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[ta0]

I think it is great that you did this!  I look forward to those photographs!

If they were smart at the school, they would at least take advantage of the Christmas Story movie connection. But of course, we would be much more interested in something related to The Summer Story connection.

Here is an article from the Atlantic that gives some background about Shepherd (but does not mention Scut Farkas): link

By the way, Judith Schulz offers a 2 hour program at the Top Museum around her experience working on the movie and some TV shows:link

[poptop]

I listened to this beginning to end this evening...time well spent!

We've been listening to a lot of books on, well Audible   Love it.

"Spin it again, ya chicken bastard,"

[the Earl of Whirl]

I sent some pictures of this visit to ta0.  Maybe he can help me get them posted?

[ta0]

Somebody had to do it, and you did it, Mike! I wish Eric could have come with you and you both could have reenacted the battle!

[ta0]

I had to take a break from doing my taxes so I did some random top related searches and got to the reviews of the movie My Summer Story (It Runs in the Family) on Rotten Tomatoes. I thought this review was hilarious:

Somehow this movie almost entirely revolves around the phenomena known as "tops". . . obsession, almost sexual, with an inanimate object that is so overdone that it gets annoying really fast . . .

   

According to Wikipedia it was released in very few theaters and only grossed $71K!  I bet it did much better in VHS/DVD/cable.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Here is a classic old post with lots of good information about the original short story.  I am reposting this in case anyone does not remember the background to the movie.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Looks like I spent a lot of time typing this story out for nothing.  But hey, we got almost five years of enjoyment from it before we found this:

http://www.flicklives.com/index.php?pg=246&recno=3775

By the way, this month of April is the anniversary of the Playboy issue that is famous in the top spinning world.  Happy 52nd!!!  Sorry we missed the 50th but this year is the 25th anniversary of the movie based on it - "My Summer Story."  We can still celebrate that!

[Jeremy McCreary]

Somehow this movie almost entirely revolves around the phenomena known as "tops". . . obsession, almost sexual, with an inanimate object that is so overdone that it gets annoying really fast . . .

Near-sexual relationships with tops?? Oh, my! And I thought that movie was G-rated.

Say, do we have an official position on that sort of thing? Just asking for a friend, of course.

[pops]

If I did things correctly, here is a link to the movie (My Summer Story)

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcsaoffblock&p=my+summer+story#id=1&vid=8941fbba24fa1eb3f98f213e1b00855d&action=click

[the Earl of Whirl]

In northern Indiana, there were two types of top spinners: those who merely "played" with tops and those to whom a top was a weapon in the purest sense, an extension of the will, an instrument of talent and destruction.   I was one of that lonely breed.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Today's Dayton Daily News highlights a new exhibit coming to town.  It is called "Bootleggers, Bandits and Badges."  There are a number of items from John Dillinger (who lived in Dayton for a bit), some handcuffs, a 1921 Colt machine gun and a restored 1930's Black Maria!!!

[the Earl of Whirl]

Lots of stuff about Playboy in the papers these days and its culture of abuse.  Part of the cover up was thanks to serious writers and their stories in the magazine - like Kurt Vonnegut, James Baldwin. Margaret Atwood and, of course, our Jean Shepherd.  More is going to come out as A&E has a new documentary “Secrets of Playboy.”