Forbidden Planet 1956 - it's awesome
This movie may be almost 65 years old, but truly great old movies defy their age.
I just recently saw Forbidden Planet for the first time. This is, obviously, a science fiction flick.
This movie predates Star Wars, Star Trek and even 2001: A Space Odyssey.
You can buy this movie if you want a super high quality Blu-ray version, but you can also stream or download it totally for free on The Internet Archive. Although if you want reproduction movie poster, that's not free but totally worth getting just because it looks so cool.
The entire reason I even watched this in the first place is because it features Leslie Nielsen when he was only 30 years old. Yeah, the guy from The Naked Gun movies. Same dude.
However, I very quickly forgot about that because of how amazing this film is; I totally got taken in by it.
It's not that the storyline is unbelievably good or anything like that. Rather, it's just incredible seeing what Hollywood did with science fiction back in the mid-1950s to make it work. And make it work they did.
The film starts off feeling a bit claustrophobic because it begins inside a spaceship. But then after landing on the planet, things open up. And then later on when taken underground, things really open up. It's incredible the feeling of bigness this movie gives off.
The characters were likeable, and enough was given so I knew the purpose of each. And while things do get exposition heavy in some points, it doesn't ruin the movie.
Altaira Morbius is the only weird character because there are times when I don't know what her angle is supposed to be. I know what her purpose is, but her angle takes some sharp changes as the movie goes along that confuses me a bit; this is something I blame on 1950s movie storytelling.
The best part about this movie where the story is concerned is when you find out who the villain actually is, because it actually makes you think and look inward.
The best part is about the sound is that the soundtrack is 100% electronic. No music and no orchestra heard at all. Supposedly, this was done to save cost of production, but it just adds to the movie's mystique. Sometimes the absence of certain sounds can be very effective, and this movie certainly proves that.
Given the amount of sci-fi movies I've seen over the years, it's real easy to pick out scene styles in Forbidden Planet that other movies made after it used. It's almost like this movie was made as a template for how sci-fi space movies are supposed to look. Well, everything except for Robby The Robot. That character is an ultra-1950s thing, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Yeah, I liked this movie. It's a good watch.
Living with a "full numbers" analog dial watch
This dial design is still the best for analog watches.
An example of a "full numbers" analog watch is the Casio MW240. Yes, it's cheap. But it does have every hour of the day on the dial, 1 through 12. You would be surprised how difficult it is sometimes just to find a dial design like this.
Part of the reason for the recent purchase of my Casio MTP-V006 is because it has a full numbers dial. This is without question my favorite analog dial design because it is one of the fastest to read.
To be clear, full numbers means every hour is displayed. If hour 3 or 6 isn't there because of a date window, then it doesn't count as a full numbers dial.
What's supposed to happen is that if you want a full numbers dial, it should be as easy as searching for field watch and just picking out the one you think looks the best. But as you'll see, that's not always exactly what you get.
Yes, you will see some full numbers dial watches there. But you're also going to see a bunch with complicated chronograph dials, date windows blocking hour 3, partial numbers dials, minute track numbers where the hours should be, and so on.
A true field watch is supposed to have something like the dial design of the Casio MW240, as in ultra-legible with high contrast on an uncluttered dial. Strangely, there's really not that many field watches that match the legibility of the MW240. Funny how a dirt cheap $20 watch is actually more legible that other field watches that sell for much, much more.
I need those hour numbers
I definitely need all those hour numbers on the dial, otherwise at certain times of the day I have to stare at the dial longer to figure out what time it is. That may not sound like a big deal, but it gets annoying having to repeatedly do that.
For whatever reason, I just can't get used to a symbols-only or any other analog dial that doesn't have all the hour numbers on it.
Some watch wearers are totally okay with hour markers that are all symbols. Most dive watches are like that where almost all the hour markers are just big dots with no numbers present. I owned one of those before and just couldn't get along with it.
Digital is, of course, the easiest of the easy to read because it's nothing but numbers for the time. But analog looks better, even if it's just a cheap MW240.
Although I've been a digital watch wearer for years, I've purposely been wearing the MTP-V006 just to see if I could live with it. Yes, I can. And it's mainly because of the all numbers dial. Reading the time is easy with all the hours there. Easy as a digital? No. But I've finally found an analog dial design that works for me, meaning I can wear it daily and not be annoyed by the display.
On a final note, I would get an MW240 if it weren't for the fact it's slightly goofy-big for my wrist with its 43.6mm diameter. If it were a 38mm (which is what my MTP-V006 is), I would have already bought one.
Will an Epiphone Les Paul appreciate in value like a Gibson Les Paul?
No. Let's find out why.
I have owned an Epiphone Les Paul guitar before. Two, actually. One that was dirt cheap and another that was mid-priced. Both were decent for what they were. But I knew neither would ever command any sort of decent resale value.
These are the reasons why Epiphone Les Paul guitars do not appreciate in value like Gibson Les Pauls do.
Not made in USA
A big part of what guitar players lust after with a Gibson LP is the fact it's American made. Epiphone has a very specific factory where they make all their Les Pauls, and it's obviously not based in the United States.
While absolutely true you can get an Epi Les Paul with 100% American electronics in it (they've been doing that for a while now on upper end models,) the guitar itself is not made in the USA, and that detracts from its resale value.
Purists don't believe Epiphone makes "a real Les Paul"
If an Epi LP exactly matches a Gibson LP in every measurement, every wood choice, every electronic and even every screw, it doesn't matter. Purist Gibson snobs will never consider any LP by Epiphone to be "the real thing".
Furthermore, guitars buyers will not spend extra on LPs made by Epiphone. They simply won't do it. The perceived value of an Epi LP is lower than what they sell for new, and that's not about to change any time soon.
Of course, there will always be That Guy who says he was able to sell an Epi LP for good money. He's either lying through his teeth, or he found a sucker. Or he currently has an Epi LP that he's trying to sell for way too much and is desperately trying to convince buyers it's worth something when it isn't. (Usually the same kind of idiot who posts a guitar "with upgrades" on eBay, thinking that actually increases the value of a guitar when it doesn't and never did.)
Epiphone Les Paul will always be seen as second banana to the Gibson
There's only one original Les Paul, and it's made by Gibson. That's the name on the headstock people want, and that will never change.
I'm not arguing which is the better guitar. I'm saying that when you think Les Paul, you think Gibson first and always. Not Epiphone. Never Epiphone.
Guitarists buy Epiphone Les Paul guitars because they want a Les Paul that's made like a Les Paul with all the Les Paul features without the Gibson Les Paul price. It's what you buy when you desire LP character over brand.
It is a foolish decision to buy an Epiphone Les Paul guitar as a collector's piece, because the likelihood of it appreciating in value is very low.
Do any Epiphone electric guitars appreciate in value?
An Epiphone brand guitar that stands a much better chance of appreciating in value is whenever it's a model Gibson does not make. More often that not that means looking at Epiphone Archtop series. As in Sheraton, Casino, Riviera, Wildkat and Uptown Kat.
Archtop models by Epiphone exclusive to their brand only are the guitars that are not second banana to Gibson since their isn't a Gibson equivalent. This means if you want one, you must buy Epiphone brand to get it. Exclusivity counts where value is concerned. You can get that with Epiphone, just not with a Les Paul.
Squier Affinity or Ibanez GIO?
Where low budget guitars are concerned, which to go with depends on a few factors.
Squier Affinity series and Ibanez GIO series guitars are more or less priced evenly, give or take 30 dollars. We're talking about a price range of roughly $200 to $230.
As far as which is the better guitar, overall I give it to Ibanez because it's the most compatible.
I'll explain.
If all you want is the guitar that is "most compatible" with amps, effects and recording to phone or PC, Ibanez GIO is the better choice.
I can say confidently that an Ibanez GIO will work with any amp and/or effect you have. In addition, having this guitar also makes shopping for amps and effects a lot easier. Why? The pickups. They are voiced in a way that sounds right with just about anything.
However, if you're going after clean tone, country twang, funk or anything else where clear clean tone matters, a Squier Affinity Strat or Tele will destroy the Ibanez.
HOWEVER... Squier Affinity Strats and Teles are not compatible with all amps and effects. In fact, there are many amps and pedals which Affinity guitars would just sound outright awful with. Careful attention needs to be given to what sounds better with a Squier Affinity series guitar and that's just the way it is.
Knowing this, why would anyone bother with an Affinity Strat or Tele in the first place knowing it doesn't work with everything? Answer: Tonal character. As in a character that only Strats and Teles have that's very specific, and to many very pleasing to the ear.
In the end, if just starting out and just want something that works with everything, get the Ibanez GIO. But if you lean more towards clean tone with that specific tonal character Strats and Teles have, get the Squier Affinity.
Classy minimalist watch - Casio MTP-V006
This is definitely one of the best looking Casio analog watches I've ever seen.
To begin, this watch does come in several colors and styles. The one I have is the MTP-V006D-7B2 model.
Here are the other models for this particular style their respective colorways:
- MTP-V006L-1B2 - Steel with black dial and black leather strap
- MTP-V006L-1B3 - Steel with black dial and brown leather strap
- MTP-V006L-3B - Steel with gray dial and green leather strap
- MTP-V006D-1B2 - Steel with black dial and steel bracelet
- MTP-V006D-2B - Steel with blue dial and steel bracelet
- MTP-V006D-7B2 - Steel with white dial and steel bracelet
- MTP-V006G-1B - Gold tone with black dial and gold tone bracelet
- MTP-V006G-7B - Gold tone with white dial and gold tone bracelet
I say "this particular style" because there is also a version of the V006 like this one where the dial looks totally different with its Roman numerals.
What's the big deal with the railroad track inner ring?
The inner ring of my MTP-V006D-7B2 has what's known as a railroad track because it actually looks like train tracks. This is not to be confused with railroad watches a.k.a. railroad chronometers like those from Ball Watch. The railroad track thing in this instance is just for appearance's sake...
...but oh, what a nice appearance it is.
Certain luxury timepieces do make use of a railroad track on the dial. A. Lange & Sohne uses one on the 1815 model. Other luxury timepieces with a railroad track are Rolex Day-Date, Omega Railmaster, IWC Portugieser and several others.
While the railroad track on the Casio is an inner ring and not one that "hugs" the perimeter of the dial, it's still a very fancy look on a watch that sells for under 40 bucks.
White dial is the best option
The first reason I went with the white is specifically because the date wheel is also in white, resulting in a monochromatic elegant look. The only time any other color appears on the dial is on Sunday when the day reads SUN in red.
The second reason is that the look of this dial strongly resembles old Swiss mechanical stopwatches. My dad had one of these that looked similar to this. And I'm genuinely surprised this specific look hasn't been used more for wristwatch dial design. There was a time when a lot of people used mechanical stopwatches. The vast majority of them had a stark white dial with printed black indices. Some had red markings on them too. It was never anything fancy because it was built for function first and always.
Casio, intentionally or not, totally nailed the look of an old Swiss mechanical stopwatch with the white dial MTP-V006D-7B2.
Yes, this is minimalist
Some people think just about anything by Movado is the ultimate for a minimalist watch. True? Yes. But there is such a thing as having too much minimalism, and Movado timepieces trip that line. Movado does make great fashion timepieces and I don't take that away from them. But Movado's whole thing is fashion and not function first.
Then there are watches that have so much going on that you can barely read the time on them. The best (worst?) example I know of this is the Seiko Flightmaster. Wow, does that thing have a ridiculously complicated dial. You thought the Breitling Navitimer was complicated? Seiko will one-up you there with the Flightmaster. Granted, some guys like really complicated (but functional) dials and think that's looks cool. I can't do that. I need a dial I can read quickly.
...and that's why I say the MTP-V006 is minimalist. It's more complicated than a Movado but nowhere near as busy as a Seiko Flightmaster. If there were a rating system of 1 to 10 on how complicated/busy a watch dial is, the MTP-V006 would be right around a 4. Most chronographs are a 7 and then after that comes the stuff with the slide rule bezel on it where I'm amazed anybody could actually read the time on one of those.
A few notes for things I didn't say in the video
The bracelet has brushed links but with polished thin "stripes." Looks nice. Had they went with any more shine however, that would have been too much. Casio fortunately knew when to stop and got the look of the bracelet correct.
The back of the case is totally boring and very plain. Obviously there is no exhibition case back since it's a quartz movement, and all you see back there is a stamped Casio logo with some basic movement reference information.
100% of the watch case is polished with the exception of the case back.
The case is a snap-back, meaning it will be annoying to change the battery in this thing when that time comes.
All printing on the dial is raised. It's a light raise, but still, that is better than just flat printing.
The outline around the date window is also raised ink.
I dig the look of this watch a lot, and oh yes, this is a keeper for sure.