Sketch On The Brain, Vantage NoPoint, and Exportless.

IMPORT-

With Friday nights sketch rehearsal on the brain, and a zeroing on what the show will be I wrote down some scene ideas, and then watched some old short lived shows. Thanks to the amazing hulu.com I watched some of the late 90's DANA CARVEY SHOW. It lasted only a year, and lost many of it's sponsors because of sketches like Bill Clinton breastfeeding cats, and skinheads from Maine. Much of the problem was that this show was on during the early evening hours if I'm correct. What's great is that it still holds up today, and makes you remember that Dana Carvey is a talented guy. Not only in performing, but finding talent as well. His core cast is made up of Chicago trained people, Robert Smigel, Steve Carell, and Stephen Colbert are the main trio. I also saw a very young Louis C.K. Check it out on hulu.com, or it's also available on netflix watch now.

Another sketch show that flows from the improv world was EXIT 57. It's much harder to find, but some scenes are available on youtube. As far as I know this is not available on dvd as of now. This show ran on comedy central for two years in the mid 90's, and really fits in with the best of sketch and the talent involved. Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, Mitch Rouse, and Stephen Colbert head the cast. Much of it was also directed by Mick Napier, and during it's run picked up some Cable Ace awards. These two shows along with Kids in the Hall, Upright Citizens Brigade, and Mr. Show really show the best of what the 90's had for sketch. Which makes me think, what has there been this decade? Besides SNL, and the barely mentionable MadTV. Makes me think with the cyclical entertainment world that we live in that sketch is due for another upswing. However by no means did these shows meet the masses, but they really showed what these comedians/actors could do, and gave them a chance to do it. Now who's next,and when?

I took in a movie as well, VANTAGE POINT. Really bad, don't see this at the movie, dont by it on dvd, dont rent it on dvd, dont buy on demand, i think all copies should be sent to Guantanamo Bay for torture purposes. I thought there would be more to this. The whole gimmick of vantage points is distracting to the story. Well if there was a story, they had chances and even mentioned possible points to any of this. They basically just gave each character one vague thing that motivates them and went off with their little idea. Really suprising that this script could float to whatever top it floated to. Too bad because they ruined a cast of William Hurt, Matthew Fox, and Dennis Quaid. I have no idea what Forest Whitaker was thinking besides paying off a mortgage. Goes with the trend that the first movie after a oscar nom is going to be a horrible reward for doing great work for no pay. I think I've said my peace on that.

EXPORT

Sadly none. Took some scene ideas, but that hardly counts for much. I'm slowly dying waiting to get Final Draft for my new computer. I suppose I could write on a pad of paper with a pen, but that just seems barbaric. I mean I'm a Mac owner now.