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.