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Sound of the City: London 1964-73 (1973)
Some background on unidentified music clips
Director Peter Clifton used clips from his documentary Popcorn - An Audio-Video Thing(1969)and other bits for this tossed together rockumentary. It goes by various titles. I've tried to track down places and dates of these music clips (which are not indicated) and may lead to some understanding to the 1960's to early '70s rock scene. The supergroup Cream perform "Sunshine of Your Love" which is from Cream's Farewell Concert (1968) documentary. It was the last time (for quite some time) Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker would perform together. It's no wonder. Clapton on guitar and Baker on drums are playing so hard and fast Bruce almost stops playing his bass. Next we see drummer Ginger Baker who went on to join supergroup Blind Faith along with Steve Winwood on keyboards. It's the debut concert and attracted 100,000 to London's Hyde Park. Too bad it lasted for just one album. Joe Cocker does a manic "With A Little Help From My Friends" followed by "Cry Me A River" when he's joined by Mad Dogs & Englishmen musicians and singers lead by Leon Russell on keyboards. It's the 3rd Isle of Wight Festival of Music 1970. (This festival is still around.) There are short interviews with hippies at a commune, Pete Townsend talking about the Rolling Stones' habits, and Tina Turner remembering a chat with Mick Jagger about learning some dance moves. Otis Redding is a standout doing two blistering hot numbers, and dedicating "Satisfaction" to Mick Jagger. Jim Hendrix is seen doing three songs and playing his guitar in ways that would be copied by others later, but not knowing the date it's hard to know which band he's using. It's a little easier with the Rod Stewart clip by the songs "Stay With Me" and a cover of the Temptations' (I Know)I'm Losing You). He's fronting The Faces with Micky Waller who's outstanding on drums. I've mentioned just some of the clips. You'll also see fans jumping on stage to kiss the lead singer, large colourful paper flowers, and real hippie fashions. If the evolution of these artists doesn't matter to you, take this in just to see them all in their prime and sounding fantastic!
Born to Dance (1936)
Character actors shine! Movie a wellspring of comedy.
There are so many reasons to like this musical comedy. Firstly, the Cole Porter songs. Secondly, the bits with character actors: Charles Trowbridge as a model home spokesman with stiff upper lip (movie butlers probably took notes); Reginald Gardiner as a policeman in Central Park who conducts an invisible orchestra (his wild, flopping hair and frantic moves are much like Danny Kaye as a music teacher in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, 1947); Helen Troy as McCoy's telephone operator must be the inspiration for Lily Tomlin's snooty switchboard gal on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in the late 1960s; and Virginia Bruce singing 'Love Me, Love My Pekinese' is sheer Gilbert & Sullivan in its wit (the cast is smiling behind the lead stars because they know it's a very funny number.
As for the stars, Elenore Powell is especially good at tap dancing and OK at singing. James Stewart has charm and good looks but hardly dances, and he sings much like Fred Astaire (who was a top-notch dancer). In fact, Elenore Powell, in this screenplay, is a dancer who's an understudy for a singer. This detail is never explained.
This movie may have been a wellspring not only for comedy but also for a music video. The big finale number 'Swingin' The Jinx Away' is set on a typical musical comedy battleship, with its big guns pointing out at the camera. It looks like that idea was used for Cher's 1991 music video 'If I Could Turn back Time', only using a real battleship.
Queen of the Amazons (1946)
Amazons in Africa?
While it brought back memories of a Saturday matinée, after seeing this on DVD I asked myself now that I'm much older, did it mention "Amazons" anywhere in the film? Or for that matter "Amazon Queen"? -- I think they called her the White Goddess. Were there any Amazons, besides the title's maid, if you then count that as two? And doesn't it take place in Africa when it should be in South America? Did all this escape the screenwriter? This movie is obviously aimed at kids. But parents should have a little talk about geography and mythology after viewing this with them. Maybe that's a good thing. Anyhow, you can see why I gave it a 3.
Vertigo (1958)
More style than substance, even for Hitchcock.
Vertigo has to be one of Hitch's most analyzed films. But "the master of suspense" offers more style than substance here, leaving the viewer with nothing but vertigo. The swirling opening credits, the hypnotic soundtrack, the dream-like pastel look, the unusual grey tone of wardrobe and back-drops. Is Hitch trying a Douglas Sirk (director of a number of stylistic melodramas of the 1950s) with all this stuff? Then going a little deeper, are we made as obsessed by Madeleine (Kim Novak) by seeing James Stewart's character trailing her on foot and by car for much of the film, with NO suspense or drama? We have to be, or it doesn't work. It didn't for me. (NO SPOILERS) In what might be called the second half there is a moment when we are made aware of something. You'll have to decide if this is shown too soon, as it was for me. Also, why would the husband want to kill a wife that looked liked Kim Novak in the first place? How does Stewart's character survive his fall (not shown) from a tall building, receiving only a broken leg? Didn't others see changes in Madeleine? Hitchcock falls short, this time.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
Confusingly funny makes it watchable.
The storyline seems to pickup in the middle of some comic sci-fi serial. Our hero (Peter Weller of Robo Cop) isn't like any other. He plays guitar in a rock 'n' roll band, practices brain surgery, teaches and practices physics, like traveling at hyper-speed to pass through solid rock or into the eighth dimension. The plot, from what I picked up, is his attempts to stop aliens from you know what. Seems aliens hypnotized Orson Wells into doing The War of the Worlds radio broadcast to cover up their actual landing on Earth in 1939. Every one plays it straight. Even Buckaroo's cowboy scientist pals (including Jeff Goldblum wearing a bright red cowboy outfit that must have come from Bob Hope's western comedy Fancy Pants). The aliens led by a mad scientist (John Lithgow at his scene-chewing best) are disguised as humans and are all named "John" something. They remind me of the aliens in Alien Nation. The screenplay creates a world of its own: funny, watchable, sci-fi lite.
The Veil (1958)
Between Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Night Gallery.
Just saw all 10 black and white episodes of The Veil, just out on Platinum Disc Corp (2004) double DVD set. I don't know why the company apologies on each DVD for the picture and sound quality -- both are perfect. The Veil was never shown on TV due to, as the text on the box states, studio financial problems. It's too bad. The production values, acting, and stories are at the level of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Night Gallery. Each "spine-tingling" story deals with the paranormal, many based on real facts; messages from beyond the grave, psychic premonitions, supernatural phenomena, and surprise endings! In each episode we get to see veteran actor/host Boris Karloff in a range of roles, including a doctor, lawyer, even chief of police. The Veil does not suffer from "monster of the week" plots, which were the boom and bust of The Outer Limits and The X-Files. No unexpected explosions, no car chases, no chainsaws either. In fact, The Veil is a good example of writing for TV, albeit in 30-minute format.
Married to the Mob (1988)
Funny idea but badly executed. (pardon pun)
Overrated mob comedy. Director Demme makes the actors pause after some funny lines to let audience laugh, and not miss next line. Seems odd - this director did "Silence of The Lambs" - now there's the way to use pauses! Casting seems off. Mathew Modine too young for FBI agent and Pfeiffer's love interest! Dean Stockwell is doing a Jack Nicholson-thing with a squint, and he gets a nomination for it! Plus we have to accept Pfeiffer and Stockwell as Italians? Charles Napier as a hairdresser and Al Lewis as a mob lawyer are underused with only one line each - they should be the bumbling hoods. Song score by Chris Isaak is totally out of place - better for a flick like "Pretty In Pink." Re-make this movie, it's worth it, but with proper casting and director and the satire will come through... even the often repeated "Forgedaboutit."