Blogathon: 2/18

It’s Groundhog Day. Again…

Every year at this time (on 2nd of February to be precise) Groundhog Day happens all over my calendar.

Which is a terrific coincidence really, as 2nd of February is actually Groundhog Day.

I know, right?

Whodathortit?

The festival (‘Ye Olde Groundhoge Daye Themeparke’, to give it the proper name), was started in 1348 by King Edward III, as a blatant attempt to take the collective mind of the collective public away from the ever so slightly fatal Black Death, which was sweeping the country at the time.

This fact may not be true.

King Edward III was an unusual monarch in many respects, not least because he was named after a type of potato.

This fact may also not be true.

Ye Olde Groundhoge Daye Themeparke was beset by problems in the early days.

The architects’ decision to mount the Themeparke on a large pontoon of barges, knitted together by bamboo poles and a heavy chain made out of England’s finest wool was always seen as controversial.

Filling the River Thames with shoals of flesh-eating octopii may have contributed to the public staying away from the Themeparke in their thousands.

Especially after one of the barges capsized, and fourteen people were eaten alive.

These facts may have a slightly tenuous relationship with the truth.

However, here’s a true fact.

Those that know me can confirm I have something of a relationship with Groundhog Day (the film).

I have seen the film a couple of dozen times.

I have a copy of Danny Rubin‘s original shooting script.

And I’m aware of several scenes that didn’t make it into the film.

Like the first scene in the shooting script.

And like ‘the hustler’.

Enjoy.