The Aeroplane Leaves Tonite, Pack Lite.

Greetings Friends and Foes,
Back again to share my exploits over the last few weeks. Everything is nice at the moment, and enjoying the sun on my face as summer comes into its own again.

On Sunday I directed two new "Go Green With Dr. Gangrene" shorts that will be airing on the CW (former WB and home of the frog) as well as on the web a bit later this month. We shot them both at the Parthenon here in Nashville, and they have a WOLFMAN and MUMMY alongside the good Doctor. Unfortunately for us Nurse Moan-Eek is shooting on George Demicks new film Dead Start and missed this batch, but don't fear I'm sure she'll be back next go round. I wrote the Wolfman bit and Larry wrote the Mummy, as always he nailed the delivery and I think everyone is going to love them. Special thanks to Earl, pam, and Brando-Z for filling out hot rubber mask and taking on the heat for donuts and Pepsi. Chris Dotch II and Don Clark made my day much easier, use these people and pay for them.

I spent the rest of the weekend with Jessica and the girls. Roxie seriously is about to walk all on her own, and I hope to everything I get to see it when it happens. Marie took her first steps to me, and It about made me melt. Marie and I went to see Disney/Pixars "UP", which was lovely. She has been saying "Squirrel" for the last few days. Pixar does a great job of telling stories without dialogue which is about the best thing a film maker can do. The only thing that took me out a bit, and oddly enough two other people mentioned this to me, was the dogs flying the airplanes. I was like "Come on." then i thought to myself, you've been perfectly fine for the last hour with a guy walking his entire house on helium balloons and talking dogs and this is what gets you...I got over it.

Lost in all the fanfare is the new Pixar short "Partly Cloudy" which is wonderful and again is the perfect way to tell a story without dialogue. It adds greatly to the Stork myth, and where babies come from. I'm putting my Oscar chip down on this one early as a favorite.

Jessica has began what she calls 'reinvention" which means she wants us all eating healthier and living cleaner. I have no problem with that, but am about sick of hearing about calorie intakes. I could probably stand to lose a few pounds. We have also been debating the merits of Twilight. We have been married six years come Sunday. i love her dearly, even if she supports vampires without capes.

The weekend before I did a bit part in Glen Weiss movie "Thong Girl 4" which while sultry isn't as dirty as the title implies. Its more of a camp comedy with plenty of innuendo. It is most often compared with the Adam West Batman series, and I think that's a good look. I'm pretty much just playing a guy at the strip club, which is a bit strange as this is the first time i was ever in a strip club. Oddly enough the person playing the stripper was Stacey Dixon who is my friend Ben Dixons wife. Ben was on hand and seemingly eating up all the guys hooting at his wife. Stacey is a looker, and I hope Glen has another hit on his hands.

I also did a youtube video you can find at youtube.com/cameronmccasland about the Eminem event at the MTV Movie awards. It got a ton of hits and mostly had people telling me how awesome my beard was and how I had alot of dvds.

EZ-CHEWIE got a good blurb from Fan Cinema Today which read "EZ-Chewie is a funny, gummy Star Wars Fan Film". I got a message from another film maker who did a star wars short that said Atom is starting to contact people this week, letting people know if they would be playing at Comic-Con or not, so keep your fingers crossed for me. Its got a modest amounts of hits. I'm also thinking of putting in a festival if I can find a good home for it. Feel free to let me know if you think you know a place.

The Red Bull in The Last Unicorn scares Marie as much as it did myself as a child.

My resolution to try and read two books a month has been holding strong at the halfway point. I have read a few short story collections, and been knocking out a few film books as well. I recently re-read H.G. Wells "Time Machine" and loved it all over again. I am cheating a bit right now, as I have been listening to an Audio book of "Down and Dirty Pictures" by Peter Biskind who wrote "Easy Riders & Raging Bulls". It's a wealth of behind the scenes knowledge on movies I love, though I feel like he really has it out for the brothers Weinstein. As much as I hate the trimming and dubbing of some great Hong Kong cinema, those guys did wonders in the Indie world. I'll reserve my ultimate judgment until I'm finished but so far so good. If anyone has suggestions for me, let it rip. Been trying to do one fiction story, and one film book a month.

I have been a bit guilty lately of not watching as many films as I used to. I used to watch a few movies a day, but now between work, writing, and family commitments i just don't have the energy or can't get excited enough to put in the time. However this week I have been committing myself to some of my favorite foreign cinema. I watched one of my all time favorites Jean Luc Godard's "Breathless" after an argument i had with Jessica. This is pretty much the Ultimate I love you as a woman even if your going to kill me movie. I think its easy for me to relate with Michel as the first lines in the movie are simply "After all, I'm an asshole. After all, yes, I've got to. I've got to!" I pretty much fall in love with Patricia every single time I watch this movie, and it always ends badly for both me and Michel.

Not to be outdone the following night I nestled up to Simone Simon as Séverine Roubaud in "La bête humaine" or the Human Beast. I think this is probably the best of Renoir, though I know many will cite "La Grande Illusion". I feel like I shouldn't love Séverine, but again i follow that path. Masterwork.

Next up was Roberto Rossellini's "The Flowers Of St. Francis". I always come away from this feeling like I may have been better off as a missionary in another place. Its not a secret that for a time i considered this before opting for a different future. All that aside, this is some of the most beautifully photographed scenery in the history of cinema.

Not sure what else i plan on watching this week, but hopefully I'll update again soon. I hope this finds you all well. Special thoughts to the family of the security guard slain today at the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. I pray for days without hatred and bigotry, and hope you will all share in that with me.

Cameron McCasland