Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Reflections from the North Woods - vol. 3

- Rain in the woods is different. For some reason, rain in Minnesota on the lakes always seems to come down straight, steady, and almost as if the rain is afraid to hit the ground. The smells created are refreshing--almost mint-like as the rain hits the evergreens.

- The cover of Texas Monthly has a photo of two grizzled cowboys. Upon closer inspection, one quickly realizes that the two grizzled cowpokes are none other than Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones--Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call in the acclaimed television mini-series Lonesome Dove. The magazine's John Spong writes, "It's our Gone With the Wind--a hugely popular adventure tale, a fierce depiction of frontier life, and an enduring portrait of a complicated friendship. When Lonesome Dove was published in 1985, it transformed Larry McMurtry's career overnight and revived the fortunes of the western itself." The mini-series is now the best-selling western DVD of all time which, unfortunately, is a bit sad as the novel, so beautifully crafted by McMurtry, is this renowned writer's best work. Even though many came to this story via television, the book has sold 2.5 million copies. This is one of those books where I remember where I was when I first heard about it--on an airplane, naturally--and then could not put it down once I began reading McMurtry's classic. It's also one of those books that I hated to see end. Happy Anniversary, Lonesome Dove...

- In Andrew Morton's new tell-all, Angelina: An Unauthorized Biography, Morton describes the first time Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt worked together--on the movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. And, according to the author, the gossip on the set was that Jolie's trailer included handcuffs, sex toys, whips and S&M paraphernalia. No wonder, writes that author, that "the corn fed boy was toast." All of you who can't get enough Brangelina can pick up the "book" on August 3.

- H&R Block may have lost their CEO but their CMO is wasting no time in making a mark. The Kansas City, MO company announced today that Publicis Groupe's Fallon will take over Block's $155 million advertising account. The business is moving from Omnicom Group's DDB with no review, meaning new CMO Robert Turtledove master-minded this decision, another example of a major account moving agencies without a review involving multiple agencies. Fallon, a Minneapolis agency, is the same one used by Turtledove when he was at TheLadders.com.

- Next year is The Beach Boys' 50th anniversary and the group is suggesting that they will do at least one concert next year in celebration. While the group is one of the most popular and best-selling U.S. groups ever, the boys are well past their prime and a shell of their former vocal harmonizing selves. According to Rolling Stone, the group's lineup will include Al Jardine, Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston--all original members.

- Rehearsals for Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark, will finally begin on August 18. This is the Broadway musical featuring songs from U2's Bono and The Edge, but financial woes and casting changes have delayed the anticipated opening indefinitely.

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