Wild Wild West

Wild Wild West is a 1999 American steampunk western action-comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. A big-screen adaptation of the 1965–1969 TV series The Wild Wild West, it stars Will Smith, Kevin Kline (who appears in dual roles as the protagonist Artemus Gordon and as President Ulysses S. Grant), Kenneth Branagh, and Salma Hayek.

Similar to the series, the film features a large amount of gadgetry. It serves as a parody, however, as the gadgetry is more highly advanced, implausible steampunk technology and bizarre mechanical inventions, including innumerable inventions of the mechanological geniuses Artemus Gordon and Dr. Loveless, such as nitroglycerine-powered penny-farthing bicycles, spring-loaded notebooks, bulletproof chain mail, flying machines, steam tanks, and Loveless's giant mechanical spider.

Wild Wild West was a commercial disappointment, earning only $222.1 million worldwide against a $170 million budget, and received predominantly negative reviews.

Plot

In 1869 U.S. Army Captain James West and U.S. Marshal Artemus Gordon hunt for Confederate General "Bloodbath" McGrath, who is wanted for mass murder, throughout the Southern United States. This is due to McGrath ordering a massacre in a settlement called New Liberty, where many of the freed slaves were murdered, including West's biological parents. The search leads to a brothel where the two try (unsuccessfully) to arrest him. It leads to a huge brawl and a cart of nytroglycerin crashing into the building that starts a fire. Both West and Gordon, the latter dressed as a woman, escape. Later, in Washington, D.C., West and Gordon meet at the White House with President Ulysses S. Grant, who tells them about the disappearance of America's key scientists and a treasonous plot by General "Bloodbath" McGrath. Grant charges the two with finding the scientists before he inaugurates the first transcontinental railroad at Promontory, Utah.

Wild, Wild West (The Escape Club song)

"Wild, Wild West" is a song by The Escape Club from their similarly named debut album, Wild Wild West. The single hit the charts in late 1988 eventually reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of November 12, 1988, making The Escape Club the only British artist to have a No. 1 hit in America while never charting in the UK.

The lyrics, with phrases such as "I love her eyes and her wild, wild hair," "heading for the '90s, living in the wild, wild west," are augmented with gunshot sound effects. Critics have noted that portions of the song bore a strong similarity to Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up" due to the distinct drum beat and vocal patterns during the verses.

The music video is noted for using mirror imaging of actors to give the illusion of disembodied arms and legs.

In 1989, Wally Wingert parodied it on the Dr. Demento radio show as "Adam West," in response to the casting of Michael Keaton as the title character for that year's Batman film.

Wild Wild West (disambiguation)

Wild Wild West or The Wild Wild West may also refer to:

Film and television

Music

Other

T-shirt

A T-shirt (or tee shirt, or tee) is a style of fabric shirt, named after the T shape of the body and sleeves. It is normally associated with short sleeves, a round neck line known as a crew neck, with no collar.

Typically made of cotton fibers knitted in a jersey stitch, they have a distinctive soft texture compared to woven shirts. The majority of modern versions have a body made from a continuously woven tube, on a circular loom, so that the torso has no side seams. The manufacture of T-shirts has become highly automated, and may include fabric cutting by laser or water jet.

The T-shirt evolved from undergarments used in the 19th century, through cutting the one-piece union suit underwear into separate top and bottom garments, with the top long enough to tuck under the waistband of the bottoms. With and without buttons, they were adopted by miners and stevedores during the late 19th century as a convenient covering for hot environments.

As slip-on garments without buttons, they originally became popular in the United States when they were issued by the U.S. Navy during or following the Spanish–American War of 1898. These were a crew-necked, short-sleeved, white cotton undershirt to be worn under a uniform. It became common for sailors and Marines in work parties, the early submarines, and tropical climates to remove their uniform jacket, wearing (and soiling) only the undershirt.

T-Shirt (song)

"T-Shirt" is the first solo single released by Barbadian singer Shontelle from her album Shontelligence (2008). It is her second official single following the release of 2007's "Roll It" which was released only in select European countries. A remix, featuring The-Dream, is included on her second album, No Gravity (2010). The single peaked at number thirty six on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, but peaked within the top ten of the charts in Belgium and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, "T-Shirt" was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry.

Release and promotion

"T-Shirt" was sent to Mainstream Top 40 radio stations on July 15, 2008. Shontelle and her label gave artists a chance to release their own remixed version of the song, which was to be serviced to DJs with the winner promoted as a featured artist.

Speaking in February 2009 to noted British R&B writer Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul, Shontelle explained the significance to her of the song: "I really like 'T-Shirt' a lot because, when you listen to the song, there's a lot of elements in there that will definitely appeal to girls. Like even the strongest women at some point can have that guy in their life who, if for some reason you can't be with him, is gonna have that effect on you where you're not gonna feel like going out, hanging out with your girlfriends, partying, or doing ANYTHING. And, if you do miss that person, the best thing to have of theirs is a T-shirt! Because it usually smells like them and you can put it on, curl up with it - and kinda pretend the person is THERE!"

T-Shirt (Thomas Rhett song)

"T-Shirt" is a song recorded by American country music artist Thomas Rhett. It will be released on February 16, 2016 via Valory Music Group as the third single from his second studio album, Tangled Up. The song was written by Ashley Gorley, Luke Laird, and Shane McAnally.

Background

Before the release of Tangled Up in 2015, Rhett had been performing the song live as early as November 2013.

Critical reception

Website Taste of Country reviewed the song favorably, saying that "With “T-Shirt,” Thomas Rhett again proves that nobody sings young love better than he does. Every single love song he’s released from his first two albums recalls a honeymooner’s excitement. The lascivious tension is palpable."

Music video

An Instant Grat Video for the song premiered in September 2015.

Chart performance

References