Print Release and Signing Times for San Diego Comic Con!
Comic Con is almost here!
I'm pleased to announce I will be signing at ColorInk Book booth #5638 on Thursday, July 18 from 1-2PM and on Saturday, from 12:30-1:30PM. I am honored to be the cover artist for this month's issue, and have a spread of several drawings in the magazine as well. If you're not familiar with the excellent magazine put out by the Brothers Washburn, you're missing out. I will also debut the cover painting "You Can Never Go Back" with a limited edition print run of 25 prints. Each print is hand signed and numbered, and as an added bonus, each print will come with a random small drawing or painting. Some will be simple ink drawings, while others will be full color small paintings, all with a retail value of $50-$150. The drawings and prints will be "blindboxed" as it were with each print, so you never know what you'll end up with! Everyone who purchases a print will definitely get some kind of original art though. It's a win-win as the kids say.
I'll be drawing, painting and on hand to sign, draw in your sketchbook, or chat about pretty much anything. The booth number is #5638: Color Ink Book. See you there!
Acrylic on paper, mounted to wood and resined.
first available for purchase Thursday, July 18th at 1PM.
The End is Here: Number 100 of 100 Drawings!
After 3 long years, the 100 Drawings experiment comes to a close!
Over time, as my interests in other mediums grew, 100 Drawings became a place for experiments to land. It became a safe harbor for smaller works, experiments, media studies, figurative explorations and other random art making. The works became increasingly complex and evolved into paintings, and as demand grew, the $100 ceiling became untenable. I tried to keep the pieces smaller, but eventually, I became much more comfortable in my art making skin, and the pieces went from simple drawings and studies into full blown small finished paintings. Hi-Fructose was even kind enough to do a small online feature on the project.
The first of 100 was started in October of 2010, with the goal being to finish the remaining 99 within a few years, at the rate of one a week. That schedule was…untenable at best, and there were several weeks where none were done. Near the final few dozen, I was able to crank out a few a week, in much more detail, and with much more on my plate. This was the best success of the whole project: it helped spur me in an open creative focus where I learned to work more efficiently and hone in on my preferred medium: ink and acrylic on paper. As I became more comfortable with experimentation with every piece, many fears and doubts I had seemed to drift away.
What's next for 100 Drawings? The goal is to compile all 100 Drawings for release in a book. This undertaking will most likely involve the crowd support juggernaut system of Kickstarter. I'll keep everyone posted with the status of the book release, as it will be a massive amount of work figuring out all the details. I still need to look into printing costs, possible print runs, shipping, and all around the question of how many may actually buy the book!
Even though 100 Drawings has ended, I will continue to make drawings, paintings and experiments and put them online for public viewing and purchase. There will still be occasional print releases of popular pieces, though of course, not every painting will make it to print form. While there will be no more official of "100 Drawings" the upcoming work will be in the same vein- exercises to keep me constantly creating, in and around various other art commitments. In the meanwhile, I want to take this opportunity to thank every one of you. Your support through your purchases and kind words helps me continue to make art for a living, and I am truly grateful. Thank you.
And now last but not least, enjoy "Closing Guard," the final entry for 100 Drawings. All the drawings can be found in the 100 Drawings gallery. Enjoy!
Number 100 of 100 Drawings.
Only one left in the 100 Drawings series!
Number 99 of 100 Drawings.


Sotheby's auction of American paintings on March 8, realized $4.1 million for 185 lots offered. Christie's mid-season sale of American paintings, drawings and sculpture on March 9 took in $3 million for 181 lots offered. Of those, 153, or 85 percent, were sold.
NEW YORK— Sotheby's auction of American paintings on March 8, realized $4.1 million for 185 lots offered. Christie's mid-season sale of American paintings, drawings and sculpture on March 9 took in $3 million for 181 lots offered. Of those, 153, or 85 percent, were sold.
A view of San Giorgio, Venice, 1870, by Sanford Robinson Gifford, was a highlight of the Sotheby's sale, with the painting selling for $600,000, far past the estimate of $25,000/45,000, despite some condition problems described by the auctioneer in the catalogue.
The painting had been commissioned by Richard Butler, a wealthy New York businessman who was a devoted patron of Gifford and a cofounder of Manhattan's Metropolitan Museum of Art, according to Sotheby's. Though the work had been exhibited publicly shortly after its completion—at the Union Club and the National Academy of Design in 1870—it remained in private hands until the sale.
Among other strong prices achieved at the Sotheby's sale were Thomas Hart Benton's 1944 painting Journey's End, which fetched $192,000 (estimate: $20,000/30,000).
The top lot at Christie's was Circus Ring, an oil on board by Walt Kuhn that soared past the $8,000/12,000 estimate to sell for $90,000 to an American buyer. An oil by Key Sage, Someone Called Me, 1952, set an artist's record when it fetched $72,000 (estimate: $ 15,000/25,0000) from a U.S. dealer.


This entry was posted in GARDENING, HOUSEWORK, PHOTOS and tagged Blogging, Family, Flowers, Gardening by Drusilla Mott. Bookmark the permalink.
wow, how have you been sis?
Hi Betty. I am okay. How are you doing?
the old tins can be used somewhere else..like the dining area, or just for decor in your kitchen..
Woman or writer…our work is never done!
Welcome back to blogging and Thank YOU for likes on my blog.
Hi Pam. You are right; it seems like there is always something that needs tending to, and the order of priority always gets me confused. I need to improve my spiritual discernment I think. Thank you for stopping in. I enjoy reading your thoughts and am really going to try to visit more often.
Hello Drusilla! It is good to know you are doing better now. I would like to take the liberty to tell you to take it easy. You are more important than your garden or your blog.
Thank you Noel for your welcome and your concern. I was attempting to slow down when I stopped blogging last fall, and it was nice to take a vacation; but I am a writer at heart and there was an empty spot in me that can only be filled when I am putting words to paper (or computer screen as the case may be). As I commented to Pam above, I really need to pray for spiritual discernment so that I know definitely what it is the Lord is telling me about my priorities. Blessings for your day.
How cool that you have your dad's containers. I got some of the rectangular ones with the white top, and the button that pushes down to seal. I'm very pleased with them. And I think the birds will be very pleased to find new houses to dwell in. Weeds just can't be trusted! May your discomfort subside and allow you to do whatever you want to do.
Thank you Patti. I really have missed your sense of humor. 🙂 My dad could not tolerate milk so had to have malted milk when he was a baby, and I ended up with the jars. The white topped containers are a little different than those you have. These have a handle on the top that lifts up to open, and then folds down to seal — Better Homes and Gardens at Wal-Mart. I am hoping the birds like their new homes when he gets them up in the spring. They love the feeders that he has made – so do the deer and squirrels. And I agree with you about the pesky weeds. They apparently don't know their place – which is out of my garden. Thank you Eve. (I'm going to be one of those in line to talk to her when we get to heaven) 😉 God bless.


Congratulations to senior Topher Taylor for scoring his 1,000th career point on March 9, 2019 in the Lions 1st round PIAA state playoff win vs. Dobbins.
Congratulations Gwen Vogelsang for being named The Intell's Girls Volleyball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season!
Congratulations to Topher Taylor for being named a Maxwell Club Mini Max Award winner!


Washington Area Bike Forum > Forum Topics > Bikes & Equipment > Maintenance > How long should a chain and a cassette last?
View Full Version : How long should a chain and a cassette last?
Last Sunday, as I rode by Gravelly Point, I happened upon an REI tent - they are doing promotions as the opening of their new store comes upon us. In addition to handing out fliers, and swag (high carb type foods, and little reflective thingies) they were offering free tune ups. Though I get an annual tune up from Bikenetics, I went for it, figuring they could at least fill my likely underinflated tires (though I knew they were least over 50psi, I did not know how much, as I have not yet pulled the trigger on a new gauge/pump) As it happened they were about 60, which made me happy, and they pumped them to 80, which made me more happy.
But perhaps more importantly, and less happily, they pointed out that my chain was stretched beyond - I forget what the standard was. Which meant it needed replacement. And that in all likelihood the cassette did too - and they then showed me the teeth wearing out on some of the gears.
They are original to the bike, which now has about 4300 miles on it. They said that is not a bad life for a chain and cassette.
1. Is that true? is this about how long a chain and cassette should last?
3. How much is this gonna cost?
4. I presume this is NOT something I want to try doing myself, as a maintenance newb.
That's decent life, especially if you're riding in the rain and not keeping your chain and cassette fastidiously clean.
If you aren't having trouble with the gears shifting and the chain doesn't skip, you could wait until you do. However, if the chain is worn and the cassette/chain rings still have life on them, the worn chain will wear out those other parts. You've said REI showed you the wear on the cassette, so that's already happening to some extent. Up to you. If the chain starts skipping, it can be a pain, and when under load, can actually be physically painful.
Cost depends a lot on what components you get.
If you don't feel comfortable doing it and don't have the tools, yeah, have the shop do it. It's not that hard if you have the tools, although will possibly involve some mistakes and maybe redos until you learn to get it right. For tools, you need a chain whip, a chain tool, and one of those cassette remover tools to attach a socket wrench. The socket wrench needs to be a torque wrench to keep from overtightening the lock ring.
1. I get an average of 2 years out of my commuter chains/cassettes. So ~3K miles typically, but I seem to ride my commuter hard. They last much longer for my weekend-only road bike since it's abused less. Some of this does with how you ride (do you cross chain alot? If so, that shortens life). Also, if you change your chain early enough, you can keep the cassette. I tend to replace both at once, but I know many people go through many chains for each cassette with no major issues.
2. Probably? Depends on how bad it is, but if you're not noticing an issue, and are ok changing the cassette at the same time, your probably fine. Just make sure it doesn't get so worn it affects your chain ring, since replacing that is MUCH more expensive.
3. Depends on the components. Under $100, possibly under $50 for both pieces depending on what you need. It's often done during your tune up as a service included in the tune up cost, or for not much extra. Have your WABA membership card handy and most shops will give you an extra 10% off the parts. I typically spend ~$75 for 105-level components.
4. Can't help here. I only do minor maintenance (changing flats, adjusting brakes), so I'd go to the shop personally. Lots of people on here can do this stuff themselves though so it's definitely do-able.
I get around 2500 miles per chain/cassette. I find I get more miles if I'm religious about cleaning them. As repair jobs go, it's not difficult with the exception of removing the cassette, which can be hard if your removal tool has insufficient leverage. And that's the rub. You need several new tools and you can't really skimp on quality here. The only other tip is that you really, really need to make sure the new chain as installed has the exact same length as the old chain.
I'd say you can let it go until you notice a problem.
A chain wear indicator costs $10. It's not a precision instrument, but it beats guessing if your chain is so worn that it has also worn the cassette to the point that a new chain won't mesh properly. I think it's worth having one even if you're not doing your own maintenance because it'll tell you when it's time to visit the shop.
Try using a chain wear indicator for a year, making a note of each time you changed the chain. That'll give you a sense of how often you should change the chain based on your riding, rather than particular number of miles.
A cassette should last for several chains if those chains are changed in a timely fashion.
My bike came with a bottom-tier shimano drivetrain, I was not great about keeping it clean and lubed - would go many months between even looking at it... but I changed the chain 3 times over the course of about 6,000 miles. The last time I put a new chain on, the previous chain was so over stretched that it had indeed worn out the teeth on the gears of the cassette that I used most. It made riding in those gears impossible with the new chain. Ended up getting a replacement (upgraded) cassette and chain at Spokes Etc at about 8,000 miles which set me back about $160.
These days I'm trying to be better about not only cleaning off the chain and relubing it more often, but using an old toothbrush to knock off the black gunky stuff that builds up on the derailleur's pulley wheels and between the gear teeth, cause it seems like that stuff builds up and grinds away at the parts like goopy sandpaper..
If you look on the interwebs you can find replacement parts at a good discount. In the last two weeks I bought a 10 speed 105 cassette for $32 and a Sram chain for $21, so $53 total. I don't need the cassette yet - I've got at least a couple thousand miles to go on the current one, but I buy them when the price is right. I like to have a spare on hand so that I can swap it out immediately if need be.
My chains usually last 1,000-2,000 miles with the lower number being reached more in the winter when I don't clean, degrease, and relube the chain as often. Getting a chain checker is a good idea, basically it is a cheap piece of metal that won't fit in between the links until the chain has stretched (mine is 0.75 in and 1 in on either side).
What's happening is the bushings in each chain link get worn (and a lot more when there is grit in there) so the tolerances are widened. Each link may only have 1/100th of an inch of wear, but with 100 or so links, it gets big fast. If you catch it when you get to 0.75 in, there is a good chance your cassette and chainwheels are okay, otherwise you'll probably need to replace the cassette as the gears shark-tooth out and the chainwheels if you really let it go. If you don't replace a worn cassette, the new chain won't fit on the cassette since it now "fits" the worn chain. You'll get a lot of skipping. That's why a worn drivetrain doesn't have issues at first, but eventually it will (and when it does, there is a lot more to replace).
I just got a new bike, so my chain and cassette needs are different now (and I fear, more expensive), but on the old one an 8 speed chain cost me about $15 and a new cassette was about $20-25. Depending on what kind of bike and drivetrain you've got that's the low end generally and the sky is the limit. Changing the chain is pretty easy with a chain break tool, and I'd recommend you get a new chain with quick links, so getting it on and off is a lot easier.
Learning to do this makes it easier to do the replacement on your schedule, and makes you less likely to have to replace the cassette every time. Changing a cassette isn't too hard, you'll need a lockring tool, a chain whip, and an adjustable wrench. You'll probably pay for the price of the tools with the first or second replacement. YouTube has a lot of great videos to show you how to do it.
You'll be amazed by how great a new drivetrain feels.
You can definitely wait if things are worn, but if your cassette gears still look like a trapezoid and not a shark tooth, waiting will make it more expensive.
The LBS devotees may not like this answer, but buying the proper tools and learning to do this type of routine maintenance yourself will save you money in the long run. The tools for changing a cassette may cost roughly the same as having a shop do it once, but those tools will effectively last longer than you will...and, with a bit of planning, you'll never have to deal with the waiting that inevitably comes with having an LBS work on your bike. I'm currently working on replacing the pressfit bottom brackets on two of my bikes (they both started clicking within a couple days of each other, so I'm taking the opportunity to upgrade from the OEM crap each bike came with), which would cost hundreds of dollars to have an LBS do. Instead, I invested in the tools (which are basically the same for both bikes) to do it myself, which cost maybe about as much as it would for an LBS to fix just one of the bikes. So the tools essentially paid for themselves right out of the box, and I get to learn a new skill.
Of course, if you don't have the space for tools or to do any work on your bike (or the inclination), that's one thing, but a cassette change is a really good project for a beginner, since it's pretty easy and you aren't likely to kill your bike in the process. Between YouTube and the Park Tool website, there is an instructional video for just about any maintenance scenario you can think of.
Agree ... but also a question of how much free time one has to do the work themselves, and how much one values it.
A cassette change probably takes less time than driving to the LBS to have it done. Pull the wheel, R&R the cassette, replace the wheel, install a new chain. Maybe 20-30 minutes (including the futzing around time).
Servicing the drivetrain is the gateway drug to bike maintenance.
I just started doing a better job of drivetrain care this year. My chains have been all over the place. One is completely shot at less than 2,000. One is not stretched at 3,000 and I somehow got under 5,000 out of another.
Doing yourself is a lot of fun and really isn't that hard. I'll bring my chain gauge to the next Crystal City Coffee Club for anyone to try out.
The everyday bike's chain has about 3,000 miles on it, and I replaced it at the lower end of the chain wear indicator, yet it seems to have done the cassette in as usual. This seems to always happen, even using the chain wear indicator--I try to get by with just the chain but it always skips under load. Yet I keep trying. Anyway, the number of miles on your chain seem really good now (updated from my "decent" rating of earlier). So congrats.
The chain on my 11-speed bike that never plays in the rain has about 3,000 on it too and I'm about to replace it to hopefully save the cassette. It's not even at 0.5 on the chain indicator; I just want to finally replace a chain without killing a fricking cassette.
Bike part manufacturers will say 10/11-speed chains will need replacing after as little as 1000 miles. 2-3k is more reasonable imo, but it depends on riding conditions.
Chain ~$15-30, cassette $30-60 for non-fancy ones.
In terms of services, I mostly use LBS for advice and stuff like removing a stuck seatpost from seat tube, stuck BB from BB shell, stuck cassette from gouged freehub, stuck fixed cog on threaded hub, etc. and some other annoying/larger projects like cutting/installing a fork/headset, wheel builds, replacing internally routed cable bits, etc. Most bike maintenance is fairly simple and teaches you a lot about your bike. I do still need to learn how to service hydro disc brakes but other than that I'm good with all the routine stuff.
Agree ... but also a question of how much free time one has to do the work themselves, and how much one values it. Yes, there is value in letting others do the work at times. Running a gas line in the house is not a DIY item. Also some folks are better at some things than others. I can't carry a tune even if I had a bucket but can fix a bike.
*riding to the shop and hanging out while Pete or another one of the other fine mechanics in one of the local shop does the laying on of hands while you drink coffee and talk bikes is a whole nother thing.
I stopped checking chain wear since it didn't matter -- just run until it skips -- BUT for my next road bike config, I am probably going to start measuring and changing chains in short intervals since I am looking at more expensive ($160-180) cassettes.
Yeah but that new chain feel!!! (smell???) I dunno. I like replacing my chains when that little tool tells me to. It makes me feel engaged with my bike's core being.
3. IIRC, Bikenetics charges me for parts, but not labor to install, as part of the original deal when buying the Dew.
4. I am not so concerned about the time it would take, as worried I would do it wrong.
3. I would get all this mntnce cred.
So I will probably start using the chain measuring tool, and at some point may change the chain myself, but probably will not change the cassette myself.
Mind if I ask which chain you're using? I wouldn't mind me some of that 5k action.
I went ahead and ordered a cassette for the 11-speed to have on hand for when changing the chain makes it skip. Although, come to think of it, there's no reason now to change the chain; I can just wait until it starts skipping, which could be 5k.
(Ultegra on the 11-speed, Sram 971 on the other).
Or split the difference and buy the parts from the LBS and install on your own. Also, the techs at Bikenetic may be willing to show you how to do it if you ask nicely (just don't ask if you don't buy the part from them!).
So, I use KMC 10.93 chains. This is for the commuter (10sp). The road bike has had chains changed more because I don't have patience to wait that long before changing something like ring sizes etc.
First cassette since my "no more changing chains!" resolution was closer to 4k miles. That included the last half of winter, though. We'll see how the wear goes this winter.
So, I asked several mechanics this question, and they all said if it's a 10 or 11 speed cassette, you should plan on 1200-1500 miles per chain, and if you wait longer you'll be replacing the cassette with it. The newer drivetrains are less robust and less tolerant of wear.
First cassette since my "no more changing chains!" resolution was closer to 4k miles. That included the last half of winter, though. We'll see how the wear goes this winter.How do you keep the elongated chain from eating chain rings too? I went too long on a chain and had to replace the chain, cog set and $$ chainring to get back to the silky smooth feel of properly meshing metal.
I've got over 7k miles on my road bike's chain and cassette and chain stretch measures at less than 0.50mm on a Rohloff chain checker, i.e., less than 50% worn.
On my commuter bike (that i'm trying to kill) i typically get 2k miles out of a chain.
An old auto mechanic adage: "grease is cheaper than steel". if your chain makes noise, it probably needs to be cleaned and lubed. milage doesn't matter. number of speeds doesn't really matter, either.
Also, buying bike parts from a reputable brick and mortar bike shop means we all go home happier.
How do you keep the elongated chain from eating chain rings too? I went too long on a chain and had to replace the chain, cog set and $$ chainring to get back to the silky smooth feel of properly meshing metal.
Well, this is a 1x setup, so there's no front shifting; maybe that makes a difference? I run chainrings for 2 -- maybe 3 (we'll see) -- cassettes. In the most recent case, I couldn't tell any difference in performance between the new Wolf Tooth chainring and the 10k mile X-Sync that it replaced. I would have kept using the X-Sync, but the 46t chainring rubbed my replacement frame, so it had to go.
During the life of the cassette, I usually will end up fine-tuning the tension at least once. Perhaps it's because one can be a little sloppy with tension when a cassette is new but as the ramps wear down it needs to be more exact? But I've never had any problems getting crisp shifts on SRAM cassettes for the full 4-5k that the chain (and cassette) lasts. I feel like Sram 1:1 shifting helps a lot there, since I felt like shifts were always sloppy with Shimano (and I was changing chains more back then).
I'm trying out XT 11-36 cassettes right now (with KMC chain) and so far I would say these do not shift as cleanly as the PG1070 (SRAM) cassettes they replaced. Maybe things just aren't adjusted right, but I've tuned it up at least once since putting on the cassette and there is still some occasional sloppiness in shifts between the little cogs. I'll check again, but at this point am pretty sure I'll either go back to SRAM or try something else for the next cassette.
That matches what I was measuring -- about 1200 miles for the chain to measure 0.50 at which point I'd replace it. I just never saw sufficient savings on life of the cassette; I'd put the 4th chain on and it'd skip in the busy (14-16t) gears. Maybe others are able to get more than 4 chains on a cassette without skipping?
Maybe others are able to get more than 4 chains on a cassette without skipping?
Absolutely! The key is simple: use a lower horsepower engine!
I was talking to another mechanic about whether a riding style could toast bottom brackets faster, and he said two things that resonated with me and explained why I quickly destroy a piece of equipment many riders never, ever have to replace. High torque and any unevenness in your stroke will put stresses on the bearings that will cause pitting and eventual failure.
This was at the new location of City Bikes in NW DC. This mechanic really, really seemed to know his stuff, to diagnose my issue with bottom brackets (I run through a new bottom bracket every 12-24 months) without even knowing my riding style.
Considering the amount of power a human can make and the present state of bearing design and metallurgy this would be a severe case of design failure or some other factor that is causing premature failure. Bearings far smaller in contact area such as wheel bearings are subjected to ball/race contact pressures and thrust loads far in excess of the pittance seen in the far larger bottom bracket bearings. In basic terms I can make 205 watts all day long while on my bike but my track car with 275 HP can make 205,000 watts all day long. The rear wheel bearings in the race car are subjected to large changes in RPM, load and thrust, are not larger by the same factor yet they last in excess of 50,000 miles.
Research indicates that 43% of bearing failures are to inadequate lubrication. Since these are largely sealed systems installed by a half dozen different mechanics on several different bikes, that does not seems to be an explanation for me. Beyond that, it becomes something of a detective game. There are a number of factors that explain individual failures, few that explain repeated ones for person that only occasionally rides in rain. I'm not alone in seeing brackets lasting only a year or two, so I'm not quite buying that riding style has nothing to do with it. I have several factors that might explain things, at least according to this mechanic. One, high initial torque. Two, not having a smooth riding style with roughly even stresses. Third, I have a moderate case of spinal stenosis that permanently weakened one leg, so that the right is stronger than the left. Stresses will come from several vectors for me. I'm not cheaping out on these--it was service once at Freshbikes and once at the old Cycle Life in Georgetown.
Vicegrip makes a good point. The bearings in a bicycle BB and other mechanical contraptions are not different. I'm not saying you don't service/clean your bearings properly, but I am saying that in general bearings fail due to neglect, IMHO. Riding a bike with a square taper, adjustable BB out of adjustment for more than a few miles will trash it. As far as sealed cartridge style bearings, crud is crud, and I've not yet come across a bearing that's 100% impervious to crap getting splashed up from the front wheel. pedaling squares won't prematurely doom a bearing. try looking for angular contact bearings - they're less susceptible to failure from side loading or misadjusted preload.
I'll add, too, that perusing the CX forums a little white ago, it seems like those guys are getting good longevity out of Wheels Manufacturing ZERO ceramics (http://wheelsmfg.com/enduro-6806-zero-ceramic-sealed-bearing.html). Pricey, but apparently they aren't just made to spin better, they actually hold up to mud and grit pretty well. I've been thinking about trying them out after I get through this winter. It's been about a year since I dug around on BB bearings, tho.
Edit - another option, tho hard to find are Enduro XD-15s.
Yet I do seem to get fewer miles out of chains than some, and even replacing early, always get the skipping cassette. I do keep my chains clean and lubed. However, I've never used an actual plastic chain cleaner before. I just picked up a Park CM-5.2 chain cleaner after watching that GNC video about reduced chain friction. Perhaps that will help them last longer than my old method of merely wiping the gunk off and occasionally using a brush if it looked bad.
I'm going back to my old method of always replacing the cassette when I change the chain though. It's worth the little bit of money to me to not have the skipping problem occur. That bike is just sitting in the stable until I change the cassette.
Interesting the problems some seem to have consistently. I've never really needed to replace a bottom bracket on a road bike.
I've never had to replace a bottom bracket because of wear, either, though with a daily 15 mile commute, 3 of which are towing a child trailer -- I think I should expect to. What model BB are you using? I've only ever used square taper units, either adjustable or sealed. Antiquated sure, but set up right the first time, in my experience, adjustable units are durable.
My daily rider is a old Trek 950 that I bought on CL 5 years ago for $50. It was clearly neglected, but the original adjustable BB and crank are doing just fine after 26 years! I figured let sleeping dogs lie and I'll replace it when it gets noisy. Not yet. It continues to surprise me. I've used the same sealed shimano square taper unit since 2006 on my fixed gear/singlespeed/rain bike. I stopped riding it daily when my commute got longer and I bought the 950, but it's got plenty of miles on it and was installed 10 years ago. In both cases I'd have thought the grease would've turned to gunk by now, and maybe it has. But they feel fine and don't make noise.
Threaded BB; I think it was a Shimano BB-RS500 shell.
26 years, sweet. I took apart a one-piece crankset from a 1965 Schwinn Varsity, and the bearings looked like charcoal.
I rode a Varsity fixed for a year and repacked the bearings monthly. The grease, it'd just disappear!
I converted this one to fixed thinking I'd ride it, but it weighs more than a mountain bike so I only use it on the trainer. The bearings feel smooth, tho I don't really want to look to see.
I am sure I could also squeeze a lot more life out of my bottom brackets, but as soon as it clicks the first time it gets scheduled for replacement.
Interesting about the Enduro Ceramic Zero bearings being longer-lasting. Maybe I will press those into my BB shell when these bearings are done. I jut ordered a bunch of Enduro ABEC-5 bearings to replace the ones that will come in the Novatec hubs I just ordered; maybe I should have sprung for the pricier ceramic. Though I have yet to wear out cartridge wheel bearings.
Though I have yet to wear out cartridge wheel bearings.
CX will destroy hub bearings. My GF's rear hub sounds like a freight train is following her around on course. they're all getting replaced after this season. I think the idea with the zeros is that they're hard enough that any gunk that gets inside get pummeled into dust/fine slurry and although the hubs may run dry, they'll still spin forever.
Yeah, that makes sense about the cx conditions destroying the bearings. I'm sure BB bearings (and hub bearings) would last much, much longer if they were actually impervious to the elements (and the dirt that gets carried in).
Interesting about the bearings. Looks like it's ~$90 for a set of the Ceramic Zero bearings, so not entirely sure it's worth the price of 4 bottom brackets for my usage, but if I were killing a bottom bracket every other race, I'd do it.
Interesting about the bearings. Looks like it's ~$90 for a set of the Ceramic Zero bearings, so not entirely sure it's worth the price of 4 bottom brackets for my usage, but if I were killing a bottom bracket every other race, I'd do it.ding! I suspect we have a winner. Cartridge bearings even within a single size, format, hardness and finish spec can be furnished open, simple dust shielded, sealed and environmentally sealed form to list but a few formats. The higher the environmental resistance the the bearing seal system the higher the internal resistance they often exhibit. Resistance is not a positive aspect for us low power producing meat motors. If you are on set # 3 or more of a brand and seal type of bearing you might want to look at increasing the environmental protection factor of the bearing. Bike makers don't make bearings. Bearing makers make bearings and for the most part bike and bike component makers select the bearing they want to use from what is available. I suspect that bike based bearings rarely fail due to load and fail after being contaminated. I had a single front wheel bearing go bad. On disassembly and inspection I found that it had a little tiny ding/grit scrape in the wiper ring of the seal, the lubricant had been contaminated and had dried up. The other bearing, which saw the same service and exposure, was in great shape internally. if your wheel or BB bearing spins forever I bet it uses shielded bearings. I would not want a non sealed bottom bracket bearing on anything less than a fair weather race day bike. The watt loss from the seals is hard to measure and bottom brackets are exposed to dirty road water spray at the least.
Below is a cut-n-paste description of the most common formats for shields and seals on ball and roller bearings.
"Ball and roller bearings are available with different types of shields and seals. These are commonly referred to as closures. Closures can extend bearing life by preventing contaminants from reaching the critical surfaces inside the bearing, and they help retain the lubricant in the bearing. Different types of closures may be supplied on the same bearing. Special designs are also available. The following are descriptions of the most common types AST can supply.
Type ZZS - Removable non-contact metal shield retained in the outer ring with a snap wire. This type of shield is manufactured from 300 series stainless steel and is available only on miniature and instrument series bearings. Max operating temperature is 600° F. Since there is no contact made with the inner ring there is no appreciable impact on torque or speed and operation can be compared to that of an open bearing. The removable closure allows for cleaning and re-lubrication. The code for a single shield is ZS.
Type ZZ - Non-removable, non-contact metal shield retained in the outer ring via crimping, or pressing. This type of shield cannot be removed once installed. This type of shield can also be manufactured from 300 series stainless steel. On larger bearings, this type of shield is manufactured from 1008 or 1010 strip steel. Max operating temperature is 450° F. Since there is no contact made with the inner ring there is no appreciable impact on torque or speed and operation can be compared to that of an open bearing. The code for a single shield is Z.
Type 2RS - Molded rubber seal. This type of seal is Buna-N bonded to a steel insert. The seal is fixed into a groove in the outer ring. This type of seal can be removed but care must be used not to bend or cut the seal lip. Max operating temperature is 240° F. This type of seal makes contact with the inner ring providing better protection in contaminated environments than a metal shield. However, this results in an increase in torque and reduces the max speed capability of the bearing. Certain lubricants and chemicals react with rubber. The code for a single seal is RS.
Type 2RU - Molded rubber seal, non- contact. This type of seal is Buna-N bonded to a steel insert. The seal is fixed into a groove in the outer ring. This type of seal can be removed but care must be used not to bend or cut the seal lip. Max operating temperature is 240° F. This type of seal has a very thin lip adjacent to the inner ring but does not make contact. It provides better protection than type ZZ or ZZS, but without the increase in torque exhibited by type 2RS. Certain lubricants and chemicals react with rubber. The code for a single seal is RU.
Type 2VS - Molded Viton seal. This type of seal is made of Viton bonded to a steel insert. The seal is fixed into a groove in the outer ring. This type of seal can be removed but care must be used not to bend or cut the seal lip. Max operating temperature is 400° F. This type of seal makes contact with the inner ring providing better protection in contaminated environments than a metal shield. However, this results in an increase in torque and reduces the max speed capability of the bearing. This seal has excellent chemical resistance. The code for a single seal is VS.
Type TTS - Glass reinforced PTFE seal is retained in the outer ring with a snap wire. This type of seal can be removed but care must be used not to bend or cut the seal lip. Max operating temperature is 400° F. This type of seal makes contact with the inner ring providing better protection in contaminated environments than a metal shield. However, this results in an increase in torque and reduces the max speed capability of the bearing. This type of seal exhibits less torque than type 2RS, but is more delicate. This seal has excellent chemical resistance. The code for a single seal is TS. Teflon seals are only available on certain series of bearings."
ding! I suspect we have a winner. Cartridge bearings even within a single size, format, hardness and finish spec can be furnished open, simple dust shielded, sealed and environmentally sealed form to list but a few formats. The higher the environmental resistance the the bearing seal system the higher the internal resistance they often exhibit. Resistance is not a positive aspect for us low power producing meat motors. If you are on set # 3 or more of a brand and seal type of bearing you might want to look at increasing the environmental protection factor of the bearing. Bike makers don't make bearings. Bearing makers make bearings and for the most part bike and bike component makers select the bearing they want to use from what is available. I suspect that bike based bearings rarely fail due to load and fail after being contaminated. I had a single front wheel bearing go bad. On disassembly and inspection I found that it had a little tiny ding/grit scrape in the wiper ring of the seal, the lubricant had been contaminated and had dried up. The other bearing, which saw the same service and exposure, was in great shape internally.
I'll add one little thing: part of why folks pay the big bucks for Chris King is that they use nice seals in all their bearings. Similar to what enduro uses in their most expensive ceramics. And CK bearings are easily re-buildable.
Do CK use cartridge bearings for their hubs and headsets? (I think so, right?) I was surprised they didn't for their bottom brackets. I was disappointed in those bearings/seals/system/whatever; with regular re-greasing (... I purchased their $55 grease injector ...) I only got 9k miles from that bottom bracket. Just commuting. At $140 I figured it needed to last me at least 6 times as long as a regular BB to make economic sense. Probably more if I factor in that damned grease injector. Since it didn't even last twice as long as a standard GXP, I decided I won't ever buy another.
Fenders may be another reason I get years of service from my cheap square taper BBs, and for that matter, my chains and cassettes. All of my bikes, running tires from 28mm to 52mm, have fenders. Several years ago I zip-tied a strip of rubber stair tread mat to the front fender my commuter. After a messy commute, one glance at the DIY extension shows that it really does block a lot of salt, sand and grime from spraying the drivetrain.
I don't like the king grease injector thingy - the split washer and seal are easy enough to remove (hint: use dental tools!) that overhauling the bearings is easier than fiddling with the grease injector. a trip through the parts washer/degreaser then alcohol or a lot of hot water is a given. also, use King's Ring Lube to lube the bearings. don't use ordinary Park or Phil's grease.
if your feet get wet when you ride through a puddle, there's gonna be gunk sprayed at your bottom bracket - long tail front fenders FTW!
The folks at CK suggested Phil's grease was a good choice, but I will bear this in mind if I find myself with another CK component. But all that cleaning sounds like way more work than a $20 replacement BB! :-) Are you using a ultrasonic washer?
On that note, my BB is sounding pretty creaky today. I think the culprit was my "gravel" ride last weekend.
So, to rewind about halfway back, why don't automotive wheel bearings fail more often? They're submitted to the same environmental factors, higher weights and rpms. It is that they are simply sealed better and, if so, why aren't bicycle bottom brackets sealed better?
I don't know much about cars, but I think we'd have to define "fail" in both contexts.
Subjectively, for me, a BB bearing fails when the crank doesn't spin or the knocking is so much as to interfere with pedaling. Minor pitting of the races, or a bit of grittiness or noisiness would annoy me, but I wouldn't consider it failure, even if it does mean it's time for servicing or replacement. Perhaps car wheel bearings suffer from these same ailments but it doesn't justify replacing them, since a driver wouldn't notice them the way a cyclist would.
When my front hub started making a horrible noise all of a sudden because it needed to be re-lubricated I read that it was dangerous to ride in such a situation because the hub could freeze up without warning. :eek: True, not true?
I've had bearings in wheels disintegrate. The hubs don't actually freeze, but they get really sluggish really fast. And you destroy the entire component because the wreaked bearings score the walls.
Answer to the automotive bearing question. Fully sealed bearings.
We can dither all day long about washing with a hose of not. If your bearings are not fully sealed dust and water can get in when you ride in said conditions. Keeping direct spray out of the bearings helps. total submersion of a non fully sealed and fully lubed bearing is the beginning of the end unless you fully service the bearing. Operation while submerged is even worse as you are now very efficiently blending water and grit into the lube. This messes up the surface adhesion of the lube. Surface adhesion and the thin film it promotes is the whole key to the lube. If the grease looks like mousse it is no good.
Pushing new grease into a dirty bearing only delays the inevitable failure as it leaves contamination behind in the nooks and crannies.
In order to save a contaminated but not damaged bearing you need to 100% remove the lube. You cannot do this by flowing grease through it. Remove the bearing, remove the shields*, remove all the lube, remove all the solvent**, repack with correct lube and reinstall the shields. I suppose you could push new in run the bearing for a while and repeat with the contamination being further diluted with each cycle.
*Some shields are removable if you take care and don't touch the inner lip area.
** For Dog's sake don't spin a dry bearing with compressed air. Compressed air is great for removing solvent from a bearing but don't let the bearing spin while you are cleaning it. It is great fun and cool to watch but it just kills the bearing. It is not hard to air spin a dry unsealed bearing to 100,000 RPM.
Interlude: I talked to a guy last night who had his cassette serviced by a shop, and when they reassembled it, they swapped positions of two of the cogs. He has to shift twice at that spot, then back one, then twice again to access those gears in order. He's been riding it that way for years (which is the weirdest part of the story).
Ok, back to arguing about bearings.
Apparently I don't worry enough about bearings and need to start.
We argue about everything on this forum, don't we?
"SOME A-HOLE DIDN'T TURN OFF HIS HEADLIGHTS WHEN I APPROACHETHED HIM THIS MORNING!!!!"
"PEOPLE WHO WEAR LYCRA AND RIDE CRABON BIKES [and don't wear sandals] ARE A-HOLES!!!"
I would like to add that bikes are such beautifully simple devices that we often forget that they're the mechanical equivalent to a car with no hood or doors. or bumpers. or seatbelts. If you don't attempt to keep them clean and lubricated in some reasonably sound fashion, sh*t's gonna wear out really fast.
For the original poster: my last chain replacement was around 1400 miles on my newer bicycle. My 2009 Giant had to have the cassette and chain replaced at about 1100 miles. It is my fault. I need to be a lot better about chain cleanings and lubes. In fact there is this little voice in me right now, "Go get the Jamis on the stand right now clean it."
It's one of those "if you have to ask, you shouldn't bother" type of questions. Mostly the difference is weight, and even then it's a matter of a few tens of grams...it's actually one of the more cost-effective weight reductions, but basically imperceptible to 99.9% of cyclists.
less weight, better shifting, better durability. Shimano 105 represents great value for road 10/11spd. I haven't yet fiddled with the new-ish Tiagra stuff, but i suspect it's nearly the same as 105, for a few bucks cheaper. Sun Race is good value for the crazy wide-range MTB stuff, otherwise, just go with lower-end SRAM. For anything fewer than 9 speeds, there's no point to spending more than $40 or so on a cassette.
So, I'm looking at 11-speed 11-40t cassettes which is making these a bit more expensive without even striving for lower weight, etc. But for my road bike I was looking for something lighter than 400g. So I'm trying a Shimano XTR 11-40 cassette; we'll see how it goes (uses titanium for some of the bigger sprockets), I picked up a "lightly used" one for $100, so it wasn't crazy money. That saves around 70g compared to the Sram XG1150 (which costs around $100 new). Generally I wouldn't really consider saving weight on a high-wear item, but on my road bike I use at most one cassette a year, so that's worth it to me. I have saved less weight for a bigger markup elsewhere. I might consider SEQlite 11-40t cassettes (where largest cog(s) are aluminum) and may also decide that 11-36 is enough range for my 50t front around here.
So, I took out my BB today and a whole bunch of water poured out of my frame. (And sure enough, the DS bearing was completely shot.) I guess (1) removing the bolt from my chainstay bridge was dumb (I'm guessing that's how the majority of the water is getting in) and (2) I'm annoyed that my frame doesn't have a drain hole in the BB. I fixed #2 with my drill before installing the new bottom bracket.
I ordered a Wheels Mfg road BB and 2 sets of extra angular-contact bearings (which were surprisingly cheaper than the standard ABEC-3 bearings). But for now, I've just put in an external Hope BB from my lightly-used parts bin.
Did you take any photos of the procedure you followed? Although I have no skill with bike repairs to speak of, I'm always interested in things mechanical. It is interesting to see how a repair was done.
No, not this time. I just drilled carefully and slowly so I wouldn't add a modern-art etching to my BB shell then I used some fine sandpaper to deburr it and then scotch brite green pad to restore the ti brushed finish on the outside of BB.


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Category Archives: Movie Trailer Recaplets
7 Hot Guys and 7 (well . . . actually 8) Holiday Movies: Tis' The Season for Sexy!
Because we all need "a little Christmas," right this very minute . . .
So, what symbolizes the start of the Holiday Season for you? Is it the sight of multi-colored lights strung across your Christmas Tree? The massively jaw-dropping increase on your Visa Bill? Television's sudden saturation with So-Sweet-You-Could-Barf Christmas movies? For me, it is actually none of these things. Nope . . .when I think of the holidays, I think of holiday movies. And when I think of holiday movies, I think of the hot guys in them . . .
If you were expecting a more intellectual answer than this, CLEARLY you've come to the wrong blog!
Fortunately, Holiday Season 2010 is JAM PACKED with silver screen sexiness that will be sure to "rev up your Santa Sleigh" and make you wish that movie theaters came equipped with mistletoe. So, without further adieu, it is my pleasure to bring to you Seven Sexy Stars who will be "coming" to a theater near you, this Christmas . . . (in no particular order).
(1) Garrett Hedlund – Tron Legacy and Country Strong
This adorable 26-year old Minnesota-born actor is already making himself at home in movie theaters across the world. Currently, you can catch him as the heroic Sam Flynn in the sci-fi fantasy thriller, Tron Legacy. And, as far as I'm concerned, any guy who can wear a "light up" spandex jump suit and make it look sexy (as opposed to REALLY creepy) is already a hero in my book!
And if THAT image didn't convince you to go see the film, perhaps this one will . . .
You can watch the trailer for Tron Legacy here:
If Garrett Hedlund's sexy gravel-dipped voice in the above trailer made your heart sing, I have good news for you! Starting January 7, 2011, you can catch Garrett SINGING in the upcoming film Country Strong, which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, and Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester.
Below is a clip from the film, featuring Garrett as singer/songwriter Beau Hutton, singing an impromptu duet with Leighton Meester's character, Chiles Stanton. Now, I'm not usually a fan of country music, but I've gotta say, this is GOOD!
Garrett Hedlund: a hot guy, with a great body, and amazing voice. And he's in not one, but TWO films? YES, PLEASE!
(Heck, this guy can even make LEOPARD PANTS look good!)
2) Cam Gigandet – Burlesque
OK . . . so I saw Burlesque in theaters, during the Thanksgiving break. And I'll be the first to tell you that, with the possible exception of "Best Song," it's probably not going to win any Oscars this year. HOWEVER, the sight of 28-year old, Cam Gigandet, in the film, clad in nothing but a strategically placed box of Famous Amos cookies (Can you say, "Best Product Placement EVER!) is worth the price of admission ALONE.
Good ole,' Cam! So many movies . . . so little clothes . . .
You can check out the trailer for Burlesque here:
3) Jake Gyllenhaal – Love and Other Drugs
Dashing, debonair, smart, sexy, charming, and adorably cute, is there anything (or, for that matter, any ONE) 30-year old Jake Gyllenhaal can't do?
Taylor Swift's hearty breakfast
In addition to offering a "WHOLE LOTTA NAKED JAKE" . . .
. . . Love and Other Drugs is actually supposed to be a pretty darn good movie, in it's own right. Just ask my blogger pal, the Always Brilliant Amy!
You can check out the trailer for Love and Other Drugs here:
4) Armie Hammer – The Social Network
If you haven't seen The Social Network by now . . . step away from your computer . . . and GET THEE TO A THEATER, GO!
This Aaron Sorkin-written, David Fincher-directed, more or less, true tale of Mark Zuckerberg's founding of Facebook, was amazingly well-acted, riveting, extremely well-written, and surprisingly informative. This is the type of film you will still be talking about with your friends weeks after you've seen it. And there is already Oscar Buzz surrounding its director, actors, and screenplay.
But enough of all that smart stuff, you came to this post for the Man Candy, right?
In The Social Network, 24-year old Armie Hammer plays not one, but TWO characters! Thanks to some mind-boggling special effects (not exactly the type of thing you'd expect from a smart, dialogue-driven film about Facebook, right?), Armie Hammer plays BOTH of the handsome, wealthy, and dignified, but ultimately outsmarted, Winklevoss twins . . .
Double the flavor. Double the fun!
During, the film, one of Hammer's characters can be quoted as saying, "I'm 6'5" 220, and there are two of me."
Christmas gifts don't get much better than that . . . You can catch the trailer for The Social Network here:
5) Paul Rudd – How Do You Know?
I knew I was in love with Paul Rudd, ever since he sat on the staircase of an opulent mansion, and made out with his sort-of, kind-of sister, in Clueless.
Too bad I was pre-pubescent at the time. Otherwise, the two of us could have really started something beautiful, I think! After all, this 41-year old actor has everything a girl could possibly want in a Fake Boyfriend!
He's hilariously funny, insanely cute, unabashedly dorky, and self-depracatingly charming. He also, apparently, shares Cam Gigandet's dislike for clothing, which is always a good thing . . .
Given all that, is it any wonder that Paul turns Reese Witherspoon's head in the new film, How Do You Know?
You can watch the trailer for it, here:
6) Mark Wahlberg – The Fighter
Hey Marky Mark! You can come play with MY Funky Bunch, ANYTIME!
This 39-year old Brooding Badass, who based the HBO hit series Entourage on his own awe-inspiring beginnings, is not only an Academy Award-winning actor, he's also a singer-songwriter, a television and film producer, and, perhaps, most importantly, a former underwear model . . .
Under WHERE? 😉
Wahlberg is already gettting rave reviews for his portrayal of real-life professional boxer, Micky Ward, in The Fighter. You can check out the trailer for the film here:
7) James Franco
In a recent post, I poked a little bit of fun at 32-year old James Franco's generalized "stoner mentality," his brief period od soap opera "stardom," and the Academy's controversial decision to have him host the Oscars. But, all kidding aside, James Franco is receiving rave reviews for his portrayal of Aron Ralston — the hiker forced to amputate his own arm with a dull knife, after being trapped under a bolder for weeks — in the film 127 Hours . . .
Sure, watching a guy SAW HIS OWN ARM OFF might not exactly be this shallow shirtless male-oriented blogger's idea of a good time. But when the guy doing the sawing looks like THIS . . .
. . . I may be able to make an exception.
Besides, the more Oscar-nominated films I see before the New Year, the better chance I have of winning my annual Oscar Pool, come February. And Mama needs a new fake plastic award to put on her MANTLE!
You can watch the trailer for 127 Hours here:
So, there you have it, seven holiday films (well . . . actually eight), and seven sexy holiday stars, who are sure to put you in the Spirit of Giving (and TAKING!) this year. Now, don't you be telling people I didn't get you anything for Christmas!
Happy Holidays, fellow fangirls (and boys)!
Filed under Hot Actors, Movie Trailer Recaplets, Shirtless Film Stars, Winter 2010 movies
Tagged as 127 Hours, Academy Awards, Armie Hammer, Aron Ralston, box office, Burlesque, Cam Gigandet, Clueless, Country Strong, Garrett Hedlund, Garrett Hedlund singing, holiday movies, How Do You Know?, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Franco, Leighton Meester, Leighton Meester singing, Love and Other Drugs, Mark Wahlberg, Marky Mark, movie trailers, Oscars, Paul Rudd, Shirtless Cam Gigandet, shirtless Garrett Hedlund, shirtless Jake Gyllenhaal, Shirtless James Franco, Shirtless Mark Wahlberg, shirtless men, Shirtless Paul Rudd, The Fighter, The Social Network, Tron Legacy, YouTube
Anatomy of a Trailer: Black Swan
Of all the film trailers invading my television screen, lately, the one that intrigues me most is the trailer for Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. Not only is there already Oscar Buzz surrounding the film's two stars, there is also much tongue wagging about an "agressive, ecstasy-fueled, sex scene" rumored to take place between them, during in the film. And you know how much I love my Aggressive Ecstasy-Fueled Sex Scenes!
Aside from that, the trailer for this intense psychological thriller, about a ballerina who (possibly?) loses her mind during rehearsals for a performance of Swan Lake, looks pretty darn amazing. Let's check it out, shall we?
:14 – "I had the craziest dream last night . . . about a girl who was turned into a swan. But her prince falls for the wrong girl. And . . . she kills herself."
Hey! Way to spoil the ending of the movie, Natalie!
Ooh! This scene reminds me of a scene from another movie. Does anybody else remember Center Stage?
I'm guessing this movie is going to be ten times better than that one. I've actually seen Center Stage about 15 times. I also own the DVD, and have the film's soundtrack in high rotation on my iPod.
:23 – "He promised to feature me more this season."
That's Vincent Cassel. He, or somebody who looks just like him, played the Bad Guy in every action film I've ever seen. He was also the only cool part of that Ocean Twelve movie aside from the INSANELY HOT CAST. I highly recommend watching the film on mute. It's a much better experience. Trust me. (Click on the embedded link below, to see what I mean.)
:25 – "He should. You've been there long enough."
BURN! You've gotta love passive aggressive moms who make not-so-subtle comments about your being OLD. Barbara Hershey may be looking pretty evil now. But I cried like a baby when her character died in Beaches.
Then again, I was REALLY young the first time I watched Beaches, so it's possible I was just upset that my favorite Fluffy Bear stuffed animal got lost under my bed.
:26 –
That's the face I made when I lost my Fluffy Bear Barbara Hershey died in Beaches.
As far as directors / producers go, Darren Aronofsky is pretty A-list. Those of you who (like me) had nightmares for weeks, after watching Requiem for a Dream (a movie that doubled as the most effective DON'T DO DRUGS PSA I have EVER seen!), can think him for that.
He also directed the Oscar award-winning The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke.
But, just in case reading this has made you overly jealous of Darren Aronofsky, he just recently divorced Rachel Weisz.
So, at least we know he's not perfect . . .
:39 – "I'm Lily."
That's Mila Kunis. She's awesome. Some of you might remember her as Jason Segal's love interest in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Others might enjoy her "voice," as Meg, in The Family Guy.
But, for me, Mila will always be the shallow, self-absorbed (but still oddly likeable) Jackie from That 70's Show.
Jackie spent most of the show in an on and off relationship with Ashton Kutcher's dim-witted character, Michael.
But, sometimes, she fooled around with Danny Masterson's Hyde.
And then, randomly, the writers made her end up with Wilmer Valderrama's Fez?
Both Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman were rumored to have lost 20 pounds a piece to better "embody the bodies" of ballerinas. Honestly, they were both so thin to begin with, I'm not sure how that is scientifically possible!
:45 – "I watch the way she moves, sensual. SHE'S not faking it."
OOOH! Burned again, Natalie! TWICE in one trailer!
:57 – "Feel my touch. Respond to it."
1:00 – "Someone's hot for teacher."
Hot for Teacher = An excellent Van Halen song (and music video) . . .
Rough sex?
1:12 "They made me your understudy."
For those who haven't read up on the film, the basic premise is this: Natalie Portman's character, Nina, is cast as the lead in Swan Lake, a part which requires the dancer to assume the roles of both the innocent White Swan, and the seductive Black Swan. While Natalie's Nina seems ideal to play the White Swan, her new nemesis, Lily (Mila Kunis) better embodies the darkness of the Black Swan. As an understudy, Lily is quite literally, Nina's doppelganger. And you know how much I LOVE doppelgangers . . .
1:19 Let the Doppelganger Hijinks Crazed Lunacy and Latent Lesbianism ensue . . .
By the way, if you look closely, you'll notice that the girl in black is NOT Mila Kunis, it's Natalie Portman. But wait . . . so is the girl in white. I'm confused!
1:27 – Ladies, here's the image you can use to get your boyfriends to go see this film with you. I have four words for you (and them) "Ecstasy-Fueled Hate Sex."
1:25 – Look! It's Winona Ryder!
1:28 – Not your best look Natalie . . . I'm not going to lie.
1:35 – Here, Natalie does her best impression of Kevin from the Home Alone movies . . .
1:36 – *Sings* Paranoia, paranoia, everybody's coming to get me . . . and ruin my artwork.
1:39 – "What happened to my sweet girl?"
Sweet Girl is not home right now. But if you leave your name, telephone number, and a brief message, she'll get right back to you as soon as she finishes breaking mirrors, freaking the f*ck out, and going on a murderous rampage as soon as possible.
First of all . . . ewwwww!
Second of all, don't you hate it when you start growing black swan feathers out of your back? Then again, maybe that's just an ingrown hair . . .
1:54 – Visine – It gets the red out.
Black Swan swims into theaters December 3rd. Will YOU see it?
Filed under Black Swan, Movie Trailer Recaplets
Tagged as ballet, Barbara Hershey, Beaches, Beth MacIntyre, Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky, December 3, doppelganger, ecstasy, Erica Sayers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, horror, lesbian sex, Lily, Lily and Nina, Meg, Mila and Natalie, Mila Kunis, movie trailer, Natalie and Mila, Natalie Portman, Nina and Lily, Nina Sayers, photo stills, psychological thriller, Rachel Weisz, recap, screencaps, screenshots, spoilers, Swan Lake, That 70's show, The Family Guy, Thomas Leroy, Vincent Cassel, White Swan, Winona Ryder, YouTube
November 3, 2010 · 8:51 pm
Blair Waldorf GOES INSANE! a.k.a. The Trailer for the New Film, "The Roommate"
As a Gossip Girl fan, in general, and a Leighton Meester fan, specifically, I was quite amused to find this trailer for the upcoming film, The Roommate — a movie in which Leighton Meester seems to play an insanely psychotic college-aged killer. In other words, this is a movie about what would probably happen to Blair Waldorf, if she got dumped by Chuck Bass, and screwed over one too many times by that Evil Hobag, Jenny Humphrey . . . .
Although the promotional materials for the film, never say it explicitly, I am fairly certain that this film has two main sources. First, it is at least partially based on the 1992 thriller Single White Female, which starred Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
(I will post the trailer for the original film at the bottom of this article, for your viewing pleasure. But, for now, just compare the posters for both films. As you can see, they are virtually identical.)
Another likely source for this film is the young-adult novel "The Roommate," which was part of Francine Pascal's popular, Sweet Valley series.
The above book came out after Single White Female. However, some say that the former inspired the latter.
Now, obviously, The Roommate will be FAR from Oscar-winning material. However, it DOES boast a highly attractive cast — one chocked with stars from various CW shows. Also, the trailer is kind of unintentionally hilarious, in that cheesy, teen-slasher film, kind of way. So, I decided to post it here, for your enjoyment:
Let's break it down, shall we?
:14 – "You're in room 316."
Playing the role of lead protagonist "Sara" is Minka Kelly, who you might know better as Lyla Garrity from Friday Night Lights. Minka is also dating Yankee, Derek Jeter, and was voted Sexiest Woman Alive in 2010. (So, if you're itching to see this film with your boyfriend, those last two facts will probably be major selling points on its behalf.)
:19 – "I'm your roommate, Rebecca."
And here is Blair Waldorf herself, Leighton Meester, in the role of Psycho Stalker, Rebecca. Am I being a total traitor to Gossip Girl kind if I say, I really like her hair this way? (For those of you who don't watch the show, Blair Waldorf's hair is dark brown, and does not contain any of "Rebecca's" highlights.)
:29 – "I want to show you the big city."
Here, "Sara" and "Rebecca" are taking that oh-so-cliched "let's hold the camera, and take the picture ourselves" shot. I love how their's (of course) comes out flawless. Meanwhile, when I take pictures like these, I tend to look like something out of a horror movie . . .
:34 – "What should we name it?"
Unfortunately, I couldn't get the best screenshot of this scene. But, I can tell you that it features an ADORABLE black kitten. Now, from what I've heard, the adorable furry little animals in both Single White Female (a puppy), and "The Roommate" (a kitten) didn't fare too well in their respective stories . . .
Perhaps, I should mention that I LOVE animals. So, if anything bad happens to this kitten in this film . . . well . . .
Just saying . . .
:38 – "We're HOT!"
Here's Ally Michalka, who you might have seen on the new CW show, Hellcats. You may also remember her from the critically acclaimed Disney sitcom, Phil of the Future. Even though her character's name in the film is "Tracey," I've heard that the role she plays here can be likened to that of the Jessica Wakefield character in the Sweet Valley books. Well, I can definitely see a resemblance . . .
"Jessica" is the drawing on the left.
Leighton doesn't look too pleased about Ally's presence in her dorm room. Perhaps, that's because Ally reminds her of Jenny Humphrey . . .
:44 – "Dude, I see that guy checking you out!"
It's Cam Gigandet from The O.C., Twilight and the upcoming film Burlesque! You don't recognize him?
How about now? 😉
It appears that Cam will be playing Sara's love interest Stephen in the film . . .
Unfortunately, the boyfriends in these types of films tend to fair just as badly as the furry little creatures. So, I'll say it again, writers. If you hurt Cam . . .
:52 – (Oooooooh Spooky!)
Just like her alter ego, Blair Waldorf, "Rebecca" appears to wear a full face of makeup to bed. Girl! Do you have any idea how bad that is for your complexion?
:57 – "I'm her ONLY friend?"
What about Serena, Nate, Chuck, and Gossip Girl?
"Frienderz?" Seriously? What this screenshot tells me is that this film has been sitting in the can for awhile. For copyright protection purposes, the film writers have obviously chosen to use a fake "Friendster," to symbolize online social networking in college. It's telling that they did this, as opposed to using a website with the word "Face" in it, if you catch my drift . . .
1:09 – "It was never a home, when I lived here."
Doesn't that look like the Waldorf Mansion? What are the odds?
1:12 – "She's taking her medication?"
Woah! Eleanor Waldorf just got a VERY drastic dye job, and some serious color contacts!
Mid-life crisis much?
1:27 *Insert music from Psycho here*
Taking a shower in a teen-slasher movie ALWAYS makes you a liability. So, here's a rule of thumb for those of you who happen to find yourselves in one: Stay dirty, stay ALIVE!
1:29 – "You're a BAD INFLUENCE on her!"
This was probably the most disturbing image in the entire trailer (aside from the one that alluded to Kitty Murder, of course). Is it just me, or does Leighton kind of look like that little girl from The Ring in this screenshot?
1:46 – "I GOT RID OF THEM ALL!"
Come ON! When Blair Waldorf gets mad, she ruins your reputation. She doesn't douse you with kerosene, and SET YOU ON FIRE!
Or does she?
1:56 – Ummmmmm . . . . OK?
2:02 – That is SO NOT CHUCK BASS!
Actually, I think that's Matt Lanter from the new 90210. But let's check to make sure . . .
Yeah . . . it's the same guy.
2:03 – Nice knowing you NotChuckBass!
At least it looks like he went out with a BANG!
2:28 – "Somebody's been sleeping in MY bed . . . and she's STILL HERE!"
Coincidentally, this is ANOTHER image that should help support your case, if you want your boyfriend to take you to see this movie . . .
Rounding out the cast of this film are . . .
Billy Zane (Titanic),
Cherilyn Wilson (the new 90210)
Daneel Harris (One Tree Hill)
Lauren Storm (Flight 29 Down), and
Katerina Graham (The Vampire Diaries)
Oh, and before you go, I recommend you check out the below trailer for Single White Female. Aside from the film being ridiculously dated (the "computer" scene will definitely make you giggle), it's actually quite fun to try and count the NUMEROUS similarities between this trailer, and the one you just watched above.
The Roommate stalks into theaters Februrary 4, 2011. Will YOU see it?
Filed under Movie Trailer Recaplets, The Roommate
Tagged as 1992, Alyson Michalka, based on novel, Billy Zane, Blair Waldorf, Bridget Fonda, Cam Gigandet, Cherilyn Wilson, CW, Daneel Harris, February 4 2011, Frances Fisher, Francine Pascal, Friday Night Lights, Hellcats, Jason, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jessica Wakefield, Katerina Graham, kitten, Lauren Storm, Leighton Meester, Matt Lanter, Minka Kelly, movie trailer, One Tree Hill, puppy, Rebecca, recap, remake, Sara, Shirtless Cam Gigandet, Single White Female, spoilers, Stephen, Sweet Valley High, Sweet Valley University, The O.C., thriller, Tracey, Vampire Diaries, YouTube
Anatomy of a Trailer: Scream 4 (Contains Possible Spoilers)
I can't believe it's been 14 years since the first Scream movie came out in theaters! It seems like only yesterday that I was sneaking into the movie theater to see it on opening night, having sneakily purchased tickets to some more "family friendly fare."
That's right! Just like, I suspect, many of you, I wasn't yet 17 when the first Scream came out in theaters . . .
(You know, I'll never, for the life of me, understand why horror films, like this one, scrabble for the "Hard R" rating, when probably more than half of their movie viewing population has to be dropped off at the theater by their parents, because they don't have their drivers licenses yet. I mean, I get that it's supposed to be this big "Status Symbol" to be "Rated R," as a horror film. Yet, all that Big Bad Letter really does is end up getting a lot of Movie Ticket Takers fired, for not properly ID-ing their patrons.)
"I swear, boss. He totally looked 17 to me!"
But I digress. There I was, underage, hanging with a bunch of my friends, and viewing Scream for the first time. I remember when the movie started, seeing Drew Barrymore on the screen (who was kind of a "big deal" at the time), and kind of rolling my eyes a bit. "They aren't going to kill Drew!" I whispered to whoever was sitting next to me. "Her face is on the movie poster. And her name is one of 'top billed.'"
And then they gutted her like a fish, in the first five minutes . . .
I was HORRIFIED . . . but, at the same time, very impressed. I knew, right then, that I was witnessing the start of something pretty amazing. As far as "horror movie cliches" were concerned, all bets were off! We were all going to be in for quite a ride . . .
I saw the next two films in the trilogy on their opening nights as well. And while neither had quite the shock value of the first installment (The minute Jada Pinkett Smith walked into that movie theater at the beginning of Scream 2, I knew not to get too attached to her character . . .
. . . ditto for Buffy the Vampire Slayer . . .)
. . . I still found both films to be enjoyable, witty, and surprisingly well-written.
So, I was intrigued, when I started hearing buzz around the internet that the first film of a new Scream trilogy would be "stabbing" its way into theaters in 2011. Like the first film, Scream 4 will be penned by Kevin Williamson (writer of none other than my current FAVORITE television show, The Vampire Diaries) . . .
. . . and directed by, that denizen of horror himself, Wes Craven.
As the poster for the film suggests, the new tagline for Scream 4 is "New Decade, New Rules." At this year's Scream Awards, Wes Craven promised us a movie for the "next generation" of horror fans. Here, the same, now- tired, old rules, won't necessarily apply. You know what that means, don't you? Oh yeah . . . the Ghostface Killer is TOTALLY iPhone-ready.
"Psycho Serial Killer? There's an app for that!"
Sure, Scream 4 may be ready for the "next generation of horror movie fans," but, the question remains, is it ready for us? After all, in this new culture, of leaked scripts, pirated films, screencapped trailers, and endless film analysis on message boards and blogs, it is REALLY hard to keep a secret, and even harder to genuinely surprise fans. Because, now, not only are horror movie goers more savvy, as Craven, himself suggested, they are also more well-informed.
For example, we NOW know that when an actress boasts a "cameo" in a horror film, and her character doesn't have a "name" on the movie's IMDB page , we can probably expect her to show up in one scene, die a quick but gruesome death, and never be seen again . . .
Usually a lover of all things spoilery, I personally found myself a bit disappointed when, after merely viewing the film's teaser trailer and perusing the message boards, I already pieced together what will probably be the opening murder sequence (including the "fakeout" that will likely come with it).
And . . . well . . . why don't I let you watch for yourself . . .
Now that's a trailer chocked full of spoilery information, if I've ever seen one!
I'm just going to share a few screencaps with you that I found particularly instructive. However, you can find ALL the screencaps for this trailer here. (Special thanks to CNE20, who was kind enough to post these!)
Oh, and for all you Spoilerphobes out there, this would be a good time to STOP READING!
:12 "Welcome home, Sydney! You're a survivor, aren't you, Sydney? What good is it being a survivor, if everyone around you is DEAD!"
Yes, boys and girls, Scream queen, Neve Campbell (now 37), will be reprising her role as the much-abused Sydney Prescott. After all this poor woman has been through, you would think she would FINALLY suck it up, and cancel her landline. Cell phones, Sydney! They are all the rage these days . . . not to mention that having them makes it much easier to RUN AWAY from the Psycho Serial Killer who always seems to be INSIDE YOUR HOUSE!
:18 – "All you can do is WATCH!"
Anna Paquin (Soookeh! of True Blood) and Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) have both publicly admitted to having "cameos" in this film. (We all know what THAT means!) Many "experts" have posited that the first "murder" of the film, will not be a "real" murder, but actually a scene from the fictional Scream-like series, Stab (featured prominently in Scream 2 and 3), which Anna's and Kristen's characters will be watching at home on DVD. These same experts suggest that Anna and Kristen, like Drew Barrymore and Jada Pinkett Smith, before them, will be the new film's first REAL victims. This scene here, which features Anna, turning off a DVD, while a frightened Kristen looks on, would seem to suggest as much . . .
:19 – "Ahhhhhhhh!"
Golly gee! For two girls credited as having "cameos" in the film, Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars) and Shenae Grimes (90210) sure got a lot of face time in the teaser trailer! Many suspect that this is because these two will be stars of the Stab installment that Anna and Kristen are watching, in the film's opening scene.
(Note to Kevin Williamson: It is not too late to CHANGE THIS! In fact, if this is the actual concept for the opening sequence, and you want to REALLY shock fans, as you have done consistently in the past, you probably SHOULD!)
:21 – "Modern fans have become savvy to the rules of the originals. I mean, there are still rules, but the rules have changed."
OMG, Rory Culkin! My, have you grown! (I bet you're taller than Macauley Culkin now . . . and Kieran Culkin, for that matter.) It looks as though Rory will be inhabiting the "Horror Film Geek" role, previously inhabited by Jamie Kennedy (who played "Randy Meeks"), in the first two films.
:50 – "Go ahead, if you have the guts!"
This highly controversial, and much discussed, screencap features Courtney Cox, seemingly about to get gutted by the Ghostface Killer. Could the makers of this trailer be brave enough (or stupid enough, depending on how you look at it) to forecast the death of Gale Weathers –one of the three MAIN CHARACTERS from the original trilogy — so early in the film's promotional campaign? (Or will someone come to to her rescue, at the last minute, as is usually the case in these type of movie situations?)
:54 – "Well, it's time for someone new to die."
Here's Rory Culkin again, along with Hayden Panettiere and Marielle Jaffe. These three will likely function as the "Scooby Gang" to lead player, Emma Robert's "Jill." Hayden will be playing Kirby Reed, "Jill's" best friend. The "best friend" moniker should keep her safe for at least the first half of the film.
Marielle will be playing "Olivia," who, based on this scene alone, looks and sounds like kind of a b*tch. Since b*tches never fare particularly well in this genre, I'm guessing "Olivia" will be a goner, fairly early on . . .
:58 – "These aren't just random killings."
David Arquette (who I am liking SO MUCH LESS NOW, especially after his ridiculous drunken T.M.I. rant on Howard Stern) will be reprising his role as Deputy Dewey. Also donning the dorky Rent-A-Cop uniform in this film, will be the adorable Adam Brody . . .
(Seth Cohen is a cop?)
. . . and the very cuddly, Anthony Anderson . . .
1:00 – iPhone product placement alert!
I said it before, but it bears repeating. Between the killer videotaping his murders, and the cast members running around with iPhones, it does seem that new technologies will play a major role in the new trilogy.
1:01 – Emma Roberts alert!
Although she looks like she's in a pretty tough spot right now, I'm thinking that Emma Roberts, who has been tauted by producers as "the NEW Sydney Prescott" (she plays Sydney's cousin, in the film), will probably be around for a while. In other words, if you happen to be watching the film, and really have to pee, the scenes where "Jill" is in "peril" are the best time to go . . . At least, this way, you won't risk missing a "cool death scene."
1:16 – "I hear you like horror movies."
"It's for you."
I know I showed these two already. However, this line was the only one in the trailer that actually made me giggle out loud. It also seemed a bit cheesy, by Scream standards. This only supports my hypothesis that all scenes featuring Shenae and Lucy are meant to come from the fictional Stab series. Of course, I could be wrong . . . (I still kind of hope I am.)
Scream 4 scares into theaters April 15, 2011. Will YOU see it?
Filed under Movie Trailer Recaplets, Scream 4, Spoilers and Sneak Peaks
Tagged as 90210, Adam Brody, Anna Paquin, Anthony Anderson, April 15, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Deputy, Dewey, Drew Barrymore, Emma Roberts, Gale Weathers, Ghostface Killer, Hayden Panettiere, horror movies, IMDB, iPhone, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jamie Kennedy, Jill, Kevin Williamson, Kirby, Kristen Bell, Lucy Hale, Marielle Jaffe, movie poster, movie trailer, murders, Neve Campbell, Pretty Little Liars, R rating, Randy Meeks, recap, Rory Culkin, Sarah Michelle Gellar, scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, screencaps, Shenae Grimes, spoilers, Stab, Sydney Prescott, teaser trailer, teen slasher, The O.C., trilogy, True Blood, Wes Craven, YouTube
September 8, 2010 · 12:08 am
Sookie Stackhouse is getting MARRIED?! — Just kidding . . . It's just the trailer for her new film, "The Romantics."
So, did you guys see that new episode of True Blood?
You know, the one where Sookie . . .
dumps Vampire Bill . . .
. . . and runs off to marry some guy who works in upper level management at this fancy Las Vegas casino . . .
. . . a guy who can take his shirt off IN THE SUN . . . without getting burned?
Unfortunately, Vegas Casino Guy might still be in love with Joey Potter . . .
Because, who ISN'T still in love with Joey Potter? We all know HE is . . .
. . . and THIS GUY definitely is . . .
So, why not Vegas Casino Guy too?
Also, during this episode . . . Sookie finds out she has a FAIRY Godsister . . .
But the little fairy just keeps whining about having to give up Puck's baby for adoption . . .
. . . and about losing Sectionals to this TOTAL A -hole, Jesse James . . .
. . . Sorry . . . I mean Jesse ST. James . . .
It's a pretty bizarre episode. You see, not only has Sookie dumped Vampire Bill. She's also kicked to the curb, her two best friends, Tara . . .
. . . and Sam . . .
. . . and replaced them with TWO NEW best friends: Frodo Baggins . . .
(who promised he'd lend her a ring to use for the wedding, but hasn't been seen or heard from since ) . . .
and Seth Cohen . . .
(who's deathly afraid of vampires, but REALLY wants Sookie to join his Comic Book Club) . . .
Oh, and that mean girl from 27 Dresses is there too . . .
She knew that Sookie really wanted to wear Gram's old wedding dress to her wedding . . .
. . . but thought the fabric would look much better as a TABLECLOTH for her apartment . . .
So, she STOLE it from Sookie's closet, and had it "altered."
And I have NO IDEA what heck Murphy Brown was doing in this episode!
So, basically, there's this movie coming out this weekend, called "The Romantics." It stars ALMOST all of the people I just mentioned (Anna Paquin, Josh Duhamel, Katie Holmes, Dianna Agron, Elijah Wood, Adam Brody, Malin Ackerman, and Candice Bergen). In other words, it has the BEST CAST IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD!
Unfortunately, the trailer for the film is kind of dull . . .
So, I'm more than a bit torn as to whether I am willing to pay the price of admission, to go see it. The film is actually based on a book of the same name, by a guy named Galt Niederhoffer. (Try to say THAT name three times fast!)
The book (which I haven't read yet) is about a group of friends who attended Yale University together.
They reunite, six years after graduation, to attend the wedding of TWO members of their elite social circle: Lila (played by Anna Paquin) and Tom (played by Josh Duhamel). Tensions quickly rise within the wedding party, due to the fact that the Maid of Honor, Joey Potter Laura, ALSO used to date Tom. Obviously, these two still have some unresolved feelings for one another.
OMG! Really? Because I TOTALLY never saw that one coming . . .
The rest of the film's cast will play Lila's mother (Candice Bergen), her little sister (Dianna Agron), and her various friends (Elijah Wood, Adam Brody, Malin Ackerman), respectively. Rounding out the cast are Jeremy Strong , who actually attended Yale in real life (probably around the same time his fictional character did) . . .
. . . and Rebecca Lawrence . . .
On the surface, The Romantics has a pretty promising premise . . . an indie film mashup of The Big Chill . . .
St. Elmo's Fire . . .
. . . My Best Friend's Wedding . . .
. . . and every chick flick ever made . . .
Yet . . . I don't know. Something about the trailer just seemed a little . . . dry . . . to me. But, perhaps, I should let you judge for yourself . . .
Were you as underwhelmed by this trailer as I was (DESPITE the overwhelming awesomeness of the cast)? Or did you catch something in it that made you want to immediately gorge on the film, like a hungry vampire chomping on a fairy?
The Romantics walks down the aisle September 10th, in New York and L.A.. However, it will "honeymoon" in wide release, shortly thereafter. Will YOU see it?
Filed under Movie Trailer Recaplets, The Romantics
Tagged as 27 Dresses, Adam Brody, Anna Paquin, Bill Compton, chick flicks, college reunion, Dawson Leary, Dawson's Creek, Dianna Agron, Elijah Wood, Elmo's Fire, Frodo Baggins, Galt Niederhoffer, Glee, Grams, indie films, James van der Beek, Jennifer Aniston, Jeremy Strong, Jesse James, Jesse St. James, Joey Potter, Jonathan Groff, Josh Duhamel, Joshua Jackson, Julia Roberts, Katie Holmes, Las Vegas, Laura, Laura and Tom, Lila, Lila and Tom, Lord of the Rings, love triangle, Maid of Honor, Malin Akerman, Minnow, movie based on book, movie trailer, Murphy Brown, My Best Friend's Wedding, Novel, Pacey Witter, Quinn Febray, Rebecca Lawrence, Rutina Wesley, Sam Merlotte, Sam Trammel, Seth Cohen, Sookie Stackhouse, St, Stephen Moyer, Sundance film festival, Tara Thornton, The Big Chill, The Brat Pack, The O.C., The Romantics, Tom, True Blood, Vampire Bill, wedding, Yale University, YouTube
August 18, 2010 · 11:52 pm
Anatomy of a Trailer: The Social Network
Of all the films set to be released this coming fall, NONE has so precisely embodied the recipe for box office glory and Academy Award recognition as The Social Network. Heck, even its moody, unabashedly emo film trailer could win awards for its strangely captivating portrait of fame and financial success, derived from nerdy college angst. Check it out . . .
For those of you curious about the song in this trailer, it's a cover of the popular Radiohead song "Creep," as performed by a Belgium girls choir named Scala & Kolacny Brothers. Both the original version of the song and this version are currently available for download online.
So, now that you've seen the trailer, let's take a few moments to break down what's makes it "tick."
The Idea – Facebook
Unless you've been living under a rock these past six years, you've probably at least heard of Facebook. The online social networking website, launched back in February of 2004, has, for better or worse, become practically ubiquitous in modern culture, with over 500 million users to date, and counting.
The idea for Facebook was developed on the campus of Harvard University back in 2003 by college roommates Mark Zuckerberg,
Eduardo Zaverin,
Dustin Moskovitz,
and Chris Hughes (who eventually went on to become the online campaign coordinator for now-President Obama during the 2008 elections).
Also involved in the inception of Facebook was Sean Parker, who you may remember as one of the dudes who founded a certain music file-sharing site, which USED to be awesome (until you actually started having to pay for it), Napster.
(Parker went on to become the president of Facebook, Inc.)
A sizeable amount of litigation arose out of the founding of Facebook, and the manner in which the company was managed. Most notably, twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, along with their friend Divya Narendra, claimed that Facebook infringed upon their copyright for the social networking site ConnectU, which was also started at Harvard University.
Eventually, this lawsuit was settled out-of-court to the tune of $65 million (although the exact about of the settlement itself is still subject to additional litigation). The Winklevoss twins, who are also nationally acclaimed rowers, eventually went on to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Nice abs, newly rich dudes!
Eduardo Saverin also sued Facebook, alleging misappropriation of company funds on the part of Mark Zuckerberg. He also petitioned for the right to be listed on the website as one of the company's founders (which he now is). Both lawsuits were settled shortly before the publication of Ben Mezrich's book The Accidental Billionaires, on which The Social Network is based.
Source Material: The Accidental Billionaires
The Accidental Billionaires, a purportedly nonfiction account of the founding of Facebook, Inc., was published in 2009, and debuted at #4 on the New York Times Nonfiction Bestseller List. It's author, Ben Mezrich . . .
. . . is perhaps best known for his other nonfiction book, Bringing Down the House, about a bunch of MIT students who took the casino world by storm, by developing an ingenious card-counting scheme for the game of Blackjack. The book was eventually made into a movie called 21, which starred Kate Bosworth, among others. Mark Zuckerberg took no part in the writing of this book. And Eduardo Saverin, who was one of its main primary sources, backed away from it significantly, once his lawsuit was settled. (Shocker.) The book received mainly mixed reviews.
The Men BEHIND the Curtain
The pedigree of this film has been measurably increased by the big names responsible for its screenplay and direction, respectively. On the screenplay side, we have Aaron Sorkin . . .
. . . who you may remember as head writer for the fabulous Emmy award-winning television drama, The West Wing.
I love you, Josh Lyman!
As far as directors go, David Fincher, is pretty much as awesome as they come!
Kind of cute too!
His resume includes critically acclaimed and award-winning films such as . . .
Fight Club,
Seven,
and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
In terms of its cast, this film's IMDB page reads like a Who's Who in twenty-something Hollywood. For the lead role of Mark Zuckerberg, we have the immensely talented and charmingly geeky, Jesse Eisenberg . . .
. . . who you might remember from that homage to all things '80's film, Adventureland, in which Eisenberg starred alongside Bella Swan herself, Kristen Stewart . . .
the Academy Award Winning film, The Squid and the Whale, and /or Zombieland . . .
Playing the role of Eduardo Saverin is Andrew Garfield . . .
. . . who has recently been vetted to play Pete Parker, in the upcoming Spiderman prequel / reboot . . .
Napster Guy, Sean Parker, is being played by none-other-than Justin Timberlake! (How much do you want to bet that one of his songs will be featured in the movie as an INSIDE joke? After all, it's not like the "product placement" wouldn't make sense, in context. Find me ONE person who WASN'T listening to Justin Timberlake in 2003, and I'll find you a LIAR!)
And yet, what we sometimes forget about Justin, is that he's not only a successful singer / songwriter, he's also a pretty talented actor, having shined in both dramatic films . . .
. . . like the critically acclaimed (and highly awesome) Alpha Dog, and comedic ones, like Shrek 3. And let's not forget, Dick in a Box?
Other stars in this film include Rooney Mara . . .
. . . who just recently landed the role of Lisbeth Salander in the U.S. adaptation of Stieg Larsson's almost annoyingly successful (You can't walk two feet without seeing SOMEONE reading the damn thing) novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo;
Malese Jow . . .
. . . who fans of The Vampire Diaries television series (like me) will instantly recognize as the way-too-soon departed Vampire Anna . . .
And Brenda Song . . .
. . . who is perhaps best known for playing the ditsy Paris Hilton-esque heiress, London Tipton, on the Disney Channel's The Suite Life series . . .
So, there you have it: a hot young cast, a brilliant director, an Emmy-award winning screenwriter, a bestselling book by a critically acclaimed author as source material, a controversial story, a hip trailer, and a groundbreaking idea that changed the way our world socializes on a daily basis. When it comes to Hollywood films, they just don't get much more "Alpha Male" then this!
And, of course, with every successful film idea and trailer comes the inevitable barrage of spoofs and copycats. The Social Network is no exception. I particularly enjoyed THIS ONE about ANOTHER social networking site that some might deem equally filmworthy . . .
The Social Network requests to be your "Friend" on October 1, 2010. Confirm or Deny?
Filed under Facebook, Movie Trailer Recaplets, The Social Network
Tagged as 21, Aaron Sorkin, Adventureland, Alpha Dog, Andrew Garfield, Ben Mezrich, Brenda Song, Bringing Down the House, Cameron Winklevoss, Chris Hughes, Christy Lee, Creep, David Fincher, Disney, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, Facebook, Fight Club, Harvard, IMBD, Jesse Eisenberg, Joseph Mazzello, Justin Timberlake, Lisbeth Salander, Malese Jow, Mark Zuckerberg, Napster, October 1, Pete Parker, Radiohead, Rooney Mara, Scala and the Kolacny Brothers, Sean Parker, Seven, Spiderman, Stieg Larsson, Suite Life, The Accidental Billionaires, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, The Squid and the Whale, The Vampire Diaries, The West Wing, Tyler Winklevoss, Vampire Anna, Youth in Revolt, YouTube, Zombieland
August 15, 2010 · 12:25 am
Anatomy of a Trailer – Burlesque
The way I see it, Burlesque, the upcoming movie / musical starring Christina Aguilera, in her big screen debut, will either be truly spectacular . . .
. . . or ridiculously bad.
The film follows Ali (Aquilera), as she escapes from whatever podunk town she came from, and heads off to Hollywood with big dreams and little cash.
View from a dirty bus window.
She finds a job as a waitress at a struggling night club, called Burlesque Lounge, run by Tess (Cher). And . . . well, I'll let you see for yourself . . .
:32 – "When you are putting on your makeup, it is like you're an artist. But instead of painting a canvas, you are painting a face."
. . . or, in Cher's case, a face made of canvas.
So, after seeing Cher in this trailer, I've come to two conclusions: (1) She looks pretty good. Her face really hasn't changed that much since the 90's . . .
(2) The reason Cher's face hasn't changed since the 90's, is that it hasn't moved since then. Did you watch that scene where she was putting on her makeup? I felt like I was watching an expert ventriloquist!
Bet you can't guess which one is real?
:49 – "Great enthusiasm, terrible timing."
It looks like Stanley Tucci will be playing the role of the "man behind the older woman" . . .
and the "staunch supporter / behind the scenes mentor" of the younger one.
It's The Devil Wears Prada all over again.
:57 – Kristen Bell is in this movie!
I heart her, even when she plays mean and unlikeable characters . . .
. . . and it seems like she will be playing one here too.
1:02 – "The question is, do you have the talent? Because you're on . . ."
Hey, that was Cam Gigandet!
What? You don't remember CAM? Sure you do! He was the douche responsible for Marissa Cooper's death on The O.C. . . .
. . . and the douche who wanted to beat Sean Farris to a pulp in Never Back Down . . .
. . . and the douche who wanted to eat Bella in Twilight . . .
In fact, Cam's "Douching Schedule" was SO uncompromising, that he rarely had time to put on a shirt . . .
. . . which is why I love him!
1:12 – "What happened to all the great dancers in L.A.?"
"They're all Dancing with the Stars."
I think this was meant to be somewhat of an inside joke, as Dancing with the Stars' Julianne Hough is said to have signed on to this film.
It seems a little odd that they didn't put her in the trailer, though.
1:17 – "What is she doing up there?"
The Genie in a Bottle dance, perhaps?
1:27 – "Nobody can tell you. You gotta make me believe that you belong on that stage. That it's yours, and that nobody can take it from you. Now you want to show me something? Show me THAT!"
WOW, Cher, I'm so inspired now!
I might even start taking violin lessons — on a tiny violin, kind of like the one I heard playing in the background, during that speech you just made.
1:46 – And there are those infamous Aguilera pipes we've come to know so well. . .
Too bad she's dressed like a bachelor party stripper . . .
1:48 – OMG! It's Alan Cummings!
This guy kinda scares me. But I can't remember why . . .
Now I remember . . .
1:51 – McSteamy ALERT! McSteamy ALERT!
Hold on to your panties, ladies. Because they are about to fall . . .
2:07 – "Clearly, one of us has underestimated the other."
Oooh! I smell a Cat Fight! And I don't know about you, but my money is on Veronica Mars!
She's small, but scrappy. Then again . . .
This could actually be a real toss up.
2:16 – Aww Cam! I knew you wouldn't let me down!
2:24 – "Alice? Well, welcome to Wonderland."
Burlesque dances into theaters on November 24, 2010 (Thanksgiving). Will YOU see it?
Filed under Burlesque, Movie Trailer Recaplets
Tagged as Alan Cummings, Alice in Wonderland, America's Got Talent, Burlesque, Cam Gigandet, Cher, Chicago, Christina Aquilera, dancing, Dancing with the Stars, dirty, Eric Dane, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Genie in a Bottle, Glitter, Hollywood, James, Julianne Hough, Kevin Volchok, Kristen Bell, L.A., Mark Sloan, McSteamy, Mermaids, movie trailer, musical, Never Back Down, night club, November 24, revue, Ryan McCarthy, Shirtless Cam Gigandet, Shirtless Eric Dane, singing, Stanley Tucci, Thanksgiving, The Devil Wears Prada, The O.C., Twilight, Veronica Mars, YouTube

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl