Today's Five: Don't go into that castle, Jonathan Harker!
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 7:30AM by Nathaniel R
We got a little carried away with our "on this day" posts these past few months. They were meant just to be fun and festive quickies and not take over so REDUCE REDUCE. Moving forward we'll give you 3-5 reasons to celebrate any given day because a) we're trying to stay positive b) it's good to be alive and c) who knows how much longer we'll be able to do that with nut-job man-babies running the world's most weaponized countries? So put on your party hats every day, is the point.
Five Showbiz-Related Anniversaries (May 3rd)
2002 Sam Raimi's pop and playful superhero picture Spider-Man opens in theaters to massive then record-breaking returns. We were all so innocent back then. There was really only Batman and Spider-Man (Superman still on his long hiatus) and no "universes" to obsess over. If only even 1/10ths of the superhero pictures that came after it these past 15 years were shot as inventively (but they can't all be Raimis)
In its honor today: Look at yourself in the mirror the appreciative way Tobey Maguire does when he wakes up after that spider-bite, improved. You're awesome. Maybe you just didn't notice it before?
1978 Christina Hendricks is born in Knoxville Tennessee. We feel certain should would have been a big film star in the studio system but Hollywood doesn't seem to be throwing offers at her feet like so many roses despite the fact that she proved time and again on Mad Men that she was an actress of magnetism and gifted with both laugh lines and piercing subtext.
In her honor today: Put a little slink in your walk. Humor the basics but know you're on another level.
1963 "I Will Follow Him" was the #1 song in the land. It later got a blockbuster comeback via a bunch of funny singing nuns in Sister Act (1992). That movies 25th anniversary is coming up soon and we'll revisit it with ya.
In its honor today: Just sing along once. Guaranteed mood-booster.
1903 Showbiz icon Bing Crosby born. How's this for some trivia: On his 41st birthday, his Oscar winning film Going My Way (1944) opens in movie theaters. What a birthday present huh? It proved to be Bing's biggest hit (give or take White Christmas in 1954) and with Oscar (the film won 7 Oscars including Best Picture). Bing was nominated twice more, for its sequel The Bells of St Marys (1945) and for the marital drama Country Girl (1954) with Grace Kelly.
In his honor today: Imagine Bing's 1944 being no match for your 2017 !
1885 ? Bram Stoker's classic epistolary novel Dracula takes place between May 3rd and November 6th of a single year in the late 19th century. Jonathan Harker begins his travel to Dracula's castle on May 3rd. He goes in every damn time no matter how many times the horrifying tale is told. Don't do it Jonathan! Think of Mina. For some reason in Francis Coppola's grand experimental film version in 1992, he starts writing the letters on May 25th as you can see in the image above.
In its honor today: Tell your Mina how much you love him/her/them and avoid energy vampires. You probably have one in your own life.
IF THESE ASSIGNMENTS HELP YOU TODAY, REPORT BACK!
Reader Comments (9)
Excellent post. More so because today is my birthday. Yay!
Happy birthday Pedro, have a good one!
Birthday salutations, Pedro! I hope you have a fabulous one.
I love the "On This Day" factoids -- the more, the better.
In a perfect film world Christina Hendricks would be a much bigger star by now, but we'll always have her stellar (if Emmy-ignored) Mad Men work to console us. By the way, IMDB puts her birth year at 1975. I don't know who's right.
Crying because the super long and detailed birthday posts ends the day BEFORE my birthday, May 4 :'(
Hope something good is lined up for tomorrow! :-P
Oh no Nick... i'm sorry. but i'm sure y'all want me to actually have to time to write things, too. and those meant to be quickies were taking so long. :)
Haha, of course! After years of reading, I'm a firm believer of Nathaniel Knows Best! :)
Yay! Can't wait for the revisit of Sister Act!
Such a delightful movie! 8)
Ahhh, Nathaniel! Thanks for the shoutout in Comment Du Jour! You made my day!
I love Coppola's Dracula. So gorgeous to look at and Oldman and Hopkins have a grand ole time. What a great adaptation.
Thanks for the birthday wishes! 😀