Remembering The "Date Which Will Live In Infamy" and a Movie to Go With It

The View of the Attack for Japanese plane

It has been 71 years since U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed December 7, 1941 as "A Date Which Will Live In Infamy", when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the United States Pacific Fleet and its defending Army Air Forces and Marine air forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, causing a declaration of war upon Japan by the United States the following day on December 8, 1941.

U.S.S. Arizona

 Being "Pearl Harbor" has now become part of the vocabulary when anyone does a dirty sneak attack.

U.S.S. West Virginia

My Father was a big World War II history buff. He collected & read books, watched Movies & Documentaries on TV. Through him I learned about the events of Pearl Harbor. In school sadly I thought we didn't spend as much time learning about this important event. Reasoning being a Canadian school the main focus should be on Canada's efforts during the War (which Canada entered in 1939). Talking with kids nowadays I fear that such facts are totally ignored.

Interestingly, One of my favorite Movies uses the Attack on Pearl Harbor as the backdrop to it's story. The 1953 film adaptation of James Jones novel FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, directed by Fred Zinnemann, starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra, Ernest Borgnine, Deborah Kerr, & Donna Reed.

Sinatra and Monty Clift with author James Jones

The movie won 8 Academy Awards out of 13 nominations, including for Picture, Best Director (Fred Zinnemann), Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra) and Supporting Actress (Donna Reed).

Monty as Prewitt

Although I still feel that actor Montgomery Clift should've won Best Actor for his part as Private Robert E. Lee "Prew" Prewitt. But he lost out to William Holden in STALAG 17. Perhaps due to his reputation of being somewhat of a "Hollywood Rebel & Nonconformist".

A Hollywood Urban Legend had that actor George Reeves, who played the part of Sgt. Maylon Stark, had his role drastically edited after preview audiences recognized him as TV's Superman, thus killing his dramatic movie career. 

~ Raja Devilman74

Pro Wrestling Ramblings: 2011 PWI Female 50, 25 to 21

I've meant to post these for the long time, but never got around until now.
And Since PWI has released their new Top 50 Female Wrestlers list for 2012, I figure what the hell & post the rest.

25. NICKKI ROXX

5'9", 140 lbs., 10 yrs. pro, rank 23 in 2010
Has worked for SHIMMER, WSU, CMILL, & TNA (as Roxxi).

A Boston native who gotten into bodybuliding before being trained by the legendary Killer Kowalski.



24. DAIZEE HAZE

5'3", 115 lbs., 9 yrs. pro, rank 34  in 2010

Wrestled for ROH,  WSU, CHIKARA, TNA, & SHIMMER wear she serves as head trainer at their wrestling school. Known for her lean ripped physique which adds to her beauty.

23. MELINA PEREZ

5'4", 123 lbs., 9 yrs. pro, not rank  in 2010

This Mexican-American former WWE Diva Champion was noted for her  trademark ring entrance, performing  the splits on the wrestling ring's apon. As well as being the "on-again-off-again" girlfriend of another former WWE talent John Hennigan (aka, John Morrison).

22. ANGEL ORSINI

5'6". 155 lbs.. 15 yrs. pro, rank 28  in 2010

Angel as Riptide

A veteran whos worked for Paul Heyman's ECW (as the Prodigette), various indies like WSU (as Riptide), & WWE developmentals OVW & FCW. A disciplined bodybuilder & former mix martial arts fighter (knows Tae Kwan Do & Hopkido) is someone who you don't want to mess with.

21. BRIE BELLA

5'6", 125 lbs., 4 yrs. pro, not rank in 2010

This sexy Mexian-American is one-half of the Bella Twins. With a little help from her sister Nikki became the WWE Diva Champion. Both girls started off in WWE's development program in FCW.

~ Raja Devilman74

REMEMBRANCE DAY

Today is REMEMBRANCE DAY in CANADA, as well in other COMMONWEALTH countries where we remember the members of our armed forces who died in the line of duty since the end of the WORLD WAR 1.

Remembrance Day is observed on November 11 to recall the end of hostilities of World War I on that date in 1918. Hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month," in accordance with the Armistice, signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. ("At the 11th hour" refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 a.m.) World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.

The day was specifically dedicated by King George V on 7 November 1919 as a day of remembrance for members of the armed forces who were killed during World War I. This was possibly done upon the suggestion of Edward George Honey to Wellesley Tudor Pole, who established 2 ceremonial periods of remembrance based on events in 1917.

Flanders Field

The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem "In Flanders Fields", written during World War 1 by Canadian physician and Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war.

John McCrae

                                                                    In Flanders Fields

                                                           In Flanders fields the poppies blow

                                                           Between the crosses, row on row,

                                                           That mark our place; and in the sky

                                                           The larks, still bravely singing, fly

                                                           Scarce heard amid the guns below.

                                                          We are the Dead. Short days ago

                                                          We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

                                                           Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

                                                                  In Flanders fields.

                                                          Take up our quarrel with the foe:

                                                          To you from failing hands we throw

                                                         The torch; be yours to hold it high.

                                                         If ye break faith with us who die

                                                        We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

                                                         In Flanders fields.

Former Spy Kid Now A Super Hottie in Machete Kills

Alexa Vega as Killjoy in Machete Kills

WOW, I remember young actress Alexa Vega from her role as Carmen Cortez in director Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids movies and singing as Shilo Wallace in the 2008 Rock Opera musical Repo! The Genetic Opera. 

Alexa Vega as Carmen Cortez in Spy Kids

Alexa Vega Swimsuit Special 

But time marches on they say and little Alexa Vega grew up. Her former Spy Kid director took noticed and cast her in his sequel to his 2010 movie Machete, titled Machete Kill, as a gun-totting whorehouse bodyguard  named Killjoy.

Alexa Vega 1st Reveal 

Alexa Vega had previously posted a picture of herself as Killjoy on the internet for her fans. But when I saw the official picture of her as Killjoy released by the studio, my mouth dropped like every other Fanboy out there.

Danny as Machete

Alexa Vega joins an impressive cast which include leading man Danny Trejo, actresses Jessica Alba, & Michelle Rodriguez, returning to reprise their roles. Others include Antonio Banderas, Sofia Vergara, Zoe Saldana, Amber Heard, Vanessa Hadgens, Cuba Gooding Jr., Edward James Olmos, Charlie Sheen as U.S. President, & Mel Gibson as the main villain, and Mega Popstar Lady Gaga as a character named "La Cameleon".

Lady Gaga as La Cameleon

No release date yet, but Open Road will unleash "Machete Kills" sometime next year in 2013 with a heavy 'R' rating, I can't wait. 

~ Raja Devilman74

I Love New 52 Earth 2 (Spoilers)

The Earth 2 concept was 1st introduced in the pages of the classic Silver Age Flash story "Flash of 2 Worlds" in 1961 by DC's chief writer at the time, Gardner Fox.

Now in 2012 DC has revised the whole Alternate Earth as apart of their "2nd Wave" of their "New 52".
Earth 2 is written by James Robinson (The Golden Age & Staman) and art by Nicola Scott (Birds of Prey & Teen Titans).

Earth 2 starts out with a Big Bang, Earth has been devastated by an alien invasion lead by Jack Kirby's classic New God Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. The last of Earth 2's Greatest Superheroes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman (I loved their costume designs more than their counterparts in the "mainstream" DC Universe) and their sidekicks, Earth 2's versions of Robin (who's Batman's daughter Helena) & Supergirl make make a last ditch effort one last stand against overwhelming odds.

In the trench's we meet U.S. Army Sgt. Al Pratt (the future Earth 2's Atom).

We find out that Wonder Woman is the last of the Amazons and that most of the Roman Gods are dead when she is payed a visit by Mercury (here Wonder Woman's patrons are Roman Deities instead of Greek) who says his farewell before flying off.

Earth 2's Wonder Woman killed by Steppenwolf.

Superman is blown up.

This leaves just Batman to destroy the Enemy base. In a tearful goodbye to his daughter Robin, Batman does just that, making the ultimate sacrifice.

But not before Supergirl & Robin escape through a portal, maybe heading to the main Earth of the New 52, where they become the Huntress & Power Girl in the pages of Worlds' Finest (another of the "2nd Wave" books) by Paul Levitz, George Perez, & Kevin Maguire.

The Huntress' look stays pretty much the same, while Power Girl gets a totally new look, much to the disappointment of Fanboys Worldwide :(

Then flash forward (no pun intended) 5 years later, the world recovers from what has been named "the Apokolips War".

We meet a young handsome billionaire CEO of GBS, Alan Scott (the future Earth 2's Green Lantern) who flies off to China in his private jet. DC plans on making this new revamped Alan Scott their much hype "Major Gay Superhero". 

So the guy who gets his superpowers from a magic green flame & who's weakness is wood is now DC Comics official Flaming Gay Man who is susceptible to Wood. Makes sense to me ;)

Then are introduced to a younger 21 year old college grad Jay Garrick as he is being dump by his girlfriend.

Just when Jay thinks his life is over the Roman God Mercury drops in front of him, which makes me question where has the God of Speed been for the last 5 years?

Any way, this leads to a much better origin for the Flash then his old Golden Age Origin which involved him breathing in "hard water" fumes.

It looks like the start of a new Justice Society forming, inspired by the heroic sacrifices of the Big 3.
When known at the end of Mr. Terrific's cancelled title that he travelled across dimensions, perhaps to Earth 2?

Robinson also plans on having Rex Tyler, the Hourman appear as Jay Garrick's ex-girlfriend Joan mentions going to for TylerChem.

With Earth 2 #4 debuts Hawkgirl, who takes the place of Earth 2's Batman as "the World's Greatest Detective" spotting twin .45s in each hand.

I Can't wait to see what Robinson got in-store for us next and how these heroes become the Justice Society.

~ Rajadevilman74