Plenty of Nothing

Ikea Lamp Commercial (2002)

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Rocky Loma

Ivy Levan performs "Science Fiction Double Feature" in front of Casa Loma in Fox's remake of Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Films referenced in the song:

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) with Michael Rennie

Flash Gordon (1936, with sequels in 1938 and 1940)

The Invisible Man (1933) with Claude Rains

King Kong (1933) with Fay Wray

It Came From Outer Space (1953)

Doctor X (1932)

Forbidden Planet (1956) with Anne Francis

Tarantula (1955) with Leo G. Carroll

Day of the Triffids (1962) with Janette Scott

Night of the Demon (1957) with Dana Andrews

When Worlds Collide (1951) by George Pal

RKO Pictures operated from 1928 to 1957.

Shūsaku Endō Sells Out

Watch this compilation of TV commercials made by Japanese author Shūsaku Endō in the 1970s and 80s.

Salt Vampire

On September 8th, 1966, CBS broadcast "The Man Trap", the first episode of Star Trek to go to air, though it was the sixth one produced. The network executives wanted to lead off with a monster, assuming that the audience's taste in science fiction had been formed by 1950s creature features. The salt vampire costume was designed by Wah Chang, and worn by Sandra Gimpel. Jeanne Bal played Nancy Crater, the shapeshifting creature's human form. In a typical Trek inconsistency both Kirk and McCoy behave in the film Star Trek VI (1991) as if they've never met a shapeshifter before -- even though McCoy carried a torch for Nancy Crater, and the creature tried to eat Kirk's face.

Birth of a Social Problem

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Wakako-Zake

Wakako-Zake is a food manga by Chie Shinkyu. There's not much plot or characterization, but that's made up for by a lot of eating and drinking. It's a much simpler concept than Oishinbo. Nobody's lecturing or crusading for industrial standards here, just Wakako thinking about what she likes about the meal and then letting out a long breath of satisfaction. The manga has been made into an anime and, as you can see, a live drama. Read a review.

Detectorists at the British Museum

Masataka Taketsuru and Rita Cowan

Here's a pair of faces that cry out to be set in a historical manga. Or maybe an NHK morning drama named Massan. Read their story, and about the founding of the Yoichi distillery, here. Read about the TV series here.

Björk Christmas Special

This 1976 Icelandic Christmas special has eleven-year-old Björk in the kids' choir.

Cosplay in Space

Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti models her Star Trek: Voyager uniform onboard the ISS.