for it.  It seems like there will be enough depth to satisfy that miniatures battle need.

 

1 – Blitz Bowl – I also got to play this with someone who had only played Blood Bowl online.  The players and rules are somewhat similar to Blood Bowl but a lot more simplified.  It took me a few turns to get used to the differences but then it really played quickly.