George Carlin’s (left) mastery of American language observations of misuse, and his “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television” monologue in 1972 had everyone in stitches. Carlin also appeared in two of my favorite films: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure as Rufus and in Dogma, written and directed by Kevin Smith, as Cardinal Glick, the purveyor of “Buddy Christ.” Robin Williams’ (center) heartfelt portrayals in so many wonderful films spanning every genre from the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin to live action portrayals in The World According to Garp, Goodwill Hunting, Patch Adams, Dead Poets Society, and What Dreams May Come, among so many others. His live, stand-up performances rode the cusp of his seemingly supernatural ability to summon a barrage of characters to life left us speechless. Robin was a sheer gold mine of wit and wonder. His suicide left us all with sheer grief and relentless questions asking “why?” Williams’ struggles with Lewy body dementia left him a shell of a man unable to be Robin. The Robin we all loved so dearly.

For Father’s Day I was gifted two tickets to see Robin live in Atlanta. I’ll never forget that night. There he was riding his chromatic wave of imagination and creativity while dazzling us all with his abundantly endless energy. Every line was new material, too. Little did we know it would be one Robin’s last iconic stand-up performances of his career before so quickly losing himself to the vast emptiness of Lewy body dementia. Jim Carrey’s (right) uncanny facial and body contortions literally morphing himself into each character he brought to life on film and television remains unparalleled. His performances in The Mask, Bruce Almighty, The Cable Guy, Liar Liar, The Truman Show, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas transcended his comedy talents to a whole new level after starting out on In Living Color. I was hooked from day one with these three masters of comedic and dramatic craft. All three left an impression on audiences that surpassed reality. They reminded us how important it is to not take life so seriously. Live each moment in the moment.

Ray Harryhausen, the “Godfather of Stop Motion,” brought mythic creatures and spectacle to life on the big screen for decades. When I first saw Clash of the Titans, 1981, and Medusa slithered around her sanctuary while hunting down the hero intruders my jaw dropped. I was drawn into this mythological world dumbfounded to the core. Someone once asked Harryhausen how he portrayed his creations at such massive scale. His response was: “I just move them closer to the camera.” See “Dynamation” article for further details of his lifelong pursuit of breathing life into mythic creatures.

Phil Tippett, veteran stop motion genius, creature creator, and film director, released his masterful opus Mad God in 2021. It’s dark, fiery, flickering nature leaves us spellbound to the core with its visceral visuals. The sound design whispers, echoes, cries, and taunts us with every breath. Like many artists, including myself, Tippett’s bipolar disorder gives him immense focus and drive to reach the finish line, but many times at any cost. “My manic side is my superpower, but if I don’t manage that, it can destroy me,” Tippett said after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder later in life.

“Ladies and gentlemen
Boys and girls
The Chocolate Room

Hold your breath
Make a wish
Count to three

Come with me and you’ll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look and you’ll see
Into your imagination”

“We’ll begin with a spin
Traveling in the world of my creation
What we’ll see will defy
Explanation

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world?
There’s nothing to it”

— Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, 1971, written by British composers Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley over the telephone in one day