Weary Dunlop Statue – Kings Domain Gardens Melbourne

This is a statue of Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop, who was an Australian surgeon who was renowned for his leadership whilst being held prisoner by the Japanese during World War II. The statue is located in the Kings Domain Gardens, alongside St Kilda Road. (Not in the Royal Botanic Gardens as many people believe.) The statue was created in 1995 by Peter Corlett.

Joe Louis

I was trying to find some stuff on the internet that showed the 2nd greatest boxer of all time (after Ali), Joe Louis in his career as a pro-wrestler. For those who don’t know, Louis was in serious debt with the IRS after WWII and did all sorts of crazy stuff (like fight Rocky Marciano when Louis was past his prime) to make cash. The reason why the ‘Brown Bomber’ was in so much debt was due to him being ripped off by his management team during his career, as well as his own generosity to help his own family and other underprivileged black kids. To cut a long story short, I came across this poster of a film that Joe made in the late 1940s. I don’t know much about ‘The Fight Never Ends’, except for what is written on the poster. Louis made another feature film called ‘Spirit of Youth’ a decade or so earlier. (It also featured an all colored cast!)

As for Joe’s career as a wrestler, well that was nothing worth really writing about. He did spend a lot of time as a wrestling referee though.In this clip the voice over guy just mocks Joe’s financial problems.

Antonino Rocca VS Superman

I love it when real life people appear in these old comic book stories. Here wrestling champion Antonino Argentina Rocca  takes on the Man Of Steel. Of course this story is not as famous as the Superman Vs Muhammed Ali comic book that came out in the late 70s, but I wonder if that story was influenced by this one.

Antonino Rocca was one of the wrestling greats of the 1940s, 50s and 60s, and wrestled in the famous fictitious tournament final against Buddy Rogers for the newly created World Wide Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship, which he lost. He also  apparently worked alongside Vince Mc Mahon as a commentator on WWWF television in the mid70s, before he passed away in 1977.

Here is a match between NWA Champion Lou Thesz, and Rocca. Not sure when this is from though, perhaps the late 50s or early 60s.

Hulk Hogan Vitamins / Lord Alfred Hayes

I’m sure that back in the 80s kids thought Hogan was being sincere when he talked about his Powerful Protein Shake and the Powerful Python Pack vitamins but knowing what we know about Hogan now, this is just funny. I think this is from Tuesday Night Titans.

Also I must say how much I miss Lord Alfred Hayes. Sure he was the butt of everyone’s jokes and he was a terrible announcer, and most of the comedy skits he was in were cringingly awful, but I miss him all the same. Here Hogan calls him Awful Alfred, which I guess is the persona that Hayes used in the AWA when he was one of the top heel managers. Apparently he was as a good as a heel manager as he was as terrible an announcer. Most people I guess just remember him as the Coliseum Video guy.

Hogan and Flair in Australia

I have to give Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair some kudos for working the Australian press in the way they did yesterday. For those who have not heard the news, here is how the Herald Sun, Australia’s #1 newspaper reported it…

“The Hulk, Hulk Hogan injured in bloody Sydney brawl with Ric Flair and media

WRESTLER Hulk Hogan has been badly injured after a violent bloody brawl broke out at The Hulkamania promotional press conference at Star City today.

The press conference veered violently out of control today as Hulk Hogan and ring rival Ric Flair let their animosity break into a full scale bloody brawl.

Newspaper Sydney Central’s photographer Phil Rogers had his flash broken when Ric Flair threw a table off the stage and into the press gathering before diving on photographers.

Media were stunned as the Hulk’s head began bleeding profusely and confusion broke out when the veteran wrestling star was unable to get to his feet.

This reporter narrowly missed being struck with the table and photographers ducked and weaved as Ric Flair took off his trouser belt and began to whip anyone within range.

The press conference began well with the stars of the tour speaking professionally about their careers and the business.

Hulk Hogan was excited to be touring Australia for the first time.

He said promoters in the past had billed him to tour Australia without his knowledge only to tell the fans that he could not make it.

The Hulkamania tour hits Melbourne on Saturday night.”

The ABC were not to be sucked in by all this though…

“Hulk Hogan ‘attacked’ at press event

Posted Wed Nov 18, 2009 3:55pm AEDT
Updated Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:01pm AEDT

Hulk Hogan was bleeding profusely from the head. (Getty Images: Brendon Thorne)

Hulk Hogan was apparently left battered and bruised after a bloody brawl with rival Ric Flair at a media conference in Sydney today.

The event, to promote a wrestling tour later this month, veered violently out of control when Hogan and Flair let their animosity break into what appeared to be a full-scale brawl.

Media were shocked when Hogan began bleeding profusely from the head and was unable to get to his feet.

Flair used his belt to whip anyone within range.

The Daily Telegraph reports one photographer had their equipment broken when Flair threw a table off the stage and into the press.

It was a dramatic twist, as the event had started well with the professional wrestlers discussing their careers.

Pro-wrestling has a long history of orchestrating rivalries between crowd favourites and villains.

Bouts are often staged with the outcome preordained.

This track record has led to speculation that today’s events are nothing more than a promotional event.

- ABC/AAP”

Bouts are often staged with a predetermined outcome. Next the ABC will tell me that there is no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny.

Despite the main stream press that this story has picked up, there is no way that I am going to shell out any money to see the Hulkamania tour this weekend. I am saying this as both a wrestling fan and a Ric Flair fan.

Firstly the main even consists of Hulk Hogan who is 55, and Ric Flair who I believe is 63. We all know that Hogan has creative control of this tour and that Flair will have to do the JOB all week long. In fact I could pretty much say I know exactly how the match will go, as I suspect it will just be each wrestler’s signature spots strung together. We know at one point Flair will put the figure four on Hogan and he will no sell it, before hulking up. We also know that Hogan will end up giving Flair the big boot, run off the ropes and drop the leg drop of doom, 1, 2, 3, Hogan wins.

While I could perhaps tolerate that as a main event the undercard is really uninspired. Lots of Hogan’s flunkys like Ed Leslie (Brutus Beefcake) and the Nasty Boys and Jimmy Hart are on the tour. Nothing that I would really like to see.

Twilight

Nosferatu

Vampires are not supposed to be vegetarians or sparkle in the daylight. They are not supposed to fall in love or drive an Aston Martin. Vampires are supposed to be scary blood sucking murderers that die if they are caught out in the sunlight. In 2009 lots of tweenage girls (and their mothers) are swooning over Edward Cullen from Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, but these books and films have more in common with the works of Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters than they do with Bram Stoker.

Of course for the first film version of the greatest of all vampires, Count Dracula, we have to go back nearly 90 years to Germany, and F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu. Whilst this is perhaps the most honest of the Dracula films and the one that was most true to Stoker’s vision, the names of the characters had to be chagened due to copyright restrictions. This seems kind of ironic when you consider that the Dracula character is now public domain. At the time the Stoker Estate sued Murnau and all prints of this film were ordered to be destroyed but fortunately they weren’t.

The casting of Max Schreck as Count Orlok (Dracula) is superb and he is particularly frightening. Rumour has it that he sold his soul to the devil to perfect the role or that he was a real vampire.

Melbourne Zoo Elephant

Here is yet another photo from Melbourne Zoo of one of the elephants. I think this is Mekappa.

Silver K Gallery

Currently showing at the Silver K Gallery at High Street in Armadale is an exhibition of animation artwork from Hanna Barbera. Advertised as the last great Hanna Barbera show, the exhibition ends on the 29^th of November.

I haven’t been to the exhibition yet, but the advertising says that there are some original production cels, as well as limited edition sericels, giclees and lithographs. Browsing through the Silver K website I noticed some interesting artwork which I’d love to own (if only I had the money), but Silver K has not listed the prices on their website.

Here’s a great looking Yogi Bear sericel.

The Flintstones sericel, in a scene reminiscent of that from the opening credits.

This artwork has all been ‘signed’ by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera.

There is also some of Chuck Jones’ Looney Tunes artwork available on the site. These are reproductions that Chuck did later in life and are not original animation cels. Some of these used to be available in the Warner Bros. Studio Store when it was still open.

Some signed Joe Oriolo Felix the Cat artwork.

Some Disney artwork is available too.

Michelin – Bibendum

One of the most famous advertising characters in the world is Bibendum, the Michelin Man, who has been the advertising mascot of Michelin tyres for over 100 years. His image is iconic but has changed somewhat over the years.

He has always been made up of white Michelin bicycle tyres, but here he has pince-nez glasses on (that resemble the shape of a bicycle), and smokes a cigar.

Here his head has become a little more humanised. (He’s still smoking that cigar though)

In this poster from 1925 he is starting to more closely resemble the Michelin Man of today.

Here’s a more modern poster, from the 60s or 70s. Note that Bibendum’s eyes are made up of bicycle tyres.