Big Al; Small Mention - UPDATED!

Perhaps it's time we finally gave the little runt (Big Al) a blog entry of his very own. Right here, right now. A short acknowledgment (while we wait for more films to be processed) to concede that yes - just as with Wonderful Wanda and the neighbor with the missing arm - our block was a tiny fraction of a measurement more interesting than it would have been without Big Al being a part of it.

And altho we don't see the little scamp much anymore (if ever) and he has yet to watch even ONE of these old NRP films in which he appears, we know that sooner or later he will show up again, probably when we least expect it; and probably right back on the sidewalks of our old neighborhood. Probably peddling that stupid bicycle of his with the colorful streamers poking out the handle grips.

Until then, we'll simply stop for a brief moment in our hectic day, to salute the nosey little intruder with the impish smirk. "Sa-lute!" we shout. As if this blog was more like an episode of "Hee Haw" than the respectable home showpage for all things Block Blazerish.

NEWS UPDATE: A new viewer to this No Relevant Point website accidentally stumbled upon our posting about Big Al and felt the need to assist us by supplying us with what appears to be an officially updated photograph of the one time pre-teen Blazer-in-training. A full THIRTY YEARS after his image was last captured on super 8 film.

The picture attached at this juncture then, is none other than THEE little squirt himself 'BIGish ALish'; as he would appear today if spotted out riding his bicycle on the street - assuming he would ever come back and do such an odd thing.

Still Photos - Retarded Cousin Of The Movies

When did I ever find the time to snap all these old still pictures? I thought I was far more into the movie making schtick back in the 70s.

I've got miles and miles of super 8 film stored in canisters that are stored in big boxes that are stored in the storage room where they reach for the ceiling - and yet I also continue to bump into a never ending supply of photo albums that are filled to the brim with images that were obviously captured during the same time period (1972-78) using one of the three still cameras I had in my possession back then.

Fast forward to the modern day. While I might use my new digital camera to snap the occasional digital photograph every now and then, I'm nowhere NEAR to matching the totals that were reached by my younger self using my younger cameras with old fashioned Kodachrome. And that's a good thing I guess. Better to capture the good old days of my youth than to capture the weary 'old man' days of the present.

So that's our plot for tonight's show, kids. Yet another salute to the past. But this time, we'll be viewing results from the super 8 movie camera's slightly retarded cousin; the Brownie box still camera.

Winds Of Change

Here's another short collection of filmbits that have been carefully transported by bicycle over from Youtube to this Blog showcase; including a quick-paced opening flurry featuring the 1988 softball team that, up until now, has only been seen on the special collector's bonus edition DVD I made for long time coach Al J. Very few of the faces on that team from 20 years ago have bothered to continue playing all the way thru to this just completed season of 2008 - but there's a few.

The rest of today's package is pretty familiar stuff for any regular visitor to these pages. The little Alan kid is back. So is Billy and his Bug. Bartholomew almost flips his shoe into a river, and a summer stroll for Paul and Hanklin comes to a sudden stop when they both hear the winds of change sneaking up from behind.

Have we already watched the 'Kung Fu You' footage on this blog yet? Man, that's old stuff. Hard to believe that it was an official entry in the prestigious 1975 Philum Festival - the highest rung on the ladder of local filmmaking achievement. The judges must have been accepting any and all entries that year.

A Thud Heard 'Round The Block

As promised in last week's episode, the footage of Don's 1975 farewell speech to the throngs at YVR (Vancouver Airport; just prior to his flight to freedom) has been faithfully regurgitated here (below) on this blog page from its previous place of employment - which for the past year or so has been over there on Youtube.

And when I say 'faithfully regurgitated' I mean of course, that many scenes were altered or tinkered with, the running order was mixed up, the music was changed, and a few scenes were tossed out during the four minute transport between websites. Although I've never been one to embrace the sentiment, I've always understood that 'change is good' and maybe that applies here.

So what we're left with now is the streamlined version of events from that prehistoric day so long ago. This is an important memory within the collective mind of all true Block Blazers - a day that STILL calls out to us in echoes and half heard whispers. This was the day we realized that Blazerville - as we'd come to know it - had finally reached the end of the road with a sudden and resounding thud.

Replanting

A few of the videos that I've compiled of the old Quebec street gang during the past few months, are currently residing over there in that very popular 'Youtube' location. I've now decided that those films should be chopped down from Youtube ASAP and replanted in this more appropriate blog address. Rather than splitting them up onto three or four different video sharing websites (as I've been doing) they should all be collected here under one roof in order to keep better track of the mammoth project.

However, before I begin distributing the reruns (starting with a repeat showing of: 'The End' aka: "Don's Australian Decision") I'll quickly upload a mixed bag of super 8 scenes from yet another satisfying DVD transfer; which starts off with a quick visit to England (and Abbey Road Studios) for Sandy and myself exactly 25 years ago. I guess it's pointless to add that I find it hard to believe how fast time continues to race by us. Using my own sense of inner clock time, we shouldn't be living and breathing in any year later than 1996. '97 at the utmost. Yet I understand by TV and newspaper reports that it's nearly 2009!

And what's the deal with the crappy sound on this video? Like it's trying to blow up my speakers or something. You'd be smart to slide the volume lever half way over to the left to kill the distortion before you push the play button.