Hola, Sneakers! Welcome to Episode 419 of SNeaky Dragon – the only dragon-themed podcast not related to Dungeons and Dragons!
This week: getting comfortable; having feelings; a tribute to a swell guy; when is Christmas?; time to talk Halloween music; “The Monster Mash” is all we need: vampire rules; seasonal songs; thoughts on “Last Christmas”; the proposal trap; touching stories; “Love is…” weird; Ziggy’s dark thoughts; the better Tom Wilson; sleep activities; meta dreams; a Ghostbusters theory (and some side theories); believe it or not: a silly joke: technology vs storytelling; old vs new video games; limitations are the strength; practical and CGI effects; editing in animation; when CGI becomes who cares; it’s good because it rhymes; cool leftovers; a chair-based movie; TV crisis; body control; Question of the Week – Sneakers respond; scrupulous ethics and morals; more insanity; more dentistry; mirror, mirror; round circles; and. finally, old and blind.
Question of the Week: Can you name a film or TV series improved by technology?
Sub-question: What is your favourite era of animation?
Thanks for listening.
Here is the video with the incredible dancer Dave mentioned during the show:
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In true Sneaky Dragon fashion, something I love gets slammed! Last Christmas is my favourite modern Christmas song (and I find it hard to believe David’s never heard it — it gets played incessantly everywhere every Christmas time, just as much as All I Want For Christmas Is You).
I think George Michael won this one because he gave his heart to heaven on Christmas a few years ago.
And I don’t know if we mentioned that the royalties from Last Christmas go to charity. I don’t mind the song, I just think putting someone on the romantic spot on Christmas is a bad move as are Boxing Day infidelities.
To be fair (to me), I didn’t slam “Last Christmas” as I’ve never actually heard it or at least not aware of my ever having heard it.
I was reacting to the idea of using emotional blackmail when proposing to someone, and not necessarily to the song. I even defended it, gosh darn it! (To some degree anyway.)
And it’s great that the royalties for this song I’ve never heard of until it became a movie and Ian brought it up on the show are donated to charity!
I’m with Dave on the Halloween music topic. “Monster Mash” is tradition so guess you have to hear it at least once each October, but I’m fine just hearing 30 seconds or so.
I’ve got a couple of Halloween music CDs too but can’t off the top of my head remember how any of the songs on them of them go. Except that is one called “I Want to Bite Your Neck” or some such, a ’64, ’65 novelty record sung to the tune of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” with Dracula appropriate shenanigans subbing for John and Paul’s original lyrics.
Had them for years but forgot to play either this year.
The Kinks’ “Wicked Annabella” works as a Halloween song I suppose.
Merry Christmas, Dragons! In defense of the song “Last Christmas”: as evidenced by the holiday romance movie craze, a lot of people fantasize about falling in love and/or being proposed to at Christmas time. But I agree with Ian that, in reality, it’s not a great idea. My nephew proposed to a girlfriend during the holidays. They later broke up and she married someone else. But they’ll both always have the memory of that Christmas engagement that didn’t work out.
As for the song, I think it serves as a PSA about being careful to whom you declare your love. The narrator has come to believe he was used by his love interest as an emotional security blanket and that he was fooled into thinking the relationship was something more. It can be awkward to be the object of someone’s unrequited love, so the song could also be seen as a cautionary tale not to stay with someone whose affections you don’t return.
I love your podcast and listen weekly. My comment isn’t specifically about this episode, but about the direction Sneaky Dragon has gone in recently. I’ve noticed that the two of you have been discussing movies a lot. What I like about Sneaky Dragon is that you used to discuss your lives and beliefs. Please consider keeping the movie talk to Fansplainers, or cutting down the movie talk. Thanks for doing such great work.