Five Bullets 10.7.22
This week: Expo '67, Cormac McCarthy, & Close Encounters
Happy Friday everyone! Welcome back to Circles In Space, where each Friday I share five interesting things. This week’s topics:
In 1967, brothers Tony, 11, and Jeff, 9, road a cart pulled by their donkey King over 300 miles from their home in Needham, Massachusetts to Montreal, Canada. Their goal was to reach Expo ’67. Encouraged by their supportive mother, the boys completed their trip in 27 days, generating much press along the way.
Cormac McCarthy, author of The Road, has two new books coming out. Considered one of the greatest living American writers, McCarthy, 89, has given few interviews. His thoughts on writing and reading can be gleaned from a handful of conversations during his earlier years.
The residents of Colfax, Louisiana are plagued by health and environmental issues. Nearby, the Clean Harbors facility open-burns munitions wastes from the U.S. military and Disney World. The burns are polluting the environment and making it hazardous for residents to live in their hometown.
Adam Savage takes a peek inside Skywalker Sound, the audio production house responsible for more than a few blockbuster films. Savage’s detailed questions illuminate the process behind sound design, mixing and foley effects for the Marvel universe. (Here’s more on foley effects, included in my 7.22.22 newsletter).
Steven Speilberg’s 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind turns 45 this year. Named after J. Allen Hynek’s system for classifying extraterrestrial encounters, Speilberg said he wanted to make “a story about the everyday individual who has a sighting that overturns his life, and throws it into complete upheaval as he starts to become more and more obsessed with this experience." From the film’s awe-inspiring visual effects, to John Williams’ masterful score, to the unforgettably stunning landscape of Devil’s Tower, the film is definitely worth revisiting.
Got something to share? Leave me a comment! I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting things to dive into.
Please consider subscribing or sharing if you’d like to read more, or visit my website.
That's all for this week! As always, thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Until next time,
KW