none that i can see

Every day, think as you wake up, "Today I am fortunate to have woken up. I am alive, I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry, or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can."

- The Dalai Lama

While you ponder that, I will begin what may amount to very little. Subtitle today's entry, things noticed watching GroundhogDay on blu-ray for the first time.

First thing noticed: a mistake. Phil's clip-on microphone disappears when he gets up from the news desk. He's got it for the weather report, he's got it when he sits down by Nan. Next shot he's by Larry and Kenny and he's got no microphone. Now, maybe Phil violently tore it off in that split second we couldn't see him. But, more likely, he just didn't have it when they set up that second shot.

Next thing noticed: the brick of the courthouse and in the detail on the Pennsylvanian Hotel is much more vibrant than it was before. And, obviously there's a bit more clarity all around. In fact, Bill Murray when he says he's seen Larry eat looks far paler and older than he's looked before.

The wallpaper in Phil's room seems darker and richer, and how did I miss that there are leaves on the lampshade? The red towel in his little sink alcove is really bright.

A lot more red going on in the dining room of the bed and breakfast now... in fact, red bits stand out more out on the street as well. I really shouldn't marvel at how individual colors stand out; it's not as if this is the first blu-ray I've watched, though admittedly it has been a while since I've watched one. But, really, it's like this disc was set up by someone who read my entry about the color blue and wanted other colors, notably red, to stand out. The red hats around Gobbler's Knob, the red flowers the Inner Circle are wearing, even the stripes on the American flag near the stage--these are all quite distinct here.

It's a 76 station. Never noticed that before, there are logos on the gas pumps.

Good work on the sets for the Cherry Street Inn. Even though the hallway window is frosted, they put branches outside and have them moving slightly like there's wind.

Ken Hudson Campbell as Chubby Man (or, in the credits "Man in Hallway") seems quite red as well. It's like everything is a little too crisp. But, after watching the film in a very blurry version several dozen times and the DVD copy a couple dozen or so now, I should expect this to be different.

Day 2, and I'm over the whole red thing already. I'm noticing the blue again.

Also just noticed bald earmuff guy walked into the store where pimp and his boyfriend were browsing... I haven't done my piece about all the extras with screencaps yet, have I? So, backtracking a little, bald earmuff guy is up at the edge of the stage during the groundhog ceremony. I hadn't noticed him in the Ned scene before, I don't think. Pimp is my probably offensive name for one of the black extras, mostly because he's wearing bright green pants. And, he's with some white guy in the Ned scene and a moment later as Phil enters Gobbler's Knob. I choose to assume they don't have a platonic relationship because, well, I never came up with an equally offensive nickname for the white guy, I suppose.

(And now, I supposed I have got to get to those screencaps and labeling the extras that I have given nicknames tomorrow.)

Bill Murray is even more haggard on blu-ray than on DVD, and his hair is thinning a bit in the back.

Mrs. Lancaster's skirt is shiny. Hadn't noticed that before.

Day 3, bald earmuff guy is not in the Ned scene. He may have wandered off with Phil sign girl's friend... except she doesn't disappear until the next morning.

I've noticed before but it's even more obvious now: Alice's waitress uniform and Bill's apron are not the same shade of blue as Doris' and the other waitress' uniform.

I think the same paperdoll-looking groundhogs that are hanging in the Alpine Theater's box office are hanging in the Tip Top (behind Larry when he walks in on Day 3 and Day 4).

This really is not a new revelation coming from watching the film on blu-ray, but I have yet to find a place to mention it--Harold Ramis' doctor is billed as "Neurologist" yet he's got an X-Ray of a skull and can't do an MRI or a Cat Scan. He sees no clots and no spots but he's looking at an image of a skull, not a brain. Of course he sees no clots or spots.

An aside: as an experiment I want to just do the first part of Phil Connoring someone (i.e. What's your name? What high school did you go to? High school. Who was your twelfth grade English teacher? Your 12th-grade English teacher was--) just to see if people will answer without any explanation.

Another aside, though the clarity reminded me because I could make out the menu: I would love to know if anyone has one of the Heidi II posters or the Tip Top Cafe menus [Woodstock library does]. I mean, I've got a copy of the second revision of the script (not the shooting script, as it turns out) signed by Murray and Elliott, but no other memorabilia. If I make it to Woodstock in February, I will have to remember to save money for souvenirs.

The pillow on the couch in Phil's room at the Cherry Street Inn has a groundhog on it. [Also, on display at the Woodstock library.] That is awesome.

There's a lot of green in the Jeopardy! scene.

There's a slight bounce to the rear end of the truck as it explodes that I never noticed before.

God day, Phil and Rita walking through Gobbler's Knob, and I think that's Pimp's boyfriend behind them.

Paperdoll groundhogs also hanging in the window behind Rita and Nancy when they meet.

And, good news before I go: I will be connecting two of my papers this fall quarter to Groundhog Day--in fact as we were going around the class tonight getting people's topics and I hadn't gone yet, my Professor said, "I'd like to hear about a topic that concerns Groundhog Day" or something along those lines; he knew I intended to include the film.

Anyway, today's reason to repeat a day forever: to be spontaneous and enjoy everything that comes.