Fun Film History Facts

Movies have given us so much entertainment and education, but did you know the long and convoluted road they had to travel to get where they are today? Here are some interesting facts about the torrid history of motion pictures.

The earliest ancestor to what we consider modern film is the photography of Edweard Muybridge, who rigged a special array of cameras to take multiple still pictures of a galloping horse. The images were then developed and put into a rotating drum that, when spun, caused the illusion of motion.

The motion picture camera was invented in the 1880s. Early silent films shocked and amazed audiences, who had never experienced anything like it before. Producers like Georges Melies created incredible narratives with early special effects that still dazzle to this day.

A number of people experimented with adding sound to movies, but it wasn’t until the 1920s that a soundtrack was directly attached to the film itself, opening a whole new world to artists.

The introduction of digital technology in the 1990s has radically changed the way people produce and view film, with new 3D projection methods being the latest example. Who knows what the future will bring?

Comparing Hybrid Cars

As fuel economy becomes more and more important, hybrid cars are one of the fastest-growing markets in new car sales. A large number of manufacturers have hybrid models on the market, from compacts to trucks. This article will compare some of the most popular and see how they stack up for efficiency, comfort and utility.

Toyota Prius
The first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Prius has had over a decade to develop itself into the poster child for hybrid vehicle. Surprisingly roomy and comfortable, the Prius has excellent mileage and performance, making it the best all-purpose hybrid car.

Ford Fusion Hybrid
Ford’s modification of their Fusion sedan has won a number of prestigious awards, and offers higher fuel efficiency than many other hybrids. However, several models had to be recalled due to software errors.

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
This exceptional family sedan is a new contender on the market, but it delivers great performance, remarkable fuel efficiency and a lengthy warranty. The one complaint some drivers have is that it lacks headroom for very tall people.

Chevrolet Volt
The Volt has had a rough start on the market, as it combines a pure electric drive with an optional gas engine. Unlike the other cars on this list, it has a plug-in battery that’s good for about 40 miles, then the internal combustion engine recharges it beyond that. Some complain that the required premium fuel is annoying.

Lincoln MKZ
This luxury hybrid is a step up from some of the other cars on this list, boasting an impressive powertrain, plenty of passenger space and an excellent value for the money. It has a very smooth ride and unbeatable fuel economy.

Five Most Dazzling Musicians In History

To truly be a legendary musician, you need to possess a unique combination of talents. Not only do you need a mind that can reconcile both the complex task of performing music, but one that can also infuse it with emotion. The five musicians in this article combine physical mastery with deep reserves of soul to stand above all others.

Glenn Gould
Widely regarded as one of the most versatile and compelling pianists in history, Gould had a unique ability to infuse his personality into everything he played. There were certainly performers who had more technical skills, but none with as much soul.

Jimi Hendrix
You can’t find an electric guitar player on Earth who wasn’t inspired in some way by Hendrix. The Seattle-born axeman was one of the greatest innovators the instrument has ever seen, and few have even come close since.

Buddy Rich
Despite his legendary sour temper, nobody worked the drums like Buddy Rich. The sticksman elevated every ensemble he played with by furious, perfectly-phrased beats. Rich was able to skirt the line of chaos but always come back to perfect timing.

Lester Young
Jazz clarinetist Lester Young came to prominence playing with Count Basie’s orchestra, and he gave the woodwind a tremendous amount of dynamic range and feeling. “Prez,” as he was called, influenced a generation of musicians after him.

John Fahey
The Maryland-born guitarist John Fahey reinvented the acoustic guitar with his seminal recordings, taking an instrument that was commonly used as backup for singers and giving it a unique and powerful voice of its own.

Have You Heard These Classic Country Songs?

Country music appeals to many fans because of its timeless melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and stirring of complex emotions. Here are a few classic country songs that show off the genre's power:

“Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash
Co-written by his wife June Carter, Cash’s “Ring of Fire” is a smoldering tribute to the ups and downs of love.
 
“I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams Sr.
This classic ballad has spawned quite a few cover versions. It's also brought tears to quite a few eyes!
 
“If Lovin’ You is Wrong, I Don’t Want to be Right” by Barbara Mandrell
This Barbara Mandell song is a monument to forbeidden love, in which Mandrell croons heartfelt emotion to her bad-boy sweetheart.
 
“Devil Went Down to Georgia” by The Charles Daniels Band
Riffing on classic ballads that tell tales, this raucous tune uses rapid-fire strings and a ribald lyrics to present a traditional folk tale as a catchy tune.
 
“Sweet Dreams (Of You) by Patsy Cline
In this tear-jerker, songstress Patsy Cline rolls out a tune that tops the chart of classic ‘lost love’ songs. Her evocative singing still moves listeners, even decades after her tragic death. 
 
 

Book Buzz: Four Unforgettable Fictional Villains

What’s a worthy protagonist without a formidable rival? If you love diving into a good book, then chances are you’ve come to appreciate the tension and complexity that a memorable villain can add to a piece of fiction. Here are five of the most unsettling and enduring villains to ever appear between the covers of a book:
 
Long John Silver from Treasure Island
Long John Silver is one of the most fiendish characters ever created by author Robert Louis Stevenson. He is a shrewdly calculating and treacherous one-legged pirate whose duplicitous nature makes him quite a slippery challenge to the story’s hero, Jim Hawkins. Though he starts out as a mentor to Hawkins, his commitment to his own best interest makes him willing to turn on his young mentee without an ounce of regret. 
 
Bill Sikes from Oliver Twist
Bill Sikes is among the most vicious characters ever penned by Charles Dickens. He is a rough, violent, and brutal career criminal, both a robber and an exploiter and abuser of children. He is prone to sudden bouts of terrifying rage and even goes so far as to explode in anger and beat his girlfriend to death, one of the most viscerally terrifying scenes to appear in any of Dickens’s novels. Dickens gives Sikes no redeeming qualities, and this makes him one of the darkest villains in literary history. 
 
Tom Ripley from The Talented Mr. Ripley
Tom Ripley is the brilliant villain in a series of crime novels by Patricia Highsmith. He starts out as a petty criminal getting by on his smarts in the realms of forgery, deception, and impersonation. Eventually, he goes so far as to murder a wealthy young man and assume his identity. Whenever Ripley’s charade is questioned, he is willing to resort to extreme (and often bloody) measures to keep his assumed identity protected. His wicked and ever-scheming ways make him one of the brilliant bad guys ever inked onto paper. 
 
Count Fosco, The Woman in White
This villain from Wilkie Collins’ popular novel became the archetype for many crime-novel antagonists – a corpulent, refined, cultured, self-indulgent but shrewdly intelligent and calculating villain, hiding deviance beneath a well-dressed exterior. Fosco conjures a scheme to deprive Laura Fairlie of her wealth and soundness of mind, and chillingly destroys Laura’s sister without an ounce of regret. 
 

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