Chapter 16

 

Psycho Studios: The Sprinkler 


 

Chapter Fifteen

12.1.2024

 

Editor – Mykal - Content – Technical

Research & Editor – Mike - Content

 

Psycho Studios is an independent Film/TV production company.  A multimedia platform with a podcast as well as this newsletter. Feel free to reach out to Psycho Studios through their website/email.

 

Psycho Studios – Film-TV Production – Phoenix Arizona

Psycho Studios Podcast (Access on Spotify, Apple, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Castbox and YouTube. And our website)

Psycho Studios: The Sprinkler (Our Newsletter)

 

Phoenix Arizona

Email – psychostudios66@gmail.com

 

Instagram – @psychostudios66

X (Formerly known as Twitter) - @Psychostud666

Facebook – psychostudios (page name)

YouTube - @psychostudiospodcast

 

Forward

 

Mike and Mykal are a father & son duo that started a production company about two years ago. They are working on the next phase of their production company and look forward to being involved in feature film making. They rolled out a podcast and newsletter to give their audience a means to hear where they are headed and what they are experiencing. The newsletter (The Sprinkler) is fun, informative and value add!  They remind their audience that they leave politics at the door. They want their energy to be positive and wellness based. Share gratitude and be cool to one another!

 

We hope you will join us monthly as we explore different ways to enrich our lives and have some fun exploring the human race.

 

We bring old school and contemporary ideas to the table.

Mykal & I operate with the credo; be cool to one another. We want to connect with people, and be present while we enjoy this journey.  We have embarked on something that is moving in a direction that affords us to display our creativity and love for film & music in our Psycho Studio’s Podcast on YouTube – now with video!

Come with us as we explore ways to live in the moment and appreciate all we have, rather than what we have not.

Welcome psychos one and all! 

 

The Sprinkler

 

 

Film – Music - Wellness – Commentary – Some Sports and Random Headlines

 

 

 

Let’s start with a film quote we love:

 

I discovered that if one looks a little closer at this beautiful world, there are always red ants underneath.

David Lynch

 

 


Film 


 

Heretic 2024 – see our deep dive on our YouTube Channel for this one. Psycho Score is a 2.

Hugh Grant is great in his role; the plausibility and last quarter of the film have this film landing flat.

 

Seven 1995 – This film is a classic of the 90s with an amazing cast and dialogue along with the story. The mood set in New Orleans along with the back and forth between Freeman and Pitt which is priceless. The ending is a surprise, only the first time. What’s in the box? Psycho Score is an 8.

 

Scream 1981 – This movie, with an interesting title is unwatchable. Interestingly Wes Craven used this title for his horror classic. This film is terrible in every way, story, script and cast along with location. It’s a painful watch even for those that love 80’s horror. Psycho Score is a 1.

 

House of 1000 Corpses 2000-2003 – Rob Zombie took three years to get this film released with success. Great cast, good dialogue and story. An over the top and twisted take on horror as the 2000s unfolded. Interesting and engaging, a good watch for gory horror fans. Psycho Scale is a 6.

 

Hostel 2006 – This so-called torture porn horror film was produced by Quentin Tarantino. Directed by Eli Roth, this over-the-top graphic horror film is smart and well-acted. The music, the locations and the pace are excellent. A must watch for those into horror. Psycho Scale is a 7.

 

Barbarian 2022 – Check out Psycho Studio’s latest podcast with special guest as we revisit this horror gem. Well-acted, great pace and tone and interesting story! Psycho Scale is a 7.75.

 

Curse of Dracula 1966 – A Hammer classic with Christopher Lee showing his fangs as the title character. Peter Cushing is an excellent Van Helsing! The music and pace are incredible. Anyone into classic horror must see this Hammer film! Psycho Scale 7.

 

The Lighthouse 2019 IMAX – Mykal and I went to see this Avant Garde drama at IMAX. We saw it originally in a regular screened theatre when it was first released. The rerelease in an IMAX theatre was amazing. This twisted, pure acting piece with Dafoe and Pattison is shot in black and white and displays how we can spiral into madness based on our thoughts and environment. A great watch! Psycho Scale 8.

 

 

 

And in TV

 

Hysteria 2024 – This is an interesting limited series with eight episodes. I watched it based on Bruce Campbell being in it, and the buzz that Barbara Crampton and Jeffrey Combs being in it. It is an interesting take on demonic possession and satanic cults. It has a really good cast, good music, decent dialogue and pace. The ending fizzles but it is worth a watch. It was awesome to see Bruce in a meaty role and he is excellent in it! Psycho Scale 6.

 

The Penguin 2024 – This series based on the comic books is far beyond your typical comic book adaptation. A stellar cast, including Colin Farrell as The Penguin stand out along with dialogue and story. Anyone seeking a good drama to binge watch, this is it! Don’t think the Penguin element is too campy, this is an engaging drama! Psycho Scale 8.

 

Music

 

Slave to the Grind Skid Row 1991 12 tracks coming in at 49 minutes. This is classic 80s metal. I pretty much wore out the cassette back in the day. Great vocals and guitars! Score - 7

 

AC/DC Bon Scott – Highway to Hell 1979 10 tracks at 41 minutes. AC/DC is one of those rock groups that survived the premature death of their front man. I prefer the Bon Scott days, with his raspy rock vocals and the blazing guitars! RIP Bon. Score - 8

 

New Remaster Bullet Boys 10 Cent Billionaire 2024. 11 tracks 39 minutes. I use to listen to the Bullet Boys back in the day, with Smooth up in You being one of my favs. This remaster is more melodic and less in your face rock and roll. Score - 5

 

Dokken Tooth N Nail 1984 10 tracks coming in at 38 minutes. Dokken was one of my favorite 80s metal bands. I still listen to them on the regular today. Amazing vocals from Don and George Lynch simply shredded back in the day. Score - 8

 

Motley Crue Dr Feelgood Remaster 35th anniversary 21 tracks at 93 minutes! I always preferred the early Motley, and Dr. Feelgood was an album I did not warm up to. This remaster has a good sound to it, but I’m not a fan of the album itself. Too soft and melodic for me. Score - 6

 

Chevelle Sci Fi Crimes 2009 11 tracks at 43 minutes. Chevelle is one of our favorite groups from the mid early 2000s. Originally formed by brothers and named after their father’s favorite automobile, Chevelle has an amazing sound, incredible vocals and lyrics that are deep and thought provoking. Score - 9

 

Def Leppard High n Dry 1981 12 tracks coming in at 50 minutes. Def Leppard and I go way back. I remember a good friend bringing over their 1980 album On Through the Night. The sound was raw and the band was so very young. High n Dry is one of my favorite albums in their catalog. The title track has amazing vocals, incredible guitar playing and drums that keep it all tight! Saturday night, I’m high and dry! Score – 9

 

Check out this holiday playlist on Spotify:

 

(This is a rock n roll holiday mix – 13 tracks at 49 minutes).






 

 

Wellness







 

 

In lieu of our normal wellness tips and tricks we are going to share the history of Thanksgiving!

We wish all our psychos a safe, happy and gratitude filled holiday!

Regardless, please take care of yourselves and show kindness in your day to day.

 

Be cool to one another.

 

The Brief History of Thanksgiving

Today’s Thanksgiving holiday has roots in a number of celebrations that occurred centuries ago in different regions of North America. Native communities had regularly given thanks for nature’s gifts for centuries before the arrival of Europeans on the continent.

In May 1541, Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led 1,500 men in a thanksgiving celebration in what is today the Texas Panhandle. Two decades later, French Huguenot colonists gave solemn praise and thanksgiving at a settlement near what is now Jacksonville, Florida. In August 1607, English colonists joined Abnaki people along Maine’s Kennebec River for a harvest feast and prayer meeting. In the spring of 1610, in what some consider the first American Thanksgiving, colonists in Jamestown, Virginia, held a thanksgiving prayer service after English supply ships arrived with much needed food.

11 years later, Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony celebrated the autumn harvest with a three-day feast. Governor William Bradford and the colonists joined the Wampanoag leader they knew as Massasoit and 90 other Wampanoag to feast. The celebration included athletic contests and military exercises. The 1621 harvest celebration is given the distinction of shaping many of the United States Thanksgiving traditions and fueling many of the popular stories surrounding Thanksgiving’s history.

There are few firsthand accounts of this feast and no eyewitness images, but it has been depicted in many different ways in the centuries since, in paintings, drawings, statues, stories, and performances. These depictions can provide helpful insights into the eras in which they were created, and into the ways in which perceptions of the holidays and the nation’s origins have shifted throughout history

George Washington designated November 26, 1789 as a Day of National Thanksgiving. The next president to issue a Thanksgiving Proclamation was Abraham Lincoln, who in 1863, also designated November 26. In October of his third year in office, Lincoln invited Americans to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise.

Early Thanksgiving days were spontaneous celebrations. The mid-nineteenth century, there was an annual fall Thanksgiving meal was customary throughout much of the United States and its Territories. During the gold rush, miners far from home observed a day of thanks.

For more than a decade, writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale pushed for an annual day of national Thanksgiving. From the helm of several prominent women’s magazines, Hale editorialized about the importance of a national Thanksgiving celebration. She also wrote to President Lincoln directly. On October 3, 1863, in the wake of Union victory at the Civil War battle at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln decided to issue his first Thanksgiving Proclamation; his second followed in 1864. The President’s Hymn, composed in honor of the new holiday, rang out across the nation.

Starting with Lincoln in 1863, every President of the United States has issued an annual Thanksgiving Proclamation, each citing a specific date. While most proclaimed Thanksgiving for the fourth or last Thursday of November, Franklin D. Roosevelt chose the third Thursdays of November 1939 through 1941, for economic reasons. Late in 1941, Congress passed Thanksgiving legislation that Roosevelt signed into law on December 26, 1941. Public Law 77-379 set Thanksgiving Days from 1942 onward to the fourth Thursday in November. The Law also made Thanksgiving Day an annual Federal Holiday.

Thanksgiving traditions have come and gone through the years, but one tradition that has long played a central role in Thanksgiving celebrations is the enjoyment of a hearty meal, as can be seen in articles, recipes, and advertisements in magazines and newspapers throughout the 1800s and 1900s. Masking was another tradition that was popular for several decades in cities such as New York, where on Thanksgiving Day would be seen costumed processions of  children blowing on tin horns, beating tin drums and whooping recklessly. Apparently well to do men were seen marching in irregular order and conducting themselves like tramps, according to one newspaper of the time. Football, shopping, and parades have come into prominence in recent years. Let’s not forget the turkey pardon as well. Each sitting president for decades has pardoned a turkey at the White House. Black Friday has evolved into a two-month frenzy of ads and sales. We shall see what the future hold for new Thanksgiving traditions. Gobble, Gobble? How about we simply enjoy time with family and friends?

 

 

 

Here is our gratitude wall – several people we know shared what they are grateful for as we approach the holidays:

 

Mykal kicks us off –

 

 The Gift of Life

I’m deeply grateful for this life I’ve been given, for the chance to exist and experience all that the universe has to offer. Even in moments when I take it for granted or feel weighed down by self-doubt, I’m in awe of the fact that everything aligned perfectly to bring me here. The randomness of it all, yet the beauty in it, leaves me thankful every day.

 The Power of Music

Music has been a constant in my life—a guiding light through the darkest nights and a celebration in my brightest days. It connects us, heals us, and speaks what words sometimes cannot. I’ve leaned on it in tough times and danced to it in joyous ones. Sharing music with others is like sharing pieces of the soul, and for that, I’m endlessly thankful.

Friends and Family, Chosen and Given

My gratitude for the people in my life—both family by blood and family by choice—knows no bounds. They’ve been there for the ups, the downs, and even the messy moments where words hurt but love still shines through. They’ve taught me that true family isn’t defined by genetics but by the bonds we nurture and the unconditional support we share.

 Health and Vitality

Every breath I take reminds me of how precious health truly is. Life can change in an instant, and I’m thankful for the simple yet profound gift of being alive and well. It’s easy to overlook until it’s threatened, but today, I’m deeply grateful for the strength and vitality that allow me to live fully.

 

And my gratitude – I love the sentiments that Mykal shared!

I am grateful for life; every breath and every experience are precious to me!

I am grateful for music and film. The two elements are powerful to me and have been uplifting and soul searching throughout my life. Music moves my soul in happy and sad times, and film expands my imagination and creativity.

I’m grateful for all the people that have moved in and out of my life. Lessons learned. Hearts broken. Hearts healed. The beauty of meeting new people and sharing life experiences.

I’m beyond grateful for my son. Being a father has been the most unique and rewarding experience of my life. My son is a unique and creatively beautiful human!

I’m grateful to be healthy, and that my friends and family are healthy too! We can never take life, health and beauty for granted!

 

 

 

More gratitude shared:

 

McKenzie – Grateful for genuine and kind souls. True love. Family and friends.

 

Allison – Family. Good health. Wine.

 

Mike B – My son. Friends & Family. Good health. An amazing journey.

 

Dawn - Happy. Healthy. Fit. For having a job coach and resources to help my son as I cannot do it alone. Family and friends that standby my side in difficult times.

 

Michael W – Family and our health.

 

Christina – Family’s good health. For finishing foot zoning school and all the wonderful clients I have.

 

Stephanie H – That I still have my parents with me this year. For my health. Grateful for all my family and friends that support me day to day.

 

GiGi – Deeply thankful for unlimited grace and mercy

 

Bryan – Having a healthy and happy family. Also grateful for having the ability and means to do the activities that make me happy.

 

Stephanie W – Most grateful for God’s unmerited and unending grace.

 

Rob – Friends. Family. Freedom and good health. Hopeful for a more peaceful world in the upcoming year!

 

Judah – Grateful for healthy and happy family. Thanks for my jobs with Phoenix and the Navy. Thankful for my health!

 

Mike M – Grateful for my family, health and a roof over my head.

 

Josh – Thankful for family and friends and the glorious weather in Phoenix we are currently having!

 

Shannon – Thankful for having a beautiful home and loving husband and family to spend time with this holiday.

 

Rebecca – Grateful for all the people in my life. For those that have come and gone. Those who have taught me hard lessons and those who have been great persons when I needed it most. I am grateful for my family. The relationships outside of my family are the ones that remind me the world is a beautiful please full of amazing people!

 

Stacey – Grateful that my health hasn’t become worse. Grateful for my loving and supportive family and friends.

 

Loriann – Grateful for her family and health.

 

Tish – Grateful for having an amazing family and friends who truly love me. I am especially grateful for my relationship with God. If it wasn’t for HIM, I don’t know where I would be. HE is truly amazing!

 

Chris S – He is grateful for cats and clean underwear.

Adam – I’m thankful for my family and friends and health.

Jason – I am grateful for my awesome family who I don’t have to tolerate because I enjoy their

company.

Loriann – I would say I am thankful for my family and health.

Chad – I am thankful for THE Ohio State University!

Mike B – He is thankful for the experiences we have shared throughout the years. He is hopeful

we continue to stay in touch.

Kathy – I am thankful for all I have including family and friends. 

Commentary




 

I sit here thinking, what a year it has been. We will do a recap of 2024 in our next Sprinkler, for January first!

The mantra of staying away from politics and related subjects is still in play. Regardless, I’m reflecting on the tumultuous times we experienced this year, and the challenging times we see on the horizon. The election is final, there is all too much fighting in other parts of the world and the multitude of other challenges Americans face daily and weekly are real.

This back story, gives us all the more reason to live in the moment. Enjoy our day, appreciate what we have and not what we don’t have! Express appreciation and gratitude to those in our lives. It’s the little things, a simple text, maybe an old school letter sent in the mail, an email or how about this; a phone call! Staying connected to those in our lives, and even those from our past is a great way to help with the holiday blues, and the feeling of not being connected. Get outside, and soak up the vitamin D! Take a walk, exercise, eat well and sleep well.

When we are out and about this time of year, be cool to those we meet. Say hello to people, get the door for the person with their arms full at the store. Be kind when we are driving, let the other person in, slow down and arrive safely where we are headed. Let’s not let the little negatives upset us, turn that other cheek!

Practice breathing exercises, these are a great way to reduce stress and focus on the positive! Make a music playlist for the holidays, even if it’s not holiday music. Share the playlists with those around you! Read a book. Disconnect from the matrix. Enjoy yourself, be kind to yourself. Let those in your life know you care about them!

 

No matter what time of year it is, let’s be kind to one another, for no other reason than it is the right way to live!

 

Peace on Earth, and mercy mild! Take care of yourselves!

 

Some Sports

 

Green Bay Packers










 

The Packers are coming off another win, this time against the San Francisco 49ers. The Packers throttled the Niners 38-10!  The Packers are sitting at 8-3, and hard to believe that puts them third in their North Division. The Lions are 10-1 and in first place and the Vikings are 9-2 and in second place. This is the first time since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, that a team in their division has eight wins, and is in third place in said division! The Packers have six games remaining in the regular season and will be hard pressed to catch the Lions for the division lead. For Thanksgiving the Dolphins travel to Green Bay for a nighttime clash with the Packers. The weather on Turkey Day in Green Bay is looking cold and windy. Zero chance of precipitation. The temperature will be around 20 degrees at kickoff and with the wind chill it will most likely feel like around 10 degrees! The Dolphins do not fare well in the cold weather. In an odd schedule quirk, the Packers will play back-to-back Thursday nights, and face the Lions in Detroit a week are the gobble gobble game! The prediction from here is the Packers will beat the Dolphins and Lions in back-to-back clashes and be sitting at 10-3 with three to go!

 

 

We are sticking with our way to early predictions from the beginning of the season.

Previously: Our not too early prediction for the Green Bay Packer’s 2024 season;

Me – 12-5. Mykal – 13-4

Cheers to a continued great NFL season! Carry the G!

 

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have started this new season off with very rocky footing. After the Bucks defeated the Heat in Miami on the 26th, it brought their record to .500 at 9-9! That win was number five in a row! It’s hard to tell if the Bucks are finding their groove or if they have been lucky as of late. It’s too early to tell if coach Doc Rivers is finally finding his groove! Giannis is leading the league in scoring at over 32 points per game! Dame Lillard is playing better after suffering a concussion, get this: after getting hit in the head by a referee! Khris Middleton still sits on the bench, not having played whatsoever this season. He had both ankles operated on in the summer, and his return to the court has not has a timeline shared with fans. It’s hard to watch the Bucks struggle so much, the good news is it is a long season, 82 games and they have time to get their shit together! We shall see what the month of December brings the Bucks, with only one game left for November, on the 30th! No predictions here, just watching the season unfold!

 

Fear the Deer!

 

 

Milwaukee Brewers

 

The Milwaukee Brewers start their Spring Training games on February 22, 2025. This will be at American Family Fields of Phoenix.

The Brewers begin their 2025 regular season home opener on March 31st at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

 

More baseball after the New Year!

 

 

Random Headlines & Stuff

Let’s get to some weird and interesting stuff!

 

-       Do you know why tug boats spray water into the air when towing a huge ship? It’s to cool the vessel down as the ship is moving slowly and their engines heat up. I still want to know why it’s called a tug boat!

-       Neuroscience says this simple habit improves cognitive health and makes our brains act younger. What habit would that be? Movement. Everyday movement counts as a source of accumulated physical activity. Walking. Exercising. Going to the gym. Hiking. Get out there and do it! This includes hanky panky!

-       Stedman Graham says the key to success is writing down everything you want in life. This has been the credo from many a speaker and leader throughout the years. Bruce Lee was a big believer in this element. The New Year approaches, let’s all get on board and try this!

-       Rare once a decade corpse flower bloom attracts thousands of visitors in Australia. Geelong Botanic Gardens smelled stench and they were excited! The Corpse Flower has a short-lived bloom that happens every 10 years or so, and when it blooms it smells like the stench of a rotting corpse! The plant is huge and stinky as it reaches heights of around 10 feet tall!  It is both gross and beautiful! I knew someone like that!

-       The number one high-protein snack for better cognitive health according to dietitians? Sardines and whole grain crackers! This snack promotes healthy brain activity. Eating more protein is critical for a healthy body and especially for one’s brain! That’s cool to hear as I happen to love sardines!

-       A daily 30-minute habit cured depression for 40% of people. Get this, you don’t even have to move! There is a drug free solution for those with depression and it is as simple as flipping a switch. Patients in a medical study were instructed to sit in front of a fluorescent light box that produced bright white light at an intensity of 10,000 lux for at least 30 minutes every day. 40% of the case studies saw vast improvement with their depression! I’m gonna see the light!

-       Dingo Dinkelman also known as South Africa’s Steve Irwin dies of snake bite at 44. His wife reported that Dinkelman died a few weeks ago from a venomous snake bite. Turns out he was allergic to venomous snakes. No words! RIP.

-       Married people looking to have an affair are using a bell pepper technique to find partners! On the UK’s top dating site users are stating that placing two bell peppers with the stems down in their shopping basket is a symbol for infidelity!  You can’t make this stuff up! I wonder what fajitas mean?!

-       Japan’s nuclear reactor near Fukushima to restart. This new reactor restarted recently with an upgraded anti-tsunmai wall. Japan had shut down all 54 of its nuclear reactors after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Since then, they have brought 12 of their 33 operable units. Beware of three eyed fish!

-       Subway is being sued for grossly misleading ads for sandwiches bursting with meat! The proposed class action suit was recently filed in Brooklyn. The suit claims that the advertising Subway engages in portrays sandwiches bursting with meat and in comparison, the subs purchased look like sad little loafs of bread with little meat! This one is interesting as I have always bitched about the fast-food ads on TV! The finished food stuffs NEVER look like they do in the ads when purchased in the real setting! I never understood what happened to false advertising. Oh wait, money talks and shitty fast-food walks!?

-       Now this in bear news? A bear that reportedly damaged luxury cars was actually a person in a bear costume according to an insurance company!  When the person was asked why they did it, they simply stated they couldn’t bear to see such expensive cars in the parking lot!

 

 

 

And in art, something to make us think:


“If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning.”   Vincent van Gogh

Interesting individual of the month [IIM]

This month’s interesting individual is Marilyn Monroe

One would be forgiven when watching Blonde, Netflix’s film about Marilyn Monroe, for getting lost in the different identities of its protagonist. This fragmentation might be the subject matter of the drama, but it is also the frustration of its premise. In watching Blonde, Ana de Armas plays a character written by Andrew Dominik. It was adapted from Joyce Carol Oates’ character in her novel, fictionally based on Marilyn Monroe, who is presented as an invention by Norma Jeane Mortenson and Hollywood producers. This film was very confusing.

Monroe was born as Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles in 1926, and brought up by Christian foster parents because her mother Gladys was mentally unable to raise a child. She later became a ward of the state, living with allegedly abusive family friends, and then in an orphanage. Going to the cinema, Monroe recalled I didn't like the world around me because it was kind of grim. When I heard that this was acting, I said that's what I want to be. In 1944, having had her picture taken working at a munitions factory, Monroe quit to become a model for the photographer, against the wishes of her first husband (a factory worker turned Marine whom she married aged sixteen). Here the self-construction began.

Fitting in with the pin-up figures of the day, straightening her hair and dyeing it blonde, and working harder than all her peers, Monroe became a regular feature on the covers of men’s magazines, under the name Jean Norman. The owner of the modelling agency put her onto an acting agency in 1946, and she was signed by Darryl F. Zanuck at 20th Century Fox Pictures, assuming the name Marilyn Monroe (because she reminded an executive of Broadway star Marilyn Miller, and Monroe was Gladys maiden name) and creating the look of a platinum-blonde Rita Hayworth, undergoing a rhinoplasty and a grueling exercise regime. By 1952, Monroe had become a sex symbol, playing ‘the girl’ on screen, and pulling publicity stunts off-screen, from wearing revealing dresses to telling a journalist she wore no underwear, and beginning a highly-publicized relationship with Joe DiMaggio. By the next year, Monroe was a bankable Hollywood star. A trademark make-up look featured dark, arched brows, red lips and a beauty mark, and a trademark style consisted of revealing or tight dresses. All that, complete with her bouffant platinum hair, made her recognizable as the blonde bombshell of Niagara and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, where she played Anita Loos’ titular dumb blonde with comedic genius, and sang the iconic Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.

From early on, Monroe was reputed to be difficult: bullied by misogynistic directors, and frustrated at her lack of control, she was cited as debilitatingly late and forgetful. Zanuck suspended Monroe in 1954 when she frustratedly refused yet another pin-up role. Her marriage to DiMaggio days later was chiefly a move to redeem her popularity; and it would end only nine months later, following his fury at a publicity stunt for The Seven-Year Itch which saw her stand above a subway grate, her white dress blowing above her thighs, in front of 2,000 spectators. What an iconic image of Marilyn, innocence and the naughty.

Despite her comedic radiance in films like Billy Wilder’s 1958 comedy Some Like it Hot, she was plagued by physical and mental problems including tragic failed pregnancies, and increasingly struggled on set. In 1962, Monroe was in serious medical decline which took her in and out of hospital, and had separated from her next husband, Arthur Miller: nevertheless, she enchanted when she was able, most famously singing Happy Birthday, Mr. President to John F. Kennedy in May. But in June Fox fired Monroe and shut down her next film, alleging that she was mentally disturbed. In August, Monroe was discovered dead at her home. The cause was a lethal barbiturate overdose which was declared a probable suicide.

 Laurence Olivier, who had upset Monroe by insisting that all you have to do is be sexy, later called her the complete victim of sensation. Films about Monroe, however sympathetic, are to be complicit with the studios and press of her own day, projecting narratives and fantasies onto her for their own reward. In her films, however, she is not only a pin-up to construct stories around, but a comic genius with a real gift of her own. They are her longest-lasting tribute. I still recall the classic scene in Seven Year Itch where Marilyn’s character is eating potato chips and drinking champagne! RIP Marilyn.

 

 

I don’t mind living in a man’s world, as long as I can be a woman in it!

Marilyn Monroe

 

 



 

Mykal and I want to wish everyone an excellent Thanksgiving Holiday! Enjoy time with family and friends and appreciate what we have as opposed to what we have not.

 

“We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown.”

 

 

 

Closing

 

Thank you for taking the time to read Chapter Sixteen of Psycho Studios; The Sprinkler. We always look forward to sharing our thoughts, ideas and more!

 

Be safe and stay psycho!

 

We would love to hear from our audience. Comments, feedback & suggestions are welcome!      

Email us at -  psychostudios66@gmail.com

Reach us at our website - psycho-studio.com.

Find our podcasts, newsletters and more on our website! We make announcements on Instagram, X when we drop new content!

The Sprinkler is dropped on the first of each month. Podcasts are dropped as content is available, at least twice per month.

 

 Mike & Mykal

Psycho Studios ~ 12.1.2024 

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Chapter 15