we be jamin

I decided to test The Dark Side of Oz theory on the ‘net that says one of my favourite albums, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon can be played while watching The Wizard of Oz to reveal an amazing number of synchronicities between the album’s sound and the movies’ visuals. The verdict in two words: It works.

To set it up, pause Dark Side at the start of the album on your CD player, and then play Oz on your DVD player. As the MGM lion roars for the third time in Oz, unpause Dark Side. A minute in, the director’s name should materialize on the screen as a long guitar chord plays on the album. If it doesn’t, try again until they match.

A number of sites on the web have long lists of synchronicities between the two, but I found a lot were contrived. The best synchronicities that I observed were

• Dorothy doing a balancing act on a rail to the lyric “…balanced on the biggest wave…”
• The song Great Gig in the Sky lasts for the whole tornado scene as Dorothy’s house rises into the sky. A lot of changes in tune and rythm in the song match with the movements on the sceen
• The black and white part of the movie lasts as long as the first side of the album
• The lyric “…who knows which is which…” plays as the camera goes first to one witch then to another on each “which”
• The camera scrolls up to show tinman with blade of his axe raised as “…raise the blade…” plays
• The Scarecrow pushes an oilcan in the Tin Man’s ear as “…thunder in your ear…” plays
• The Tin Man moves lips, trying to make sound, as “…you shout and no one seems to hear…” plays
• In addition, there are a lot of moments in which characters, props, and munchkins are making movements in time with the music or even appear to be singing lyrics.

I’ve tried this three times now, and each time has been great. Supposedly if you watch it while stoned, it is better than watching it normally, but I wouldn’t know because I have only tried it the one way.

UPDATE: I’ve found a YouTube link to a segment in which MTV cover Dark Side of Oz, and also the Great Gig in the Sky clip.

A few weeks back I saw X-Men: The Last Stand and the after-movie talk in the cinema carpark included some of the useless powers that some of the mutants had. We also came up with other potential useless powers - my favourites were the ability to be dead on cue and then become alive again, or the ability to change the colour black into soft pastels and go out attacking emos and goths.

Anyway, it could be the dry weather lately but I have manifested the unlimited awesome power of static electricity. Doors, my computer, the kitchen sink at work - all have fallen prey in the past two days to my galvanising touch. There’s been crackling static noises and different objects attracting my hair. Now if only I can harness this power for evil before the forecasted rain comes tomorrow.

I was chased around Woodlands by some guys in a ute on my way home from Tone’s party last night.

I was walking towards the Woodlands Reserve cricket field and they pulled up. The guy sitting behind the driver opened his door and was getting out. The frontside passenger (who had a length of wood in his hand and was holding it out the window) said “We’re the cops and we’re gonna get you!”
A car came in the opposite direction and the guy in the back closed his door and they took off…
They drove out of sight, but then the fog ahead turned red, I heard a screech and reversing and they were speeding back towards me.

I crossed the road away from the park and made as if to go to a house up a side street…
They sped past and turned up a street parallel to the one I made as if to go up. Once they were out of sight I doubled back and ran into the shade of the trees in the park - towards to cricket nets.
Sure enough, a coupla seconds later they came back down the street that I’d made as if to go up.
I saw them going up and down some of the adjacent streets, and heard them revving around for ages after.

Keep in mind that I ran away to protect them. I didn’t want to have to flip out and kill people.