W. David Lichty
@thinkdeliberately.bsky.social
I'm a collection of cultural preferences! Look at my stuff! See who I am! This is my soul! Wheee!
1941, November 28, the Fleischer brothers release another of their exceptional Superman cartoons: The Mechanical Monsters.
All of those shorts from, I think , 1941-42, are similarly amazing. Their look was the direct inspiration for the team behind Batman: The Animated Series.
All of those shorts from, I think , 1941-42, are similarly amazing. Their look was the direct inspiration for the team behind Batman: The Animated Series.
November 28, 2025 at 6:44 PM
1941, November 28, the Fleischer brothers release another of their exceptional Superman cartoons: The Mechanical Monsters.
All of those shorts from, I think , 1941-42, are similarly amazing. Their look was the direct inspiration for the team behind Batman: The Animated Series.
All of those shorts from, I think , 1941-42, are similarly amazing. Their look was the direct inspiration for the team behind Batman: The Animated Series.
Released 25 years ago today was what I thought the most irrelevant possible CD of all time, which became the best selling CD of its decade, and remains the best selling album of this century. That's right. It's the 21st century, and apparently The Beatles top it, too.
I'd honestly had no idea.
I'd honestly had no idea.
November 26, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Released 25 years ago today was what I thought the most irrelevant possible CD of all time, which became the best selling CD of its decade, and remains the best selling album of this century. That's right. It's the 21st century, and apparently The Beatles top it, too.
I'd honestly had no idea.
I'd honestly had no idea.
November 26, 1986 - Star Trek IV: The One with the Whales
This is one of my favorite non-Christmas Christmassy movies, in the secular sense, probably because it's a bit whimsical, it came out during that holiday season, and there are bells in the music.
This is one of my favorite non-Christmas Christmassy movies, in the secular sense, probably because it's a bit whimsical, it came out during that holiday season, and there are bells in the music.
November 26, 2025 at 4:49 PM
November 26, 1986 - Star Trek IV: The One with the Whales
This is one of my favorite non-Christmas Christmassy movies, in the secular sense, probably because it's a bit whimsical, it came out during that holiday season, and there are bells in the music.
This is one of my favorite non-Christmas Christmassy movies, in the secular sense, probably because it's a bit whimsical, it came out during that holiday season, and there are bells in the music.
November 26, 1986 - The Mosquito Coast, one of Peter Weir's great ones, his other top work surely being Fearless. This matches that one best, moody, about an odd, thoughtful guy who's the center of his own world... I liked it, much more than I'd expected to.
November 26, 2025 at 12:23 PM
November 26, 1986 - The Mosquito Coast, one of Peter Weir's great ones, his other top work surely being Fearless. This matches that one best, moody, about an odd, thoughtful guy who's the center of his own world... I liked it, much more than I'd expected to.
November 26, 1942 - Casablanca premiered in New York City.
Diamond anniversary.
Diamond anniversary.
November 26, 2025 at 5:50 AM
November 26, 1942 - Casablanca premiered in New York City.
Diamond anniversary.
Diamond anniversary.
30 years ago today, Leonard Nimoy's remake of the French picture, Three Men and a Cradle, hit screens. It was warm and funny, and became the top box office hit of the year.
November 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
30 years ago today, Leonard Nimoy's remake of the French picture, Three Men and a Cradle, hit screens. It was warm and funny, and became the top box office hit of the year.
November 25, 1992 - Aladdin was released wide in the US. Funny, and as you can see, lovely too.
Comedy and color.
Comedy and color.
November 25, 2025 at 5:19 PM
November 25, 1992 - Aladdin was released wide in the US. Funny, and as you can see, lovely too.
Comedy and color.
Comedy and color.
What kind of film am I? Noir? Thriller/mystery? Thriller/horror? Kids' movie? Western? Musical? Romantic comedy? Bulky Guy action picture? No, a film with boundless creativity and earned joy (rather than cheap, sunny, 'no one was ever mean' joy). It was Gene Siskel's last ever #1 film of the year.
November 25, 2025 at 5:18 PM
What kind of film am I? Noir? Thriller/mystery? Thriller/horror? Kids' movie? Western? Musical? Romantic comedy? Bulky Guy action picture? No, a film with boundless creativity and earned joy (rather than cheap, sunny, 'no one was ever mean' joy). It was Gene Siskel's last ever #1 film of the year.
November 23, 1928 - The Wind, starring Lillian Gish
November 24, 2025 at 12:44 AM
November 23, 1928 - The Wind, starring Lillian Gish
November 23, 1943 - Cry Havoc could be “The Women” at war, except that there are some men in it, and there are stakes in place of the wit in Cukor’s movie. It’s a good mid-war picture. Things are in short supply, the women are tired, the war is on when it starts, and it’s on when it finishes.
November 24, 2025 at 12:42 AM
November 23, 1943 - Cry Havoc could be “The Women” at war, except that there are some men in it, and there are stakes in place of the wit in Cukor’s movie. It’s a good mid-war picture. Things are in short supply, the women are tired, the war is on when it starts, and it’s on when it finishes.
Here's a big one. November 21, 1931 - Frankenstein, more definative than the book at this point, which is okay because the movie is still so good. Newcomers are often surprised at the performance of Karloff as the monster, very sympathetic rather than growling and scary.
November 21, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Here's a big one. November 21, 1931 - Frankenstein, more definative than the book at this point, which is okay because the movie is still so good. Newcomers are often surprised at the performance of Karloff as the monster, very sympathetic rather than growling and scary.
November 21, 1946 - The Best Years of our Lives, another of those movies you hear over and over is so good, then you finally see it and it really is.
#1 seen and Best Picture of 1946, I think if it had been released this year, it would still have contended. This is a really good, grounded movie.
#1 seen and Best Picture of 1946, I think if it had been released this year, it would still have contended. This is a really good, grounded movie.
November 21, 2025 at 2:57 PM
November 21, 1946 - The Best Years of our Lives, another of those movies you hear over and over is so good, then you finally see it and it really is.
#1 seen and Best Picture of 1946, I think if it had been released this year, it would still have contended. This is a really good, grounded movie.
#1 seen and Best Picture of 1946, I think if it had been released this year, it would still have contended. This is a really good, grounded movie.
November 20, 1998 - A Bug's Life opens.
Pixar's second feature for a long time was their 'worst' movie for me, coming in at only an 8 out of 10, a great low point. And how cool is it that I didn't make the Seven Samurai connection for years, many, many years. It is very cool, is how cool it is.
Pixar's second feature for a long time was their 'worst' movie for me, coming in at only an 8 out of 10, a great low point. And how cool is it that I didn't make the Seven Samurai connection for years, many, many years. It is very cool, is how cool it is.
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
November 20, 1998 - A Bug's Life opens.
Pixar's second feature for a long time was their 'worst' movie for me, coming in at only an 8 out of 10, a great low point. And how cool is it that I didn't make the Seven Samurai connection for years, many, many years. It is very cool, is how cool it is.
Pixar's second feature for a long time was their 'worst' movie for me, coming in at only an 8 out of 10, a great low point. And how cool is it that I didn't make the Seven Samurai connection for years, many, many years. It is very cool, is how cool it is.
November 20, 1983 - Terms of Endearment, James L. Brooks' first foray into feature films.
This movie is 42 today. When it was new, Citizen Kane, Sullivan's Travels, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, The Lady Eve, The Maltese Falcon, Dumbo, The Wolf Man and Buck Privates were 42 years old.
So it's a classic.
This movie is 42 today. When it was new, Citizen Kane, Sullivan's Travels, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, The Lady Eve, The Maltese Falcon, Dumbo, The Wolf Man and Buck Privates were 42 years old.
So it's a classic.
November 20, 2025 at 9:19 PM
November 20, 1983 - Terms of Endearment, James L. Brooks' first foray into feature films.
This movie is 42 today. When it was new, Citizen Kane, Sullivan's Travels, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, The Lady Eve, The Maltese Falcon, Dumbo, The Wolf Man and Buck Privates were 42 years old.
So it's a classic.
This movie is 42 today. When it was new, Citizen Kane, Sullivan's Travels, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, The Lady Eve, The Maltese Falcon, Dumbo, The Wolf Man and Buck Privates were 42 years old.
So it's a classic.
November 20, 1964 - First Men in the Moon.
It holds up well. It's silly, but it holds up.
It holds up well. It's silly, but it holds up.
November 20, 2025 at 9:18 PM
November 20, 1964 - First Men in the Moon.
It holds up well. It's silly, but it holds up.
It holds up well. It's silly, but it holds up.
On this day in 1958, Jim and Jane Henson established Muppets, Inc. The Muppets themselves had been about for a few years already, in shows and commercials, so I guess I'm celebrating... a business move? Some completed paperwork?
Oh well, anyway there's Kermit.
Oh well, anyway there's Kermit.
November 20, 2025 at 9:18 PM
On this day in 1958, Jim and Jane Henson established Muppets, Inc. The Muppets themselves had been about for a few years already, in shows and commercials, so I guess I'm celebrating... a business move? Some completed paperwork?
Oh well, anyway there's Kermit.
Oh well, anyway there's Kermit.
November 20, 1945 - The Nuremberg Trials begin, dramatized with a fair amount of integrity in Judgment at Nuremberg. Broken people living in broken societies will always form broken moral codes. This is one reason why we must wrestle for Truth. It is never simple, but always complex and detailed.
November 20, 2025 at 4:39 PM
November 20, 1945 - The Nuremberg Trials begin, dramatized with a fair amount of integrity in Judgment at Nuremberg. Broken people living in broken societies will always form broken moral codes. This is one reason why we must wrestle for Truth. It is never simple, but always complex and detailed.
November 20, 1943 - "Daffy - The Commando"
I love wartime cartoons, Disney's, Warner's, the independents - they're a different beast from everything else done by all of those teams, more similar to each other than they are to their own teams' other stuff.
I love wartime cartoons, Disney's, Warner's, the independents - they're a different beast from everything else done by all of those teams, more similar to each other than they are to their own teams' other stuff.
November 20, 2025 at 2:03 PM
November 20, 1943 - "Daffy - The Commando"
I love wartime cartoons, Disney's, Warner's, the independents - they're a different beast from everything else done by all of those teams, more similar to each other than they are to their own teams' other stuff.
I love wartime cartoons, Disney's, Warner's, the independents - they're a different beast from everything else done by all of those teams, more similar to each other than they are to their own teams' other stuff.
This doesn't sound like 40 year old music.
November 18, 1985 - So Red the Rose
Quite a story behind it: duranduran.com/2020/35-toda...
November 18, 1985 - So Red the Rose
Quite a story behind it: duranduran.com/2020/35-toda...
November 18, 2025 at 8:50 PM
This doesn't sound like 40 year old music.
November 18, 1985 - So Red the Rose
Quite a story behind it: duranduran.com/2020/35-toda...
November 18, 1985 - So Red the Rose
Quite a story behind it: duranduran.com/2020/35-toda...
November 18, 1992 - Malcolm X, getting *everything* right that most biopics don't. When I say everything, I mean integrity.
I watched three times over a day and a half - on the big screen, mind you, once each on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is a masterful picture, and a very easy 3+ hour sit.
I watched three times over a day and a half - on the big screen, mind you, once each on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is a masterful picture, and a very easy 3+ hour sit.
November 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
November 18, 1992 - Malcolm X, getting *everything* right that most biopics don't. When I say everything, I mean integrity.
I watched three times over a day and a half - on the big screen, mind you, once each on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is a masterful picture, and a very easy 3+ hour sit.
I watched three times over a day and a half - on the big screen, mind you, once each on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is a masterful picture, and a very easy 3+ hour sit.
97 years ago today, cartoons learned to whistle (and talk).
November 18, 1928 - Steamboat Willie
This is where the little whistle theme which now plays over Disney logos comes from. It was the first (famous) instance of sound synced to a cartoon, that little dittie.
November 18, 1928 - Steamboat Willie
This is where the little whistle theme which now plays over Disney logos comes from. It was the first (famous) instance of sound synced to a cartoon, that little dittie.
November 18, 2025 at 3:24 PM
97 years ago today, cartoons learned to whistle (and talk).
November 18, 1928 - Steamboat Willie
This is where the little whistle theme which now plays over Disney logos comes from. It was the first (famous) instance of sound synced to a cartoon, that little dittie.
November 18, 1928 - Steamboat Willie
This is where the little whistle theme which now plays over Disney logos comes from. It was the first (famous) instance of sound synced to a cartoon, that little dittie.
November 17, 1967 - End of 'Magical Mystery Tour' sessions.
It's sort of a birthdate. I've gathered the best versions I know of for the non-Pepper/White Album tracks from '67-'68. It's a lot of great stuff, too.
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
It's sort of a birthdate. I've gathered the best versions I know of for the non-Pepper/White Album tracks from '67-'68. It's a lot of great stuff, too.
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
November 17, 2025 at 5:08 PM
November 17, 1967 - End of 'Magical Mystery Tour' sessions.
It's sort of a birthdate. I've gathered the best versions I know of for the non-Pepper/White Album tracks from '67-'68. It's a lot of great stuff, too.
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
It's sort of a birthdate. I've gathered the best versions I know of for the non-Pepper/White Album tracks from '67-'68. It's a lot of great stuff, too.
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
On November 17, 1951, Warner Brothers released Drip-along Daffy to theaters!
Film History. Cartoons are a part of it, especially cartoons made for grown-ups, like all of these were.
Film History. Cartoons are a part of it, especially cartoons made for grown-ups, like all of these were.
November 17, 2025 at 5:06 PM
On November 17, 1951, Warner Brothers released Drip-along Daffy to theaters!
Film History. Cartoons are a part of it, especially cartoons made for grown-ups, like all of these were.
Film History. Cartoons are a part of it, especially cartoons made for grown-ups, like all of these were.
Never forget . . .
November 17, 1978 - Star Wars Holiday Special, shown 47 years ago. . . and then never again.
Han should have shot first.
November 17, 1978 - Star Wars Holiday Special, shown 47 years ago. . . and then never again.
Han should have shot first.
November 17, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Never forget . . .
November 17, 1978 - Star Wars Holiday Special, shown 47 years ago. . . and then never again.
Han should have shot first.
November 17, 1978 - Star Wars Holiday Special, shown 47 years ago. . . and then never again.
Han should have shot first.
