Have you thought about character costumes, mascots, or uniforms in parades affiliated with a recognizable brand? It might not be your first thought when seeing a bunch of people in Wonder Woman costumes striking poses, Smokey Bear waving from a truck bed, or a big faux fur bird, bear, or alligator mascot in sports jersey walking with a marching band in a parade. Maybe some people are thinking intellectual property (IP) thoughts of trademarks, copyright, and other legal concerns when seeing any branded entity in a parade, but not me. Yet, my mind veered to these thoughts while watching a
Stranger Things is a classic science fiction/horror tale of a missing boy and his family’s and friend’s attempts to reconcile the oddities of his disappearance with the eerie activities of a top secret government lab on the outskirts of town. This latest original offering from Netflix is finely crafted to appeal to an audience hungry for 1980s nostalgia, particularly for the classic Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter films of that decade. From its cast to its opening credits, its cinematography, its tone and performance style, and its score, it near-perfectly replicates the movies popular
One of the most buzzed about new series of the Fall 2015 television season was the surprise Lifetime Network hit UnREAL, produced by former Buffy the Vampire Slayer writer/producer Marti Noxon and former Bachelor producer Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, whose short semi-autobiographical film Sequin Raze was the basis for the series. UnREAL, which interrogates the politics and production of women-centric programming, has been arguably the most successful part of the Lifetime network’s attempt to rebrand itself as a more self-aware, high-quality cable channel. A dark parody of the behind-the-scenes
The H-PCAACA Weekly News Roundup is a collection of news items and quirky stories that may be of interest to scholars and students of popular, American, and world culture
Taiwan born pop star ignites furor in mainland China over waving a Republic of China flag in video
The mystery of the vanishing Hong Kong booksellers
Toymakers were directed to exclude Star Wars protagonist Rey from merchandise
The H-PCAACA Weekly News Roundup is a collection of news items and quirky stories that may be of interest to scholars and students of popular, American, and world culture
For David Bowie, Japanese style was more than just fashion
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2013/06/11/style/for-david-bowie-japanese-style-was-more-than-just-fashion/#.VpRR71IfjE7
No one wants to buy the house from Silence of the Lambs. Wonder why?
http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/news/a41153/silence-of-the-lambs-house-for-sale-pennsylvania/
Library of Congress names graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang as National
Welcome to July 2015's installment of "It Came From the Internet." On a regularly recurring basis that may or may not be monthly, the intrepid crew of the H-PCAACA venture boldly into the farthest reaches of the internet to find interesting and offbeat sites relating to American, world, and popular culture.
Japanese popular culture has gained a strong following overseas. In the United States, anime conventions are now common, manga has its own section in bookstores, and streaming services like Hulu and Crunchyroll deliver subtitled anime the same day as their broadcast in Japan. The news over
Welcome to the March 2015 edition of "It Came From the Internet." On a regularly recurring basis that may or may not be monthly, the intrepid crew of the H-PCAACA venture boldly into the farthest reaches of the internet to find interesting and offbeat sites relating to American, world, and popular culture.
Lost aircraft have dominated headlines in the past year, and have entered popular culture through media such as the Twilight Zone episode King Nine Will Not Return and the continuing interest in Amelia Earhart's final flight. The idea of lost aircraft is well understood, but how about lost
Welcome to the Halloween edition of "It Came From the Internet." Each week the intrepid crew of the H-PCAACA will venture boldly into the farthest reaches of the internet to find interesting and offbeat sites relating to American, world, and popular culture.
The name Disney may not immediately conjour up images of ghosts, ghouls, and spectral brides. Fans of the Haunted Mansion attraction, which is present in one form or another at four Disney parks around the world, will beg to differ. The spookier content of the Haunted Mansion, mysterious backstory, and connection to a legacy of dark rides
Welcome to "It Came From the Internet." Each week the intrepid crew of the H-PCAACA will venture boldly into the farthest reaches of the internet to find interesting and offbeat sites relating to American, world, and popular culture.
Crowdfunding has become a notable element within social media networks. It's a refreshingly novel and egalitarian idea on the surface. Individuals put their ideas out for judgement, and the public decides which projects they will fund and to what extent. Despite notable successes, many crowdfunding projects never reach their goals. Statistics on Kickstarter give a