Otokichi

It's "back to the future" time again, with "Techmoan." Return to the mid-1980's in Japan, where 3D is about to take the video market by storm as The Next Big Thing! But it wasn't, either in Japan or the rest of the world, since this was sub-Laserdisc video quality. Nevertheless, 3D fan "Techmoan" will take you there as he looks at what/how this CD-pickup system worked and why it failed, only to be revived in the DVD era, for a while. Ready, Set, Go! if you don't mind a few glitches, in the darkest room in your place...;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZKjQxGpFcM Viewing South Korean films, "I Saw the Devil" kept coming up, so I clicked on a YouTube review. I stooped part way into the review because of the subject/content/characters. Billed as a Revenge movie, it goes far deeper, as we see the Rapist/Serial Killer "hiding in plain sight." The protagonist, a South Korean Intelligence agent, can't leave his post, even though his pregnant girlfriend calls him from her damaged car. She doesn't survive the night. The next day, a kid finds a plastic bag by a river and looks inside. The Human ear sets off a massive Police search, capped with a severed head in the river. The Spy takes a couple of weeks off, has a colleague drop off some surveillance tech, and lines up four suspects to interrogate. Warning! This is a violent, gory, first-person look at the serial killer and the pursuing revenge-seeker that features torture, violent beatings, and bloody murder! NOT for gentle souls or the easily offended! Click on the link if you dare...

I've heard this song off and on over the years. but didn't know it by name. Submitted for your amusement, "The Thing," a 1950 novelty song. Press PLAY if you hanker for a semi-nonsense song "to sing around the camp fire.";)

If/when your local TV station has a "the Flipster has been fried!" moment, what did they play while engineers solved the problem? The "Techmoan" Mood Music Channel presents: "Music to cover TV breakdowns." Press PLAY to "Lemons and Oranges" from the BBC.;)

Time to visit Mansfield, Ohio. "What's there?" you ask. "The Shawshank Redemption' movie site. Let's walk for a bit in the shoes of Brooks Haddon, Andy Dufresne, and Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding. Press PLAY to get on the Wayback Machine to 1949...

Do you have a "filmless wonder" Polaroid rattling around in a drawer? Do you have a large changing bag and some 135/120/Sheet Film experience? If so, this video is for you, the tinkering photographer. Can 135 film be used in an old Polaroid? Press PLAY to find out what can be done with Dr. Land's technology...

A Hollywood director chooses a film to be a teaching instrument. Take away the Color and John Williams' OST, with the latter replaced with an electronic music soundtrack. To what end? to illustrate Steven Spielberg's directorial genius. Press PLAY to see an "Indiana Jones" movie that, stripped of color and John Williams music, makes Disney's latest "Indy" movie look like fan fiction after the 20-20 minute opening scenes.;)

You're running late or ran out of pocket change and come across a vending machine with liquid refreshment waiting for you. Do you break open the bottle and take a grateful slug of a popular drink? Or do you regard the "left out on the dock" beverage with some suspicion? Press PLAY to hear about this unsolved serial killer case...

Do you remember music CDs? "Techmoan" does, and wondered if stand alone music CD players are still being produced. The next question was, could a video game console or "modern computer" still play music CDs? Press PLAY to find out if your should be looking for a PS3 or original XBox. Then there's album artwork, which is scarce, even for Gracenote.

"Dug Days" I'd heard that there was a short about "Dug the Dog" from the movie "Up," but didn't look it up. A "Cinema Therapy" post about the movie "Up" (2009) "put the subject back in memory." After a false start, here's "Dug" and his continuing adventures with "Carl Fredericksen.";) Press PLAY if today's been OK, or if a rain cloud is following you.

Another "slide show" music video created by AI. Press PLAY for Kansas, and ponder The Future.

Since the World War II channel is in Europe, it's June 6th over there. Press PLAY to start "24 Hours of D-Day" as Allied forces storm ashore at Normandy to "take it to Hitler."

Do you have 37:46 in your life to spare? Good, legendary gamer/commentator "The Last Bacon" talks with en Unknown Worlds game developer about "Subnautica 3." Since this is a conversation/Podcast, you can do something else while game development/mechanics/aims are discussed. Press PLAY if you want to know what didn't make it into "Subnautica" and what was left in via community feedback.

This Disney channel "kid's show" wasn't on my radar, but a YouTube reactor steered me to this "kid's level X-Files/"Twin Peaks" animated series. Press PLAY if "the woods are full of strange/bizarre/scary creatures" is your bent.;) 20 Dark Secrets about "Gravity Falls" The Cast does a teble reading of episode #1

Maria, the Marine Biologist who screamed through "Subnautica" and purred through "Abzu" looks at the "Meg 2" trailer. Press PLAY for a wonderful experience and some educational content. "Release the Cocaine Bear, er Megalodon!";)

"Techmoan" has "left the past behind" and arrived in the 21st century. Press PLAY to see what Matt found in this "modern media consumption system."

An interesting NHK series on Nippon Golden Network is "Document 72 Hours," where a camera crew explores and interacts with people at, say, a Zen Cat Temple, a long concrete pier on Tokyo Bay's Eastern shore, or the Ito-ya Stationery store in Ginza. This lovely song is heard as the 72 hours ends. Press PLAY for something wonderful. "Japan from the air"

Ho-hum, another high school production of..."The Producers"!? How good can these youngsters be? Press PLAY to find out how another New Jersey high school makes music!

"Yasashii Jikan" is a 2005 Fuji TV drama series about the "sometimes interstellar distances between family members." Briefly, Yukichi Wakui is a former trading company executive who has retired to the town of Furano (Hokkaido) and runs a "grind your beans" coffee shop. He's estranged from his former-delinquent son Takuro Wakui, who has relocated to a distant town to study fine pottery making. Yukichi blames Takuro for having killed his wife in a traffic accident and came very close to disowning him. Will this stubborn father and son reunite? The action takes place over an eventful Winter. Yukichi is visited in spirit by his wife, and "Ashita" (Tomorrow) is the closing theme for this TV drama.

I clicked on the link to this video out of curiosity, since I vaguely remembered the title. I may have seen it on Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim," but only odd segments. Press PLAY to see Anime that preceded "Akira" (1988).

An interesting tale of Love, Despair, Encouragement, Doing The Right Thing, and Sacrifice. Press PLAY to see what happens when an average guy is left behind as an Asteroid threatens Earth with an "Extinction Level Event."

Another Bardcore version of a modern song to utterly confuse Archeologists.;) "Hildegard Van Blingen" returns with a medival version of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt." Press PLAY to take a trip on the "dial of destiny."

Checking out a "deleted footage because of YouTube" video led me to this "If YouTube's 'Squire' were a musician" singer/songwriter. Press PLAY for a "proper upper-class Englishman" who warbles about Life and the drunks who bother his dog and other songs.;)

It's time for the "Techmoan Show" again, with Matt the Bodger taking on a more modern Aiwa Micro System 22 unit imported from Japan, "with issues." Press PLAY to find out if Matt can fix the MiniDisc eater.;)

I was watching this "deleted because of a copyright claim" video when I came across a trio of songs that were far more interesting. Scroll down to "Becca" in the posts to see what set off this YouTube video/song search. Press PLAY if you just want to see the heart of the "Firefly" Pilot video. Otherwise, take a look at links to three "G'bye!" songs. Semisonic: "Closing Time" Bootless and Unhorsed: "Bugger Off" Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq.: "I've No More F**** To Give!"