View allAll Photos Tagged cheapskates

Shot from a passenger’s seat while the car was in motion. Maybe I shouldn’t name this structure just a “billboard.” It’s a monster-sized super board and it appears to be twice as wide as it is tall.

This was taken on 15th Street, between 7th and 8th Ave...

 

What's that? You say you haven't heard of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn? What planet are you from? Well, okay, here's the first paragraph of the Cliff Notes summary of the book, the rest of which you can read at

 

www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/t/a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn...

 

************

 

"When the novel opens, Francie is eleven years old. It is 1912, and the Nolan family lives in an apartment in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. In the courtyard is a tree, called the Tree of Heaven, which always grows, regardless of whether or not it is watered. It even grows in cement, but only in the poorest neighborhoods."

 

*************

 

Or you can read the Wikipedia summary of the plot and the characters here:

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Tree_Grows_in_Brooklyn_(novel)

 

**************

 

Or you can stop being such a cheapskate, and plunk down $14.06 to get the paperback version of the book at Amazon, via this URL:

 

www.amazon.com/Tree-Grows-Brooklyn-P-S/dp/0061120073

 

************************

 

This set of photos is based on a very simple concept: walk every block of Manhattan with a camera, and see what happens. To avoid missing anything, walk both sides of the street.

 

That's all there is to it …

 

Of course, if you wanted to be more ambitious, you could also walk the streets of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx. But that's more than I'm willing to commit to at this point, and I'll leave the remaining boroughs of New York City to other, more adventurous photographers.

 

Oh, actually, there's one more small detail: leave the photos alone for a month -- unedited, untouched, and unviewed. By the time I actually focus on the first of these "every-block" photos, I will have taken more than 8,000 images on the nearby streets of the Upper West Side -- plus another several thousand in Rome, Coney Island, and the various spots in NYC where I traditionally take photos. So I don't expect to be emotionally attached to any of the "every-block" photos, and hope that I'll be able to make an objective selection of the ones worth looking at.

 

As for the criteria that I've used to select the small subset of every-block photos that get uploaded to Flickr: there are three. First, I'll upload any photo that I think is "great," and where I hope the reaction of my Flickr-friends will be, "I have no idea when or where that photo was taken, but it's really a terrific picture!"

 

A second criterion has to do with place, and the third involves time. I'm hoping that I'll take some photos that clearly say, "This is New York!" to anyone who looks at it. Obviously, certain landscape icons like the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty would satisfy that criterion; but I'm hoping that I'll find other, more unexpected examples. I hope that I'll be able to take some shots that will make a "local" viewer say, "Well, even if that's not recognizable to someone from another part of the country, or another part of the world, I know that that's New York!" And there might be some photos where a "non-local" viewer might say, "I had no idea that there was anyplace in New York City that was so interesting/beautiful/ugly/spectacular."

 

As for the sense of time: I remember wandering around my neighborhood in 2005, photographing various shops, stores, restaurants, and business establishments -- and then casually looking at the photos about five years later, and being stunned by how much had changed. Little by little, store by store, day by day, things change … and when you've been around as long as I have, it's even more amazing to go back and look at the photos you took thirty or forty years ago, and ask yourself, "Was it really like that back then? Seriously, did people really wear bell-bottom jeans?"

 

So, with the expectation that I'll be looking at these every-block photos five or ten years from now (and maybe you will be, too), I'm going to be doing my best to capture scenes that convey the sense that they were taken in the year 2013 … or at least sometime in the decade of the 2010's (I have no idea what we're calling this decade yet). Or maybe they'll just say to us, "This is what it was like a dozen years after 9-11".

 

Movie posters are a trivial example of such a time-specific image; I've already taken a bunch, and I don't know if I'll ultimately decide that they're worth uploading. Women's fashion/styles are another obvious example of a time-specific phenomenon; and even though I'm definitely not a fashion expert, I suspected that I'll be able to look at some images ten years from now and mutter to myself, "Did we really wear shirts like that? Did women really wear those weird skirts that are short in the front, and long in the back? Did everyone in New York have a tattoo?"

 

Another example: I'm fascinated by the interactions that people have with their cellphones out on the street. It seems that everyone has one, which certainly wasn't true a decade ago; and it seems that everyone walks down the street with their eyes and their entire conscious attention riveted on this little box-like gadget, utterly oblivious about anything else that might be going on (among other things, that makes it very easy for me to photograph them without their even noticing, particularly if they've also got earphones so they can listen to music or carry on a phone conversation). But I can't help wondering whether this kind of social behavior will seem bizarre a decade from now … especially if our cellphones have become so miniaturized that they're incorporated into the glasses we wear, or implanted directly into our eyeballs.

 

Oh, one last thing: I've created a customized Google Map to show the precise details of each day's photo-walk. I'll be updating it each day, and the most recent part of my every-block journey will be marked in red, to differentiate it from all of the older segments of the journey, which will be shown in blue. You can see the map, and peek at it each day to see where I've been, by clicking on this link

 

URL link to Ed's every-block progress through Manhattan

 

If you have any suggestions about places that I should definitely visit to get some good photos, or if you'd like me to photograph you in your little corner of New York City, please let me know. You can send me a Flickr-mail message, or you can email me directly at ed-at-yourdon-dot-com

 

Stay tuned as the photo-walk continues, block by block ...

I discovered this set in an antiques shop in Bradenton, FL in 2007. The owner said her mother had found them. They were a little pricey (and I'm a cheapskate), but so beautiful and unique that I couldn't resist them! I've never, ever seen another similar set. They appear virtually unused. (The photos are awful, so I guess I'd never posted them, thinking I'd take some better ones and never did. I'd replace the photos now, but have stored these safely away and have forgotten where! Will make a better set of photos when I find them . . . I actually do have some ideas where they might be stashed!)

 

These will go into our renovated linen closet to identify the contents of each self.

 

I'm delighted that I'll be able to use them soon.

BOX DATE: 2003

MANUFACTURER: Mattel

VARIATIONS: Blonde; African American

BODY TYPE: 1991; molded paisley panties; Twist 'N Turn waist; Shani arms; bend & snap legs

HEAD MOLD: 1991 "Bob Mackie"; pierced ears

 

PERSONAL FUN FACT: Ah, the name Exotic Intrigue is PERFECT for this lady. I found her at an indoor flea market sometime in 2012, if I'm not mistaken. She was in a small group with mainly Dolls of the World Barbies. Colleen used to buy Harry Potter collectibles from this particular seller, although we had occasionally found dolls at his booth (like my Star Trek set). At some point, he wanted about $6 for each dolly, which was far too expensive for them. Yes, they were indeed collector quality, but I'm a cheapskate generally speaking. I knew if we waited it out, we'd get a deal. Sure enough, the seller ended up letting the dolls go for about $2 or $3 each instead. Some of them still had their shoes! Back to her name...it's very fitting because I found her exotic and intriguing when I first adopted her. I knew that she was "fancy" but I wasn't sure what collection she originated from. Back in those days, I didn't have as expansive of a dolly library as I do now. I believe Colleen actually identified her utilizing eBay. We also discovered that there is also a VERY attractive African American variant, whom I would love to own one day. There is something so very sultry and serene about this gal. I wish Avon still had special edition Barbies, because they are some of my absolute favorite collector dolls!

 

Moka three cup espresso.

I am sorry, but this is not good enough. It is not a shopping centre it is three arcades, connected by a cheapskate glass roof and a car park. Westfield has shat upon us big style and enriched themselves big style. This is the city which was pivotal in the development of a civilised and caring society. Is this going to be our monument ? Compare the roof on this structure with that on the Trinity centre in Leeds or the Cabot Centre in Bristol to mention but a few. It is rumoured that the Architect was savaged to death by his guide dog. So be it , but some people should be held politically responsible for for the decision to build this carbuncle and supervise its construction. The Tax Man should be looking off-shore, with a view to confiscating Westfields profits from crime. For chrissake and Ruskin's let's preserve and perpetuate our heritage. Rubbish like this will make it increasingly difficult to determine what our heritage is. Keep calm and carry on shopping.

"Cheapskate!"

 

...with a rather genius total cost per mile comparison.

 

Which £100 bargain would you snap up?

Most have no idea how good we had it.

#1980s #1970s #athletic #athlete #beachbody #beauty #beautiful #bikini #Veniceboardwalk #carnival #California #cheapskates #cute #exercise #exercising #fit #girl #lifestyle #legs #leisure #lifestyle #LosAngeles #models #ocean #pinup #promenade #rollerblades #rollerderby #rollerskates #rollerskating #rollerskater #rollerskaters #recreation #rollerskate #sexy #skateboard #sports #SantaMonica #skates #skater #skating #skaters #Venice #VeniceBeach

 

“Walmart Run”

 

It’s been a long day, been a long night,

a thousand miles and a dozen fights

And now we head into the setting sun --

it’s time once again for a Walmart run

 

A gallon of milk -- $2.48

Bundle of socks, I ain’t no cheapskate

But deals are good, saving money is fun --

and it’s time once again for a Walmart run

 

*Walmart, for the deep discount

Walmart, a pajama house!

Don’t gotta get dressed or put make-up on --

so it’s time once again for a Walmart run

 

Oh, you hate it, or so you say,

but I saw you there twice on Saturday

Saw you there twice, buying beer and gum --

and it’s time once again for a Walmart run

 

Gimme some lovin, Sugar Bear

I’ll take you for ice cream and do your hair

Your feet are flat and we’re out of rum --

and it’s time once again for a Walmart run

 

*Walmart, for the deep discount

Walmart, a pajama house!

Don’t gotta get dressed or put make-up on --

and it’s time once again for a Walmart run

 

It’s been a long day, been a long night,

a thousand miles and a dozen fights

And now we head into the setting sun --

it’s time once again for a Walmart run

 

Time once again for a Walmart run...

Time once again for a Walmart run :)

Our challenge this past week was to capture a boat on water.. something that signifies summer activities.

 

Well, found out that the annual APBA Gold cup hydroplane races were this weekend on the Detroit river, and yesterday (Friday) was a free day. So, convinced a colleague to go along with me after work... had a good time, I can only imagine how loud it must get on race day with 10s of boats lined up at the same time... would love to go, but I'm a cheapskate and don't really wanna pay for it... :-)

 

Hope y'all are enjoying the weekend.

My Dad wanted a picture of his new helmet.

Not really sure that I like this but thought I'd upload it anyway... :)

 

Strobist:

SB-28 at 1/32 with snoot above right

Vivitar 2800 at full power inside helmet

Silver reflector slightly to the left

 

I used a black t-shirt for the background and another for the base 'cos I'm a cheapskate :P

Just a few pictures of Southeastern Trains Class 465, 465011, sat at the buffers at Charing Cross whilst awaiting its next lunchtime duty.

 

The Class 465's and 466's were amongst the last designs to be built by British Railways as part of the family of units known as the 'Networkers'. The Networker units comprised of a group of various units to replace ageing DMU and EMU stock on most London commuter lines. Classes under this designation included:

 

- Class 165/166 units working out of London Paddington and Marylebone to replace the ageing Class 115 and 117 slam-door stock

 

- Class 325 mail units adding extra capacity to the Mail Train services on the West Coast Mainline

 

- Class 365 units working out of Kings Cross to allow for earlier Class 317's to be sent elsewhere

 

And finally the Class 465's and 466's, units built to replace a certain number of slam-door units on the Network SouthEast regions.

 

The original intention was to build a fleet of at least 700 Class 465 and 466 units to see off a majority of the slam-door stock, unfortunately due to we Brits being a bunch of cheapskates, only 147 sets ever made it onto the mainline, thus stalling the eventual replacement of the slam-door trains until 10 years later in 2005 following the introduction of the Desiro and Bombardier units.

 

On the plus side, the Class 465's and 466's did see off the Class 415 EPB units which dated back to 1951, and are currently going through a gradual refurbishment by Hitachi to give them updated traction motors and better interiors.

Capture the mobile phone photographer moment from the Millennium Bridge over the River Thames in London.

The 50p Camera Project

Olympus XA2 compact camera

First Call / Agfa Gevaert 400S 35mm film

Developed in Ilford ID11

The boys parked up.

 

(Pashley Guv'nor 3 and Dawes)

יוסי בנאי ורבקה מיכאלי במערכון החתונה בורקס או רבע עוף

 

allmyforeparents.blogspot.com/2018/09/quarter-chicken-or-...

 

They did a sketch written by Hanoch Levin in about 1970 called "Quarter Chicken or Burekas." It was also known popularly as "The Engineer and the Engineer's Wife."

 

"The couple are at a wedding and he keeps worrying whether they will be served a quarter chicken as was the custom in those days, or if the cheapskate family would serve only burekas. She on the other hand was concerned that the hosts and other guests would not realize that he is an engineer (rather than a technician or a clerk) and she an engineer's wife.

 

They went back and forth on these two subjects for the whole seven minute sketch. Maybe there will be chicken, but not dark meat. Or maybe there will be a choice but they will start serving from the other side of the room. Or there won't be proper fries with it. Or the groom's side won't know they are an engineer and an engineer's wife.

 

At 5:45 of the clip, they decide that they cannot stand the tension any longer and are going home. Home, where no one doubts that they are an engineer and an engineer's wife. Because, as she says, there is a sign on the apartment door "Engineer and Engineer's Wife, Chaim and Bella Fuchs."

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VREJfswzQE

 

Tribute to Yossi Banai. יֹוסֶף "יֹוסִי" בַנָאי

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yossi_Banai

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvir_Benedek

 

he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%99_%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%93

Leaning headstones in the Wisbech General Cemetery (Pocket Park).

The 50p Camera Project

Olympus XA2 35mm film compact camera

AgfaPhoto Vista Plus C41 35mm film cross processed and stand processed in b/w chemistry (3mg Rodinal) for 125 minutes.

Scanned wih Epson V500

Some post scan touch up with Gimp 2.0 (levels, curves).

("Just terrific, I try to be normal Petra Parker for a day and this happens!")

 

("I have to study all night for the exam this Friday. And worse, I'm 2 months behind on my rent. Once again, my life as Petra Parker always take the back seat for my superheroine duties as Spider-Girl.")

 

("The story of my life! A woman's work is never done.")

 

("There's always gonna be threats in the city that one else can stop. And if I ignore them, innocent people will get hurt. I've made a promise! And besides, with great power comes great responsibility.")

 

("I hate to feel needy and ask Uncle Max, between work and the F.E.A.S.T. shelter, he already got a lot on his plate. But as my guardian, he'll be sure to worry himself. And I can't move back home, my enemies will get to him to get to me.")

 

("Hopefully ol' cheapskate Jameson pays me for the photos, I can only keep my fingers crossed.")

 

("Now we know where the explosion came from. I doubt those fellows are window shopping for gifts to impress their ladies this time of day.")

   

Definition according to Urb Dictionary: "usie

The couples version of a 'selfie'

 

A photo of a couple, usually looking all loved up and very happy; taken by one half of the couple in the photo. It is then posted to Facebook/Instagram/Twitter to show everyone how happy the couple are together, and to make their single friends feel depressed about being single and worry about impending spinsterhood. Also known as a smugie

'Both Cara and Matthew changed their profile picture last night, did you see it?'

 

'that usie of them on the beach? Yeah I saw it. Smug fuckers'"

The Fall / The Rollerskater, (#4) series of 6, The Rollerskater © Linda Dawn Hammond / IndyFoto.com August, 1978. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco. We were travelling from Venice Beach, California to Washington State. This is a fibre Portriga Rapid print made from 35mm B&W negative film, then hand-coloured using Marshall's Photo oils.

 

Exhibits (of this particular series)

 

Sept 88

Galerie Articule, Montréal

Group exhibit entitled, "Art in Jeopardy: An Exhibition of Previously Censored Works"

The Roller Skater- 6 hand-coloured B&W photographs (dim. 8" by 10")

 

May 81

Contempo Café Gallery, Victoria

Solo exhibit entitled, The Roller Skater- 6 hand- coloured Black and White photographs (dim. 8" by10")

 

April 81

New Era Gallery, Victoria

Group exhibit entitled, "Erotic Art Show":

The Roller Skater 6 hand- coloured B&W photographs (dim. 8" by10")

 

It was also included in 2 exhibits at Ryerson in 1978 / 79. One a student exhibit, which placed my photos on the 3d floor next to a large door, which was always propped open, thereby blocking my images from view. Then in response to this slight, Mr.Smith of the art department offered me my own exhibit in the notorious (but not notable!) "Hood Gallery".

 

Complete List of Exhibits by Linda Dawn Hammond

www.dawnone.com/exhibit.html

  

fallroller5x

First shots of Paris Hilton in NY after her breakup with Doug Reinhardt. Hilton said she has nothing bad to say about Doug when she arrived at Newark Airport en route to host an event at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City. She is wearing her Nikibiki jeggings available at Uptown Cheapskate.

 

Pictured: Paris Hilton

 

Ref: SPL106862 130609

Picture by: Jackson Lee / Splash News

 

Splash News and Pictures

Los Angeles:310-821-2666

New York:212-619-2666

London:870-934-2666

photodesk@splashnews.com

 

Downtown Springfield, MO

Film; Olympus, with slight post-edit.

 

I'm still debating a Pro account. Yeah, I'm a cheapskate or something.

This was the best I could do without trespassing and was taken from an almost empty car park next to the depot which you can walk into at weekends.

 

So Yeah, I'm still here, even if no one else is..., and I know what your thinking, "Oh great, He's Still here!, even Flickr can't make him leave!", and yes while I'm not proud of the fact I now have a Pro acount as I've never trusted Americans with money, the Northern decended cheapskate in me doesn't say no to a kind benifactor from outside Flickr offering to pay for it for me... Judge me if you wish...

 

And be sure to check by my other acount: www.flickr.com/photos_user.gne?path=&nsid=77145939%40..., to see what else I saw 2 Weeks ago!!

My knees popped as I knelt down to get the perfect shot for Cliche Saturday. I couldn't believe my luck, it was the motherlode of cliches. Wishing Wells, Sky, Sunflare, Jet Stream all rolled into one. I wasn't low enough, so I leaned further down on my already aching knee. Click click click. I got it! Standing up, knees yelling YIPPEE, I was on a hot streak. Why not make it better I thought to myself. I reached into my pocket, found some lose change, took two steps, tripped, fell into the well. I was horrified! As I fell into the dark abyss, I screamed for help. I hit the bottom with a squishy thud. I lay there, moaning, fading in and out. The last thing I saw before blacking out was a six year old looking over the side of the well a foot up. "You big baby" she said, and tossed a coin at me. It was a penny. The cheapskate.

 

View on black or I'll push into Snow Whites Wishing Well

 

HCS

Wisbech cemetery

Olympus XA2 (1980s zone focus compact 35mm film camera)

AgfaPhoto Vista Plus 200 film from Poundland.

Some post scan adjustment using free open source Gimp 2.6 software

So Yeah, I'm still here, even if no one else is..., and I know what your thinking, "Oh great, He's Still here!, even Flickr can't make him leave!", and yes while I'm not proud of the fact I now have a Pro acount as I've never trusted Americans with money, the Northern decended cheapskate in me doesn't say no to a kind benifactor from outside Flickr offering to pay for it for me... Judge me if you wish...

 

And be sure to check by my other acount: www.flickr.com/photos_user.gne?path=&nsid=77145939%40..., to see what else I saw 2 Weeks ago!!

Just a few pictures of Southeastern Trains Class 465, 465011, sat at the buffers at Charing Cross whilst awaiting its next lunchtime duty.

 

The Class 465's and 466's were amongst the last designs to be built by British Railways as part of the family of units known as the 'Networkers'. The Networker units comprised of a group of various units to replace ageing DMU and EMU stock on most London commuter lines. Classes under this designation included:

 

- Class 165/166 units working out of London Paddington and Marylebone to replace the ageing Class 115 and 117 slam-door stock

 

- Class 325 mail units adding extra capacity to the Mail Train services on the West Coast Mainline

 

- Class 365 units working out of Kings Cross to allow for earlier Class 317's to be sent elsewhere

 

And finally the Class 465's and 466's, units built to replace a certain number of slam-door units on the Network SouthEast regions.

 

The original intention was to build a fleet of at least 700 Class 465 and 466 units to see off a majority of the slam-door stock, unfortunately due to we Brits being a bunch of cheapskates, only 147 sets ever made it onto the mainline, thus stalling the eventual replacement of the slam-door trains until 10 years later in 2005 following the introduction of the Desiro and Bombardier units.

 

On the plus side, the Class 465's and 466's did see off the Class 415 EPB units which dated back to 1951, and are currently going through a gradual refurbishment by Hitachi to give them updated traction motors and better interiors.

Just a few pictures of Southeastern Trains Class 465, 465011, sat at the buffers at Charing Cross whilst awaiting its next lunchtime duty.

 

The Class 465's and 466's were amongst the last designs to be built by British Railways as part of the family of units known as the 'Networkers'. The Networker units comprised of a group of various units to replace ageing DMU and EMU stock on most London commuter lines. Classes under this designation included:

 

- Class 165/166 units working out of London Paddington and Marylebone to replace the ageing Class 115 and 117 slam-door stock

 

- Class 325 mail units adding extra capacity to the Mail Train services on the West Coast Mainline

 

- Class 365 units working out of Kings Cross to allow for earlier Class 317's to be sent elsewhere

 

And finally the Class 465's and 466's, units built to replace a certain number of slam-door units on the Network SouthEast regions.

 

The original intention was to build a fleet of at least 700 Class 465 and 466 units to see off a majority of the slam-door stock, unfortunately due to we Brits being a bunch of cheapskates, only 147 sets ever made it onto the mainline, thus stalling the eventual replacement of the slam-door trains until 10 years later in 2005 following the introduction of the Desiro and Electrostar units.

 

On the plus side, the Class 465's and 466's did see off the Class 415 EPB units which dated back to 1951, and are currently going through a gradual refurbishment by Hitachi to give them updated traction motors and better interiors.

The Mindanao Adventure was three months in the making.

 

The original plan was only for Siargao for a good weekend of surfing. But the island’s Lilliputian airport meant smaller planes, and therefore more expensive plane tickets, so being the cheapskate that I am I looked at larger cities close by for cheaper tickets. After reading countless blogs, I calculated that our best bet was to land at Davao, then use the savings to make a side trip while making our way north on land towards Siargao. We would only be taking the Siargao plane going home.

 

After countless emails (I have yet to discover the wonders of Facebook’s Groups for organizing socials online – or Facebook, for that matter – or the more intimate social networking groups like Path and Shizzlr) between myself and friends, resort owners, vans for rent, provincial tourist offices, and complete strangers online from whom I cajoled travel info from, I finally figured out a fairly straightforward travel route. The stakes were high because one bad misstep would mean us being stuck in the middle of nowhere (meaning, small town relying on its sole karaoke machine for its pulsating nightlife) for an entire day. Every mile, every minute was accounted for.

 

And what glorious miles and minutes were spent that one awesome weekend.

 

Forget the fact that we were flying in to Davao at 9 pm, the fact that we would travel through Mindanao highways in the dead of the night, the fact that we didn’t know our van driver from Freddie Kruger, the fact that none of us had ever been on the route I had planned, the fact that the crucial boat ride from an obscure port going to Siargao was possibly non-existent… you get the drift. I did promise my friends we would have a memorable trip, and I humbly believe, in all honesty, that this one belongs in the record books.

These days, the town of Hurricane Mills is synonymous with the Coal Miner's Daughter, however the town dates back to the early 1800s as the site of an iron furnace and a flour mill. On July 22, 1863, a civil war battle took place on this land resulting in 19 soldiers losing their lives. Then in 1876, local plantation owner James T. Anderson decided to build this mansion. (The columns were added to the front in the 1930's) The Classical Revival mansion and grounds, and the city at large had enough history there that the area was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Hurricane Mills Rural Historic District.

 

In 1996, Loretta and Mooney Lynn fell in love with the mansion and the small town and bought the whole area, making this mansion their personal residence. After living in mansion for about two decades, they had another home built behind the mansion and opened the area up as a tourist attraction. Even part of the movie Coal Miner's Daughter was filmed here. Today, paying customers can take a tour of the inside of the home, or cheapskates like me can stand on the curb and look at it from here.

 

While the rags-to-riches story make Hurricane Mills and the Mansion a top ten visited tourist attraction in Tennessee, there's something else that gets people talking. People say it's haunted. Loretta Lynn and all of her children have seen multiple ghosts. There's the stories of the ghost of James T. Anderson, the ghost of a lady who died while giving birth and ghosts of Civil War soldiers. For the whole haunting story, look here:

www.ghosteyes.com/haunted-hurricane-mills-plantation

 

Hello to anyone who found this here:

www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/movie-views-tn/

These 15 Breathtaking Views In Tennessee Could Be Straight Out Of The Movies

Use cool techniques to produce a super-dull and boring video

 

UPDATE: See a less boring video made with the same "kitchen timer" technique here: www.flickr.com/photos/31273322@N03/3357205801/ )

 

This is a demonstration of the timelapse capabilities of the "ultra intervalometer" script for CHDK, as well as a cheap way to make panning timelapses with tiny cameras. CHDK is a "hack" for Canon compact digital cameras that use the Digic II or Digic III processor.

You can read about it/download it here: chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

and here: chdk.setepontos.com/

CHDK also lets you run scripts on your camera, and you could write your own scripts if you knew how (I sure don't).

Anyway it's super cool, it allows you to shoot RAW, and (as you will see in this video) gives you the possibility of an infinitely adjustable interval timer (I used a script called "ultra Intervalometer). The result is (potentially) much higher quality than the "time lapse video" mode on some of the newer IXUS cameras (although you still have to make the photos into a video yourself).

The first clip you'll see is a video clip I shot at the 640x424 3:2 setting on my Nikon D90 (sped up 5x). The following clips are the time lapse as recorded by the little Canon SD400 (around 140 JPGs taken at ten second intervals for around 20 minutes). I used a free software called JPGVideo to make them into a video clip at 15 frames per second. I had to size them down to VGA first, because JPG video requires more power than my computer has to make the video from the full sized files (though it will do it if you have the RAM apparently).

 

And I know, this video is extrememly dull, it's for demostration purposes only, a cheap way to make panning timelapses, so I recorded the dullest possible subject matter and din't do any PP to the frames of the timelapse before putting it together. I used a 60-minute kitchen timer with tripod parts glued to it to pan the little ELPH camera. The interval between shots was 10 seconds. The kitchen timer only goes in one direction and at one speed, but you can control the speed of the pan a little by shooting at different intervals or using different frame rates to put the video together (this wii of course also affect the length of your video).

I thought I'd share the technique, it's pretty fun, but this might be my last time doing it with the kitchen timer, as I've got a new "motion control" system on the way now (the "Milapse" telescope head and controller, see Milapse at www.youtube.com/milapse

Really Milapse's Youtube videos are what originally inspired me to make timelapse videos.

This spring/summer I'll be making really high quality timelapses (panning and otherwise) with the D90 and outputting them as HD. It's possible to output almost up to 4K size with the D90's photos, but my computer just doesn't have the juice :-(

(Who's going to be able to watch anything at 4k anyway? I still wish I could do it haha)

 

The music is a song called "Sanyan Sunrise (It Could Be Me)" by Dan S.

I found it on CCmixter and it's apparently free to use on a CC license.

You can listen to it or downoad it here: ccmixter.org/files/axisone/13710

 

Also if you're interested (and poor) there's a group on flickr all about cheapskate camera "hacking" here: PoorManHacks

 

Are there enough links for ya?

 

Video COPYRIGHT 2008/2009 Django Malone

Nearest camera to furthest away; Bentley Continental Gtc, Mercedes-Benz AMS SLS, Bugatti Veyron, Mercedes S350 L (cheapskate LOL), Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, Pagani Zonda Cinque and a Range Rover.

And IIRC there was a Porsche 911 convertible this side of the Bentley.

There was a fuss just as I got there, some standard, identikit, no-mark blonde bit came out of the hotel and photographers were all over her. Not a clue who she was. Didn't appear talented, so could have been any of the 'Heat' brigade.

I should get him his own proper jacket/coat T__T He's been wearing cheapskate stuff for 2 years and not a single outfit that's above $30 sobs

Happy birthday, Cindy! I decided that my multiple personalities should drink a toast on you today, in celebration of your birthday and the summer solstice!

Hope you have lots of new adventures this year!!

 

My two (single) girlfriends and I got back from NYC at midnight last night. We had an absolute blast! God, how I love that city!! It's the only place in the world where you can go out at 1:30am, get a $25 glass of St. Germaine and champagne, dance with European strangers, said Europeans attempt to dupe you into thinking they bought you another drink but instead they ordered ginger ale in champagne glasses (cheapskates!!), go for pizza at 4 am, get up at 9 am to walk in Central Park in pajamas with no bra on, go to MoMa (after taking a shower and putting on proper attire), lunch at the MoMa cafe, go shopping at Bergdorf, then shopping at the super cheap Century 21 for 3 hours, watch the sunset on the hotel rooftop, go to dinner at a fabulous Italian restaurant, visit with German friends, dance with said German friends, drink way too much vodka with German friends, take a nap on German friends' couch, go out again at 2am, eat pizza again at 3am, get up at 9 am to stumble around Central Park again, eat savory crepes for breakfast, listen to friend get a phone call from a Spaniard she met on Friday night but who cannot speak a word of English, see a Gucci-clad 19-year-old Eastern European catalog bride stiff her 65 year old husband in Dior by buying several pairs of ridiculous shoes, have dinner in LIttle Italy, puchase an insane Balenciage purse at Bergdorf, and fly back home within 48 hours. What a weekend!

 

The only thing that I was super bummed about is that I didn't get to see a friend that I really wanted to meet, but because of real tricky logistical schedule planning. This, however, gives me an excuse to go back to NYC again real soon!! :-)

 

Glad to be home, though!

 

365 days of my dog: day 333

 

FGR: Beth's b-day

Rogues: Clones

...it is going to get a LOT messier than a bit of fly-tipping!

 

Some thoughtless, brainless, selfish, cheapskate, no-good {expletive} fly-tipped a load of rubbish into the Cefn Ila car park. Do the words 'Nature reserve' mean nothing to them? Obviously not.

 

Let's hope that the warden (me) doesn't catch them at it a second time.

Rocker in the bedroom

Venice was the beginning of the Roller Revolution and The CHEAPSKATES were the first outdoor roller-skate rental store. Once word got out, people came from far & wide to skate. It was quite common to see people queued up to rent skates. Notice the clothing... this was the OFF season. Today, there is no off season at Venice Beach.

Yes - I like Canon "L" lenses. I mean, "L" stands for luxury, right?

 

Well imagine my annoyance when the nice red plastic ring thing, that distinguishes it as a quality item, simply perishes and falls off. Ye Gods - no more lens envy from fellow shutterbugs - it has no red ring! It could be any old chunk of glass stuck on the front of your DSLR. And, it seems I'm not alone with this problem, it has happened to many others.

 

Can it be fixed? Well according to Canon it would be cheaper and easier to simply buy a new lens. Yeah - right! So it appears many owners don't bother with trying to fix it, the thinking being that the lack of the tell tale red circle of plastic makes their camera kit less tempting to thieves.

 

Anyhow if you do want to retain a little class you could have a go with my quick work around. If, or when, it happens to you, just slide on a 80mm x 2.5mm red rubber O-ring oil seal ring gasket. Works a treat (sort of) and no-one will ever know (well they will now). I got lots of them real cheap on Fleabay!

 

Note: please don't even consider any type of glue - that way lies madness! Plus, if you live in the UK and you're even more of a cheapskate than me, get a red rubber band from your local postman. You can stick one of them on any old lens, so that from a distance it looks like you have stacks of L class glass!

 

Enjoy!

 

Strobist: 3 Speedlites, all on manual - Canon 580EXII camera left and YN565EX camera right both mounted inside 50x70cm soft boxes. Then, below level of glass base aimed at a black reflector panel was a Yongnuo YN565EXII with a red gel. All strobes triggered by Yongnuo YN-622C Wireless, controlled from menu on back of the EOS7D fitted with the old nifty fifty, "Plastic Fantasic" EF50mm f/1.8 II cheapo lens.

The Wasp Woman (1960) signed by Roger Corman in red marker (with "Yum Yum" added by an unknown hand),

youtu.be/TKKfbpuYAmM

Roger Corman, tireless producer/director that he was, put out another of his B movies in late 1959. WW is a much more conventional science-gone-wrong story. It also added to a growing sub-genre of science spawned human-animal monster stories. Leo Gordon, who wrote the screenplay, had just given us Alligator People a few months earlier. It co-ran with Return of the Fly, the famous of the human-animal monster sub group. WW amounts to a female version of The Fly but without the transporter technology. Instead, it's the more customary trope of animal juices turn you into that animal.

Shot in less than a week for $50,000, Roger Corman directed this science fiction film about a cosmetic company executive (Susan Cabot) who has found a youth-rejuvenating drug in the royal jelly of wasps. The only side effect is that the taker periodically becomes a wasp and at night slays her victims and devours them.

 

Synopsis

(never mind that the credits are over a hive of honey bees)

Research scientist Dr. Zinthrop thinks the royal jelly of the queen wasp holds the key to perpetual youth. Hhe promotes his ideas to Janice Starlin, head of a cosmetics company. Starlin Enterprises has been steadily losing revenue since Janice -- the "face" of the company -- has lost her youthful look over the 18 years at the helm. Janice hires Zinthrop. The rest of the staff are suspicious and skeptical. Most think Zinthrop is a con man or a quack. They plot to uncover the scheme. Meanwhile, Janice does get daily injections of the serum Zinthrop developed. After 3 weeks, looks only a few years younger. Zinthrop has a new serum which is even stronger. She tells everyone to plan for a huge new product release that will save the company, etc. etc. Zinthrop is attacked by one of his test animals. The cat reverted from neo-kitten to savage beast with wing buds. Zinthrop, despondent at his failure, is hit by a car. With Zinthrop missing, and impatient with the slow progress, Janice injects herself with the untested new serum. Now she looks remarkably younger. Everyone is amazed. Not long afterward, Janice develops odd headaches. In the lab on night, Cooper snoops right after one of her injections. Now with wasp(ish) head and claws, Wasp Janice attacks and kills Cooper. She also dispatches a night watchman. A few days later, Janice takes the last dose and again becomes Wasp Woman. She kills the nurse assigned to care for Zinthrop. Bill fights with Wasp Janice to save his girlfriend Mary. Zinthrop throws a bottle of acid at WaspJanice, hitting her square in the face. Recoiling in pain, she falls out of a window and dies. The End.

  

It's interesting how 1959 had three human-animal monster stories. Comparing similarities and differences is food for thought. Perhaps not intentionally, the sub-genre dabbles in the fragile essence of what is humanity, vs. the beastly "nature" side, much as Dr. Jekyll did.

  

As with most monster movies, there is little or no Cold War analogy. Instead, there is the usual dangers-of-science moral. There is also the hubris of man thinking he (or she) can trump nature -- with the customary fatal results.

 

Susan Cabot, who does a capable job as the ill-fated woman. She also starred in a couple of Corman's prior films, War of the Satellites ('58) and the peculiar film Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent ('57). WW was her last movie role. Corman movies were no way to grow a career. Michael Marks plays Dr. Zinthrop well enough. His trace of russian accent meshing well with the eccentric scientist role. Audiences had just seen him (briefly) as the night watchman in Return of the Fly. He was also conspicuous as Emil, friend of Mr. Franz the puppet master in Attack of the Puppet People ('58)

 

Corman's original cut of WW is said to begin with Starlin conducting the business meeting where sagging sales are discussed. This makes the Dr. Zinthrop character a bit of a shot out of left field, but the movie gets going on its own nonetheless. When WW was released for television in 1962, director Jack Hill filmed several minutes of prologue footage. In it, we see Zinthrop as the eccentric researcher employed by a honey company. Instead of working with bees, he has been working with wasps. His honey farm boss is unimpressed with talk of reversing aging. They sell honey. Zinthrop is fired. This prologue sets up Zinthrop and his discovery (as well as need for a patron), so his appearance at Starlin Enterprises is not so much of a non-sequetor.

 

The poster artist may not have read the script or seen the film. His image of a huge wasp with a woman's head is the opposite of what happens. WaspJanice, like FlyAndre and FlyPhillipe before her, had an insect-ish head and claws, but her own human body. Handily enough, she took to wearing black knit pantsuits as the serum was taking over, so she was dressed for the killer role. The poster does give a refreshing twist on the old abduction trope, even if it's not in the movie. Here, it is a shirtless young man in the clutches of the she-monster, instead of the swooning buxom babe.

 

Instead of the typical naive scientist creating the monster, we have that trope split in two. Zinthrop follows the role of native scientist who hopes to benefit mankind, but he shows restraint. He was willing to call it quits when things went wrong. Janice took up the task of the fatal misstep, pushed by her desire to save her company and her vanity as a woman. She pushed nature over the edge.

 

Bottom line? WW is a fairly predictable science-gone-wrong tale, but capably acted and directed. There are enough entertaining moments to keep WW watchable. For fans of The Fly, it can be an amusing other-side-of-the-coin.

Roger Corman directed this science fiction/horror film about a woman (Susan Cabot) who teams up with an eccentric scientist (Michael Mark) who has created an anti-aging cream based on extracts from queen wasps

Another Take.

This goofy but entertaining horror cheapie from producer-director Roger Corman and company involves the efforts of a questionable scientist working for cosmetics magnate Susan Cabot, who is developing a new rejuvenating beauty cream derived from an enzyme secreted by wasps, intended to make women look eternally youthful. A vain woman obsessed with restoring her lost beauty, Cabot insists on being the first test subject. The solution proves remarkably effective at first, transforming her into a sultry raven-haired vixen...until she begins to take on the predatory traits of a giant female wasp, setting out on a nocturnal killing spree. Originally double-billed with The Beast from Haunted Cave, this cheesy monster mash inspired the less-amusing Leech Woman and was later remade for 1980s audiences (i.e., with a higher sex-and-gore quotient) as Evil Spawn.

review

Considering the strange and terrible fate of the lead actress -- Susan Cabot apparently lived her own nightmare and was eventually killed by her increasingly browbeaten son -- The Wasp Woman takes on an added poignancy that obviously wasn't intended by the film's cheapskate producer-director, Roger Corman. Here is yet another creature flick hampered by a ludicrous monster costume -- nothing more than a Halloween mask, really -- not quite as bad as it could have been but not very good either. Cabot herself does well enough as the youth-obsessed heroine/villainess and the film does attempt to address both the increasing paranoia regarding aging and science run amok. But the cheesy special effects (if you can call a rubber mask and a couple of claws "special effects") and lack of any kind of budget betray the good intentions. Typical of Corman, the supporting roles are well cast (including the stunning Lynn Cartwright as a Brooklyn-accented secretary) and an attempt to turn modern office life into a sort of Grand Guignol melodrama works at least part of the way.

  

Picture taken 4/10/22

Formerly Rally House Cleveland, which was an Advance Auto Parts beforehand and before that it was BLOCKBUSTER.

Please contact me via FlickrMail

or on Gmail

if you'd like to use any of my photographs.

Gmail: gabegamesog@gmail.com

Hall of Fame pro football player Jim Brown skated with us locals in Venice.

#1980s #1970s #athletic #athlete #Veniceboardwalk #carnival #California #cheapskates #exercise #exercising #fit #lifestyle #leisure #lifestyle #LosAngeles #ocean #promenade #rollerblades #rollerderby #rollerskates #rollerskating #rollerskater #rollerskaters #recreation #rollerskate #sexy #skateboard #sports #SantaMonica #skates #skater #skating #skaters #Venice #VeniceBeach

 

The black skates which were the first outdoor rentals. Jeff who opened the first outdoor rental on the beach in Venice, scrambled to find skates to purchase as no skate manufacturer would sell to us because of exclusive agreements with the skating rinks nationwide. All we could buy were the black boot skates with clay wheels and soon were able to purchase them w/o the clay wheels. I made many trips to CON Skateboards in Venice to purchase urethane skateboard wheels, ball bearings and cones (pre sealed bearings) and I spent my days assembling these black boot skates before Jeff had convinced them to sell us the tan & white rentals with the size numbers. We had to buy at a premium and it took Jeff a few months to convince Sure-Grip to sell us new rink style rental skates set up with urethane wheels.

Once they began supplying us and the rebirth of outdoor rollerskating began, they were forced to hire more people and run three shifts. Sure-Grip's business tripled thanks to the entrepreneurs renting outdoor roller-skates which began on the Ocean Front Walk in Venice.

Seen here facing from the front to the back is the upper deck of this Bolton-based Volvo B5LH with Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodywork.

 

It was seen here today - 19/03/16 - in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester city centre for the day for a promotional event (with another in Leigh) for the new 'Vantage' service from First, which runs from Leigh to Manchester with a part of the route (over 4 miles) using a guided busway - the first in the North West of England - and set to launch on the 3rd April. As such, the vehicle's (a batch of 20 including 2 spare) are painted in a special purple livery and of a luxury standard, including plush coach-like seating as seen here on the upper deck, two tables (also seen here on the left and right further back), free wifi, USB charging and next stop audio-visual announcements.

 

There were also Goodie Bag's available at the event, and whilst I was hoping for a free ticket of some kind (with the cheapskate that I am), I was still satisfied with 2 Cadbury chocolate eclairs, a blueberry muffin, a leaflet and a Vantage branded pen!

youtu.be/TKKfbpuYAmM

Roger Corman, tireless producer/director that he was, put out another of his B movies in late 1959. WW is a much more conventional science-gone-wrong story. It also added to a growing sub-genre of science spawned human-animal monster stories. Leo Gordon, who wrote the screenplay, had just given us Alligator People a few months earlier. It co-ran with Return of the Fly, the famous of the human-animal monster sub group. WW amounts to a female version of The Fly but without the transporter technology. Instead, it's the more customary trope of animal juices turn you into that animal.

Shot in less than a week for $50,000, Roger Corman directed this science fiction film about a cosmetic company executive (Susan Cabot) who has found a youth-rejuvenating drug in the royal jelly of wasps. The only side effect is that the taker periodically becomes a wasp and at night slays her victims and devours them.

 

Synopsis

(never mind that the credits are over a hive of honey bees)

Research scientist Dr. Zinthrop thinks the royal jelly of the queen wasp holds the key to perpetual youth. Hhe promotes his ideas to Janice Starlin, head of a cosmetics company. Starlin Enterprises has been steadily losing revenue since Janice -- the "face" of the company -- has lost her youthful look over the 18 years at the helm. Janice hires Zinthrop. The rest of the staff are suspicious and skeptical. Most think Zinthrop is a con man or a quack. They plot to uncover the scheme. Meanwhile, Janice does get daily injections of the serum Zinthrop developed. After 3 weeks, looks only a few years younger. Zinthrop has a new serum which is even stronger. She tells everyone to plan for a huge new product release that will save the company, etc. etc. Zinthrop is attacked by one of his test animals. The cat reverted from neo-kitten to savage beast with wing buds. Zinthrop, despondent at his failure, is hit by a car. With Zinthrop missing, and impatient with the slow progress, Janice injects herself with the untested new serum. Now she looks remarkably younger. Everyone is amazed. Not long afterward, Janice develops odd headaches. In the lab on night, Cooper snoops right after one of her injections. Now with wasp(ish) head and claws, Wasp Janice attacks and kills Cooper. She also dispatches a night watchman. A few days later, Janice takes the last dose and again becomes Wasp Woman. She kills the nurse assigned to care for Zinthrop. Bill fights with Wasp Janice to save his girlfriend Mary. Zinthrop throws a bottle of acid at WaspJanice, hitting her square in the face. Recoiling in pain, she falls out of a window and dies. The End.

  

It's interesting how 1959 had three human-animal monster stories. Comparing similarities and differences is food for thought. Perhaps not intentionally, the sub-genre dabbles in the fragile essence of what is humanity, vs. the beastly "nature" side, much as Dr. Jekyll did.

  

As with most monster movies, there is little or no Cold War analogy. Instead, there is the usual dangers-of-science moral. There is also the hubris of man thinking he (or she) can trump nature -- with the customary fatal results.

 

Susan Cabot, who does a capable job as the ill-fated woman. She also starred in a couple of Corman's prior films, War of the Satellites ('58) and the peculiar film Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent ('57). WW was her last movie role. Corman movies were no way to grow a career. Michael Marks plays Dr. Zinthrop well enough. His trace of russian accent meshing well with the eccentric scientist role. Audiences had just seen him (briefly) as the night watchman in Return of the Fly. He was also conspicuous as Emil, friend of Mr. Franz the puppet master in Attack of the Puppet People ('58)

 

Corman's original cut of WW is said to begin with Starlin conducting the business meeting where sagging sales are discussed. This makes the Dr. Zinthrop character a bit of a shot out of left field, but the movie gets going on its own nonetheless. When WW was released for television in 1962, director Jack Hill filmed several minutes of prologue footage. In it, we see Zinthrop as the eccentric researcher employed by a honey company. Instead of working with bees, he has been working with wasps. His honey farm boss is unimpressed with talk of reversing aging. They sell honey. Zinthrop is fired. This prologue sets up Zinthrop and his discovery (as well as need for a patron), so his appearance at Starlin Enterprises is not so much of a non-sequetor.

 

The poster artist may not have read the script or seen the film. His image of a huge wasp with a woman's head is the opposite of what happens. WaspJanice, like FlyAndre and FlyPhillipe before her, had an insect-ish head and claws, but her own human body. Handily enough, she took to wearing black knit pantsuits as the serum was taking over, so she was dressed for the killer role. The poster does give a refreshing twist on the old abduction trope, even if it's not in the movie. Here, it is a shirtless young man in the clutches of the she-monster, instead of the swooning buxom babe.

 

Instead of the typical naive scientist creating the monster, we have that trope split in two. Zinthrop follows the role of native scientist who hopes to benefit mankind, but he shows restraint. He was willing to call it quits when things went wrong. Janice took up the task of the fatal misstep, pushed by her desire to save her company and her vanity as a woman. She pushed nature over the edge.

 

Bottom line? WW is a fairly predictable science-gone-wrong tale, but capably acted and directed. There are enough entertaining moments to keep WW watchable. For fans of The Fly, it can be an amusing other-side-of-the-coin.

Roger Corman directed this science fiction/horror film about a woman (Susan Cabot) who teams up with an eccentric scientist (Michael Mark) who has created an anti-aging cream based on extracts from queen wasps

Another Take.

This goofy but entertaining horror cheapie from producer-director Roger Corman and company involves the efforts of a questionable scientist working for cosmetics magnate Susan Cabot, who is developing a new rejuvenating beauty cream derived from an enzyme secreted by wasps, intended to make women look eternally youthful. A vain woman obsessed with restoring her lost beauty, Cabot insists on being the first test subject. The solution proves remarkably effective at first, transforming her into a sultry raven-haired vixen...until she begins to take on the predatory traits of a giant female wasp, setting out on a nocturnal killing spree. Originally double-billed with The Beast from Haunted Cave, this cheesy monster mash inspired the less-amusing Leech Woman and was later remade for 1980s audiences (i.e., with a higher sex-and-gore quotient) as Evil Spawn.

review

Considering the strange and terrible fate of the lead actress -- Susan Cabot apparently lived her own nightmare and was eventually killed by her increasingly browbeaten son -- The Wasp Woman takes on an added poignancy that obviously wasn't intended by the film's cheapskate producer-director, Roger Corman. Here is yet another creature flick hampered by a ludicrous monster costume -- nothing more than a Halloween mask, really -- not quite as bad as it could have been but not very good either. Cabot herself does well enough as the youth-obsessed heroine/villainess and the film does attempt to address both the increasing paranoia regarding aging and science run amok. But the cheesy special effects (if you can call a rubber mask and a couple of claws "special effects") and lack of any kind of budget betray the good intentions. Typical of Corman, the supporting roles are well cast (including the stunning Lynn Cartwright as a Brooklyn-accented secretary) and an attempt to turn modern office life into a sort of Grand Guignol melodrama works at least part of the way.

 

Before the Venice Pavilion became Windward Park.

#1980s #1970s #athletic #athlete #beachbody #beauty #beautiful #bikini #Veniceboardwalk #carnival #California #cheapskates #cute #exercise #exercising #fit #girl #lifestyle #legs #leisure #lifestyle #LosAngeles #models #ocean #pinup #promenade #rollerblades #rollerderby #rollerskates #rollerskating #rollerskater #rollerskaters #recreation #rollerskate #sexy #skateboard #sports #SantaMonica #skates #skater #skating #skaters #Venice #VeniceBeach

 

youtu.be/TKKfbpuYAmM

Roger Corman, tireless producer/director that he was, put out another of his B movies in late 1959. WW is a much more conventional science-gone-wrong story. It also added to a growing sub-genre of science spawned human-animal monster stories. Leo Gordon, who wrote the screenplay, had just given us Alligator People a few months earlier. It co-ran with Return of the Fly, the famous of the human-animal monster sub group. WW amounts to a female version of The Fly but without the transporter technology. Instead, it's the more customary trope of animal juices turn you into that animal.

Shot in less than a week for $50,000, Roger Corman directed this science fiction film about a cosmetic company executive (Susan Cabot) who has found a youth-rejuvenating drug in the royal jelly of wasps. The only side effect is that the taker periodically becomes a wasp and at night slays her victims and devours them.

 

Synopsis

(never mind that the credits are over a hive of honey bees)

Research scientist Dr. Zinthrop thinks the royal jelly of the queen wasp holds the key to perpetual youth. Hhe promotes his ideas to Janice Starlin, head of a cosmetics company. Starlin Enterprises has been steadily losing revenue since Janice -- the "face" of the company -- has lost her youthful look over the 18 years at the helm. Janice hires Zinthrop. The rest of the staff are suspicious and skeptical. Most think Zinthrop is a con man or a quack. They plot to uncover the scheme. Meanwhile, Janice does get daily injections of the serum Zinthrop developed. After 3 weeks, looks only a few years younger. Zinthrop has a new serum which is even stronger. She tells everyone to plan for a huge new product release that will save the company, etc. etc. Zinthrop is attacked by one of his test animals. The cat reverted from neo-kitten to savage beast with wing buds. Zinthrop, despondent at his failure, is hit by a car. With Zinthrop missing, and impatient with the slow progress, Janice injects herself with the untested new serum. Now she looks remarkably younger. Everyone is amazed. Not long afterward, Janice develops odd headaches. In the lab on night, Cooper snoops right after one of her injections. Now with wasp(ish) head and claws, Wasp Janice attacks and kills Cooper. She also dispatches a night watchman. A few days later, Janice takes the last dose and again becomes Wasp Woman. She kills the nurse assigned to care for Zinthrop. Bill fights with Wasp Janice to save his girlfriend Mary. Zinthrop throws a bottle of acid at WaspJanice, hitting her square in the face. Recoiling in pain, she falls out of a window and dies. The End.

  

It's interesting how 1959 had three human-animal monster stories. Comparing similarities and differences is food for thought. Perhaps not intentionally, the sub-genre dabbles in the fragile essence of what is humanity, vs. the beastly "nature" side, much as Dr. Jekyll did.

  

As with most monster movies, there is little or no Cold War analogy. Instead, there is the usual dangers-of-science moral. There is also the hubris of man thinking he (or she) can trump nature -- with the customary fatal results.

 

Susan Cabot, who does a capable job as the ill-fated woman. She also starred in a couple of Corman's prior films, War of the Satellites ('58) and the peculiar film Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent ('57). WW was her last movie role. Corman movies were no way to grow a career. Michael Marks plays Dr. Zinthrop well enough. His trace of russian accent meshing well with the eccentric scientist role. Audiences had just seen him (briefly) as the night watchman in Return of the Fly. He was also conspicuous as Emil, friend of Mr. Franz the puppet master in Attack of the Puppet People ('58)

 

Corman's original cut of WW is said to begin with Starlin conducting the business meeting where sagging sales are discussed. This makes the Dr. Zinthrop character a bit of a shot out of left field, but the movie gets going on its own nonetheless. When WW was released for television in 1962, director Jack Hill filmed several minutes of prologue footage. In it, we see Zinthrop as the eccentric researcher employed by a honey company. Instead of working with bees, he has been working with wasps. His honey farm boss is unimpressed with talk of reversing aging. They sell honey. Zinthrop is fired. This prologue sets up Zinthrop and his discovery (as well as need for a patron), so his appearance at Starlin Enterprises is not so much of a non-sequetor.

 

The poster artist may not have read the script or seen the film. His image of a huge wasp with a woman's head is the opposite of what happens. WaspJanice, like FlyAndre and FlyPhillipe before her, had an insect-ish head and claws, but her own human body. Handily enough, she took to wearing black knit pantsuits as the serum was taking over, so she was dressed for the killer role. The poster does give a refreshing twist on the old abduction trope, even if it's not in the movie. Here, it is a shirtless young man in the clutches of the she-monster, instead of the swooning buxom babe.

 

Instead of the typical naive scientist creating the monster, we have that trope split in two. Zinthrop follows the role of native scientist who hopes to benefit mankind, but he shows restraint. He was willing to call it quits when things went wrong. Janice took up the task of the fatal misstep, pushed by her desire to save her company and her vanity as a woman. She pushed nature over the edge.

 

Bottom line? WW is a fairly predictable science-gone-wrong tale, but capably acted and directed. There are enough entertaining moments to keep WW watchable. For fans of The Fly, it can be an amusing other-side-of-the-coin.

Roger Corman directed this science fiction/horror film about a woman (Susan Cabot) who teams up with an eccentric scientist (Michael Mark) who has created an anti-aging cream based on extracts from queen wasps

Another Take.

This goofy but entertaining horror cheapie from producer-director Roger Corman and company involves the efforts of a questionable scientist working for cosmetics magnate Susan Cabot, who is developing a new rejuvenating beauty cream derived from an enzyme secreted by wasps, intended to make women look eternally youthful. A vain woman obsessed with restoring her lost beauty, Cabot insists on being the first test subject. The solution proves remarkably effective at first, transforming her into a sultry raven-haired vixen...until she begins to take on the predatory traits of a giant female wasp, setting out on a nocturnal killing spree. Originally double-billed with The Beast from Haunted Cave, this cheesy monster mash inspired the less-amusing Leech Woman and was later remade for 1980s audiences (i.e., with a higher sex-and-gore quotient) as Evil Spawn.

review

Considering the strange and terrible fate of the lead actress -- Susan Cabot apparently lived her own nightmare and was eventually killed by her increasingly browbeaten son -- The Wasp Woman takes on an added poignancy that obviously wasn't intended by the film's cheapskate producer-director, Roger Corman. Here is yet another creature flick hampered by a ludicrous monster costume -- nothing more than a Halloween mask, really -- not quite as bad as it could have been but not very good either. Cabot herself does well enough as the youth-obsessed heroine/villainess and the film does attempt to address both the increasing paranoia regarding aging and science run amok. But the cheesy special effects (if you can call a rubber mask and a couple of claws "special effects") and lack of any kind of budget betray the good intentions. Typical of Corman, the supporting roles are well cast (including the stunning Lynn Cartwright as a Brooklyn-accented secretary) and an attempt to turn modern office life into a sort of Grand Guignol melodrama works at least part of the way.

 

This cheapskate brought her motor home

The number of people coming to skate in Venice had grown rapidly and of course the City of Los Angeles felt the need to regulate it.

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