Author Archives: dcaligari

March 16, 1960 –One of the iconic films of the French New Wave, À Bout de Souffle (Breathless), directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg was released in France on this date. Jean-Paul Belmondo was very surprised by the warm reception the film received. Immediately after production he was convinced it wasContinue reading “À Bout de Souffle premiered”

March 16, 1963 –The musical group of Peter Paul and Mary released their hit single Puff the Magic Dragon, on this date. This song was rumored to be about drugs, particularly marijuana. Some of the alleged drug references in this song include the “autumn mist,” which was marijuana smoke, and the “land of Hanah Lee,”Continue reading “Remember dammit, it’s not about drugs”

March 15, 44 BC –Julius Caesar, already warned to be wary on this the Ides of March by the astrologer Spurinna, was assassinated with pointy knives by a group of Senators, including Brutus and Cassius, at the Pompey theater. They were angry at him because he had crossed the Rubicon. Later Marc Antony borrowed everyone’sContinue reading “Sorry but we’re going to talk about ancient Rome”

March 15, 1975 –Electric Light Orchestra’s single Can’t Get It Out of My Head, became their first top ten single in the U.S., (with peaked at no. nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart,) on this date. Jeff Lynne recalled in an edition of VH1’s Storytellers, that he found inspiration for the song inContinue reading “ELO sings about earworms”

March 15, 1972 –The greatest film ever about cooking for a large group and risk aversion management, The Godfather, premiered in New York City on this date. Cinematographer Gordon Willis earned himself the nickname “The Prince of Darkness,” since his sets were so underlit. Paramount Pictures executives initially thought that the footage was too dark,Continue reading “The importance of Italian pastry was learned today”

March 15, 1972 –George Roy Hill’s adaptation of the 1969 novel by Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, starring Michael Sacks, Ron Leibman, and Valerie Perrine opened in the US on this date. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was a prisoner of war in World War II. He was captured during the Battle of the Bulge while a battalion scoutContinue reading “Slaughterhouse-Five premiered”

March 15, 1941 – The first of three appearances of Cecil Turtle, Tortoise Beats Hare, deuted on this date. Bugs isn’t completely indestructible; Cecil is one of the very few characters who was actually able to beat Bugs Bunny not once but three times in a row and at the rabbit’s own game.

Today on March 14 1932, one of the greatest notes was written: George Eastman, the founder of Kodak Corporation, killed himself after a long illness on this date. His suicide note states “To my friends: My work is done. Why wait?“ And so it goes.

March 14, 1981 –Roxy Music had their only U.K. No. 1 single with their version of John Lennon’s Jealous Guy, on this date. Roxy Music recorded this as a tribute to Lennon, who was murdered on December 8, 1980. Bryan Ferry performs the whistling solo on the Roxy Music version. The Roxy frontman’s whistling prowessContinue reading “Roxy Music’s only No. 1 hit”

March 14, 1969 –The Star Trek episode All Our Yesterdays first aired on this date. In it, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are trapped on a planet which will soon be destroyed in a supernova. When first arriving on the planet Sarpeidon and meeting Mr Atoz, Kirk, Spock and McCoy all failed to mention that theyContinue reading “The penultimate episode of the original Star Trek series”