The Morning Watch: Making 'Star Trek' Romulan Ale, The Melody That Represents Death In Film & More

The Morning Watch is a recurring feature that highlights a handful of noteworthy videos from around the web. They could be video essays, fanmade productions, featurettes, short films, hilarious sketches, or just anything that has to do with our favorite movies and TV shows.

In this edition, learn about the four-note melody that has represented death in films like Star Wars and It's a Wonderful Life for decades. Plus, learn how to make your own Romulan ale based on the blue libation from Star Trek, and find out what a day in the life of Jennifer Lopez was like as she makes a splash on the big screen again with the new movie Hustlers.

First, the folks at How to Drink have mixed up a batch of Romulan ale. It's the libation of choice for Starfleet officers, even though it's illegal, and now you can make some yourself thanks to this recipe on how to make the blue spirit. Of course, it's only an educated guess as to how to make it since we haven't yet had a visit from any Romulans to give us the real recipe, at least as far as we know.

The Lion King, The Shining, Star Wars, and It's a Wonderful Life are all very different movies. But as Vox points out, in pivotal scenes, they all share the same four notes that help evoke a sense of dread during the tragedy of death.. These four notes are known as the dies irae, a 13th-century Gregorian chant describing the day Catholics believe God will judge the living and the dead and send them to heaven or hell. And it should come as no surprise that it was played during funerals.

Finally, thanks to Vanity Fair, find out what a day in the life of Jennifer Lopez was like while she was making the hit new movie Hustlers. It consists of getting up early in the morning, working out, showering and then heading to set, where she spends an hour in hair and make-up, and then spends most of the day on set shooting, opting only to go back to her trailer during lunch breaks. And when it comes to the pole dance that she pulls off impressively, that came at the end of production.