Author Archives: dcaligari

February 21, 1942 – The Looney Tunes cartoon, Porky’s Cafe, directed by Chuck Jones and co-starring Conrad the Cat, debuted on this date. This is the last black-and-white Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Chuck Jones.

Today is the fifth day of the Lunar New Year celebrations, known as the Festival of Po Wu. The name literally translates to “Breaking the Five,” referring to the pivotal moment when the many strict taboos observed during the first four days of the new year are finally broken or lifted. According to folklore, theContinue reading “Whenever a taboo is broken, something good happens …”

February 21, 1996 –The feature-length directorial debut of Wes Anderson, Bottle Rocket, starring Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Andrew Wilson, Robert Musgrave, Lumi Cavazos, and James Caan, and produced by James L. Brooks, was released on this date James L. Brooks insisted that major work needed to be done on the originally submitted script, so heContinue reading “Bottle Rocket premiered”

February 21, 1967 – One Million Years B.C., starring Raquel Welch, her pre-historic brassière and a bunch of dinosaur puppets, premiered in the US on this date. Ray Harryhausen used his “Dynamation” stop-motion animation special effects technique in this film, but because producer Charles H. Schneer owned the brand name, Hammer Films could not useContinue reading “Come on – this is NOT a documentary.”

Today, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, is the day to welcome the Kitchen God (Zao Jun), the God of Fortune, and other deities back to the home. The Kitchen God – also known as the God of the Stove – originally left for Heaven a week before the new year (on theContinue reading “In the kitchen, as in life, seek balance”

February 20, 1952 –John Huston’s excuse for big game hunting, The African Queen, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, opened in general release at Capitol Theater in NYC on this date. Humphrey Bogart hated Africa immediately and was miserable, but Katharine Hepburn adored it, calling it “utterly divine.” Bogie complained about everything: the heat, theContinue reading “Proceed with the execution.”

February 20, 1958 –MGM’s adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, directed by Richard Brooks from a screenplay co-written with Julius and Philip Epstein, and starring Yul Brynner, Maria Schell, Claire Bloom, Lee J. Cobb, Albert Salmi, Richard Basehart, and William Shatner (in his film debut,) opened in New York City on this date. ItContinue reading “The Brothers Karamazov premiered”

February 20, 1943 – The Merrie Melodies cartoon, Tortoise Wins by a Hare, a sequel to the 1941’s Tortoise Beats Hare, directed by Bob McKimson and starring Bugs Bunny and Cecil Turtle, debuted on this date. This is the first cartoon to use the modern Bugs Bunny design by Robert McKimson, which is taller, withContinue reading “Tortoise Wins by a Hare premiered”

February 20, 1988 –The Pet Shop Boys (featuring Dusty Springfield) song What Have I Done To Deserve This? climbed to No. #2 on the Billboard charts in America, on this date. The song marks Dusty Springfield first big hit since 1969. The song’s co-writer Allee Willis was later responsible for the Friends theme, I’ll BeContinue reading “I come here looking for money …”

It’s the third day of The Lunar New Year, In Chinese folklore, Chigou, or the “Red Dog,” is the deity of blazing wrath and fire. His presence defines the third day of the Lunar New Year (Chigou Day), making it one of the few days of the 15-day festival considered inauspicious Traditionally, it is unluckyContinue reading “Some days it doesn’t pay to get out of bed”