OMG!.....THAT REALLY IS THE GREAT JOHNNY MATHIS

When I first saw these images above of the great Crooner Johnny Mathis earlier

this year I could barely believe my eyes. The images are taken from a viral video of 

Johnny performing his classic hit 'Misty' a song that goes all the way back to it's first

release in 1959.

And what's even more extraordinary about this performance from earlier this year in

January is that Johnny was 89 but still sounding as good as ever. And just a week ago

last Tuesday he reached the grand age of 90.

And watching this video (link below) I think it brings joy, but for some people of a certain

age it might bring on a sense of melancholy as we're being made aware of the passing of time.

Sadly the 2025 Concert Tour came to an abrupt end in May when his press team put out a

statement saying that Johnny Mathis had called it a day and would no longer be

performing anymore concerts due to 'accelerated' memory issues along with his

advancing age and declining health.

And if you've seen some of the videos of his last few concerts now up on youtube, then

you could see that he was struggling with his mobility up on the stage.

But thankfully his Record Company have faith in his well kept voice and are already

working alongside Johnny by producing a brand new album.

And so the mystery around this viral video that already has over two and a half

million views, is, who exactly filmed it. The video itself is up on Eric Matthews youtube

page but there's no video description. So it's unclear who the owner of the video is.

Link below.

JOHNNY MATHIS PERFORMING MISTY IN 2025 

Below: Johnny Mathis with his 1979 hit

'Gone, Gone Gone' a surprise hit that

cashed in on the Disco craze at the time.

UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE BY  Cienfuegos911

Raising Hell.....The Colossal Hellraiser Suite

 

Well I'm not sure how I missed this but I found this video above of a live concert recording

of the music from Clive Barker's classic horror movie Hellraiser (1987) along with

Hellbound (1988).

And for a late 1980's British Horror movie I thought the crashing opening music was so over

the top. But as I warmed to the films I realized how it was the music that enhanced the films.

I do have a three dvd box set of Hellraiser 1, 2 and 3, of which Hellraiser III Hell on Earth

has to be my favourite. It clearly had a bigger budget with more effects thrown in. And the thing

with the Hellraiser movies is that despite the horror and gory scenes, it actually had quite a bit

of humour in them along with some iconic lines mostly spouted by it's leading actor Pinhead

played by Doug Bradley, the original and only Pinhead for me.

Bradley has often said that if the call came for him to take on the roll of Pinhead then he would

jump at the opportunity. I can't think why he was dropped in the first place. He absolutely owned

the role of Pinhead the leader of the Cenobites. And after he was replaced I guess I lost interest

in the follow up films.

Music by Christopher Young and Conducted by Pascula Osa.

Video kindly uploaded to Youtube by Elizabeth McReynolds  HERE 

Above and below:  Doug Bradley the original Pinhead.

Below: Kevin Bernhardt in Hellraiser III

( Gifs by diabilito666 )

Burt Reynolds at His Best in SHARKY'S MACHINE.....Repost.

I wonder why certain great films never seem to show up on tv.  So I was pleased to find

online a new blu-ray release of 'Sharky's Machine' starring Burt Reynolds. It was made

in 1981 and was filmed in and around the City of Atlanta.

And yes Burt is remembered for films like Deliverance and Boogie Nights, but for

me this was Burt's best film in which he also Directed.

In the movie plot Sharky (Burt Reynolds) is demoted to the seedy world of the Vice Squad

after a bust up goes horribly wrong. And in his first case in Vice, his team lead by Charles

Durning, just happen to stumble across a mob murder tied to prostitution and government.

Vittorio Gassman is the mobster that's pulling all the strings in the City, even pocketing a local

politician (Earl Holliman) who is running as Governor, while orchestrating his campaign for

his own ends.

Gassman's top hitman 'The Screaming Assassin' is played brilliantly by actor Henry Silva.

And in the bloody climax of the movie he becomes almost ghost like.

In the Youtube clip above we get one of those quiet moments in the middle of the film. I'm not sure

what they call these quieter segments in the movie industry but my guess is that it allows the cinema

goers in the theatre a chance to get their breath back again. And it's in this top scene that Sharky

is on a stake-out keeping an eye on the beautiful Rachel Ward. And not surprisingly it's a favourite

scene for fans of this movie. It also features that classic Hart & Rogers song 'My Funny Valentine'

as a jazz score.

The film was also Directed by Burt Reynolds.

( Video kindly uploaded to Youtube by Jan Shaw )

Saturday's Big March video Now Up.

That video I made at the recent big London March

is now up on my youtube channel, although considering

the video's content, the views are a bit slow at the

moment. Hopefully in time they'll pick up a bit.

Sometimes video's struggle to get up on youtube's

search engines. And I'm told that it's all about the

algorithms.

VIDEO HERE.

 

When Our Shirley Sang For Her Dear Life.

I've heard so much about this iconic performance by Shirley Bassey,

it's almost become the stuff of legend. And reacting to the video of the

performance is youtube reactor Adam Strong who is clearly a student

of the voice, observing how people perform. In fact I felt compelled to

keep my eye on his visible reactions while watching Dame Shirley

at the same time.

But I think you'll need headphones for this one as Adam films himself just

inches away from the tv screen using the volume from the tv itself which

kind of looks appealing in the same way that children sit so close to their

tv screen when watching cartoons.

And so this performance by Dame Shirley singing The Greatest Performance

of my Life is apparently a standout moment in her career. And it was the

final closing song from her 1976 BBC tv series. But what made her go all out,

belting it out like there was no tomorrow, as you wont see another

performance like it anywhere else.

Was she out to impress the BBC and win a contract for another Saturday

night series? If so then it worked as they offered her a new contract in 1979.

Dame Shirley is now 88 and I was shocked to see up on youtube recently (2025)

her belting out the closing bars of Diamonds Are Forever. Even at 88 her

voice is as strong as ever.

That video can be seen HERE.

ADAM STRONG'S YOUTUBE

INSTAGRAM

 

Below: Adam reacting to one of several

Michael Jackson videos.

Making Something For Almost Nothing....My Antique Bouillotte Lamp Updated

Sometimes I can't believe how I manage to knock up and create something for almost

nothing, like this Federal French style Bouillotte lamp which I put together back in 2022.

And in this top picture above you can see that I've updated it a little by placing over the

three candlesticks, which are actually three cut up bits from a wooden broomstick, and

I've placed over them three wider cut up bits from a length of white plastic one inch

plumbing piping.

And to update and highlight the black lampshade I've attached some brass eagles that I

ordered through a company using e-bay that sells U.S Presidential paraphernalia.

And yet when you look around on e-bay for these classic style Bouillotte lamps, you

can expect to pay up to £3,000 pounds or over. After all the style of these antique

artifacts date back to the French Royal period of  Louis XV. But I believe that I've

managed to put together this home made one for at least under £30:00.

Above: Gathering up all the things needed to make the Lamp back in 2022.

Original Blog post from 2022 HERE.

Below are just a few French Bouillotte Lamps I found for sale online. And as you can see the prices are quite staggering.