K.A.C. 2019 - T - 17 ...

     Good morning! After yesterday's heartwarming entry in our Christmas For Your Ears collection, I felt today was time to balance the scales. So far, we've covered many different genres in radio, from variety shows to drama,  and from horror to Westerns. Now it's time to visit science fiction on the radio ... oddly, you would think that it would be one of the hardest genres to pull off on the air, but in truth it's just the opposite - perhaps because science fiction demands more from one's imagination to begin with - who knows? There were many SF shows back in the day, such as Dimension X,  X Minus One, etc., as well as the superhero shows such as Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, Superman and more, that science fiction ruled the airwaves for the impressionable youth of the time. In addition to original dramas, many stories from the SF pulps were adapted to radio and today we feature one of the best (and one that I've talked about before in this blog).

      Our story comes from the first issue of the pulp Infinity Science Fiction (November, 1951) and was the featured tale of the issue. Written by Arthur C. Clarke of 2001: A Space Odyssey fame, it tells a tale of a different star - as a matter of fact, our tale is called 'The Star'. I had to take a rather circuitous route to find this one, as the original radio version of this is lost to time, but thanks to industrious podcasters and the like keeping the spirit of old time radio alive, enjoy this version from the Arthur C. Clarke Radio Dramas series from 2015:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui6_xGUFiqg 

     If you liked that, may I suggest you look at an earlier Conjure Cinema post from December 6th, 2013, where I talk about this story and posted a link to a TV adaptation of the story which ran on one of the reboots of The Twilight Zone back in 1985. You can watch it here:

     http://www.conjurecinema.com/2013/12/kac-2013-t-19.html 

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     Well, that was quick! Remember yesterday when I shared the first of the UK stores' Christmas ads? Sorry, Aldi - John Lewis just won this year hands down - hang it up, Tesco, Sainsburys and all the rest. In just 2 and 1/2 minutes, Excitable Edgar the Dragon and his human best friend Ava charm the heck out of you, first with Edgar's wanting to join in the Christmas activities of his village and all the mayhem that ensues, then with Ava's brilliant solution ... watch it and be enchanted. This one will warm you heart (and everything else, so don't get too close)! Well done, John Lewis!

     https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/nov/14/excitable-edgar-the-arsonist-john-lewis-burns-christmas-to-the-ground

     And if you want your OWN Excitable Edgar plush (flame retardant equipment not included), as I KNOW some of you will, here's the link - although I can tell you he's already SOLD OUT for the holidays! Keep checking back, as I'm sure they'll restock him:

     https://www.johnlewis.com/excitable-edgar-plush-soft-toy-green/p4801612?s_afcid=af_78888&tmad=c&awc=1203_1573751028_96d7e61d35cbf5ee792a45341b234c40&tmcampid=48


     And last but not least, if YOU'VE ever wanted to be a Dragon For A Day, you can set yourself up as one on the John Lewis Excitable Edgar Snapchat Filter - here's how!

     https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/10340006/john-lewis-christmas-advert-snapchat-filter/  

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