this sounds like a science project

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(Before I get into today's topic, I would like to point out that Martin Manley's website (the one he put together leading up to his suicide which I've mentioned before here and here) has apparently been taken down... at least the original version. On a memorial blog "set up to allow Martin's family and friends to share stories and memories of his life" it says:

Yahoo has taken down MartinManleyLifeAndDeath.com. There are however several mirror sites working at this time. Here is a partial list ...

http://eulopedia.com/home_page.html

http://martinmanley.org/

http://www.ussolutions.net/martin/backup/index-2.html

http://martinmanleylifeanddeath.com.nyud.net/home_page

http://www.zeroshare.info/

The first one seems to be most complete. It includes the U.S. Financial link that the others missed. The martinmanley.org link was set up by Anonymous and has a timed intro message that you can read. To bypass that message go straight to http://martinmanley.org/index2.html. If you know of any other mirrors please leave a comment and we'll get them posted.

More mirror links that have come in...

http://martinmanley.bizant.ro/

But I didn't really want to talk about death or suicide or the online afterlife. But, I only learned that Yahoo had taken down Manley's original site today.)

What I actually wanted to talk about today was something fairly simple and straightforward: chapter divisions.

That is, the way the DVD/blu-ray divides up the movie and the way the HD copy from iTunes does.

And, this is confusing a little, because the chapter divisions on the HD copy on my iPad are the same as the ones listed on the paper in the DVD case. But, the blu-ray has it's own division. First the more complicated one, listed in the DVD packaging and on the HD iTunes copy: there are 28 chapters on the selection menu. And, going through them, the exact moments of these divisions are just slightly off from, well, scene cuts. Not sure why.

  1. Start - Weather report and interaction with Nan.
  2. A New Producer - The rest of the scene at PBH, starting with Nan saying, "Have fun in Punxsutawney."
  3. Punxsutawney - From the TV screen fade through the rest of Day 0, ending with the exterior shots as Day 1 begins.
  4. GROUNDHOG DAY - Opening bits to Day 1 (DJs, Chubby Man, Ned), from the exterior shot of the Cherry Street Inn to Phil stepping in the puddle.
  5. Gobbler's Knob 1 - From Ned laughing to Phil's first report and through the blizzard bits all the way past Phil's shower.
  6. GROUNDHOG DAY 2 - Opening bits for Day 2, starting the night before with Mrs. Lancaster wishing Phil "sweet dreams."
  7. Gobbler's Knob 2 - Starts with Ned laughing after Phil has stepped in the puddle. Then Phil's second report, the one he walks away from in the middle (which is my daughter Saer's favorite part of the movie; Bill Murray's delivery and action is pretty funny). Ends with Phil breaking the pencil.
  8. GROUNDHOG DAY 3 - Starts the night before as Phil eyes the clock, then the rapid opening bits for Day 3...
  9. Gobbler's Knob 3 - Starts with Phil stepping in the puddle for the third time. Then, his third... well, he doesn't actually do the report, does he? Instead, he tells Rita the truth (just not in a way she believes him, this time)...
  10. Phil Seeks Help - Starts with Phil's line, "I need help." Then, his visits to the Neurologist and Psychiatrist.
  11. GROUNDHOG DAY 4 - Starts the night before with the jail cell door closing.
  12. No More Worries - Starts with Phil not stepping in the puddle. Then the gorging scene.
  13. Phil Meets Nancy - Starts with Rita saying "bon appetit." Then the birth of Phil Connoring.
  14. GROUNDHOG DAY 5 - Starts the day before with Nancy saying "hey" as Phil walks away. Then the payoff to Phil Connoring.
  15. Heist - Starts the night before (or the scene before, anyway) with Phil and Nancy making out on the couch. Then the robbery plus most of Phil's date with Laraine.
  16. GROUNDHOG DAY 6 - Starts as Phil and Laraine get their tickets, then through to Phil talking to Rita in and walking away from the van. Ends with Phil offering to buy Rita a coffee... and a donut.
  17. Perfect Guy - The sequence I call "date night" starting with Rita saying, "all right" to Phil's offer.
  18. Gobbler's Knob? - Starts with Phil's walk of shame past the ice sculptures, then the morning Phil calls everyone hypocrites. A lot of clocks broken and then Phil announces that the groundhog needs to be stopped.
  19. Phil kidnaps Phil - The scene in which Phil and Larry debate the ethical and moral hazards inherent in pulling a groundhog out of its stump to parade it in front of a thousand people... (just testing you). Actually, this starts with Larry saying, "He's out of his gourd." And, it goes through the suicides as well, ending in the morgue.
  20. Convincing Rita - The bit I like to call "god day" starting with Phil under the sheet in the morgue and ending with the alarm clock going off.
  21. Phil's New Image - Phil wakes up with purpose--the chapter begins with Phil taking a deep breath--and brings pastries to work...
  22. Literature & Music - Starts with Phil asking Larry if he has kids. Then Phil reads at the Tip Top and gets "Katie" kicked out of Mary's house.
  23. Old man saga - Starts with the fade to Phil walking past the alley. Then the many deaths of O'Reilly... well, actually, I suppose it's only three. Includes the Chekhov speech and Rita saying, "I thought we were going..."
  24. Guardian Angel - "...back." Then, the "good deed" section, and all the way past Larry and Nancy at the bar to Phil's first piano solo.
  25. Rock-maninoff - Starts with Rita looking at Phil and Phil pulling off his sunglasses.
  26. Bidding for Phil - Starts with applause and then Buster hitting the podium with his gavel.
  27. A warm face - Starts as Phil and Rita meet up with Ned on their way out of the party.
  28. Today is tomorrow - Starts with the clock on 5:59.

The blu-ray has fewer chapters, and they don't have names.

  1. The first chapter gets us through Day 0.
  2. Second chapter gets us to Gobbler's Knob and Phil's first report.
  3. Third chapter starts with Punxsutawney Phil whispering in Buster's ear.
  4. Day 2.
  5. Starts with Phil's second shower.
  6. Starts as Phil, Gus and Ralph exit the bowling alley.
  7. Day 4.
  8. Starts with the heist.
  9. Starts with Phil removing the van's distributor cap.
  10. Starts with Rita entering the Cherry Street Inn with Phil.
  11. Starts with Phil knocking the clock off the table.
  12. "God day" starting quite rightly with Rita saying, "I'm sorry. What was that again?"
  13. This is the new Phil, with reading and piano and ice sculpting.
  14. Starts with Phil finding O'Reilly in the alley.
  15. Starts with Buster choking.
  16. Starts with Rita meeting Ned.

Today's reason to repeat a day forever: to figure out a better editing software than Windows Movie Maker so I can make my endless edit of Groundhog Day.

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