Memories of the BUD

What is the BUD?

BUD stands for Big Ugly Dish.  In 1990, My grandfather decided to get a BUD because there is more TV channels to watch between G1 - G5 on the C-Band. 

Where did We order the BUD

My grandfather ordered our satellite dish through the Stereo Den in Newmarket, Ontario.  The Stereo Den was our satellite dealer that my grandfather bought the receiver, the codes, and the dish.

The Channels

When you get a satellite dish, you will have to subscribe to many channels.  There are some channels that are free to watch with audio.  Some channels scrambled and not available.  Most of the channels that everyone enjoys are known as subscription channels.  If you watch a subscription channel, there may not be any audio.  In order to activate the audio, you have to punch in a code that is 10 - 20 characters long.

Movies

The BUD Had so many movie channels ranging from Showtime to Cinemax.  There were great movies to watch from Comedy to Horror.  I saw many movies like Bad Dreams, Total Recall, Little Monsters, and more.  I will tell you more movie memories on another page.

A jump scare in an unknown wedding movie, 1989 - 1990

This movie features a wedding ceremony in a church.  In the scene, you will see the bride walk down the aisle.  The camera will pan and show her face which is gory followed by a scram and a jump cut to a man screaming in bed realizing it was a nightmare.  I searched the IMDB and Google and cannot find the title.

Total Recall,1990

I saw this movie for the first time in January / Febuary 1991 on Viewer's Choice Pay Per View (G 3 channel 16).  What grabbed my attention when I was flipping channels one afternoon, was a car chase scene through a tunnel. 

This is the scariest moment in Total Recall

The Implant Lab scene frightened me when I saw it for the first time because of the lights the flashing lights and the sounds of sparking by Quaid's ears during the Implant procedure.  I continued to watch the movie and got frightened again when Benny attempts to grind Quaid with a tunnel mole machine.  A moment later, I said I did not like the move and switched the channel.  Since than, I was afraid to look at the video cover.

Cartoons

One of my favorite cartoon / kids channel I fell in love was Nickelodeon.  I saw cartoons like Heathcliff, Maya The Bee, Loony Tunes, Yogi Bear, and more.  Please keep your ears to the tracks for a special posting for Memories of Nick.

Family Channel

The Family Channel was a great channel that featured cartoons during Fun Town.  Fun Town was a block that is devoted to cartoons including The Super Mario Brothers Super Show, Heroes on Hot Wheels, Captain N, and more. Other great shows that I saw were  Rin Tin Tin, K9 Cop, and Zorro.

Captain N, The Game Master

One of my favorite "Captain N" episodes I looked forward to watching was The Most Dangerous Game Master.  I was inspired to coin the term to get sparked up after watching the Frankenstein like scene.



In the August 1992, The sound to the Family Channel was switched off because the subscription ran out.

The Sci Fi Channel

In September 1992, The Sci Fi Channel was launched and graced my TV Screen for a year and a half.  There were many great memories from the Cartoon Quest to Classic Monsters Month.  I watched Frankenstein for the first time.

Memories of the Sci Fi Channel (Sy Fy)

Back in the 1990, my grandfather got a BUD (Big Ugly Satellite Dish).  There were great memories from the dream of visiting Nickelodeon Studios in Florida and getting scared while watching Total Recall.  I held some great BUD Memories while watching the Sci Fi channel.

On September 24, 1992, The Sci Fi Channel officially launched on G-5 Channel 4.  I watched great shows on that channel as such as Amazing Stories, Dr Who, Defenders of the Earth, Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and the Incredible Hulk.  Some of these shows I watched inspired me to draw a silly picture at school.

Classic Monsters Month -- Hosted by Christopher Lee

In October, 1993, The Sci Fi Channel held a Classic Monsters Month featuring the four monsters.  October 4 - 8, 1993 was The Mummy Week,  October 11 - 15 was Dracula Week, October 18 - 22 was Frankenstein Week, and October 26 - 29, 1993 was The Wolf Man Week.  On October 30th was The Wonderful World of Zombies, a day devoted to zombie flicks like White Zombie.  On Halloween Day, The Sci Fi channel had a Marathon of Scary Movies including the Puppet Master, Phantasm, The Evil Dead, and more.  After October 1993, I was inspired to watch some classic horror films including Dracula and Frankenstein.

Doppleganger

The Sci Fi Channel screened the movie Doppleganger Sunday, February 20th, 1994 to kick off Boris Karloff Week.  I watched this film intermintely during the screening.  Towards the end, I got frightened and I turned off the TV.  This was a memorable BUD Scary Moment. 

Boris Karloff Week -- Hosted by Peter Bogdanovich

Between February 21 - 25, 1993 was a special week devoted to 5 Boris Karloff films.  The Sci Fi Channel screened on Monday Corridors of Blood, Wedensday, The Invisable Ray, Thursday, Targets, and Friday, Frankenstein to close the week. 



Watch this Boris Karloff week video.  There

 is a short Count Dracula

trailer you will love and remember

Bram Stoker's Count Dracula

On Saturday, February 26, The Sci Fi channel screened Count Dracula. A few days following Boris Karloff Week, the Sci Fi Channel was silenced forever. 

Mad Doctors Week

In March of 1994, The Sci Fi Channel had another horror week based on Mad Doctors.  I did not get to see this event because the channel was silenced.

Why did the Sci Fi Channel get Silenced?

The Sci Fi Channel has changed its status on the C Band from a Free (Clear, Unscrambled) to a subscription channel. This means you have to contact your satellite dealer and get the code to re activate the sound.  Occasionally the sound will be activated for a few days to give viewers a sample of what the channel is like before obtaining the code.

According to Wikipedia, Paramount  was sold to The V of Doom (Viacom) = Sci Fi channel silenced.  The channel was silenced intermittently in February until the conclusion of Boris Karloff Week.

Why Codes?

The BUD satellite receiver requires you to get a decoder chip installed every year to access all the subscription channels like Nick, Family, Etc.  If you cannot afford the chip, you can contact your satellite dealer and they will fax you the codes for the channels you want to subscribe to.  After punching in the code, the sound will magically turn on.  You can still watch the channel without sound if you can read lips.  When you want to enter a subscription code, you must turn to the channel, and enter the 10 - 15 digit code.  If you enter the code correctly, you will hear the people talk again for one month.

The Legends of Horror Month -- Hosted by Christopher Lee

In October 1994, The Sci Fi channel had its second annual classic horror movie month.  The Legends of horror featured films by key actors like Peter Cushing, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and, Lon Chaney Jr.  When the Legends of Horror Month was underway, the Sci Fi Channel was silenced. Unfortunately we did not want to spend the money on subscription codes because there were some clear channels including Fox, NBC, Etc.

Horror VHS Rental Number 1


On November 5, 1994, I rented the original 1931 Bela Lugosi Dracula at Jumbo Video. 

This was the first horror film I rented from
Jumbo Video, 

Keep your ears to the tracks for more great memories of the BUD.

The London Times

Dracula has left the Building

 

 

 

On Sunday December 2, 2012, Dracula had his final drink of Blood at the Mady Centre for the Performing Arts. Dracula was one of the best Pantos that the On Stage Performance Group has produced. I I I I I Loved the excellent Make Up design for the Dracula and his bat army. It is too bad that Dracula had to return to Transyalvania and manage the hotel.

 

 

Check out this short video that I created with the assistance of the Robots.  This video will give you a bit of a flashback of your recent EVS Experience.  Enjoy.

 

 

The London Times: Dracula The Vampire Strikes Back

EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT!

2 SHOWS LFFT!

Dracula The Vampire Strikes Back rocked the house!

This is your last call to Catch the London Blood Fiend at the Mady Centre for the Performing Arts before he has to catch his fight back to Transylvania to open a hotel.  Coco, Saphi, Lucy, and friends rocked a packed house Saturday, December 1, 2012.  Great jokes and laughs you cannot miss.

Come to the Mady Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Dunlop Street W, Barrie, ON and get into the fun and games.
 
Ticket Details:

Adult Tickets are 18 bucks

Children 12 and under are 15 bucks.

Don't Worry! There are plenty of tickets for both performances.

For info call the Uptown Box Office at 705-739-4228.

If you are in the Downtown Barrie area, you can purchase tickets at the door before both performances.

Enjoy the Show! 

 

 

Extra Extra Extra, Read All About It!

Dracula Flies into Barrie Between November 28 - December 2, 2012

 

 

This November, The Onstage Performance Group would like to wish you a Happy Holidays by presenting Dracula The Vampire Strikes Back between November 28 - December 2, 2012 at the Mady Centre for the Performing Arts.

Meet Saphi, Coco, Lucy, and friends help defeat the Count and his bat army through jokes, laughter, and more in this crazy panto.  You will be laughing all the way to the blood bank because it's a comedy in the Jugular Vein.

Ticket Info:

Adult tickets are 18.00 Childern 12 or under 15.00

Tickets are available online at theatres.barrie.ca.  A service charge applies to all online orders.

Order by phone at 705-739-4228

Location: The Mady Centre is located at 1 Dunlop Street, W, Barrie, ON

PS: I I I I I I I Cannot wait to see this show!

Silly Pictures Series 2

September, 1993, It was the first day of school in Grade V.  I took out a blank piece of paper and started to draw a bunch of random silly pictures that depict events from the video games I played.  I also drawn pictures to do with a automatic car washes too.

The Wigglers

 

 

The Wigglers is the first thing you see as you approach the car wash tunnel.  They can be very scary and strange to drive into if it's your first trip to the car wash..  The Wigglers are also known as Flappers.  The real term is the Mitter Curtain.  When I was a child, I also called the wigglers a curtain because they remind me of window curtains.

 





The Umper

The Umper is a dryer in a car wash.  This dryer dries the car with heat lamps.  The first car wash I visited had a dryer like this was the Parkway Car Wash on Sheppard Ave.  This dryer can be scary because of the sounds it makes.  It makes an Ump sound as the lights flicker on and off.

The Hair Dryer

The Hair Dryer is the typical vaccuum dryer you see in car wahes of the the 1980's and beynd.  This dryer will roll up the windshield and suck the water off your car.  I drawn this picture because my grandfather took me through the Canadian Tire Car Wash at 2370 Finch Avenue West.

A Door in City Hall (Robo Cop NES)

This is a door in City Hall.  I borrowed Robo Cop for the NES over the summer of 1993 from a class mate.  City Hall is the second level in Robo Cop for the NES.


Later in the 1993 - 1994 School year I have drawn other silly pictures like the Electric Cross and other weird crucifixion pictures on the back cover of my writing book.

Keep your ears to the tracks for more silly pictures.

Silly Pictures, Series 1

What was a "Silly Picture"

In 1993, I was sitting in class and a thought came though my head and I drawn it on a cardborad pencil box.  Some pictures were considered disturbing and inappropriate for a grade IV class.

Under The Knife

Under The Knife was my first silly picture I have drawn.  The idea came from a catagory in the "$100,000 Pyramid" gameshow.  When I thought of Under The Knife came into my head in Grade IV, I drawn this picture below.  I thought it may mean a person is on a table under a giant knife.  The term means you are undergoing surgery.

Untitled

This was the second picture I drawn on my pencil case in Grade IV.  I got the idea of this picture from an episode of Danger Mouse.  I do not recall the episode title, one day I will find it.

The Electric Chair in the Air

The Electric Chair in the Air was created from a combination of two scenes from two seperate films.  The tall back Electric Chair was from "Ernest Goes to Jail".  The Chair was elevated came was a thought that came out of my head after watching "The Death of the Incredible Hulk".

 A week later the picture was destroyed by my teacher because I was sat and giggled at this picture.

The Finger Pointing

In October, 1993, I drawn another silly picture entitled "The Finger Pointing."  This picture depitaes a person getting into trouble with his parents after doing something that was not acceptable.  The picture was drawn initally on an Evaluation Sheet upon conclusion of the "Weather Unit" in Grade V Environmental Studies class.

The Elevator Door and Slaxx (Interior)

This is a favorite Silly picture I drawn in my math workbook in Grade V.  I drawn this pictue when I heard the movie "The Mouse And the Motorcycle" playing in the other classroom. I was inspired to draw this picture becuase I heard the music of my favorite scene when the mouse was riding around the hotel onboard a toy ambulance towards the elevator.

Keep your Ears to the Tracks for Silly Pictures Series 2.

Happy Birthday To the Mady Centre

Happy Birthday To You,

Happy Birthday To You,

Happy Birthday Dear Mady Centre For the Perfrming Arts

Happy Birthday To You!

September 10, 2012 has came and went.  Randomness-Phil likes to wish the Mady Centre a Happy First Birthday.  If you recall, I presented a slide show of my pictures of the construction of this new jewel in Barrie's Downtown.

This September At The Mady

Adrian Marchuk, September 20, 21, 22
For Details log onto www.tift.ca

Still To Come at The Mady

Talk is Free Theatre Presents: Guys and Dolls, Nov 15 - 24, 2012

Onstage Performance Group Presents, Dracula: The Vampire Strikes Back, Nov 29 - Dec 2, 2012

Keep your Ears to the Tracks for more great info about what's happening at the Mady.  To purchase tickets log onto http://www.barrie.ca/Culture/Theatres/Pages/MadyCentre.aspx.

Enjoy the Show!

2 Pounds of Firm Red Tomatoes, I love My Job!

The Jacob Two-Two / Rob Ford Concidence

The Funny Hooded Fang, according to a child in the front row at a wrestling match.

On Augest 25, 2012, Jacob Two-Two has wraped up his performances singing his famous line Two Pounds of Firm Red Tomatoes. 

On September 5, 2012, The Front page of the Toronto Sun read "I love My Job."  When I saw the front page, I thought about Avi Petliar (Jacob Two-Two) singing his first song of the show.

Rob Ford is facing the same Fate as Jacob Two-Two because he had to face a judge on September 5, 2012.  It may be no laughing manner like Jacob Two-Two's Charge of Insulting Behaviour to a Big Person.  This court may toss Mayor Rob Ford out of Office. 

On Friday September 7, 2012, Rob Ford has invited the entire city to his back yard for his annual Ford Family Fest.  Rob Ford may be expecting 5,000 People in is Weston Road back yard.

Keep your ears to the tracks to the Rob Ford Case in the Toronto Sun, or Toronto Star

It's That Time Again!

It's now more than a week after Theatre by the Bay has wrapped up it's 11th season at the Mady Centre for the Performing Arts.  I would like to Play the Greatest Game I call "Guess the Show"

Which Shakespeare show will grace the Stage in Auguest 2013.

All's Well That Ends Well ‡

As You Like It  Shown under the Tent in 2004

The Comedy of Errors Shown under the Tent in 2005

Love's Labour's Lost

Measure for Measure ‡

The Merchant of Venice

The Merry Wives of Windsor Shown at the Mady Centre in 2012

A Midsummer Night's Dream Shown under the Tent in 2002

Much Ado About Nothing Shown at the Maclearn Art Centre in 2006

Pericles, Prince of Tyre *†

The Taming of the Shrew Shown at the Grand Theatre in 2010

The Tempest * Shown at the Georgian Theatre Starring Robert Joy in 2011

Twelfth Night  Shown at the Barrie Downtown Theatre (Mady Centre) in 2009

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

The Two Noble Kinsmen *†

The Winter's Tale *

Romeo and Juliet Shown under the Tent in 2003

If you like to make your guess, Submit your guesses in the Comments below and wait until Scott Hurst and the Board make their selection.

Keep your ears to the Tracks at Theatre By The Bay dot Com for the 2013 Season.

Happy 5th Anniversary of my sixth viewing of Evil Dead

September 4, 2012

5 years ago today, I watched Evil Dead The Musical for the sixth time before the show closed for the Christmas Holidays.  In the Meantime, a silly show opened for only months known as JEWTOPIA in the Diesel Playhouse. 

This is My Story:

After I promoted Evil Dead the Musical to death, a friend at Cherry Beach offered me a pair of free tickets to the show before it closed on September 8, 2007.  I had the opportunity to take my friend Irving to the show.  For this viewing, I got my favorite seat in the house, SZ 2 A Seat 6.

For this occasion, I wore my White Theatre by the Bay T-shirt to my first Free Viewing of Evil Dead the Musical.

This is what the inside of the Diesel Playhouse looked like on that memorable night during intermission.

My friend arrived at the show late because he had some work before and missed part of Act 1.  Latecomers were seated towards the back of the auditorium.

This was the outcome after the show for the sixth time and Irving's first time.  Both of us wore white Theatre By the Bay T-shirts for this occasion.  I got Splattered good at this viewing.  Cheryl, the cellar girl splashed me good because I starred at her face during the Do the Necronomicon Number.

A Splattered Deadite emerges from the Diesel Main Space.

Please take a moment to remember Evil Dead the Musical and the Diesel Playhouse.

Keep your ears to the tracks for more great posts.

I hope you had a happy Theatre By the Bay Season

September 1, 2012.

Great Stories well Told was the number 1 Theatre By the Bay Seasons to remember.  If you dreamed The Impossible Dream, took a trip to Herne's Oak, and set the captives free at Slimer's Island Children's Prison you were at the right place this summer.

Child Power Danced through the night and turned Wrong to Right all thanks to famed superheroes, Shapiro and O'Toole. 

The Child Power Heroes captured the Sly One, Mr. Fox and located the Children's Prison on Slimer's Island.  The Crocs in the water surrounding the prison compound were poisoned and maked with giant letters spelling "CHILD POWER."  That was the signal to pull the plug on the Fog Machine.

Jacob Two-Two wearing his golden cape and his Child Power T-shirt.  This was his reward for setting the captives free at Slimer's Island.  Fortunatly this was all a dream.

Arti the Octopus released her first single "When Things Go Bump" and she was the inventer of Frankenstein.

Director, Scott Hurst and some cast members of Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang.

I will wish you a happy and safe Labour Day Weekend, Back to Ghoul (School) for the kiddies in grade K - 12, Frosh Week for the College and University students. 

Keep your ears to the Tracks for more great posts in the future.

Happy Star Chamber Day

Auguest 9, 2012

Good Afternoon Readers.  Today I like to wish a Happy Star Chamber Day becasue William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor is about to have its first preview night at the Mady Centre.  Tickets are on sale online at Theatre by the Bay or at the door.

Why Star Chamber?

At the Top of the Show, Justice Shallow will say the following

Sir Hugh, persuade me not; I will make a Star-
chamber matter of it: if he were twenty Sir John
Falstaffs, he shall not abuse Robert Shallow, esquire. (William Shakespeare)

All Theatre by the Bay Volunteers shall memorize this line and pass it on as you wish each other Happy Star Chamber.

Do Not Miss Justice Robert Shallow say these famous lines

Tickets are only 29.00 for adults. Students and Seniors, and The Golden Matinee 26.00.  Rush 14.50 (Limited Number tickets available)

Order your tickets online for The Merry Wives of Windsor at Theatre By the Bay.

If you like to order by phone you may call 705-739-4228

Do you Love Live Professional Theatre?

If So, You may go Theatre by the Bay's Membership page and purchase a membership package and support live professional Theatre.

Buy a Dream Membership and you get to attend a private reception with the cast members and company.

Boreal 2012, A journey to an Unreachable Star, Table of Contents

Due to the excitement of Boreal 2012 and the opening of Man of La Mancha. This is a Quick Table of Contents of my latest blog entries.  This will make things eaiser and a click away.

A typical Boreal event.  Everyone gathers and boards the buses to Muskoka

The Impossible Dream, A Journey to Man of La Mancha, Friday, July 20, 2012

The Journey to Man of La Mancha, Friday, July 20, 2012

The Journey to Man of La Mancha, Saturday, July 21, 2012

The Don Quixote Dance, Saturday July 21, 2012

Sunday, Time to Get ready to go the the Mady Centre, Sunday, July 22, 2012

It's Time to Dream the Impossible Dream. Head Out! Sunday, July 22, 2012

After paddeling back to port, There is a store people hang out at
 before boarding the buses back to Toronto

It's Time to Dream the Impossible Dream. Head Out to the Mady Centre

At 3:00 PM it's time to pack up your luggage and load up the canoes and make your way to port.

After loading up, it's time to Head to the Mady Centre and buy our tickets for Man of La Mancha.

Approaching the Narrows between the lower basin and the river.

Two years in a row.  The Basin is very rough.  This year, we will journey along the southern shoreline.

ss

A bell phone booth stands between the cottages.

Approaching port.  The baggage handlers are ready to check your luggage onto the Discount Truck.

Sir John Falstaff's buckhead hangs on the post at Shakespeare Hall.

People help unload the sound from the motor boat at Shakespeare Dock.

Everyone is gradually arriving at port.  Everyone gets to hang out at Shakespeare Hall until it's time to board the buses back to the City.

Caliban makes a final appearance at Shakespeare Hall and the baggage check truck before it's time to head to the Mady Centre to watch Man of La Mancha.

Now Playing at the Mady Centre for the Performing  Arts

Theatre By the Bay Presents:

July 26 - Aug 18 ,2012

Coming Soon

Aug 9 - 26, 2012

Aug 10 - 25, 2012

Tickets are now on sale Online or by calling 705-739-4228.

 

More Info is available at www.theatrebythebay.com

 

Enjoy the Show!