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Showing posts with label French. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French. Show all posts

Saturday, January 08, 2022

The Garfield Telephone

1986 ad for the Tyco Garfield Telephone
 

The 1986 Tyco Garfield telephone perhaps would have been another '80s pop culture relic were it not for a phenomena happening to this day halfway around the world.

The phone itself was a conventional working telephone molded as Garfield. It's eyes opened when you lifted the receiver. It was targeted to kids lucky enough to have phone lines in their bedrooms (which was becoming a regular feature in homes in the 1980s.) It was foreign manufactured for Tyco (best known for their model trains and slot racers.)   

It even had a toll-free number kids could call and "talk" to Garfield.

And the phone was successful in America, from the numbers of them seen in thrift shops and on eBay.

But they aren't so popular in Iroise, Brittany on the French coast. Because since the 1980s, Garfield phones and parts have been washing up on the beaches of France and for many years, locals didn't know from where until a missing shipping container was found, completely loaded with unpackaged Garfield phones. But since the container is in a sea cave, it's extremely dangerous to access. So it's presumed Garfield phones will keep washing up for many more decades, possibly centuries as the plastic they are made of does not degrade very easily in the elements.






Wednesday, October 14, 2015

"When I Looked At Your Face" Jodie Foster (1977)

1977 French Single Sleeve
1977 German Single Sleeve
1978 German Reissue Sleeve


This single was only released in Europe, where she was living at the time and she starred in the French movie Moi, fleure bleue, (that's Me, Blue Flower (???). The official English title is Stop Calling Me Baby!) She sings on the film's soundtrack, where this song comes from.

She also recorded a French version of this song with a different arrangement.

And finally, the B-side....


Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Charlie Hebdo

The January 14, 2015 issue of Charlie Hebdo. Headline: "All is Forgiven".

It has been nearly a week since the massacre at the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical weekly newspaper. And words still fail me.

This was a direct attack not just on a little French weekly. It was an attack on all of us who cherish freedom of speech. The artists, writers, journalists, reporters and bloggers of the world, be they on paper or online. And their readers. No matter where we are in the world.

And a painful reminder that even in America, there are hateful forces right here that are willing to silence those who they do not agree with through deadly force.

The surviving staff of Charlie Hebdo in spite of enduring the most horrific tragedy imaginable, have chosen to carry on. Because you cannot give in to evil no matter what the threat may be.

The path of freedom has always been a long, painful and bloody one. But stopping is not an option.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

The Red Balloon (Le Balon Rouge, 1956)


I've always loved this little French movie. For three reasons.

First, there was almost no dialogue whatsoever in the film. This was not uncommon in classic French cinema. The visuals say everything.

Second, it's a whimsical little story about a little boy and a balloon he finds in the street.

Third (and especially.) This was the LONGEST film in the A/V library at my elementary school back in the 1970s, clocking in at just over a half hour.

Almost missed it for the third time when the substitute teacher filled in and she didn't know how to run the film projector (long before VCRs and DVD players, plain ordinary Bell & Howell 16mm film projectors and white pull-down screens that hung over the chalkboard were mandatory equipment in every classroom.) I happily took care of all that for her (nudge, wink.)

Most films we had rarely ran longer than 15 minutes. A half hour film like The Red Balloon was a godsend.....
When she left in the middle of the film to talk to another teacher in the hallway, I stopped and rewound the film to the beginning, starting it the second the classroom door opened. She stared at me rather suspiciously the rest of the film, knowing I had thrown a deliberate wrench in her schedule. Whatever kept us from doing school work and gave me cool points with the rest of the kids....

Enjoy!

Sunday, August 04, 2013

The Disco Duck

In the end.....nobody was spared.

"Disco Duck" Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots (1976)




"Disco Duck" Paul Vincent (1976, French Version)



"Silly Love Songs" Irwin The Disco Duck & The Wibble-Wabble Singers And Orchestra (1977)



"Macho Duck" Donald Duck (1979)











"Lui" Rupert Holmes (1980)


Rupert Holmes is most famous for his 1979/1980 hits ""Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" and "Him". He also had a hit with the infamous "Timothy" from The Buoys

"Lui" is the French-Canadian version of "Him".

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Jacques Dutronc

This one's for the ladies.....


Clearly, nothing says "sex appeal" like some dude with a cigarette hanging nonchalantly out his mouth.

Meet Jacques Dutronc, he was one of France's hottest stars of the '60s and '70s. He scored a number of hits there and in French Canada (he's probably best known amongst American music fans as the husband of singer Francoise Hardy.) I once found a 45 of this song "J'aime Les Filles" or "I Love The Girls"


I found it at my favourite thrift shop in a random bag of 45s, some 40 of them for $1.00 

The lyrics.....

J'aime les filles de chez Castel
J'aime les filles de chez Régine
J'aime les filles qu'on voit dans "Elle"
J'aime les filles des magazines

J'aime les filles de chez Renault
J'aime les filles de chez Citroën
J'aime les filles des hauts fourneaux
J'aime les filles qui travaillent à la chaîne

Si vous êtes comme ça, téléphonez-moi
Si vous êtes comme ci, téléphonez-me

J'aime les filles à dot
J'aime les filles à papa
J'aime les filles de Loth
J'aime les filles sans papa

J'aime les filles de Mégève
J'aime les filles de Saint-Tropez
J'aime les filles qui font la grève
J'aime les filles qui vont camper

Si vous êtes comme ça, téléphonez-moi
Si vous êtes comme ci, téléphonez-me

J'aime les filles de la Rochelle
J'aime les filles de Camaret
J'aime les filles intellectuelles
J'aime les filles qui m'font marrer

J'aime les filles qui font vieille France
J'aime les filles de Cinéma
J'aime les filles de l'Assistance
J'aime les filles dans l'embarras

Si vous êtes comme ça, téléphonez-moi
Si vous êtes comme ci, téléphonez-me...


I ran these lyrics through Babelfish and got this translation......

I love the girls from Castel
I love the girls from Régine
I love the girls one sees in "Elle"
I love the girls of the magazines
I love the girls from Renault
I love the girls from Citroen
I love the girls of the blast furnaces
I love the girls who work with the chain
If you are like that, telephone to me
If you are like Ci, telephone me

I love the girls with dowry
I love the girls with dad
I love the girls of Loth
I love the girls without dad
I love the girls of Mégève
I love the girls of Saint-Tropez
I love the girls who strike
I love the girls who will camp
If you are like that, telephone to me
If you are like Ci, telephone me

I love the girls of the La Rochelle
I love the girls of Camaret
I love the intellectual girls
I love the girls who make merrier
I love the girls who make old France
I love the girls of Cinema
I love the girls of The Assistance
I love the girls in embarrassment
If you are like that, telephone to me
If you are like Ci, telephone me…


Wow.....I've been through every type of girl he mentions...except for those girls of the blast furnaces. Who knew?