Reviving The Monster
My suspicion, regarding today’s site instability, is that the server room where the page is dispensed from is simply lacking sufficient science-y props.
The necessary corrective measures are likely just some more Flash Gordon music, and a cluster of those lightning-orbs common to old horror flicks.
Speaking of which, I ran across some interesting tidbits regarding the classic Universal Frankenstein movie:
Kenneth Strickfaden designed the electrical effects used in the “creation scene.” So successful were they that such effects came to be considered an essential part of every subsequent Universal film involving the Frankenstein Monster. Accordingly, the equipment used to produce them has come to be referred to in fan circles as “Strickfadens.” It appears that Strickfaden managed to secure the use of at least one Tesla Coil built by the then-aged Nikola Tesla himself. According to this same source, Strickfaden also doubled for Karloff in the electrical “birth” scene as Karloff was deathly afraid of being electrocuted from the live voltage on the stage.
My advice for the mad scientists feverishly attempting to re-stabilize the beast is thus: sometimes fire isn’t the right approach; sometimes you need to pamper the monster.
Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood (1994): “I’m not getting near that goddamn thing. One of them burned me in “The Return of Chandu”.
Ha! Forgot about that line – what a great film.
Wow, I didn’t know about Tesla’s contribution. To me, it makes the film that much cooler. Love the pic of Karloff, too. <3
Those are quite the boots he’s wearing.
If I could have any movie set I wanted rebuilt in my backyard, Frankenstein’s lab would have to be it. What a great place to podcast from. Maybe not so good for webhosting?
A couple of days after you moved your site over the server was moved to Bluehost’s brand new data center. Which doesn’t mean an increase in stability apparently. They’re pretty good about getting things working right again though.
Agreed about the lab – Flash Pulp definitely needs more crackling electricity in the background. It would also allow me to justify my shouts of “IT’S ALIVE! IT’S AAALIVE!” every time I upload a file to libsyn.
No worries about the downtown, I’m sure they’ll get it sorted. (Seems pretty solid in the last hour or so.)