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Monday, April 23rd, 2012
8:58 pm	The day Dick Clark called to talk about The Beatles "Time, it seems, finally has caught up with Dick Clark." That was the opening to a piece I wrote for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in April 1989 when Clark, then still a youthful-looking 59, was preparing to end his 33-year reign as "America's oldest living teenager" by handing over the hosting chores of a diminished "American Bandstand" to 26-year-old David Hirsch as the show moved to the USA cable channel. Unfortunately for Hirsch (there's a trivia stumper for you!), the show he inherited was but a shadow of the pioneering televised sock hop that in its heyday could make or break records. "Bandstand" mercifully came to an end six months later. But my premature verdict on Dick Clark's race with time proved to be off by a mere 23 years, as he continued to not only be a major producer of television programming but also showed up regularly on TV, even though after suffering a debilitating 2004 stroke his screen time was reduced to his brave, if awkward, "New Year's Rockin' Eve" segments as co-host with Ryan Seacrest. (As I noted here after his return on the 2005 telecast, for a guy who'd made his career out of being perpetually young and glib, it must have been hell for Clark to go on camera with his speech obviously still quite impaired from the stroke. A gutty performance.) Finally, though, time did catch up with Clark last week at age 82. While most of today's younger viewers probably associated Clark primarily with New Year's Eve, for their parents' generation he was a practically ubiquitous and extremely formative presence on the tube and in the music business. "Bandstand" originated in September 1952 as a local show on Philadelphia's WFIL-TV. Clark became the show's host in 1956 and the next year gave it national exposure on ABC, where it aired every weekday afternoon and quickly became a sensation, drawing at one point almost a million fan letters a week. It was a simple formula: hit records, attractive kids having fun and quick glimpses of popular personalities lip-syncing their hits ("Bandstand" never had a large enough budget for live musical performances), all presided over by a genial host. Much of Middle America still might have found rock 'n' roll threatening at that point, but Clark came across like a well-dressed, clean-cut, articulate older brother and made "Bandstand" acceptable viewing in most homes. In addition to popularizing such dance crazes as the Twist, the Pony, the Watusi and the Mashed Potato, "Bandstand" became a national launching pad for pop music talent. The "Rate-a-Record" segment — "I give it a 95, Dick. It's got a good beat; you can dance to it" — became a part of Americana. The impressive list of stars making their national TV debut on "Bandstand" included Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, the Beach Boys, the Doors, the Jackson Five, Talking Heads and Prince. (Though it should be pointed out that Clark spent nearly as much airtime pushing such soon-to-be-forgotten acts as the DiFranco Family as he did future legends.) Probably the major name to come out of "Bandstand" was Clark himself, the only TV personality to simultaneously host programs on all three networks and in syndication. At ABC's behest, he divested his lucrative record industry businesses in 1959 during the "payola" scandal over disc jockeys being paid to play certain records (and subsequently cleared himself during congressional hearings). But that didn't stop him from diversifying into concert promotion, acting and hosting game shows, most notably the "$10,000 Pyramid" (and its various higher-valued offspring). He also was host of a couple of nationally syndicated radio countdown shows for years and produced various "Bandstand" siblings, incuding "Where the Action Is." Indeed, it was as a TV producer that Clark hit his stride. Dick Clark Productions was behind the American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, Golden Globes and Daytime Emmy telecasts in addition to the ABC New Year's Eve show. Turning out an average of 150 hours of programming a year at his peak, Clark showed a knack for mass-appeal (if lowbrow) fare. Although one of his latter-day productions, the nostalgic 2002-2005 drama "American Dreams," drew critical praise, more typical of his output were his many "bloopers" shows. It's what onetime NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff (an admirer and major customer) called "fast-food programming ... the McDonald's of television." Clark, who amassed a personal fortune estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars, defended his programming in a 1984 interview, saying, "I am in a commercial business. What is wrong with giving people what they want and enjoy?" For most of three decades, that included "Bandstand, " which Clark continued to host. But the rise of MTV and video music in the '80s accelerated the dissipation of the show's power and impact that had begun after it moved to Los Angeles in March 1964 and started airing just once a week. Eventually, the audience dwindled as well. But there's no denying the important role Clark played in the evolution of American pop music into the broad-based money-making machine it became. He spearheaded the rise of such teen idols of the late '50s and early '60s as Fabian, Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell. And he provided one of the first national TV showcases for black entertainers. Despite Ku Klux Klan threats, Clark presented Atlanta's first integrated concert bill at the Lakewood Fairgrounds in 1958 for a live Saturday night TV show that he also hosted for 2 1/2 years. Still, more often, Clark avoided controversy. He dropped Jerry Lee Lewis from his shows after the flap over the singer marrying his 13-year-old cousin. And, as I noted in that 1989 piece, he hedged his bets when a furor erupted over John Lennon's remark that The Beatles were more popular with kids than Jesus Christ, offering viewers the chance to send in unwanted Beatles items if they were disenchanted with the Fab Four, and then in the next breath introducing the group's latest single, "Yellow Submarine." The inclusion of a mention of that waffling on The Beatles led to my last direct contact with Clark. Previously, I'd met him a couple of times at network TV press gatherings for some of the shows he hosted and/or produced, and at one such affair I'd chatted with him briefly about what happened to The Beatles' lawsuit against him over his "Birth of The Beatles" TV movie. (He said they'd "settled," and when I asked if that meant he'd paid The Beatles off, he held his fingers together closely to indicate, yes, but it hadn't cost him very much.) Anyway, a couple of weeks after the 1989 article ran in the paper, my office phone rang and it was Dick Clark calling! He'd read the article and was complimentary about it, but he wanted to pick one bone with me: Where, he asked, had I come up with the idea that he'd offered to hold a bonfire of Beatles items? He was pretty sure, he said, that he'd never done any such thing. "That came from my own memory," I told him, relating how I recalled clearly as a teenager watching him try to straddle the fence on the issue on a late-summer 1966 installment of "Bandstand." I'll give him credit: He didn't tell me I was full of it. Instead, he again said he had no recollection of doing that and indicated he was going to go back and check the videotape to see what it showed. I never heard back from him, so I don't know if he ever checked the archives or not. But whether he was right or I was, there's no denying that straddling the middle of the road over the course of his career paid off hugely for Dick Clark. But as he noted, what's wrong with giving folks what they want and enjoy? Clark had an unprecedented knack for knowing what that was. I don't think we'll see the likes of him again. ANOTHER LOSS: I never got to meet Jonathan Frid, the Shakespearean actor who became a teen idol and TV sensation playing Barnabas Collins, the sympathetic vampire on the 1960s gothic soap "Dark Shadows." Back when I was covering television, a veteran publicist at ABC, who was friends with Frid, urged me to try looking him up on one of my trips to New York City, telling me what a lovely guy he was and how much he'd love to talk about the old days. I really wish now I had done that, but unfortunately I never was able to work it into my always-tight schedule on those trips. I would have enjoyed meeting Frid, because I was an avid fan of "Dark Shadows" in high school. I remember I was aware of the program in its early days, before Frid joined the cast and became a phenomenon, but I generally avoided daytime soaps of any sort. Then, in the fall of 1967, my brothers started watching the after-school show with some neighborhood pals and told me about it. Intrigued, I tuned in and immediately got hooked by Frid's conflicted portrayal of a reluctant vampire awakened long after his time, the show's serial mash-up of elements from myriad monster and suspense movies, and the comely young witches and damsels in distress. (Angelique! Maggie!) I remained a faithful viewer of the show, went to see the two feature films that were spun off from it, and even bought the soundtrack LP of Robert Cobert's haunting "Dark Shadows" music. But as a freshman in college I missed the latter months of "Dark Shadows" because it conflicted with my class schedule — this being the era before VCRs and digital recorders. I wanted to skip class to watch the final installment but couldn't do so because of a test. So my Mom volunteered to watch the show for me and gave me a report. A couple of decades later I tuned in every week to the short-lived prime time version of "Dark Shadows" starring Ben Cross as Barnabas — an earnest, serious remake that didn't last very long. And now, coming right on the heels of Frid's death on May 11, we'll finally get another big-screen "Dark Shadows," this one starring Johnny Depp and Eva Green. I was pleased to read what the new Barnabas had to say after Frid's passing. “Jonathan Frid was the reason I used to run home from school to watch ‘Dark Shadows,’” Depp said. ”His elegance and grace was an inspiration then and will continue to remain one forever more. When I had the honor to finally meet him [Frid has a cameo in the new film], he generously passed the torch of Barnabas.” Unfortunately, I have a feeling I'm going to want to take a torch to the new version of the tale of Collinwood, which director Tim Burton has reimagined as a campy comedy. I've hated campiness ever since the Adam West "Batman" unleashed a flood of tongue-in-cheek programming (and ruined several previously good shows) back in 1966. Joel Schumacher's "Batman & Robin" took a similarly campy big-screen approach to that character and nearly killed it as a movie franchise, before Christopher Nolan got things back on track with a serious approach, resulting in "The Dark Knight." Too bad it's not Nolan reviving Barnabas and "Dark Shadows." I think that might have made a more suitable tribute to Jonathan Frid. ON THE TUBE: I spent much of Sunday afternoon catching up on the new season of AMC's "Mad Men," and I'm pleased to say it's still the best series on television. The stylish period piece has moved into 1966 now and is touching on various mileposts of the era, from race relations to the obstacles faced by career women to tripping on LSD. Watching the superb cast explore their flawed but fascinating characters is as satisfying as ever. ... I've also caught the first two episodes of "Girls," the new HBO comedy that provides a sort of millennial generation updating of "Sex and the City." Created by 26-year-old wunderkind Lena Dunham, who plays one of the four young women the show revolves around, "Girls" offers some witty dialogue and isn't afraid to let its central characters come off as spoiled brats with little more in their lives than a sense of entitlement. But that's also a problem: The characters are not very sympathetic. And for a show that spends much of its time focusing on sex, it features some of the unsexiest couplings ever filmed. The verdict is still out on this one. A QUICKIE: I love Norah Jones' voice and I commend her for trying to shake up her sound a bit by teaming up with producer Danger Mouse (another UGA alum) for her new album, "Little Broken Hearts," out May 1.There's only one problem: mediocre material. For me, there wasn't really one keeper in the bunch. Let me know what you think. You can listen to the album streaming courtesy of NPR and the Guardian: http://www.npr.org/2012/04/15/150302373/first-listen-norah-jones-little-broken-hearts http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/apr/16/norah-jones-little-broken-hearts-stream If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: sad (12 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 12th, 2012
10:30 pm	It's not the sexy TV ads that are going too far Sexy ads aren't anything new, especially on TV, so it's a little surprising the amount of comment directed to the most recent sexed up Carl's Jr./Hardee's spot, featuring Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kate Upton getting practically horizontal with a literally saucy Southwest Patty Melt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdGsKzmCgB0 The hamburger chain, which in the past has used Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian in similar ads, is known for marketing to hormone-driven teenage males, and the Upton ad is just more of the same, if a little more blatant than its predecessors. It's an approach used more and more to peddle foodstuffs, such as in the spot with the widening eyes of a young woman seemingly having an orgasmic reaction to ... eating a York Peppermint Patty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB1rNAzVSa8 It's kind of ironic that ads for beer and food are often more forthrightly aimed at the libido than those ubiquitous but romantically coy spots for Cialis and other products more directly connected to the sex act. Even in the area of products enhancing lovemaking, however, TV commercials are getting a bit more, um, pointed. Like those ads for K-Y Intense, a product that purports to enhance female satisfaction. In most of the spots, we see a rather shy couple who don't exactly look like models sitting on a bed and talking about what happens when they use Intense. Then there's usually a cut-away shot of firecrackers exploding, followed by the couple sprawled out on the bed in post-coital bliss. Actually, I think a more subtle approach in the latest K-Y Intense campaign is much more effective. That's where the proper British couple is talking in code over breakfast about the "amazing" desert with cinnamon and nutmeg they had the night before, with subtitles letting you know what they're actually talking about. "Mmmm, nutmeg," says the woman at the end, while the subtitle says, "K-Y." http://www.bestads.tv/view/5855/ky-intense-cinnamon-and-nutmeg/ Subtle isn't exactly the word I'd use to describe the "bush" ad for Schick's Quattro TrimStyle. I remember the first time I saw it, I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing: As a slinky model walked along, the various trees and shrubs she passed suddenly took on topiary shapes resembling some of the more common styles for trimming feminine pubic hair. Certainly a memorable bit of advertising, though. http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/schicks-trim-your-bush-commercial I don't mind ads pushing the envelope when it comes to being sexy, but there's another recent trend in TV commercials that I think definitely has gone too far. For lack of a better term, let's call it bathroom talk. It started when the Charmin bear ads started making their point with mama and papa bears trying to stop a cub from going around with bits of inferior toilet tissue stuck to his rear end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLKTUsyCMcg Then there was the Huggies ad with a dad trying to change his son's diaper while the kid destroys a hotel room with a stream like a fire hose. OK, parents of boys can see the exaggerated humor in the situation, but still ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNqL28QK3pg I can't find any redeeming qualities at all, however, in the Wal-Mart ad that has a man sniffing his wife's armpits on the dance floor to make sure her Degree deoderant has worked. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwxhySdJ_2I And the recent animated "heavy dooty" ad for Luvs that has squatting babies competing in a contest to see who can fill their diaper the most is just plain disgusting. What can the makers of this ad have been thinking? http://www.adstorical.com/commercial/2575/luvs-diapers-heavy-dooty-championship/ Not exactly the kind of work that ad agency is likely to submit for the Clio Awards. ON THE TUBE: I hadn't originally planned on watching "Game Change," the HBO movie based on the best-selling book about the McCain-Palin campaign that debuted this past weekend. But then I caught portions of a couple of airings and was so impressed that I made a point of watching the entire film. It's not a work likely to change your view of former Alaska Gov. and GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin — if you were horrified in 2008 by the thought of such an uninformed, inexperienced media creation being one beat of a 72-year-old heart away from the presidency, as a character notes in the film, "Game Change" will leave you even more relieved the American electorate didn't buy her. And if you are a Palin fan, you probably will want to label it "fiction" like Palin herself has done. But keep in mind that this isn't some Democratic Party screed against the darling of arch conservatives — it's a McCain campaign insider's view of Palin as seen by Republican stalwarts like Steve Schmidt and Nicolle Wallace, played in the film by a terrific Woody Harrelson and Sarah Paulson. The filmmakers have skillfully blended actual news footage of such figures as Wolf Blitzer, Katie Couric, and Barack Obama and Joe "Obiden," as Palin wanted to call him, with very strong portrayals of the McCain campaign principals. Julianne Moore manages to look and sound like Palin while avoiding coming off as a caricature. True, Palin comes out of the film looking pretty bad, but Moore's performance isn't completely unsympathetic. In fact, during scenes where Palin hugs Down syndrome children and their parents on the campaign trail and when she's painfully watching herself being lampooned on TV by Tina Fey, even a confirmed Democrat is likely to feel some sympathy for her. She obviously wasn't prepared to be thrust into the spotlight like that. As Ed Harris' McCain says at one point, "That poor girl. She wasn't ready for this." But then there also are moments where Moore's Palin comes off as an uncooperative, self-involved bitch. Much more positive overall is the film's take on McCain, who battles to keep the campaign from going off the deep end while still trying to derail Obama, and who warns Palin at the end not to get caught up with Rush Limbaugh and the extremists he fears will ruin the GOP. In the end, "Game Change" is one of the more successful efforts in HBO's long string of reality-based telemovies, thanks to both a crackerjack script by Danny Strong and strong performances by the top-notch cast. If anything, what you'll take away from it isn't what an ill-prepared candidate Palin was, but more a cautionary tale about the things politicians and their aides are forced to do in nowadays out of desperation. It'll be interesting to see what sort of film HBO gets out of the 2012 race. MY TUNES: My son introduced me to the music of The Shins a few years ago. Here's their latest, "Simple Song," which I've been enjoying recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyAJ4V06izg If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: surprised (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 5th, 2012
6:47 pm	Stroll down Tin Pan Alley stirs childhood memories Back in the pre-Beatles days of my youth in the 1950s and early '60s, rock 'n' roll was "teenage music," the soundtrack for my brothers and me making fun of the dancers on "American Bandstand" on weekday afternoons. Musically, my upbringing was much more immersed in the pop standards and Broadway tunes that were played on the middle-of-the-road station to which my parents kept their bedroom radio tuned. Many a night I recall falling asleep listening to the sounds of the great American songbook on a nightly show that WGAU called "Dancing in the Dark." So I have a history with the type of music Paul McCartney has chosen to record with Diana Krall and a group of jazz musicians for his "Kisses on the Bottom" album. Just as McCartney himself does. These are the type of songs his dad played on the piano at the family sing-alongs that happened whenever the McCartney clan got together. As Paul recalls in the liner notes to his new album, "For years I've been wanting to do some of the old songs that my parents' generation used to sing at New Year. ... the carpets would get rolled back, all the women would sit around with their little drinks of rum-and-black, gin-and-it, Babycham; someone would play the piano and it was normally my Dad. They would sing these old songs all night: 'When the Red Red Robin,' 'Carolina Moon.' And I took all of that in." The result, despite the fact that McCartney wrote only two of the songs on "Kisses on the Bottom," is perhaps the most deeply personal album he's ever done. This music means something to him, strikes an emotional chord with him, and it shows in his performance. As he has noted, McCartney is far from the first musician from the rock ’n’ roll generation to tackle pop standards. But rarely has this golden material been approached on one of these latterday collections with the superb taste, charm and class that Macca has brought to his stroll down Tin Pan Alley. It helps that he’s surrounded himself with a first-class cast of folks from the jazz-pop side of the musical spectrum who know this material intimately, including producer Tommy LiPuma and pianist Diana Krall (his pal Elvis Costello's wife, who also handled most of the rhythm arrangements). The entire collection is very laid-back and jazzy and finds Paul in crooner mode. On most of the tracks, McCartney sings in a very light, almost breathy style. At times his nearly 70-year-old voice may be frayed around the edges, but that fits the mood of the album. And some of the tracks see him singing with a sensitivity to the lyric that you rarely hear in the rock world. This is Macca exploring new vocal territory. While his vocals no doubt would have been technically stronger 20 years ago, he gives heartfelt readings of the lyrics that hit the mark. As a friend said, there’s a sort of “September of his years” feel to the album. Also, the choice of material is sublime, ranging from classic tunes that anyone over 50 should know well to lesser-known but tasty selections. McCartney didn’t limit himself to songs from the old family sing-alongs, with LiPuma and Krall suggesting a couple of numbers that Macca didn’t even know. So it’s like McCartney and his listeners alike are exploring a cool musical treasure chest. Macca told Billboard he and the musicians “went in there and enjoyed the songs,” and it sounds like that. Another plus is the cool vibe provided by the band. With lots of acoustic guitar and brushes on the drums, the playing suits the material and the production style perfectly, especially Krall’s delightfully understated piano playing and the use of a stand-up bass. The album opens with a jaunty midtempo “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.” (The album’s cheeky title comes from a line in this song.) The band is in a nice groove right from the start, with Krall’s piano solo a particular highlight. Next up is a lush, string-backed treatment of “Home (When Shadows Fall),” a fairly obscure ballad. Macca gives a very tender reading to the song, at times in almost a half-whisper. The pace picks up with a sprightly rendition of Harold Arlen's “It’s Only a Paper Moon," featuring the unexpected but effective addition of a fiddle. Macca’s vocal limitations show just a bit on that number, as they do on an orchestrated version of Frank Loesser’s “More I Cannot Wish You,” a song from the stage musical “Guys and Dolls” that didn’t make it into the film score (and a tune McCartney's company owns). Still, Paul offers a very appropriate reading of the poignant lyrics, which he’s noted in the play are sung by a grandfather to a young girl and which struck home with him in terms of his daughter Beatrice. He sounds more sure of himself on “The Glory of Love,” which prominently features John Clayton’s distinctive stand-up bass as lead instrument. One of the more left-field choices on the album is the Tommy Dorsey hit “We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me),” which features strings and piano in a lovely orchestral arrangement by pop veteran Johnny Mandel. One of the more upbeat numbers on the easygoing, mellow album is Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer’s “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” which has a memorable piano solo by Krall. Next is “My Valentine,” the first of the new McCartney songs, featuring Eric Clapton on acoustic guitar. I find myself wishing there were some vocal harmonies on this one, but the ballad has one of those sneaky McCartney melodies that grows on you, and I have to admit it holds its own pretty well amid these classic pop numbers. Next is an orchestrated version of Irving Berlin’s “Always,” a tune associated with Frank Sinatra. Sir Paul is no Old Blue Eyes, but he acquits himself pretty well here. I particularly like John Pizzarelli’s acoustic guitar on the intro and solo. Another oddball but choice selection is the Fats Waller tune “My Very Good Friend the Milkman,” which has some of Macca’s airiest vocals, supplemented by whistling. There’s a very nice use of trombone on this number, particularly in the solo. Then comes another well-known classic in “Bye Bye Blackbird,” which is done here as a languid torchy ballad complete with the lesser known introduction, as opposed to the upbeat Dixieland version of the same song that Ringo Starr did on his own 1970 collection of standards, “Sentimental Journey.” Krall shines again here on piano and the brushes on the drums set just the right intimate mood. One of the album’s high points is “Get Yourself Another Fool,” a tune associated with Sam Cooke and done here in a very jazzy arrangement with bluesy electric guitar by Clapton and a particularly strong vocal by Paul, who uses his regular singing voice on this one. Another treat is “The Inch Worm,” first done by Danny Kaye in the film “Hans Christian Andersen.” Having children join in singing the arithmetic chorus is a charming touch. The regular album winds up with the other new McCartney song, “Only Our Hearts,” an orchestrated, string- and flute-backed ballad with solo harmonica played by Stevie Wonder. It’s Macca at his most romantic and, again, feels right at home amid these pop standards. Two bonus tracks are included on the “deluxe” version of the album sold at Target as well as on iTunes. The first is a remake of “Baby’s Request,” the tune from Wings’ “Back to the Egg” album that Macca originally wrote with the Mills Brothers in mind. A delightful surprise is a brand-new upbeat instrumental reprise added at the end. The other bonus track is “My One and Only Love,” a song most famously recorded by Sinatra. The gently orchestrated version here features more tasty piano by Krall and one of Macca’s most tender vocals (almost falsetto at times). There’s not a duff selection in the bunch. Macca summed it up rather well when he described "Kisses" as "an album you listen to at home after work, with a glass of wine or a cup of tea.” One to savor, in other words. AT THE MOVIES: Leslie and I have caught two films so far this year. The superb "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" is a dark, moody, slow-burn puzzler of a Cold War spy story — no car chases or explosions. It takes a while to get going, but the British cast is fantastic, especially Gary Oldman as taciturn but always watchful George Smiley. Highly recommended. And having seen all three of the original Swedish films based on Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy, we weren't sure what our reaction would be to the English-language remake of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," but we really enjoyed it. There are few differences from the original, including a slightly more bittersweet ending that is more true to the book in some respects. I didn't think I'd like Rooney Mara as much in the role of Lisbeth, having been wowed by Noomi Rapace in the Swedish films, but she's excellent. And Daniel Craig is, too, in a very un-Bond way. Highly recommended if you don't mind films that get a bit graphic in their sex and violence. ON THE TUBE: My favorite new show of the midseason is "Alcatraz" (Mondays on Fox), from "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams. While my son was in town, he watched an episode with me, and I think he's hooked now, too. It's a sci-fi mystery that posits that when the Alcatraz prison closed in 1963, it was because the inmates and guards just suddenly vanished into thin air. And now, one by one, they're showing up again and running amok in modern-day San Francisco. It has all the hallmarks of an Abrams show, including a sudden revelations out of left field that leave you even more puzzled than you started out and, for some, a frustratingly slow pace at moving the conspiracy (or whatever it is) along. But while the overall story arc might be dawdling, the weekly encounters with the miscreants from the past are briskly told. Ingratiating Jorge Garcia plays one of the three key figures as a smarter version of the Hurley character that was such a favorite of "Lost" fans, but unfortunately his is the only character that's really been well developed so far. Sarah Jones is appealing but her detective character needs more emotional depth, and Sam Neill's mysterious government man is still a bit two-dimensional. And, unfortunately, the delightful Parminder Nagra ("Bend It Like Beckham") has spent too much time in a coma! I've read that the audience for the series has fallen off over the past month, probably a sign that Abrams needs to speed things up. In the Twitter era, I'm not sure viewers have the patience that the "Lost" audience showed in waiting years for answers. MY TUNES: I first encountered Eric Hutchinson doing his song "Watching You Watch Him" on the Letterman show and the song was still in my head the next day, always a good sign. As my friend Al Sussman said, he has sort of a Marshall Crenshaw thing going on. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EqARZh9g7o The big indie hit right now is Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know," which also buried itself in my brain the first time I heard it back in January: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY And here's a cool cover of the tune by Walk Off the Earth featuring the entire band playing one guitar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NF2edxy-M There's a civic debate going on right now in my hometown of Athens about a proposed Wal-Mart development on the edge of the historic downtown area. Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers, Mike Mills of the former R.E.M. and other Athens musicians banded together as The Downtown 13 with a protest tune, "After It's Gone." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ87g7uPyaY&feature=player_embedded Finally, the morning after my Dad died, I dug up this David Gates performance of Bread's "Everything I Own." I always loved that tune but didn't discover until years later that it was Gates' tribute to his father. That adds a dimension to the tune that really hit home. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pfTfMoR8sg If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: nostalgic (14 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012
3:33 pm	A hymn for Papa This is the eulogy my son Bill delivered at his grandfather's funeral service. As he did three years ago at Mom's service, Bill spoke eloquently on behalf of his dad, uncles and the entire family. I thought you might enjoy reading it. ... "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see." I remember a little less than 3 years ago, walking into a physical rehabilitation center Pop was staying in after we nearly lost him back then, and finding Pop sitting near a small group of volunteer high school musicians who were playing "Amazing Grace." There he was, singing along and even pretending to play a violin or fiddle of some kind. Pop looked up and saw me and smiled with those twinkling blue eyes of his. It was in those eyes you could see and feel so much warmth. As he so often did, he'd call me by a nickname. In the past, it would be something like Sam for some reason; this time around it was "Abe" in honor of my beard. After we sat and he sang some more, a nurse came by and asked him who I was. When she learned we shared the same name, she asked him what he thought about that, to which he responded, it was the highest honor. Of course, really the honor was all mine, as I couldn't imagine a better namesake for myself or my father … a better example of what it is to be a good man … a better role model. I read somewhere once that a life well lived is like a sermon, with each day teaching a lesson to others on how to live their own lives. I like to think Pop's life was more hymn than sermon. For one thing, Pop wasn't much for talking your ear off. But his life was so immersed in music and the hymns of his faith. And to understand his lessons, sometimes you had to listen closely for that sweet sound and more often, like that Amazing Grace, simply watch and see. His song began in the humble hills of Madison County. Life in 1920s and then Depression-era rural Georgia was not always easy. Certainly to hear it from Grandma, upon arrival in Madison County from her home of Wales, she'd probably locate Colbert, Ga., somewhere between Reconstruction and the Stone Age. Pop wasn't born with much, but somewhere in those early days, maybe amongst the uncles and aunt who looked out for him, he must have learned a few lessons about right and wrong, dignity, honor and humility. Sure enough, there was something to him that attracted the eye of his future bride, Mollie Parry King. To look at Pop, perhaps thanks to his quiet, unassuming nature, one could underestimate his strength and even boldness. But his actions in pursuing our grandmother were nothing less than a profile in gutsiness, if not courage or cunning. Pop, stationed in her hometown of Abergavenny, Wales, as part of Allied preparations for invading France, spied her at a local dance and devised a plan for his Army buddies to distract her date in the bathroom while he swooped in and chatted up grandma. What he said, I'm not sure. And maybe it wasn't much. But soon enough, the two were engaged. Of course, the story that came next will be in family lore as long as there is a family and lore. The story of Pop taking on courier duty from France so he could make it back to marry her. His risky trip to Wales from London for the wedding itself, without written permission from the Army, all speak of a man willing to take actions when necessary. Especially when love was involved. He didn't have to say it, he just did it. After the war, with his bride and partner for the next 64 years alongside, he set about to building a life in Athens. Pop worked hard and provided for his three boys through a successful career in banking. He was able to lift himself and family to an even higher quality of life than perhaps he had previously known. Yet, even in doing all that he went further and gave so much of himself to the community here. President of numerous civic organizations and clubs including the Optimists, Pop believed in helping improve the quality of life for everyone. He didn't simply talk about it, he just did it. But as impressive as his resume was, as significant as his contributions were to this town and its people, Pop's greatest lessons, his finest examples, were even deeper and more important. One could ask, what kind of man did it take to not only attract a woman of Grandma's caliber but get her to leave her home behind and move all the way to Georgia. Perhaps it was a man who had an innate sense of right and wrong. Upon selling their house in Five Points, Grandma was planning on moving some flagstones to the new house, when Pop stopped her and insisted they stay, as they were in place when the buyer agreed to purchase the house. This is just one of numerous examples of him behaving honorably, even when many others in this world would never even think to do the same. Perhaps she was attracted to the type of father he was. Without a whole lot of words or talk, Pop was willing to stand up for his children when necessary and make sure they got what they needed. Once, after my father thanked him for something he did, Pop just waved him off and simply said, "That's what dads are for." And while Pop may not have been loquacious, he still had a sharp wit and an ability to steal the show with a line or two that surely attracted Grandma, along many other folks, to him. Pop could deliver a dry quip, like at a wedding years ago, when after a man passed by wearing a rather garish plaid suit, Pop turned to one of his sons and stated with a serious expression (but a twinkle in his eye), "Let me give you a piece of advice, don't ever buy a plaid suit." During family meals, Pop would just quietly wait and then strategically deploy the most hilarious line of the entire meal, leaving everyone in stitches. Even in his final years, with his short term memory slipping, he could still quip with the best of them. One time, my Uncle Tim brought along a friend to meet Pop and introduced the two as we all entered his room. A few minutes later, Pop turned to the visitor and asked "Who is that?" and Uncle Tim responded, "this is my friend Trish, remember you just met her 5 minutes ago?" Instead of being frustrated or embarrassed by the failure of his memory, Pop, not missing a beat, said, "Well, that's not a very long time to know someone." His eyes still twinkled with that mixture of humor and mischief. When Pop retired, he set forth to prove himself wrong and see if he could tolerate playing golf 5 days a week. Turns out he could. But he did so much more than that. He continued his active involvement in the community, faithfully participating in the Optimist Club, including his dogged devotion to helping with their Christmas tree fundraising, much to the chagrin of Grandma, who practically timed Pop to make sure he got back home at a reasonable hour. At night, Pop would watch his beloved Braves play from his own personal "Atlanta Fulton County Stadium" in his home. The timeless and quiet nature of the game fit Papa well, though, he was known to spend many a fall afternoon in Sanford Stadium, a devotion he passed down to his boys. Pop also got more time for one his great passions, gardening. He once told me that during the war he convinced an elderly Welsh villager in Grandma's hometown to let him work in her garden, as he missed it so much from his rural upbringing. In retirement, his garden was a labor of love, where he tenderly cared for vegetables each and every year and spent many happy hours wiling away. But in retirement, he was also helping cultivate another garden in the hand he played in raising his grandchildren, and being such a great friend and companion to us. For example, Pop, a man of such dignity and honor, never hesitated to obey the demands of his grandchildren to wear a silly hat, which he dutifully would put on, at our behest, along with a goofy grin. Us grandchildren all learned so much from him about what it is to be kind, thoughtful, and loving, with a sermon never needed. We heard the sound of his song. As if we were blind, through his example, we learned to see. I know in my own life I have tried to emulate him often. A few years ago, when living here in Athens, I decided I, too, wanted to make an impact on others, as he had. So, I decided to follow his example and join the Optimist Club. I’ve found that throughout my life when I followed his example, as I have often tried, I have seemingly always ended up on the right path. The right road. So, where does the high road take you? If the songs of his faith are any indication, somewhere after he slipped away from us Saturday night, Pop found that high road intersects with those streets paved with gold. I suppose only God knows for sure if there is a Heaven, but I know for sure if there is, his road led him there. Where Grandma awaits, wondering what took him so long. But as the destination is important, so too is the journey there. And that journey brought a lot of happiness for Pop. Grandma used to speak of how his eyes had a sadness to them when she first met him. She noted how the birthday party her family threw for him in Wales while he was stationed there was his first he could ever recall. But after meeting her, building that life together, those eyes I saw and remember always seemed lit up with happiness. They dimmed a bit when she passed just over 3 years ago, as they understandably would. But for 64 years they expressed a joy and pleasure for life and the life he'd built that words never could. And they lit up again this past week, even when his voice sometimes failed him, to let us know that he knew we were with him and loved him. As it turns out, the journey on the high road nears its end in a pretty fine place, too. If Pop's life was a hymn, he did a great job teaching everyone else the words. It would have been unjust if his time here had ended 3 years ago in an ICU, as it nearly did. Restrained and miserable, hooked up to machines. But instead, his final week was a chorus of love. Sung by his children and grandchildren each day, with him often happily participating. Everyone let him know how much they loved him and how proud they were of him. He was kept company nearly constantly, as he had been when he was faithfully visited throughout his final 3 years here by his family, led by his sons. But they were merely following the example he set when he himself faithfully visited his own mother each Sunday, regardless of her own state at that point. As Pop had taught them what dads were for, turns out they had also learned from him what sons were for. Each Sunday of the past 3 years was spent singing the same song Pop had sung his entire life. One of faith, selflessness, honor and love. Indeed, his song ended with a chorus of love and everyone sang along. It was the ending he deserved. Amazing grace. How sweet the sound. For the rest of our lives we will continue to sing that song. Not just in speaking reverently of him, though I imagine we will always do that, but in following his examples of how to live a life. Doing the right thing, but never calling attention to it or wondering what is in it for me. Though, it turns out, through Pop we already learned what's in it for us. Not through telling us but by showing us. A life well lived ends surrounded by family singing and sending you home. That chorus of love. Years ago, I had the great joy of accompanying Pop to the Optimist Club state championship golf tournament. Pop was the driving force and primary Mr. Everything for the local tournament, but would then follow the Athens champions on to the state tournament, purely to support them. He didn't see his role as ending just at the registration table. So, I got to go with him a few times and they are some of my fondest memories with my grandfather. Of course, only Pop could make the drive from Athens to Clarkesville take about 3 and half hours. But I never complained. With Pop, none of us were ever in a rush to leave. At the last tournament we went to together, the Athens contingent did very well, sending several golfers on to the regional tournament. At the end of the day, the various golfers from Athens, given a chance to play thanks to Pop's hard work, decided to all take a photo together. Before the photographer could snap, though, one of the golfers stopped him and motioned to Pop. He said, "Mr. King, this is all because of you. We would be honored if you'd join us." Pop's eyes lit up and he smiled big and wide for the camera. He never asked for attention, never asked to be thanked. He was already so proud of those golfers. But the simple gesture made all his hard work, all his quiet, relentless effort worthwhile. That grin stayed on and those eyes stayed lit up all the way home. Papa never asked for attention, never asked to be thanked, but he taught us to always be thankful, to appreciate everything we have and show that appreciation. I remember the last time I saw Grandma, I came by the house a couple of days before she passed to take Pop to the pharmacy. She was unable to get out of her chair and join us. So Pop and I went, and as we headed towards the checkout line, he grabbed a chocolate bar. I thought to myself, “Oh Lord, he can’t eat that. What is he doing?” But before I could ask, he turned and said, “We’ll get this for Grandma. Maybe it’ll make her feel better.” Pop was teaching a lesson in caring, being thankful and showing appreciation to the person who had taken such good care of him. He did it so often through actions. But I will do it through mere words. The words I will always add to his song, his hymn. Thanks, Pop. Current Mood: grateful (15 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, January 30th, 2012
10:51 am	William Dabney King, 1923-2012 Our beloved Dad passed very quietly and peacefully late Saturday night after a full day surrounded by his family. He was a lovely, lovely man and we were blessed to have him as a father. Here's a link to the story of a life well lived. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/onlineathens/obituary.aspx?n=william-dabney-king&pid=155702646&fhid=3592 Current Mood: sad (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
10:12 pm	A Quickie look back at 2011 Some years are just jam-packed with outstanding entertainment; 2011 wasn't one of those years (perhaps why Hollywood had its worst box office numbers since 1996). Still, the year did bring quite a few offerings that I'm glad I got to experience. Let's take a look ... AT THE MOVIES: A baker's dozen films lured me to the cinema in 2011, and I enjoyed all of them to varying degrees. But if pressed to pick the very best, I'd have to go with the first film I saw last year, a holdover from 2010: "The King's Speech." It was that rare film that completely lives up to expectations. Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter were all superb, but especially Firth, whose Best Actor Oscar was well deserved. A close runner-up would be George Clooney's fine bit of political cynicism, "The Ides of March," with the wonderful Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Also excellent were the totally winning performances of Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in the behind-the-scenes baseball story "Moneyball"; Robert Redford's "The Conspirator," with Robin Wright as Mary Surratt, the boarding house owner who went to the gallows rather than implicate her son in the Lincoln assassination and James McAvoy again impressive as the young attorney battling the U.S. government to clear her; and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," a dark, tense and action-packed film that provided a satisfying wrap-up to the lengthy fantasy series. A couple of other excellent films we saw were the twisty Italian romantic thriller "The Double Hour" and "The Adjustment Bureau," a Twilight Zoney tale of alternate realities lifted by the terrific starring team of Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. I also enjoyed Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger in the tense but somewhat far-fetched thriller "Unknown," Jake Gyllenhaal in Duncan Jones' nifty sci-fi adventure "Source Code," Saoirse Ronan in Joe Wright's very stylish action tale "Hanna," the chemistry between Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell in the well-done comic book adventure "Captain America: The First Avenger," and the film that wound up our year of moviegoing, Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows." In the latter, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law didn't get to have quite as much fun with their Holmes and Watson characters as in the first film, but I thought this one had a better plot and a much better villain in Jared Harris' Moriarty. I just wish Noomi Rapace had had more to do, though. Rounding out my 2011 films, I thought "Cowboys and Aliens" with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford was a fun popcorn flick that had its moments — but ultimately was a bit disappointing considering the talent involved. MY TUNES: Three albums sit atop my "best of" list for 2011: The Decemberists' "The King Is Dead," Glenn Campbell's "Ghost on the Canvas" and Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto." The album by the Decemberists, a group my son introduced me to a few years ago, saw the band strip down their sometimes overly theatrical indie sound to an almost bluegrassy folk-rock style with strong R.E.M. influences. Campbell's album, likely to be the veteran singer-guitarist's last studio effort because of the onset of Alzheimer's, presents him at his best in a collection of pop tracks reminiscent of his heyday. And the Coldplay album is so full of memorable melodies and hooks that you'll find your head full of them after the first listen. In addition to the two big hits — "Paradise," with its majestic backing and infectious chorus, and the anthemic "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," with its catchy keyboard riff and ringing guitar — I particularly enjoy the upbeat pop-rocker "Hurts Like Heaven," the insistent guitar of "Charlie Brown," and the piano ballad "Up in Flames." My daughter was excited that the British band is joined by Rihanna on the synth-drenched "Princess of China," but, to be honest, that one didn't do much for me. Other new albums I'm glad I bought last year include the box sets "Sinatra: Best of the Best" (it really is) and the Beach Boys' "The Smile Sessions" (fascinating); Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water (40th Anniversary Edition)"; the uneven but very interesting "Rave On Buddy Holly" tribute disc; the "McCartney" and "McCartney II" deluxe reissue packages, accompanied by very nice hardbound books but disappointing bonus tracks; Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis and Norah Jones teaming up on a collection of pop classics called "Here We Go Again"; the wide-ranging 2-CD set of '60s pop and jazz on "Mad Men: A Musical Companion (1960-1965)"; Billy Joel's "Live at Shea Stadium"; Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. teaming up for "The Very Best of the Rat Pack"; and Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward's "A Very She & Him Christmas." My favorite individual tracks from the year included the Decemberists' "Down by the Water," R.E.M.'s "Oh My Heart," Ringo Starr covering Buddy Holly's "Think it Over," Neko Case and Nick Cave's cover of "She's Not There" (from TV's "True Blood"), Meyer Hawthorne's "The Walk," Fitz and the Tantrums' "Moneygrabber," Drive-By Truckers' cover of Eddie Hinton's "Everybody Needs Love," the Black Keys' "Lonely Boy," Mumford & Sons' "The Cave" (not released in 2011 but all over AAA radio throughout the year), the Rolling Stones' cover of Bob Dylan's "Watching the River Flow," Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," Natalie Maines covering Brian Wilson's "God Only Knows," Bon Iver's ethereal "Holocene" and Coldplay's "Paradise." ON THE TUBE: With "Mad Men" missing in action last year, Showtime's terrorism tale "Homeland" was hands-down the best series on television. Boasting a terrific cast headed by Claire Danes, Damian Lewis and Mandy Patinkin, it was the kind of viewing that left you discussing and arguing about it for days afterward. If you missed it, catch up using Showtime on Demand or watch for a DVD release. Other shows I really enjoyed in 2011 included the Starz prequel "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" and the sole season (unfortunately) of "Camelot" featuring Eva Green, Showtime's raw but engaging remake of the British dramedy "Shameless," the increasingly convoluted but still fascinating sci-fi drama "Fringe" on Fox, the second season of "Hawaii Five-O" and third season of "NCIS: Los Angeles" on CBS, and the second season of the formulaic but fun "Rizzoli & Isles" on TNT. I lost interest in the fourth series of HBO's increasingly overpopulated "True Blood" before it got to the season finale. I enjoyed the last couple of episodes of Showtime's "The Borgias," but up till then it had been something of a slog. I'll probably check the second series out, though. I thought Martin Scorsese's two-part "George Harrison: Living in the Material World" on HBO was a fascinating and mostly satisfying character study of the Quiet Beatle. And I really enjoyed Coldplay's 90-minute "Austin City Limits" concert on New Year's Eve. I think we could have done without Paul McCartney's self-serving 9/11 documentary "The Love We Make" on Showtime. ALSO OF INTEREST: Most of the DVDs I bought this past year were classic movies and TV shows. Of the 2011 releases I picked up, I can recommend "The Hollies: Look Through Any Window 1963-1975" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show: 50th Anniversary Edition Fan Favorites." Added to my bookshelf (and still being read or waiting their turn) are David Browne's "Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY and the Lost Story of 1970," Stephen King's time travel adventure "11-22-63" and Anthony Horowitz's "The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel." LOOKING AHEAD: On TV, I'm excited about the long-awaited fifth season of "Mad Men" (premiering March 16 on AMC), J.J. Abrams' new sci-fi mystery "Alcatraz" (debuting Jan. 16 on Fox), “Spartacus: Vengeance” (returning Jan. 27 on Starz), and the second season of "Sherlock," complete with a naked Irene Adler (May on PBS). And at the movies, we shortly plan on seeing the Hollywood version of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and the new "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and I'm definitely planning on catching Tim Burton's version of "Dark Shadows" with Johnny Depp as vampire Barnabas Collins and Eva Green as the witch Angelique (May 1), Christian Bale back as the Batman in "The Dark Knight Rises" (July 20), the return of Daniel Craig as 007 in "Skyfall" (Nov. 7) and "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (Dec. 14). Possible additions to the list include John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe hunting a killer inspired by his writings in "The Raven" (March 9), Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender in the Ridley Scott outer space thriller "Prometheus" (June 8) and "The Company You Keep" (TBA), a political action thriller about a former Weather Underground militant on the run again 30 years later after his true identity is exposed by an ambitious young reporter. It's directed by Robert Redford and stars Susan Sarandon, Julie Christie, Chris Cooper, Sam Elliot, Nick Nolte and Shia LaBeouf. On the music scene, having heard an advance copy leaked online of "Kisses on the Bottom," Paul McCartney's collection of pop standards (plus two new originals) recorded with Diana Krall and her jazz band, I'm looking forward to its release on Feb. 7. How about you? If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column or share your own entertainment highlights and low points of 2011, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: pleased (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, October 31st, 2011
5:14 pm	George Harrison: 'He lit the room' Martin Scorsese's "George Harrison: Living in the Material World" is currently airing on HBO and HBO On Demand and will be airing in Britain on BBC2 on Nov. 12 and 13, so for those of you who don't read Beatlefan magazine and those in the U.K. who haven't bought the DVD yet, here's a condensed review adapted from my comments in Beatlefan: If you're expecting a traditional documentary telling its subject’s complete life story, you might be disappointed by Martin Scorsese’s three-and-a-half-hour film about George Harrison. There is no narrator to fill in the chinks between the mix of interview clips and archival footage, and chunks of Harrison’s career are completely skipped, particularly in the second half focusing on his post-Beatles years. But that’s not what Scorsese was trying to do here. What he’s offering us is more a character study than a career retrospective — a portrait of a man who, as Terry Gilliam put it, was caught between the spiritual and material worlds, and the impact he had on those around him. With George’s widow Olivia as one of its producers, it should be no surprise that this is a loving portrait full of intimate details and rare home movie footage. I generally liked it a lot, though I wish there had been more emphasis on Harrison’s music. Eric Clapton did note George was “clearly an innovator” with his guitar playing, but not enough attention was devoted to that aspect of the story. And the Beatles-centric first half at times seemed unavoidably like an “Anthology” retread, though Paul McCartney served up some fond and informative memories of his young school pal. I loved the description of teenage George’s quiff as looking “like a fucking turban.” The second half I really enjoyed, particularly the segments on the Dark Horse tour (including a hoarse Harrison gargling backstage), George's foray into movies with Handmade Films and his unique Friar Park home. Well-known percussionist Ray Cooper, who worked with George at Handmade, noted that part of the appeal of the movie business for Harrison was that it was like being in a band again. “He missed The Beatles.” There were lots of stories showing Harrison’s well-developed sense of humor, and fascinating (though frustratingly brief) clips of musical rarities. (The U.K. deluxe Blu-Ray release of the film, not yet available in the U.S., includes a bonus disc of gorgeous Harrison demos. I’ve always thought Harrison did the best demos. Let’s hope that somewhere in the Harrison Estate's future release plans is a complete set of George’s acoustic recordings.) The filmmakers deserve kudos for not ignoring George’s drug use or womanizing, though both were covered in a fairly circumspect way. I particularly liked the bit where Olivia talked about the secret to a long marriage (“You don’t get divorced”). I also got a kick out of George's son Dhani’s recollections of growing up with an unconventional father. “To rebel in my family was to go to school,” he noted, adding that when he wore his uniform for CCF (the British equivalent of ROTC) it really "pissed off" his dad. The all-too-brief clip of George and Paul sharing a mike during the Threetles reunion sessions left you definitely wanting more, but I loved the scene where Paul arrives and hugs George, who tweaks his old pal by asking, “Is that a vegetarian leather jacket?” Death, unfortunately, was a recurring theme of the second half, whether it was Lennon (George was “angry that John didn’t have a chance to leave his body in a better way,” Olivia said), Roy Orbison (George called Petty after hearing of Roy’s death and asked, “Aren’t you glad it’s not you?”) or Harrison’s own illness and the brutal knife attack at Friar Park (recalled in chilling detail by Olivia). It was all skillfully handled, but tough to watch. McCartney obviously was struggling to maintain his composure when talking about what it was about George that he misses (humor, friendship, love) but Ringo didn’t even try to keep a stiff upper lip as he told of his last visit with George, who couldn’t even sit up. When Ringo said he had to leave to go to Boston, where his daughter was having treatment for a brain tumor, Harrison asked, “Do you want me to come with you?” With tears streaming down his face, Ringo noted those were the last words he ever heard from George. Then, wiping his eyes he cracked, “God, it’s like Barbara Fucking Walters here, isn’t it?” Olivia wound up the film talking about George’s passing and, in essence, provided a fitting epitaph for Harrison when she said, “He lit the room.” As you can tell from the faces of those talking about him, he still does. MY TUNES: I'm currently enjoying Coldplay's new album, "Mylo Xyloto," which is contemporary pop-rock at its best and unfailingly melodic. I'll have more to say about that next time. But the album that I've been listening to the most the past few weeks is one that I'm afraid a lot of folks have overlooked: Glen Campbell's "Ghost on the Canvas," which is likely to be the singer-guitarist's last studio album because of the onset of Alzheimer's. It has a mixture of songs written by Campbell and producer Julian Raymond and tunes contributed by the likes of Paul Westerberg, Jakob Dylan and Robert Pollard. Lyrically, it's bittersweet, with Campbell looking back over his life and ahead and noting, "Each breath I take is a gift that I will never take for granted." Musically, there are lots of echos from some of his past hits and the production style is vintage Glen Campbell, so if you were fond of "Gentle on My Mind," "Wichita Lineman" and "Galveston," you'll probably find much to like here. It leans heavily toward Campbell's pop side, with only the occasional country touch. The entire album, which includes brief instrumental interludes to set the mood, is good stuff, but among the high points are the lovely acoustic ballad "A Better Place," the title track written by Westerburg, "A Thousand Lifetimes" (with a twangy Campbell guitar solo very reminiscent of his work on "Wichita" and "Galveston"), the folk-pop "Nothing But the Whole Wide World," the upbeat "In My Arms" (featuring Brian Setser and Dick Dale on guitars and Chris Isaak on backing vocals), and the stately "There's No Me ... Without You." If this truly is Campbell's last release, he's going out at the top of his game. ON THE TUBE: It's good news that Showtime has greenlighted a second season of the fascinating CIA drama "Homeland," starring Claire Danes, Damian Lewis and Mandy Patinkin. Danes plays Carrie Mathison, a CIA agent who believes that a returning POW who's been held for eight years in Afghanistan has been "turned" and is a terrorist-in-waiting. Part of the fascination with the series is that the viewer, despite being privy to information Carrie doesn't have, is so far never sure whether she is right about Sgt. Nicholas Brody (played by Brit Lewis with a very convincing American acccent) or not. Showtime repeats the episodes quite a bit and has done some catch-up marathons. If you get the chance to catch the show and are at all inclined toward spy dramas, this is a good one. AT THE MOVIES: Leslie and I saw the political thriller "The Ides of March" and were wowed by it. Terrific film directed by George Clooney with a great cast featuring Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood and Marisa Tomei. It's smart, compelling and oh so cynical. Highly recommended. ... We also saw the baseball drama "Moneyball," and it was actually Leslie's idea. It's a great sports movie for those who don't think they like sports movies. The fine cast is headed by Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman (who seems to be everywhere these days and always turning in an excellent performance). ... Finally, just out on DVD and Blu-Ray is "Captain America: The First Avenger," which we saw at the end of the summer and enjoyed. It has lots of well-executed action enhanced by the dynamic starring duo of Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell, and is briskly directed by Joe Johnston. Awesome look for the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), too. The most successful comic book movies play it straight, and this is one of them. QUICKIES: Out this week is "Sinatra: Best of the Best," the first time Frank Sinatra's greatest recordings for Capitol Records and his own Reprise Records have been gathered in one collection. It's available in single-disc and deluxe 2-CD packages. ... Due Nov. 15 is R.E.M.'s career-spanning "Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011." The "farewell" single released from the album is "We Go Back to Where We Belong," an orchestrated ballad. Check it out here: http://stereogum.com/848272/r-e-m-we-all-go-back-to-where-we-belong/mp3s/ Feel like something a little retro, perhaps Motown-inspired? How about Mayer Hawthorne's "The Walk" on Letterman? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZASLU0gEHc Still in the mood for something retro-sounding? Give this a try: "MoneyGrabber" by Fitz and the Tantrums: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6cBKE3WzQ If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: pleased (11 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, September 26th, 2011
3:50 pm	Remembering a band that never forgot its roots I was beginning to think R.E.M. was going to rival the Rolling Stones in longevity until last week when I heard a deejay on the local adult album alternative station say the band had just announced on its Website that it was breaking up. After all, they'd been together 31 years and 15 albums. The news made made me sad. Although I didn't have all their albums and wasn't obsessed with R.E.M. like some folks, I enjoyed much of their music and always took great pride that such an original, forward-looking group came out of my hometown of Athens, Ga. And that the group that essentially gave birth to the alternative sub-genre of "college rock" managed to sell 85 million records without ever selling out. Sure, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band's best days artistically were in the past. I heard more than one fan say last week, "They were never the same" after drummer Bill Berry quit as a full-time member in 1997. When I mentioned my Rolling Stones comparison to a friend who's a longtime R.E.M. fanatic, he said he had feared that would indeed be the case ... that they'd stick around for many more years producing mediocre albums and touring on their past glories. I think he was being a bit harsh in his characterization of their recent work. While not up to the incredibly lofty standards set during R.E.M.'s heyday, I still found the releases worth listening to, at least in part. But admittedly there was nothing cutting-edge about the band any more, and a self-realization of that probably played a major role in the decision of Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills to hang it up as R.E.M. "A wise man once said, 'The skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave,'" Stipe wrote last week on the band's Website. While I had long since graduated from the University of Georgia and left Athens for a career at The Atlanta Constitution several years before R.E.M. got its start, I first was exposed to them before they'd hit it big outside the college town. I was the Constitution's rock critic for nearly 10 years and I spent several days in my hometown in the spring of 1981 working on an article about the rising Athens music scene. I met members of numerous bands, including Pylon and Love Tractor, but the group that everyone in town unanimously said stood the best chance at making the big time was R.E.M. As one person put it, "They're the only band that the artsy crowd and the frat boys both love." Bridging those two worlds was no mean feat. Generally, the folks whose world revolved around fall Saturdays Between the Hedges at Sanford Stadium didn't mix much with the UGA art school crowd that gave birth to the music scene that first attracted international attention with the late 1970s success of the B-52's. During that 1981 Athens visit, I sat down with the members of R.E.M. in a house where a couple of them were living on Barber Street, one block over from where I attended seventh grade, and I remember thinking that, unlike most of the Athens musicians I'd met that week, who were primarily interested in having fun, these guys were serious about the music business. I also thought Stipe was very odd but somehow still likable. I continued to follow R.E.M. as they started climbing through the ranks of what would later become known as the indie music scene. I remember doing a brief phone interview early in the 1980s with Berry, calling from a tour stop somewhere, and being amused that the first thing he wanted to talk about was the Georgia Bulldogs football team. I first got a chance to see the band perform when I reviewed them at Atlanta's Fox Theatre at the end of July 1984 — ironically, the last concert I reviewed for the Constitution as I shifted over to mostly writing about television for a while. They were touring in support of their second album, "Reckoning," and the thing about the Fox show that most impressed me was how familiar the audience was with the band's music, singing along to every number. I wrote that the performance "showcased the characteristics of R.E.M.'s music that early on separated the group from others in the Athens dance-art music scene. These include Stipe and Mills' dreamy, layered vocals, Stipe's intriguingly (and sometimes frustratingly) indecipherable lyrics, Buck's ringing, melodic guitar work (compared by many to that of The Byrds in the '60s) and a recognition of the benefits of exploring other tempos besides a simple, frenetic dance beat. ... It was a varied program ranging from ballads to upbeat dance numbers that somehow managed to touch on elements of folk, pop, country and New Wave rock and yet still produced a continuum of sound that in the end was uniquely R.E.M.'s." They continued to grow in popularity and by the time of my next R.E.M. encounter, they were the biggest band in the land. It was the weekend before the 1992 presidential election and I took my son to the high school football stadium in Decatur, where Democratic candidate Bill Clinton was appearing at a campaign rally. There was rock star excitement in the crowd, and not just because of Clinton's charisma. One of the speakers at the rally was Michael Stipe. As R.E.M. continued to ride high, I was pleased the band kept its base in Athens. It wasn't all that unusual to hear of sightings of various band members at local shows or restaurants. My favorite of these encounters came from my own Mom, who told me how she and Stipe both attended some hearing on a local zoning issue. I also got a kick out of the fact that my parents' next-door neighbor, Miss Margaret, had a cameo in one of the band's locally made music videos. The Athens connection remained intact to the end, with the members of R.E.M. reuniting in Athens this past summer to record three new songs for a two-CD greatest hits package, "R.E.M., Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982- 2011," that's due out Nov 15, with the aptly titled farewell single, "We All Go Back to Where We Belong," coming out Oct. 18. And the band, who had never allowed their music to be used in commercials, licensed the song "Oh My Heart" from their most recent album, "Collapse Into Now," for use in a TV spot promoting their alma mater that is airing this fall during UGA football telecasts. You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csg30vJ7l3I&feature=player_embedded "This place is the beat of my heart," Stipe sings in the spot, which shows scenes of Athens and the campus and has the theme, "You may leave ... but it never leaves you." That pretty much sums up Athens and R.E.M., I think. If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: nostalgic (16 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, August 1st, 2011
6:12 pm	Bonus: Harry Potter, Father Goose and more Here's the rest of my latest Quick Cuts that Live Journal wouldn't allow me to post with the entry on MTV. ... AT THE MOVIES: I finally got to see "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" with my daughter this weekend and I thought it was excellent. I was a bit lost at times early on (having only seen "Part 1" once last November), but thank goodness for Snape's tears (that shouldn't really be a spoiler), which cleared everything up! It's a very dark, tense film and packed with a lot of action. Olivia was bothered the first time she saw it by some of the omissions from the original book, but I think she enjoyed it more the second time. And I've never read the books, so that wasn't a problem for me. All in all, a thoroughly satisfying wrap-up to the "Potter" film saga, I thought. HOME CINEMA: I took a trip back to my childhood this weekend watching a couple of similar films on DVD that I remember going to see in the theater when they were first released. Both are set in the Pacific during early World War II when the Japanese were riding high, both involve the Allies' risky use of isolated coast watchers looking out for enemy activity, and both mix comedy and drama in a pretty satisfying way. Both also feature legendary leading men playing extremely reluctant heroes. The first was 1960's "Wackiest Ship in the Army," starring Jack Lemmon and Ricky Nelson. It doesn't have much character development and features one of the worst Australian accents ever attempted on film, but after not seeing it in decades I found it holds up fairly well as enjoyable viewing, largely because of Lemmon, whose character is like a slightly more heroic version of his Ensign Pulver from "Mister Roberts." (Nelson is suitably young and earnest and sings an unnecessary song in an early nightclub scene.) Much better is "Father Goose," starring Cary Grant, Leslie Caron and Trevor Howard, which I used to see frequently on cable when it was a mainstay on the old Superstation. Grant is as charismatic as ever playing against type as a seedy, hard-drinking island bum who gets drafted into coast watching only to find himself saddled with a prim French schoolmarm and a bunch of young girls. The ensuing romance might be predictable, but it's well played. And the scenes where they try to escape from the Japanese are quite tense. The cast is uniformly excellent (even the girls) and the script, which deftly combines wit and adventure, won an Oscar in 1964. I'd recommend both films if you're interested in light viewing, but particularly "Father Goose." QUICKIES: I rarely watch sitcoms any more, but the trailer for Fox's upcoming "New Girl," starring Zooey Deschanel, looks promising. And even if the show doesn't live up to this promo, a half hour of just looking at Zooey not doing anything in particular would be more entertaining than many shows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qqojuj1zoU I've never been a big fan of "NBC Nightly News," but Brian Williams has won me over with his appearances on various late-night shows. Here he is doing a hilarious Regis Philbin impression while telling Dave a story on the "Late Show With David Letterman." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iKZF5Vu4lM Here's the interesting back story of a Southern rock legend, South Carolina's Swingin' Medallions and the hit single "Double Shot (of My Baby's Love)." If you grew up in the Deep South in the 1960s, this one definitely will take you back! http://likethedew.com/2011/08/01/double-shot-keeps-on-shooting/ If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. (5 Comments |Comment on this)
5:45 pm	I want my, I want my, I want my ... grandaddy of MTV Thirty years ago today MTV debuted on those few cable TV systems that had signed up for what they thought was largely an untested idea: wall to wall video music clips played by "veejays" in a sort of "Top 40 radio on TV" format. The concept quickly caught on and more and more cable systems started adding the channel, prodded along by a classic advertising campaign in which viewers were urged to call their local systems and tell them, "I want my MTV!" It was about a year, I think, before our cable system added MTV to its channel lineup, but the concept was far from new to me even in August 1981. In fact, it went all the way back to the spring of my senior year of high school 11 years earlier and a pioneering program launched on an Atlanta independent UHF station: "Now Explosion." There were a few differences between what "Now Explosion" did starting March 14, 1970, and what MTV was showing more than a decade later: MTV relied primarily on "music videos" and concert clips provided by the record companies (who were credited onscreen), and its hosts/veejays appeared on-camera. The "Now Explosion" hosts, former Quixie in Dixie deejays Bob Todd and Skinny Bobby Harper, were mainly unseen voices introducing the songs, just like in Top 40 radio. And in 1970 there weren't nearly enough music videos (or "promo films," as they were known at the time) to fill hours of programming, though the "Explosion" had a few promos (I remember Glen Campbell dressed up like a soldier in a clip for "Galveston"). So the "Explosion" producers made their own clips of the songs, most featuring go-go dancers and psychedelic light show-style effects. Some of these were quite striking, including one memorable clip for Tom Jones' "Daughter of Darkness" that used an effect where the screen ended up filled with multiple versions of the same dancer doing different moves to the song. Most of the dancers were comely young women in miniskirts or bikinis, though there were male dancers, including one rather large young black man known as "Sweet Baby James." To keep the programming fresh despite repeated plays for the most popular hits (a la Top 40), the producers generally made multiple, differing clips for each song and would rotate them. There also were some clips shot in Atlanta and in the studios of various stations around the country owned by the Atlanta station's parent company, featuring the artists lip-syncing their hits, such as the Jaggerz doing "The Rapper" and Kenny Rogers and the First Edition doing "Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was In)". There were even a handful of live performance clips, including one of Tony Joe White singing "Polk Salad Annie." And the channel produced some of its own concept music videos, such as one with hometown star Joe South walking along a dusty road to "Don't It Make You Want to Go Home," another with hippies in Atlanta's Piedmont Park for the Plastic Ono Band's "Instant Karma," speeded-up shots of Atlanta traffic to Ides of March's "Vehicle," and footage of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech accompanying Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" that years later Atlanta radio legend Harper (who died in 2003) told me he assembled from films he borrowed from the Atlanta Public Library. Initially, "Now Explosion" aired as a 28-hour block of weekend programming on WATL/Channel 36, and it was absolutely addictive! I'm not sure if it aired all through the night (most stations still signed off in the early hours of the morning in those days) but I vividly remember sitting up into the wee hours raptly watching the show. Back in 2000, Miriam Longino, a longtime friend from college, did an article on the "Now Explosion" for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that traced the history of the concept, which was the brainchild of a Philadelphia businessman named Bob Whitney. The videos were mostly produced by Atlantan R.T. Williams, who would go on to become a mainstay of Superstation TBS, and featured a lot of the camera zooming in and out, splitting the screen up into multiple images, and surreal chroma key effects. The dancers, Todd told Miriam, were mostly girls that he and Skinny Bobby "picked up down on Peachtree," referring to the hippie district on Atlanta's main drag. The "Now Explosion" had only been on the air a few weeks when a dispute erupted between the producers and the owners of Channel 36. In a pre-emptive strike, Harper told me, the "Explosion" staffers raided Channel 36 in the middle of the night, took the videotapes and trucked them down to Florida. The next weekend, the "Explosion" showed up on a different Atlanta UHF station, WTCG/Channel 17, which had recently been bought by a young outdoor advertising exec named Ted Turner. (Eventually Channel 17 would go national on satellite as the Superstation, but that was long after the "Now Explosion"). Channel 36 tried to keep its own version of the show going under the name "Music Connection," but WATL itself went off the air not long after that and didn't return for about six years (when it pioneered another innovative concept — a television equivalent of talk radio). Under Turner, "Now Explosion" lost its live feel (in the early days the deejays had taken requests and done dedications using a text crawl across the bottom of the screen) but widened its reach, with the canned version sold to 111 UHF stations across the country, including New York City's WPIX. But the mounting costs of producing the footage finally proved too much and new production of the "Explosion" ceased after nine months in November 1970 (though Channel 17 continued to use segments of the show for fill-in and wee-hours programming for at least another year or so). Miriam's story noted that the "Now Explosion" tapes wound up in a garage in Coral Gables, Fla., where they were reportedly destroyed in a flood around 1972. But Bob Thurgaland (Todd's real name) kept a one-hour tape of some of the clips and they're now in the University of Georgia's media archives.You can read more about the "Now Explosion" and watch some samples here: http://thenowexplosion.com/ But wait. There's more to the story of Atlanta-based MTV precursors. "Video Concert Hall," produced in Atlanta, was a nightly unhosted compilation of record label music videos that was syndicated to several cable outlets, including USA Network, from 1978 to 1981. At the time, I was The Atlanta Constitution's pop music critic, and I did several stories on the show. One of the producers was a friend of one of my wife's coworkers and I remember riding down to a pasture somewhere south of Atlanta where they showed me the giant satellite dish used to uplink the program. Of course, then along came MTV (which itself grew out of a "Pop Clips" program former Monkee Michael Nesmith produced for Nickelodeon), and "Video Concert Hall" soon went away. But Atlanta continued to be a sort of nexus for music video. A low-budget would-be local cable rival to MTV called the Video Music Channel started in July 1982 and eventually moved over to yet another struggling local UHF station, Channel 69, where it aired 24 hours a day until the mid-1980s. And Ted Turner wasn't finished with video music, either, after "Now Explosion" went away. The "Night Tracks" block ran late-night on weekends on the Superstation from 1983 to 1992, and briefly gave birth to another full-time national cable MTV rival in the Cable Music Channel, which lost money for Ted for about five weeks before he threw in the towel and sold out to MTV. So, yeah, Aug. 1, 1981, was a significant date in pop music history, even if the channel itself has devolved into mostly bad reality programming. But for those of us in Atlanta, MTV was a johnny-come-lately. If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: nostalgic (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, July 4th, 2011
9:41 am	Bigger than a Cadillac ... It might make you feel old to note that, had he lived, Buddy Holly would be celebrating his 75th birthday this September. But more mind-boggling is that the singer-songwriter, who was one of the two or three most influential single figures in rock 'n' roll history and left behind a treasure chest of great songs, was just 22 years old when he died. Holly's amazing musical legacy is hailed in a new multi-artist collection that goes way beyond the usual respectful cover versions of most "tribute" albums. I really like most of the tracks on the new "Rave On Buddy Holly" album, which has an array of artists ranging from Paul McCartney to My Morning Jacket to Lou Reed to Kid Rock covering Buddy. There are a couple of misfires on the album, assembled by movie music supervisor Randall Poster for McCartney's MPL Communications (which owns the publishing rights to 11 of the 19 songs) and released this past week by Fantasy/Concord, but for the most part it's a remarkably entertaining and diverse collection. Some of the performers hew fairly closely to the original Holly template for the songs they cover — quite often with delightful results, as in the case of Fiona Apple and Jon Brion's sweet version of "Everyday," which has Benmont Tench of the Heartbreakers re-creating the celeste part from the original, and My Morning Jacket's string-drenched performance of "True Love Ways," which has Jim James faithfully channeling Holly on the nicely done lead vocal. But others aren't afraid to take chances musically, including McCartney, whose album redo of "It's So Easy" is a raw garage-band take with an especially raucous lead vocal. I'd consider it a Macca triumph had he not pushed a bit too far over the edge with a couple of ill-considered Wolfman Jack-style raps inserted after a false ending and again after a reprise. (Interestingly, McCartney did a much tamer, straight version of the song like he's done it before in concert that's added as a bonus track on the digital version of the album available through iTunes. But I actually would prefer the loosey-goosey version if it came minus the spoken-word portions.) A more completely successful venture away from traditional Holly territory is Florence + the Machine's take on "Not Fade Away," which Concord's press release pretty accurately summed up as having "an industrial New Orleans vibe" that mixes upright bass, slapping drums and sousaphone! Somewhat more of an acquired taste is Lou Reed's psychedelic rock approach to "Peggy Sue," complete with distorted, fuzzed guitars, keyboard tape loops, pounding drums and Laurie Anderson on electric violin. A bit off-putting at first, it actually grows on you after a couple of listenings. The same can't be said for Modest Mouse's quirky, determinedly avant garde version of "That'll Be the Day," which is a herky-jerky, artsy mess that completely loses sight of the original song. But that's really the only outright failure on the album. Running down the rest of the collection, the Black Keys give the fairly obscure "Dearest" (one of the songs Holly recorded but didn't write) a moody blues feel; rockabilly meets soul in Cee Lo Green's version of "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care"; Jack White provides a galloping beat behind now ex-wife Karen Elson's fairly traditional version of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping"; Julian Casablancas of the Strokes gives "Rave On" a very busy, New Wave-ish sound; model-singer Jenny O doesn't stray too far afield with her rockabilly version of "I'm Gonna Love You Too," though I find her baby-doll vocal a bit lacking; Justin Townes Earle (son of Steve) veers to the rocky side of Americana with his tasty version of "Maybe Baby"; She and Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward) do a skiffley indie folk reading of "Oh Boy"; Nick Lowe provides a vintage rockabilly version of "Changing All Those Changes"; Patti Smith sings an unexpectedly tender rendition of "Words of Love" as a stately ballad, one of the album's high points; Kid Rock channels Tom Jones on a take of "Well All Right" that has some nifty Memphis r&b horns; the Detroit Cobras cover band does the garage band thing, like McCartney, on "Heartbeat"; John Doe of X fame offers a folk-punk "Peggy Sue Got Married" that starts off kind of rough but gets better as it progresses; and Graham Nash really nails the vocal on a strings-and-harmonica backed ballad version of "Raining in My Heart." Like I said, it's a diverse collection, with something for just about every musical taste, but what stands out overall is that, with the exception of the Modest Mouse misfire, Holly's musical imprint is everywhere on this album. That's the ultimate tribute to him. JUST ONE MORE THING: It seems like all too often lately I'm writing here in tribute as another of television's greatest generation shuffles off this mortal coil. The latest was Peter Falk, whose long career included a mix of stage, film and television but whose undeniable main legacy is the rumpled detective who became one of network television's most enduring characters: Lt. Columbo. Actually, my first memory of Falk is as the star of the short-lived 1965-66 CBS dramedy "The Trials of O'Brien," in which he played a down on his luck attorney fending off alimony demands from his ex-wife (Joanna Barnes). And while he had a handful of big box office movie comedies such as "Murder by Death" and "The In-Laws," indie film fans can cite a whole raft of impressive dramatic performances by him, especially in connection with his friend John Cassavetes. But Falk achieved pop culture icon status as Columbo, a role he first played in a 1968 TV movie based on a stage play before "Columbo" was launched as part of NBC's Sunday night "Mystery Movie" rotating series. It ran there 1971-77, and then resurfaced as occasional TV movies on ABC on into 2003. Frankly, most of the later "Columbo" movies were fairly forgettable riffs on a by-then familiar formula in which we usually saw the "perfect" crime committed by a thoroughly prepared, smug murderer who then was tripped up by the disarmingly polite police detective and his tricky "just one more thing" inquiries. But during the series' NBC prime, when names like Steve Bochco and Steven Spielberg appeared in the credits, Columbo's on-screen sparring with a host of stellar guest killers made for some of the most enjoyable viewing on the tube. I loved seeing Falk playing against such notables as Cassavetes, Jack Cassidy, Robert Culp, Lee Grant, Robert Vaughn, Johnny Cash, Ruth Gordon, Leonard Nimoy, Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Honor Blackman, Theodore Bikel and especially Donald Pleasence, whose wine connoiseur murderer in "Any Old Port in a Storm" was a particular delight. My very favorite episodes of "Columbo," though, involved Falk's good friend Patrick McGoohan, one of my all-time TV heroes. McGoohan, who was involved behind the scenes in several episodes (including the next to last one) as writer and/or director, won an Emmy guesting as the murdererous but oh so sympathetic military school commandant who you actually hoped would get away with it in 1974's classic "By Dawn's Early Light." Then he played off his old "Secret Agent" persona as a CIA double agent in the next year's nearly as delicious "Identity Crisis" (which McGoohan also directed). And while he did not appear on-screen in "Last Salute to the Commodore," a 1976 installment that guest-starred Robert Vaughn, McGoohan's hand was evident throughout the episode, one of the series' quirkiest. I remember saying to Leslie before the credits rolled that I bet McGoohan was involved. Sure enough, he was the director. Years later, when I told McGoohan that story, he seemed especially pleased I had recognized his work. As I said to him then, he and Falk made a terrific team. ON THE TUBE: Because of apparent schedule conflicts with its cast (and, no doubt, influenced by the middling ratings), Starz has canceled its series “Camelot,” which recently wound up its first season. Frankly, I stuck with the show because I’m a fan of Eva Green, but it meandered for much of the season, only picking up momentum in the last few episodes, and never fully embraced the unabashed sex-and-violence mix that has made the channel’s “Spartacus” so much fun. … The series finale of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” was just another ripped-from-the-headlines story (this one riffing on the squabbles surrounding the founding of Facebook), rather than any sort of proper wrap-up for Detectives Goren and Eames (Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe). I realize it might have been a bit much to resurrect Goren’s arch nemesis Nicole Wallace (Olivia d’Abo), who was unwisely killed off several seasons ago, but the bit at the end with Bobby and his police shrink coming to terms seemed like a sort of afterthought just tacked on to a regular episode. I expected much more. … It took me nearly a week to get around to watching the Season 4 premiere of “True Blood,” which says something about my general disenchantment with last season’s overstuffed mix of charmless werewolves and campy gay vampire royalty. Judging by the gaps in my knowledge of what was going on in the new installment, I realized I skipped at least a couple of episodes last year before catching the season finale that broke up Sookie (Anna Paquin) and vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer). The new dynamic between Sookie, Bill and rival Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) looks intriguing, but I’m not sure about the addition of a witches-magic storyline. I’ll probably give it a chance, though. … I was surprised to read that Chelsea Handler’s “Chelsea Lately” on E! has surpassed “Conan” on TBS in the latest ratings, but then I realized I haven’t actually watched “Conan” in several months. While not a full member of Team Coco, I initially made a point of checking out the first half of “Conan” most nights before switching over to Letterman. But I have to say the first couple of months of the TBS show were pretty meh, and the 11 p.m. starting time doesn’t really fit my viewing habits. I'll have to check back in to see if it has improved. QUICKIES: I like the new Coldplay single, "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall," which has that ringing guitar anthem-like thing they do so well. You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fyMhvkC3A84 I enjoyed the version of Eddie Hinton's "Everybody Needs Love" that Drive-By Truckers (from my hometown of Athens) did on "Late Show With Davie Letterman." And Dave really enjoyed it too, asking them to do an encore over the closing credits. You can see the performance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTD1n9D7KJk Here's the full version of that spooky remake of "She's Not There" that Neko Case and Nick Cave did for the season premiere of "True Blood": http://soundcloud.com/silvia-f/nick-cave-neko-case-shes-not Check out this trailer for the forthcoming film of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," opening in the U.K. in September and due in the U.S. in November. The cast (Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Toby Jones, John Hurt, Benedict Cumberbatch) is terrific and this looks very promising: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/video/2011/jun/30/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-traiker The U.K. trailer for the forthcoming "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is full of spoilers, but it has made me think this might actually be a film I want to see. But be aware that it lays out much of what happens in the film: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/50119 If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: pleased (24 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, June 6th, 2011
7:02 pm	Missing the days of Matt Dillon and the TV Western I was saddened by the news that James Arness, the legendary Marshal Matt Dillon of "Gunsmoke," had passed away at the age of 88. I spent many Saturday nights in my early childhood trying unsuccessfully to outdraw him at the start of "Gunsmoke." While the show was, for its time, considered an "adult" Western, my parents let me watch it from a very early age and used to call me into the room in time for my weekly showdown with the marshal and his blazing six-shooter. Eventually, in the 1970s, CBS banned the gun-duel opening as too violent, but it's a fond memory from my childhood. Here's the best version I could find online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EmHjo4Mci4 I was too young when I first started watching "Gunsmoke" to grasp the undertext about Matt and Miss Kitty and some of the complexities of the stories, but even at a young age I knew that "Gunsmoke" was a cut above Roy Rogers, "Sky King," "Cisco Kid" and the other cowboy shows more directly aimed at children. (I even listened occasionally in those days to the original radio version of "Gunsmoke" starring the voice of William Conrad, later of "Cannon" fame, as Matt. The radio show was, in fact, even more adult than the TV series, making no bones about what Kitty's real profession was, or her relationship with Matt, though all of that went over my head.) Although only Arness and Milburn Stone as Doc stayed with the show for its entire run, "Gunsmoke" was in essence an ensemble piece. Dennis Weaver's limping deputy Chester and then Ken Curtis' hillbilly Festus provided much of the humor, with Amanda Blake's Kitty and gruff-on-the-outside Doc lending heart to the stories. But 6-foot-7 Matt and his mix of empathy and action were always at the center of the show. (I remember being puzzled as a child by the fact that Arness and Peter Graves, who played the dad on the horse drama "Fury," were brothers, since they had different last names — until my Mom explained "stage names" to me.) "Gunsmoke" remained a favorite at my parents' house throughout its 20-year run on CBS, then years later in reruns on TV Land, where their grandkids loved watching the venerable Western on many an afternoon with Grandma and Papa. Watching some of those repeats with my parents and kids, I was struck by the high quality of the writing and the nuanced performances, even by Curtis. It was one of television's best shows. Period. Give my best to Miss Kitty and Doc, Marshal. SPEAKING OF WESTERNS ... I've never understood how there is no longer any place on network television for the Western, once the most popular genre on the tube. We still have doctors, lawyers and scores of cops on TV, just like in the 1950s and ’60s, but no more cowpokes. I think children are much poorer culturally for growing up without sagas of the Old West on TV. I always loved Westerns and at least sampled many of those airing on network TV over the years. But a handful stood out then and still do. Below are my all-time favorite Westerns (and I should note that I don't consider shows like "Daniel Boone" and "Davy Crocket" to be "Westerns"). Topping my personal Top 10 Westerns is, no surprise, "Gunsmoke." The rest, in no particular order: "Maverick" (I loved the mix of humor and action in the tales of the gambling Maverick brothers, but especially favored the episodes focusing on James Garner as Bret Maverick). "Wagon Train" (really a 90-minute Western anthology each week, anchored by the wagon train crew originally headed up by Ward Bond as the wagonmaster, and featuring a host of big names as star of the week). "Have Gun, Will Travel" (originally paired on Saturday nights with "Gunsmoke" and featuring the alternately dashing and crusty Richard Boone as a San Francisco-based gun-for-hire). "Alias Smith and Jones" (a blatant and yet successful attempt to do a TV version of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" that achieved a sort of "Maverick"-style blend of humor and drama and defied the odds by surviving a casting change in one of the two leads when Pete Duel killed himself and had to be replaced by "Dark Shadows" veteran Roger Davis as Hannibal Heyes alongside Ben Murphy's Kid Curry). "Bonanza" (the long-running Sunday night drama about a ranch family that worked so long chiefly because of the strong central cast of Lorne Greene as patriarch Ben Cartwright and Pernell Roberts [in the first few seasons], Dan Blocker and Michael Landon as his very different sons). "The Big Valley" (a rip-off of "Bonanza," sure, with Barbara Stanwyck as the mom overseeing a ranch empire and a bunch of squabbling siblings, but an enjoyable one nevertheless). "Broken Arrow" (which bucked the Indians-as-bloodthirsty-savages meme of the day by making its hero Apache chief Cochise, played by the charismatic Michael Ansara, who also was one of the luckiest men around in those days as the real-life husband of Barbara Eden). "The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr." (a wonderful latterday Western that mixed science fiction in with still another "Maverick"-style mix of humor and action and featured cult film favorite Bruce Campbell in the title role). "Hec Ramsey" (part of the NBC Sunday night mystery revolving series in the 1970s, with the great Richard Boone making a second appearance on the list as a gruff, hard-drinking lawman in the late 19th century who embraced emerging forensic techniques). Honorable mention: "Branded" (starring Chuck Connors, for the terrific theme song and opening sequence, if nothing else), "The Rifleman" (also starring Connors, for having the coolest rifle ever in a Western, although the weepy son was a bit much sometimes), "Cheyenne" (I watched a marathon of this Clint Walker series a couple of years ago and was surprised to see how well it held up), "The High Chaparral" (another family-drama clone of "Bonanza," it's my wife's favorite Western), "The Wild Wild West" (first season only of this old West version of "The Man From UNCLE," before it got too campy and silly), "The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca" and "Texas John Slaughter" (two of the rotating "Walter Disney Presents" series), "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (Steve McQueen!), "Zorro" (squarely aimed at kids but a real favorite in my kindergarten days when I dressed up as the masked avenger for Halloween), "Nichols" (a short-lived early 1970s mix of whimsy and turn-of-the-century Western that featured the always enjoyable James Garner and introduced spunky, sexy Margo Kidder to the mass audience), and "The Lazarus Man" (a short-lived Robert Urich cable Western involving the Lincoln assassination conspiracy; it unfortunately never got to resolve its story line). Among the many other TV Westerns I watched off and on that didn't make the cut: "The Lone Ranger" (with Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels as the Ranger and Tonto), the anthology "Death Valley Days" (in the Old Ranger days before Ronald Reagan became the host), "Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (starring the jut-jawed Hugh O'Brian), "Tales of Wells Fargo" (with Dale Robertson as a bank investigator in the Old West), "Yancy Derringer" (starring the cool little pistol of the same name), "Sugarfoot" (with Will Hutchins as a lawyer with great roping skills), "Rawhide" (with Clint Eastwood before he went to Italy and became a movie star in spaghetti Westerns), "The Rebel" (another memorable theme song), "Bat Masterson" (with the ultra cool Gene Barry) and "The Virginian" (another 90-minute Western that I only sampled occasionally, usually when Doug McClure was featured as carefree ranch hand Trampas). What are your favorite Westerns? IN MEMORIAM: Another recent celebrity death was much more of a surprise than James Arness, with singer-songwriter Andrew Gold gone at 59. A consumate pop music maker, Gold had it in his blood, with his father having won an Oscar for the score of "Exodus" and his mom providing the offscreen singing voice for stars such as Natalie Wood, Audrey Hepburn and Deborah Kerr in big movie musicals. I first remember Gold as the lead guitarist in Linda Rondstadt's band before Waddy Wachtel. He had a couple of engaging hits in "Lonely Boy" and "Thank You for Being a Friend," with the latter making him wealthy after it became the theme of the long-running sitcom "The Golden Girls." Gold also did "Final Frontier," the theme for another successful sitcom, "Mad About You." And he had success outside the U.S. teaming up with Graham Gouldman of 10cc in the band Wax. Gold was known to be a major Beatlemaniac, having met them at age 13 in 1964 at a Hollywood celebrity charity gathering, and he recorded a digital album of Fab Four covers in 2008. But contrary to several obituaries I've read online, Gold did not work with three of The Beatles. He was a session player and singer on Ringo Starr's "Time Takes Time" album, but while he was an acquaintance of Paul McCartney, his only "performance" with Paul was joining a host of other folks onstage for "Hey Jude" at Macca's 1993 Hollywood Bowl show. And Gold never worked with John Lennon, despite what the obits say, though he did meet Lennon in New York during the "Walls and Bridges" sessions. ON THE TUBE: The Starz version of "Camelot" has moved at a snail's pace much of its first season, but the story has picked up quite a bit over the last couple of episodes leading up to the season finale airing Friday, June 10, at 10 p.m. Eastern (with repeats at various times through the week). If, like me, you're a big fan of Eva Green, who plays Arthur's ambitious, scheming witch sister Morgan, you might want to check out this interview from Britain's Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/jun/05/eva-green-interview-playing-evil AT THE MOVIES: Leslie and I saw the Italian romantic thriller "The Double Hour" and enjoyed it. It's twisty (though not quite as twisty as I expected) and for much of the film you won't be sure what's real and what's not. Stars Kseniya Rappoport and Fillipo Timi are very good. I'd heard it compared with the French "Tell No One" (which is the main reason we decided to see it), but while it's not quite up to that level, I'd still recommend it highly. If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: sad (22 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
9:37 pm	How many a year has passed and gone I remember back in my freshman year of college how at least one history professor marked Bob Dylan reaching the age of 30, which at the time was frequently used as the demarcation point between those who were young and those who were ... not to be trusted. The prof taped a Peanuts strip that he'd cut out of the paper that day on the door of his classroom. In it, Linus mentions Dylan turning 30 and Charlie Brown replies, "That's the most depressing thing I've ever heard." Somehow, four decades later, the fact that His Bobness turns 70 Tuesday seems less an occasion for depression (despite what it says about how much older the rest of us also are) and more like something we ought to celebrate. Countless musical trends and pop culture upheavals have come and gone, yet Dylan still matters, even to those who haven't bought one of his records in years and those who complain that he croaks now rather than sings. (And, let's face it, Dylan was never a crooner even in his coffeehouse days.) Just recently media commentators and editorialists were lamenting reports that he'd allowed his concert playlist for shows in China to be censored by officials there. Dylan has vigorously denied the claim, but what's interesting about it is that the mere suggestion the former "protest singer" might bow to authority in any way was seen as some sort of cultural betrayal or sign of the end times. Dylan has become part of the fabric of our daily life. His lyrics are quoted nearly as much as the Bible and Shakespeare. And his craftsmanship as a songwriter continues to find favor with each succeeding generation of artists. A 2008 cover of his song "Make You Feel My Love" by young British singer Adele has been in the U.K. Top 40 for 40 weeks. and in the U.S. it was featured in the recent season finale of "Bones." And on the newsstand, a 1965 photo of the young Dylan graces the cover of the current issue of Rolling Stone in connection with a panel of historians, performers and music industry figures compiling a list of his 70 greatest songs. You can check it out here: http://www1.rollingstone.com/dylan/ Meanwhile, I decided to mark his birthday by assembling my own list of favorite Dylan songs. While Rolling Stone's panel numbered its list and picked "Like a Rolling Stone" as No. 1 (complete with a tribute written by Bono), I opted instead to list my Dylan favorites chronologically so that I wouldn't have to rank them. I didn't set out to pick any particular number of songs, but I ended up with 30 that I'm always ready to hear: "Girl of the North Country" 1963; "Don't Think Twice, It's Allright" 1963; "Blowin' in the Wind" 1963; "A Hard Rain's a'Gonna Fall" 1963; "All I Really Want to Do" 1964; "My Back Pages" 1964; "It Aint Me, Babe" 1964; "The Times They are a'Changin'" 1964; "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" 1965; "Mr Tambourine Man" 1965; "Ballad of a Thin Man" 1965; "Like a Rolling Stone" 1965; "Subterrenean Homesick Blues" 1965; "She Belongs to Me" 1965; "Rainy Day Women 12 & 35" 1966; "Just Like a Woman" 1966; "Absolutely Sweet Marie" 1966; "I Want You" 1966; "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" 1967; "All Along the Watchtower" 1967; "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" 1969; "If Not for You" 1970; "Watching the River Flow" 1971; "I Shall Be Released" 1971; "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" 1973; "Forever Young" 1974; "Tangled Up in Blue" 1975; "Hurricane" 1976; "Changing of the Guards" 1978; "Gotta Serve Somebody" 1979; "Things Have Changed" 2000. Five years ago, when I wrote a column marking Dylan's 65th birthday, I also noted that it was my son Bill's 21st. Here it is: http://billking.livejournal.com/22501.html So Tuesday marks young Bill's 26th as well as Bob's 70th. I can't think of a better birthday wish for either one of them than what Dylan himself sang: “May your heart always be joyful / And may your song always be sung / May you stay forever young.” AT THE MOVIES: Leslie and I saw "The Conspirator," the Robert Redford-directed film about the trial of the woman at whose boarding house the Lincoln assassination conspiracy was hatched. It has a fine cast, especially James McAvoy (one of my favorite young actors) as the reluctant defense attorney battling a government bound on quick revenge, and Robin Wright as Mary Surratt, who went to the gallows rather than rat out her son. Tom Wilkinson is also excellent in it as the young lawyer's mentor. And Kevin Kline gives a nicely steely performance as the war secretary who has preordained the outcome of the military tribunal. Great for history buffs. Plus, it was filmed in Savannah! If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: pleased (12 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, May 2nd, 2011
8:58 pm	Giving new meaning to 'Trumped' If it weren't for the fact that Donald Trump is probably the least sympathetic public personality in America, the past few days could almost make you feel sorry for the New York developer-TV host and the blonde that accompanies him everywhere (you know, that thing that lives on his head). First, President Obama took away the main issue in Trump's allegedly nascent presidential campaign by releasing his long-form birth certificate. Trump responded by saying he was proud he'd had a hand in resolving this constitutional non-crisis, then immediately turned his attention to Obama's education, wondering aloud just how the president REALLY got into Harvard. That prompted David Letterman, on whose show Trump frequently has guested, to pull out his decoder ring and blast The Donald on the air for what Dave believed he REALLY was saying. “It’s all fun, it’s all a circus, it’s all a rodeo," Letterman said, "until it starts to smack of racism. And then it’s no longer fun.” Letterman was planning on addressing the issue during Trump's upcoming appearance on "Late Show," set for May 18, but that apparently won't happen since it's been reported Trump instead has canceled the booking. Trump, it seems, can dish it out, but he can't take it. In clips from Saturday night's White House Correspondents Association dinner in Washington, the potential candidate can be seen sitting stony-faced as both the president and comedian Seth Meyers land shot after shot. Obama, who a few hours later would be unleashing the SEALS on Osama Bin Laden, skewered Trump with a series of jokes. My favorite was when he referred to Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" as an example of his decision-making experience. "You, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership," Obama said. "And so ultimately, you didn't blame Lil Jon or Meat Loaf. You fired Gary Busey. These are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir." But Meyers had an even better line: "Donald Trump said recently he has a great relationship with the blacks, though unless the Blacks are a family of white people, I bet he’s mistaken.” You can read more about the correspondents dinner here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-moves-from-serious-to-silly-at-correspondents-dinner/2011/04/30/AF1GYlOF_story.html?om_rid=Dh6zNh&om_mid=_BNvWVjB8as0VXv AT THE MOVIES: This weekend my wife Leslie and I saw "Hanna," a very stylish thriller from Joe Wright ("Atonement") starring the remarkable young Saoirse Ronan and a superb cast including Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett and Olivia Williams. A bit like a cross between an action film and a grim (Grimm) fairy tale, with a techno soundtrack that heightens the nightmarish quality. ... We also recently got around to seeing "Source Code" with Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farminga, and really enjoyed it. It's very intense, with several nifty twists. If you liked "Lost" or like "Fringe" you'd really get into this film by Duncan Jones (the very talented filmmaker son of David Bowie). ... Having seen trailers recently for three upcoming superhero movies, I'm thinking I'll probably check out the World War II-set "Captain America," haven't made my mind up yet about Ryan Reynolds as "Green Lantern," and will pass on "Thor" (which was always one of my least favorite comic book characters anyway, representing Marvel at its most pretentious, along with the Silver Surfer). ... The trailer for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" didn't put me off but it didn't sell me, either. The Johnny Depp shtick looks to be getting a bit worn about the edges, but Penelope Cruz might make it good fun. ... Another trailer that looked intriguing was for "The Debt," a Mosad vs. Nazi war criminals espionage thriller starring Helen Mirren due at the end of August. ... As for whether Jodie Foster and a handpuppet can save Mel Gibson's career in "The Beaver," based on the trailer I'd say not. ON THE TUBE: "Fringe" winds up its third season Friday and — SPOILER ALERT! — based on the previews appears to throw a new wrinkle into its already convoluted alternate-universes scenario by moving some of the action into the future. This show has been must viewing for me, though I wasn't crazy about heroine Olivia being trapped in the other universe for the first half of the season, and some of the revelations in recent episodes about the central characters' apparently preordained destinies have veered dangerously close to jumping-the-shark territory. I'm hoping creator J.J. Abrams has some unexpected twists up his sleeve that will get things back on track like he did with "Lost." ... I've only managed to catch portions of a couple of episodes of HBO's "Game of Thrones," and so far it hasn't snagged me as a regular viewer. But I don't know if I'd go as far as Leslie, who said it looked like another case of using sword fights just to set up showing naked women. And she said that like it was a bad thing. ... Speaking of sword fights and naked women, I have indeed gotten caught up in the Starz channel's latest use of that enticing combination in "Camelot." Actually, in this series there's a lot less emphasis on the naked women (frustrating for Eva Green fans) and a lot less blood and gore than in the channel's "Spartacus." The story's been moving a bit slowly, too, but that does give you more time to soak up the stunning Welsh countryside. ... And speaking of slow, Showtime's "The Borgias" creeps along at a snail's pace and can be a trifle confusing if you haven't watched from the start or aren't up to speed on your Renaissance Italian politics, but I've enjoyed the last couple of episodes I've caught. QUICKIES: I don't know how long this will last, but Borders is selling the 2006 illustrated and expanded edition of Hunter Davies' authorized 1968 biography of The Beatles for just $7.99. The 1985 postscript, in which Davies addressed a lot of the material he wasn't allowed to cover in the original, is included, and this version is a nice oversized trade paperback with bigger pictures. ... Considering some of the juicy archival treats that had been rumored as under consideration, the bonus material finally announced last week for the remastered, expanded versions of Paul McCartney's two solo albums, "McCartney" and "McCartney II" (due June 14), seemed a bit underwhelming. Still, the previously unreleased outtakes, demos and live Wings performances that made the cut as bonus tracks will please more fans than not. And it will be good to see these often overlooked albums getting some attention (though I doubt they'll appeal to nearly as many people as last year's revamped "Band on the Run"). ... I didn't get up early for the royal wedding, seeing only the kiss on the balcony live, but I watched several recaps later on and saw nothing to shake my conviction that the Brits do this pomp and pageantry better than anyone. However, the less than traditional highlight for me is reflected in a tweet from British journalist Caitlin Moran: "This wedding has mainly been about Pippa Middleton’s amazing arse, hasn’t it?" ... Ticketmonster has announced it is going to let artists and sports teams raise and lower the price of tickets to reflect demand WHILE THEY'RE ON SALE. The idea is for promoters to get the most value they can from top-demand front-row seats and cut out scalpers. The "dynamic" ticketing theoretically could see prices drop on less desirable seats, but that remains to be seen. Ticketmonster says the move should "improve" fans’ experience. Right. Thank you, sir, may I have another? ... In case you missed it, here's Stephen Colbert with the Roots and Jimmy Fallon doing a hilarious rendition of that awful Rebecca black song "Friday" for charity. Partyin' partyin', yeah! http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/04/02/stephen-colbert-jimmy-fallon-friday/ If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: amused (20 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 28th, 2011
4:38 pm	Remembering the heyday of a 'really big shew' Forty years ago tonight, "The Ed Sullivan Show" aired its last original weekly telecast on CBS. There's been nothing quite like it on television since, and unfortunately the variety show has pretty much been replaced by so-called talent contests. But Sullivan lives on in the memories of a generation and in the impression of him that band leader Paul Shaffer trots out on David Letterman's show, which occupies the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City. In honor of Ed, here's a piece I originally wrote many years ago on the occasion of Sullivan's death and subsequently updated a couple of times through the years. This version is from Beatlefan magazine in 1989 ... It sometimes takes you a while to realize when something is over. The excitement of the 1960s was that way, spilling over into the much duller '70s. On a Sunday night in October 1974, though, the realization that the '60s era was truly over came with the news report on the radio. They said Ed Sullivan had died. Granted, Sullivan was not just a symbol of the '60s. In 24 years on TV, beginning with the "Toast of the Town" show in 1948, the man they called the "Great Stoneface" became synonymous with Sunday night TV itself. But to those of us who grew up in the '60s — especially those of us whose lives were changed by the arrival here of The Beatles — Ed Sullivan's name always will conjure up that decade, and the impact he had on those years. By the time those who were born in the latter half of the Baby Boom began watching TV, Sullivan already was an institution. The man with the hangdog countenance and wooden gestures couldn't act or sing or dance or even do a very good job of saying someone else's name. Said an early rival, Fred Allen: "What does Ed Sullivan do? He points at people. Rub meat on actors and dogs will do the same." Comedian Alan King, a frequent Sullivan guest, put it more kindly: "Ed does nothing, but he does it better than anyone else on television." Sullivanisms were legendary. Like the time he got his afflictions confused and closed a show saying, "Goodnight and help stamp out TV." Or his coaxing the crowd on a 1965 show: "Let's hear it for the Lord's Prayer." And then there was the time he was chatting with singer Jack Jones during the dress rehearsal and said, "Wasn't Allan Jones your father?" to which Jones replied, "He still is." It got a laugh, so Sullivan decided to keep it in for the broadcast. But when the cameras were on and Jones came over to chat, Sullivan's question came out instead as, "Is your father still alive?" Despite all that, this wooden, nasal-voiced newspaper columnist somehow managed to make himself the king of variety television. Variety was the operative word. He stuck in something for everyone and pretty soon he had the whole country watching his Sunday night hour on CBS. It wasn't just the variety of acts, however, that made Sullivan's show so popular or made him such an important figure in TV history. Sullivan's real talent was in seeing talent in others — especially unknowns — and acting on his instincts. Fred Allen got it almost right when he jibed: "Ed Sullivan will be a success as long as other people have talent." The names of the show business figures launched by Sullivan are too numerous to list completely. But Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Dick Van Dyke, Paul Anka, the Tijuana Brass and even Elvis Presley (whose Sullivan appearances had more national impact that his earlier TV shots) entered the American viewing audience's consciousness through their Sullivan exposure. Sullivan also was the first TV variety host to feature black performers prominently. Because of the pervasive power of TV and Sullivan's willingness to sign new, up-and-coming performers, he helped mold the pop culture of a nation. And never was that more true than in February 1964, when Sullivan took a chance and headlined four young musicians from Liverpool, England, thus helping to touch off a musical and cultural revolution that was to make the '60s the chaotic but vital decade we now remember so fondly. The key to Sullivan's longstanding success was his innate understanding and democratic presentation of mass culture during the years before our tastes became so narrow and splintered as to render video vaudeville a thing of the past. Sullivan had his competitors — Steve Allen and Jack Paar among them — but he outlasted them all. Only on the Sullivan show could you find the Bolshoi Ballet, a dancing bear, the latest pop music sensation, show biz evergreens like Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, poet Carl Sandburg and the stars of Broadway plays — entertainment spanning decades and continents — all in the same 60 minutes. Watching the Sullivan show was a painless education in pop culture. Teenagers anxiously awaiting The Beatles or The Rolling Stones had to listen first to the likes of Robert Merrill singing one of the great operas or watch a folk dance being performed. Sure, Sullivan's show had its clinkers. Rarely will you ever encounter anything as intrinsically bad as George Hamilton — clad in a white Nehru jacket and black turtleneck — frugging his way through a white-bread rendition of "Dock of the Bay." But at the same time, it was only through the Sullivan show that millions of non-New Yorkers got to see Richard Burton and Julie Andrews performing excerpts from their memorable Broadway performances in "Camelot." And without Sullivan, how many of us would have gotten to see the brilliant Rudolph Nureyev dancing with Dame Margot Fonteyn? When was the last time you saw ballet on prime-time commercial network TV? Perhaps it was his newspaper background that made Sullivan view TV as an opportunity to present a little of everything; perhaps it was just a calculated effort to grab the largest audience possible. Whatever the reason, Sullivan's eclectic style widened the scope of TV variety and the viewing experience of his audience. Eventually, part of the show's appeal became Sullivan himself. Not because he ever became a polished performer, but because he did just the opposite, staying the same "stumbling, bumbling, fumbling perpetual amateur" the critics blasted when he first took to the airwaves. People loved watching Ed Sullivan mispronounce a great star's name (he never did figure out Dionne Warwick). Said Carl Reiner: "Love is like Ed Sullivan. You can't explain its hold on you, but after a while, you take it for granted." We took him for granted then, but anyone looking back at the '60s must conclude that TV had a tremendous — probably the greatest — impact on that period, and Ed Sullivan had a tremendous impact on both TV and those who watched it. Without Sullivan, could The Beatles possibly have conquered America so quickly and had such an immediate acceptance in this country? Sullivan knew their potential, based on Britain's experience. But he was the one with the mass audience in this country — an audience that became The Beatles' on three successive Sunday nights in February '64. Of course, life changes constantly and TV changes with it. Variety shows, including Sullivan's, began to go down in ratings as the maturing TV generation became jaded and nightly reports of killing halfway around the world and the realistic comedy of "All in the Family" ushered in the New Television. And so Ed Sullivan went off the air in 1971 — dumped unceremoniously by CBS — and Sunday night became just another TV night. Still, like the '60s themselves, it didn't really seem Sullivan was gone at first. He hosted occasional specials, and impressionists continued their stiff-necked mimicry of him. Then, before we'd really had a chance to say thank you properly, came the reports. Ed Sullivan was dead at age 73. The pillars of the '60s have long since crumbled one by one. LBJ's Great Society is now only an almost-forgotten phrase. Revolution is passé and college students worry about getting a good enough job. Former '60s radicals worry about getting a BMW. Disney is the name of a conglomerate that makes adult-oriented movies. John Lennon is dead. And Sunday night is now the domain of detectives and video wanted posters. That may be fine for some, but I miss the dancing bear. AT THE MOVIES: Based on the previews we'd seen in theaters, Leslie and I decided to go and see "The Adjustment Bureau." She wasn't sure quite what to make of it, but I really liked it. It's not your typical thriller, but a film that asks you to think about just what you'd risk to be true to your heart. Sort of like a feature-length "Twilight Zone" episode. Matt Damon, who's become one of my favorite actors, and the incredibly lovely Emily Blunt (those eyes!) are absolutely superb together. QUICKIES: Out Tuesday is "Mad Men: A Musical Companion (1960-1965)," featuring various artists from the '60s — a concept that prompts the question, what took them so long? Among the names on the compilation are Connie Francis, Jackie Wilson, Ricky Nelson, Dusty Springfield, Chuck Berry, Roger Miller, Dean Martin, Marvin Gaye, Tom Jones, Etta James, Mel Torme, Manfred Mann and Sonny & Cher. ... Meanwhile, it sucks that the next season of "Mad Men" may get delayed until 2012 by a financial dispute between AMC and the studio. But there IS good news for "Fringe" fans: The challenging sci-fi adventure has been renewed for a fourth season! ... The loss of Elizabeth Taylor seems to me to mark the end of the era of glamorous old Hollywood. She was one of the greatest screen beauties and an underrated actress despite her two Oscars. My Mom always thought Richard Burton made a mistake marrying her and becoming part of the "Liz and Dick" media circus, to the detriment of his career, but I think it likely the inner demons he tried to drown with alcohol — the real reason he squandered his talent on lesser work — were there long before they met. ... I was saddened to hear of the recent death of Ronnie Hammond, the lead singer on the Atlanta Rhythm Section's hits. I got to know Ronnie and the other guys in ARS pretty well during the years I was on the music beat and shared some interesting times with them. But my favorite ARS memory is of concert promoter Alex Cooley breaking out the bubbly for toasts up in the pressbox as the band cranked into "Champagne Jam" down below onstage at the first of the Atlanta rock fests named after that song. The entire football stadium at Georgia Tech was absolutely ablaze with fans flicking their Bics. A good way to remember Ronnie Hammond. And some links of interest ... Here's something unexpected. Bill Wyman rejoining his old mates in the Rolling Stones and others on Bob Dylan's "Watching the River Flow," done for Ben Waters' Ian Stewart tribute album, "Boogie 4 Stu," due out April 19. http://ngootbredux.blogspot.com/2011/03/redux_2226.html My son called my attention to this new cover of "God Only Knows" that Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks) did for the "Big Love" finale and the very Harrisonesque slide guitar in it. http://www.theboot.com/2011/03/15/natalie-maines-god-only-knows-big-love/ David Letterman received the first Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence at Comedy Central's Comedy Awards, to be telecast April 10, and it's well deserved. I still watch Dave every weeknight. But then I often catch at least the first part of the current inhabitant of his old "Late Night" seat at NBC, Jimmy Fallon, who is doing some really inventive stuff these days. Like Fallon's uncanny take on the classic era Bob Dylan ... doing the "Charles in Charge" theme song! Check it out, it's really good: http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/rolling-stone-video-blog/watch-jimmy-fallon-sing-charles-in-charge-as-bob-dylan-20110318 If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: nostalgic (16 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, February 28th, 2011
9:41 pm	The Oscars always put me in the mood for a Quickie I had the Oscar telecast on in the other room Sunday night, listening to most of it and occasionally catching glimpses until the last 45 minutes or so, when I finally sat down to watch the biggest awards. From what I heard/saw, plus what I later caught up with through clips posted online, I thought it was generally a pretty lackluster presentation. While the "Inception" parody opening was clever (my daughter loved Morgan Freeman narrating Alec Baldwin's dreams), overall I didn't think much of the James Franco/Anne Hathaway hosting team. Her effervescence came off as a bit forced and he seemed mostly ... stoned. Which is pretty much what you'd expect of him, but it didn't make for a good job of hosting. If Billy Crystal keeps refusing to do it any more, I say bring back Jon Stewart. Or Chris Rock. Or Steve Martin. ... There were a few highlights, though, including 94-year-old Kirk Douglas still showing star power as he got laughs drawing out his revelation of the best supporting actress winner; Robert Downey Jr. showing he does indeed have a sense of humor about his police blotter past in a comedic presenting bit with Jude Law; and Sandra Bullock's teasing of Jeff Bridges about returning with another nomination a year after winning best actor ("Jeff, dude, dude ... How much is enough? Huh? Think about it.") But while Celine Dion did a decent enough job singing the classic Charlie Chaplin tune "Smile" during the "In Memoriam" segment on film academy members who died in the past year, was it really necessary mid-tribute to cut to shots of Dion onstage? It wasn't about her, after all. QUICKIES: Leslie and I saw the twisty thriller "Unknown" and enjoyed it. The plot is a bit far-fetched at times but it moves briskly and is very tense and the Berlin locations and cast are a definite plus, especially Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger (a personal favorite), January Jones and German stars Bruno Ganz and Sebastian Koch. ... Coming April 15 is Robert Redford's latest directorial effort, "The Conspirator," about the aftermath of the Lincoln assassination. Leslie got to see the film, which stars Robin Wright, Kevin Kline and James McAvoy, at a special preview screening and recommends it highly. ... The six-episode prequel "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" exited its Friday night berth on Starz with me still wanting more, which all too often isn't the case with today's TV series. After the finale, Starz screened the first episode of its new "Camelot," which officially premieres April 1. Based on that first hour, there doesn't appear to be as much nudity and violence in "Camelot" as there was in "Spartacus." Too early to give a verdict on young Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur, but Joseph Fiennes as a no-nonsense Merlin and Eva Green (another personal fave) smouldering as Arthur's rival half-sister, Morgan, made the viewing worthwhile. ... There's going to be another Monkees reunion tour of Britain, though this one only involves Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Davy Jones. Mike Nesmith won't take part, but he posted on Facebook recently an endorsement of the tour, saying "Have you ever seen David, Micky, and Peter play as The Monkees? They are fantastic! I kid you not. I saw them once in Texas at a stadium. I dressed in a disguise and took Winona Ryder. She was 14 and the star of "Square Dance" — a movie I did — and we went. They were wonderful! Go to the show! You will love it. And you will NOT miss me. They sing some of my songs and it is a great evening. Trust me on this one." ... More casting reports are surfacing on the Tim Burton-directed big-screen version of the ’60s supernatural soap "Dark Shadows," which will star Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins, the role model for all those tortured, romantic vampires who get so much screentime these days. Eva Green (again!) has signed to play the witch Angelique, Barnabas' chief nemesis; Jackie Earle Haley will be handyman Willie Loomis; Bella Heatcoate will play governess Victoria Winters; and Michelle Pfeiffer is in negotiations to play family matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. They had me at Eva Green. ... This is a good omen: It looks like Christopher Lee, 88, will reprise the role of Saruman in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit." ... Columbia/Legacy is giving a full release to "Bob Dylan in Concert — Brandeis University 1963" on April 12. Previously, the disc was available only as an Amazon.com bonus with last fall's "The Witmark Demos" release. The Brandeis recording was discovered in the archives of noted music writer and Rolling Stone co-founder Ralph Gleason, where it had sat on a shelf for more than 40 years. ... A couple of anniversary releases worth noting: Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water: 40th Anniversary Edition" (featuring a bonus DVD with their controversial 1969 "Songs of America" TV special and a new documentary) is out March 8. And Eric Clapton/Derek and the Dominos' "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs: The 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" is due March 29. The remastered 2-CD "Layla" package includes six numbers from what was to be the Dominos' second album, four songs they did on "The Johnny Cash Show," both sides of a short-lived single that marked the group's debut and an acoustic outtake of Clapton and Duane Allman on "Mean Old World." A 4-CD/2-LP/audio-only DVD "Super Deluxe Edition" throws in a remastered and expanded "Derek and the Dominos: In Concert," recorded at the Fillmore East, and 5.1 surroundsound mixes of the "Layla" album, plus a hardcover book. If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: apathetic (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, January 24th, 2011
9:07 pm	Those TV themes you can't get out of your head One way to date the age of the crowd you're hanging out with is to bring up the subject of favorite TV themes, because once the great ones get stuck in your head through week after week of repetition, they never seem to go away. I remember once about 25 years ago someone at work — for reasons lost in the mists of time — started singing the theme to the "Patty Duke Show," a sitcom that ran for only three seasons back in the mid 1960s. She'd no more gotten out the opening line, "Meet Cathy who's lived most everywhere ... " when pretty much everyone in the vicinity was singing along, "... from Zanzibar to Berkley Square; but Patty's only seen the sights a girl can seen from Brooklyn Heights — what a crazy pair! But they're cousins, identical cousins ..." Talk about your shared pop culture memories! I thought about that recently when Billboard published its Top 10 TV theme songs for the period from 1980 to now. Somehow I can't imagine the theme that topped the list, "How Do You Talk to An Angel," from an obscure, short-lived early '90s show called "The Heights," being sung by a room full of co-workers even nowadays. The rest of the themes on the list were more memorable, though I'm not sure any would crack my TV Top 40 — except the "Magnum P.I." theme. In descending order, they were: "Miami Vice Theme," "Theme From Greatest American Hero (Believe It Or Not)," "The Theme From Hill Street Blues," "I'll Be There for You" from "Friends," "Theme From the Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)," the "Moonlighting" theme, "Theme From Magnum P.I.," "Theme From Dynasty" and the theme from "WKRP in Cincinnati." You can check the article out and play videos of the themes here: http://www.billboard.com/news/top-10-tv-theme-songs-1980-2011-1004138522.story#/news/top-10-tv-theme-songs-1980-2011-1004138522.story I realize Billboard was basing its list on how the songs charted on its Hot 100, rather than for how memorable they really are, but off the top of my head I came up with a list of some 30-odd TV themes from the 1950s through the 1970s, including the "Patty Duke" theme, that I'd wager are floating around in a lot more people's heads than "How Do You Talk to an Angel." I mean, who doesn't know the whistling theme from "The Andy Griffith Show"? Or Johnny Rivers' rocking theme for "Secret Agent"? Even before the remake showed up this season, the "Hawaii Five-0" theme was practically a standard. And I didn't even count "The Lone Ranger," which cheated by using the "William Tell Overture." Other shows whose themes made my list: "The Avengers" (ah, that ultra cool Johnny Dankworth theme for an ultra cool series), "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Mission Impossible," "The Monkees," "The Green Hornet" (Al Hirt!), "I Love Lucy" and probably the most memorable TV Western theme, "Bonanza." (Did you know there were actually words to the "Bonanza" theme? My wife Leslie counts the theme to another Western of the same era, "The High Chaparral," among her favorites, but for me it's a bit too close to the "Magnificent Seven" movie theme.) More favorites: "The Beverly Hillbillies" (can't you still recite most of the lyrics to "The Ballad of Jed Clampett"?), "The Persuaders" (by Bond score veteran John Barry), "All in the Family" ("Those Were the Days" as sung by Archie and Edith), "The Rockford Files," "Love American Style," "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (Paul Anka's "Here's Johnny"), "Dallas," "Mary Tyler Moore," "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" (Harry Nilsson's "Best Friend") and "The Flintstones" (I'm talking about "Meet the Flintstones," the tune with vocals that they started using in the third season, replacing the previous instrumental theme, which was way too similar to the Bugs Bunny "This Is It!" theme, which is another memorable one.) And also on my list: "The Wild Wild West," "Gilligan's Island" (even folks who couldn't stand the slapstick sitcom know the theme song about "a three-hour tour" that went wrong), "Dragnet" (talk about your ominous opening chords), "Peter Gunn" (an Emmy and Grammy winner for Henry Mancini), "Maverick" (about the brothers who were "smooth as the handle on a gun"), "The Addams Family," "Star Trek" and, of course, "The Ballad of Davy Crockett." (I could also throw in the themes to "The Prisoner" and Disney's "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh," but I didn't want to overdo it on Patrick McGoohan shows.) You can find just about all these themes on YouTube, and there also are quite a few CD collections of such songs available, including "TV Land Presents Favorite TV Theme Songs" (Rhino Records) and the two-disc "All-Time Top 100 TV Themes" (TVT Records). And you never know where else these tunes will pop up. At work, I used to sit next to a woman whose ringtone was the "Charlie's Angels" theme. Needless to say, I was always happy when she didn't take much time answering her phone! Please share some of your own favorite TV themes in the comments below. SPEAKING OF THEME SONGS: When I heard about the death Sunday at age 96 of TV exercise show pioneer Jack LaLanne, whose show was a weekday morning TV fixture in the 1950s and ’60s, I couldn't help thinking of the way he used to sign off every day, hammily singing his "It's Time to Leave You" theme to the tune of "O Sole Mio." My brothers and I used to have a great time immitating him in the shower. Actually, LaLanne wasn't really my Mom's first choice among TV exercise hosts back then. She preferred Debbie Drake, a blonde who pretty much did the same kind of routine only without the big white dog and the singing. By the way, I was telling my daughter about who LaLanne was when I mentioned that in recent years he was mainly known for infomercials for his Jack LaLanne Power Juicer. "Oh, the juicer guy!" she exclaimed. "I know who that is!" AT THE MOVIES: Leslie and I were joined by just about a packed house at a King Day early matinee of "The King's Speech." The film completely lived up to its rave reviews. Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter are all brilliant, but Firth does an especially amazing job of making us feel the inner torment of the stammering brother who wasn't supposed to be king but is thrust onto the British throne. Highly recommended. ... Leslie, who works at Atlanta's Emory University, reports that the cast and crew of the Steven Soderbergh movie "Contagion" were filming recently next door to her at the CDC headquarters. The thriller about the outbreak of a dangerous virus certainly has a promising cast of stars in Matt Damon, Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow. ON THE TUBE: Mark me down among those who found Ricky Gervais' Golden Globes remarks hilariously entertaining. It's a bit rich for Robert Downey Jr. to get his nose mildly out of joint over Gervais bringing up his drugs-and-jail days; he certainly got plenty of mileage out of that part of his life making the rounds of the talk shows after his "Iron Man" comeback. ... "Fringe" drew encouragingly strong viewing numbers in its return last week, despite the Friday time slot that usually marks Fox series on their way out. It was also an excellent episode, all about the ripple effects of the choices we make in life. The father-son relationship between Walter (John Noble) and Peter (Joshua Jackson) is one of my all-time favorites on TV. ... The debut of the six-part "Spartacus" prequel on Starz, "Gods of the Arena," didn't have a central character as compelling as Andy Whitfield's Spartacus in the first series, but it was an extremely entertaining hour, full of the gore, sex and nudity that are the show's hallmark. John Hannah and Lucy Lawless were in fine form as the ambitious gladiator master and his not-yet-scheming wife, and Jaime Murray, previously seen on the British con man series "Hustle," was an eye-catching addition to the cast. The thing about it being a prequel is we're pretty sure most of the new characters introduced won't survive the series since they weren't part of the original "Blood and Sand." Meanwhile, with Whitfield unable to do the next "Spartacus" series for health reasons, the producers announced last week they've cast an Australian Whitfield lookalike, Liam McIntyre, in the title role. ... I originally wasn't sure I was going to stick with the Showtime version of the British show "Shameless," about an unconventional family of six working-class kids mostly raised by their eldest sister with virtually no help from their carousing, ne'er-do-well drunk of a father, but the kids are beginning to win me over. Especially the tremendously appealing Emmy Rossum as the sexy older sister. I find William H. Macy's charmless portrayal of the worthless father more than a bit offputting, though. PLAYLIST: My first album purchase of the new year is "The King Is Dead" by the Decemberists, on which singer-songwriter Colin Meloy and the band have stripped down their sometimes overly theatrical indie sound to an almost bluegrassy folk-rock style full of acoustic guitars, mandolin, pedal steel, accordion, harmonica and fiddle, with Gillian Welch guesting on backing vocals. The lyrics are still a bit ornate at times ("queen of supply-side bonhomie bone-drab") but the overall feel is very rootsy. My favorites on the album are the R.E.M.-ish "Calamity Song" (which features Peter Buck on 12-string), the melancholy, jangly "This Is Why We Fight" and, best of all, the toe-tapping single "Down by the Water." You can see them doing the latter number on "Conan" below. If you like R.E.M. in its more acoustic moments, I think you'll like this collection very much. http://www.weallwantsomeone.org/2010/11/20/video-the-decemberists-down-by-the-water-live-on-conan/ If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: pleased (24 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, January 10th, 2011
6:17 pm	A Quickie run through the high points of 2010 Having just gotten warmed up from tramping out in the white stuff with my daughter after our SECOND snowstorm of the winter (culture shock in Georgia), I'm now nice and cozy and ready to do the annual year-in-review QC wrap-up of my entertainment and pop culture experiences. Let's start with ... AT THE MOVIES: Picking the best film I saw in 2010 is tough, because there are several contenders (I generally only go to see films I'm pretty sure I'm going to like). But I think I have to give the prize to the original Swedish version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," based on the Stieg Larsson best-seller about an emotionally scarred goth/punk hacker who teams up with a disgraced muckraking journalist. It was violent, graphic and thoroughly compelling viewing, made all the more so by the amazing Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander. The Hollywood version due out this December is going to have to go some to beat the original, which led to Leslie and me also seeing its two Swedish-language sequels later in the year: "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest," both of which we also enjoyed. But the first film was the best. Close runners-up in the "best" category for the year were "Black Swan" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1." A psychological thriller set in the world of ballet, "Swan" features a bravura performance by Natalie Portman, who's in just about every scene. It was one of those films where Leslie and I found ourselves talking about it several day later. And trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't. The "Potter" film, meanwhile, was the darkest of the series, which was one of the chief reasons I enjoyed it — another being the prominent role played by the delightful Emma Watson. Also excellent was "True Grit," which was the choice for our traditional family year-end movie outing. The Coen brothers' version sticks to the Charles Portis novel much more closely than the also enjoyable 1969 John Wayne film. Jeff Bridges' Rooster Cogburn isn't as cuddly as the Duke's and Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfeld are upgrades over Glenn Campbell and Kim Darby in the original version. The new film's ending, with a less sentimental, more bittersweet epilogue, also is true to the book. This year I also enjoyed the Russell Crowe-Cate Blanchett "Robin Hood," the foreign-film Oscar winner "The Secret in Their Eyes" and Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer." I still get a kick out of seeing a film in a darkened cinema on the big screen, but our outing for "The Girl Who Played With Fire," playing to a packed auditorium on a Saturday night at our favorite art house, reminded Leslie and me of why we generally prefer less heavily attended afternoon screenings. The woman in front of me kept flipping her hair up in the air as a nervous tic and the woman next to Leslie reeked of nacho breath. Ugh. Still, I'm glad we saw it in a theater. ON THE TUBE: I think the best series on television continues to be AMC's "Mad Men," which in its fourth season still managed to confound with its plot twists. The show features the very talented Jon Hamm in a career-making role that makes you actually root for a total cad! The attention to detail in the '60s setting is another plus, as is the top-notch supporting cast and the razor-sharp writing. Runners-up would be ABC's "Lost," which wound up its phenomenally satisfying run with a finale that didn't suit everyone but which I found quite emotional, and Fox's "Fringe," particularly the second season that ended last May. The parallel universe running story and the twist concerning one of the central character's origins elevated the series above its "X-Files"-clone origins. Unfortunately, I think the show lost a bit of momentum this fall when it had its central couple of Olivia (Anna Torv) and Peter (Joshua Jackson) occupying separate dimensions. SPOILER ALERT! They're reunited now, but it may be too late — Fox is moving the show to one of its little-watched Friday night death slots as of Jan 21. A shame. Also on my regular viewing list this year were AMC's "Rubicon," a thinking man's espionage thriller that got off to a slow, murky start but was engrossing by the end; TNT's admittedly formulaic but still enjoyable "Rizzoli & Isles" (mainly for the chemistry between stars Sasha Alexander and Angie Harmon); HBO's gory, over-the-top "True Blood," which was still fun in its third season despite adding too many characters and getting way too heavy-handed with its vampires = gays in society message; Starz's sexy "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," which managed to overcome all the stylized, slow-mo blood-spurting violence and shock-value full frontal nudity to wind up as an engrossing yarn; PBS' too-short "Sherlock," with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman both shining in a modern-day version of the Arthur Conan Doyle Holmes mysteries; "“Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” which I thought had a wonderful season thanks to the sparks flying from the quirky pairing of Jeff Goldblum and Saffron Burrows; and the new "Hawaii Five-0," which got off to just an OK start but has grown better and better as its first season has progressed and the back-story of Steve McGarrett's family tragedies has evolved. I also like the interplay between Alex O'Loughlin as McGarrett and Scott Caan as Danno, a much more interesting character here than in the old series. Another notable development of the past year in television for me was my conversion to being a fan of "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," which I originally wasn't too impressed with. The interviews, like on most talk shows nowadays, are hit-or-miss, but Fallon's ingratiating personality is growing on me and I really like the inventive filmed comedic bits and offbeat interactions with the audience. I got a real kick out of Fallon's duet with Paul McCartney on "Scrambled Eggs" (a spin-off from the original lyrics to "Yesterday"), one of the best McCartney TV appearances in years. Also very enjoyable was the McCartney "In Performance at the White House" Gershwin Prize show on PBS. I thought the musical tributes, especially Elvis Costello's "Penny Lane" with the Marine trumpeter, were much more satisfying than the similar Macca covers done for the year-end "Kennedy Center Honors" special on CBS. ... Another bit of compelling viewing was former UGA tennis star John Isner's marathon match spread over three days at Wimbledon. ... And a surprising delight was the Super Bowl spot with Dave Letterman joined by Oprah and Jay Leno! On the down side, the new "Conan" on TBS has been underwhelming (I quickly tired of the running bit about Conan's blimp) and NBC deserves brickbats for its late cancellation of the original "Law and Order," preventing a proper series finale. It also was a sad year in regard to the deaths of Fess Parker and Leslie Nielsen, who were major parts of my childhood as Disney's Davy Crockett and the Swamp Fox. The TV year ended on a definite low point via the Dick Clark New Year's Eve special on ABC, with Ryan Seacrest interviewing some singer wannabe who goes by Ke$ha. When asked for her New Year's resolution, she said on live network TV, "I don't want to be a douchebag." Too late. ON THE MUSIC SCENE: Getting to see both Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney in concert in the same month (July) was the definite musical high point of the year for me. I didn't buy that many CDs, but I can recommend the "Band on the Run" Wings reissue (particularly the deluxe edition with three CDs, a DVD and a lavish book), the 17-disc Apple Records box set and single-disc "Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records," Marc Cohn's "Listening Booth: 1970" set of covers, Sheryl Crow's rootsy "100 Miles From Memphis," Tom Jones' powerful foray into gospel with "Praise & Blame," Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' bluesy "Mojo," the excellent-sounding expanded reissue of the Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street," the satisfying single-disc collection of the King's hits in "Elvis 75," the CD-DVD combo "Live at the Troubadour" with James Taylor and Carole King, and Ringo Starr's delightful, self-produced "Y Not." ON THE BOOKSHELF: I can recommend longtime friend and Beatlefan contributor Ken Sharp's oral history "Starting Over: The Making of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 'Double Fantasy'" (and not just because I'm quoted in it), Fred Kaplan's fascinating pop culture history "1959: The Year Everything Changed," and I'm currently enjoying one of my Christmas presents: "Dick Cavett: Talk Show," a collection of the former late-night chat show host's online pieces for the New York Times. ON DVD: There are two releases I picked up this year that I highly recommend. One is "The T.A.M.I. Show Collector's Edition," the long-overdue release of the 1964 concert film featuring Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Chuck Berry, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Leslie Gore, Jan and Dean, James Brown and the Stones. The other is "The Andy Griffith Show 50th Anniversary: Best of Mayberry," which collects 17 of the show's best episodes plus the "Danny Thomas Show" pilot and "Return to Mayberry" TV movie. The individual episodes include the General Foods commercials for products like Post cereals and Sanka coffee that the cast used to do in character and in the context of that evening's storyline. Plus, of course, Andy's famous sign-off, "I appreciate it, and goodnight!" Which seems like a good point to wind this up. If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column or share your own entertainment highlights and low points of 2010, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: cheerful (20 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, December 6th, 2010
6:43 pm	40 Reasons to Celebrate the Music of John Lennon Julian Lennon updated his Facebook status the other day with a note that said, in part: "Please ... let's NOT make my page a sad place this week. ... We don't want to forget the past, but I don't need to be reminded of it constantly, either, regardless. I really don't care where YOU were or how YOU felt when Dad passed. No disrespect." Sounds like his father, doesn't he? I can relate to where Julian was coming from with that post. I recently was interviewed for a Washington Post article about fans' memories of Dec. 8, 1980, and I realized after recounting my recollections that awful night that I really didn't want to rehash it all again. I think that's probably why I decided Beatlefan would focus its Lennon retrospective this year on what would have been John's 70th birthday in October rather than the 30th anniversary of his death in December. Still, I didn't want to let that anniversary go unmarked. But rather than dwell on his death, I have opted to celebrate the music he produced during his life. So I reached back nearly five years to a piece my son Bill and I put together for Beatlefan in reaction to Yoko Ono subtitling her "Working Class Hero" compilation as "The Definitive Lennon." We felt the track listing of that compilation (one of WAY too many she has released in recent years) tended to skew more heavily toward soft ballads and laid-back tracks than a "definitive" overview of Lennon's recorded works ought to. So we put together our own list. My son, then a 20-year-old college student, had started borrowing my Lennon CDs when he was barely into his tweens, and I thought combining his preferences and mine would result in a more representative look at John's work. Here, with a few new tweaks in the commentary, is the list of 40 definitive Lennon recordings we came up with: MOTHER — Bill said he chose this as the starting song because, "I always liked the way that song begins with those tolling bells, as if to indicate the emotional storm about to follow that is 'Plastic Ono Band.' I think it represents a time when John was writing very autobiographically and very emotionally and directly." WORKING CLASS HERO — A biting acoustic number that skewers modern society at the same time if offers a bit of an autobiographical rewrite for Lennon, since he wasn't really working class by British standards. GOD — Bill thought this was an "obvious choice" as it showed John's "uncompromising attitude as a solo artist. I somehow doubt 'God' would have ended up on a Beatles album or that 'God' could have even been written while John was a Beatle." ISOLATION — Lennon lashes out at all those who rejected his pairing with Yoko in one of the most powerful songs on his first post-Beatles album. POWER TO THE PEOPLE — The lyrical cheerleading for the radical left might be a bit facile — though infinitely preferable to his "Some Time in New York City" sloganeering — but the song is so catchy that it's almost impossible not to bop along. GIVE PEACE A CHANCE — Lennon set out to write a lasting anthem for the peace movement. He succeeded. INSTANT KARMA — A terrific, propulsive track that sums up the attitudes of its time succinctly, with top-notch production by Phil Spector. Lennon's very best single ever, I think. IMAGINE — John's equivalent of "Yesterday," it's a beautiful tune but unfortunately has come to be THE Lennon song for many people, particularly the younger generation. There was so much more to his music than this, but that doesn't lessen its greatness. JEALOUS GUY — Adapted from his unreleased Beatles song "Child of Nature," this frank assessment of Lennon's romantic insecurities benefits from one of his best melodies. GIMME SOME TRUTH — Bill said he thought this is "an underappreciated gem" that shows "John displaying both his disgust with the present state of politics as well as his ability to have fun with words." Who else could have written, "No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of Tricky Dicky is gonna mother hubbard soft-soap me with just a pocketful of hope ..." HOW DO YOU SLEEP — Bill said he chose Lennon's brilliant if brutal musical assault on Paul McCartney "to show John's mind-set at a specific point in his career. No, he wasn't always mad at Paul and didn't stay mad at Paul. But this song showed the seething energy John could throw at someone." Plus it's just a dynamite recording, with George Harrison contributing a stinging guitar solo. HOW? — "A pretty simple song but a very beautiful one," Bill said, and I agree. I love this line: "How can I go forward when I don't know which way I'm facing?" NEW YORK CITY (live version) — Sort of an upbeat musical sequel to "The Ballad of John and Yoko," only done with Elephant's Memory instead of Paul, so the results pale in comparison. Still, the One to One concert version shows he definitely could rock onstage. COLD TURKEY — Lennon's harrowing musical re-creation of heroin withdrawal was the song that actually marked his move away from The Beatles. He offered it to the other Fabs knowing they'd never even consider recording it. MIND GAMES — Another reworking of a Beatles leftover ("Make Love Not War"), this immediately hummable bit of faux-Spector was probably Lennon's second best solo single. OUT THE BLUE — Another underappreciated jewel of a tune, this is Lennon at his melodic best. BRING ON THE LUCIE (FREEDA PEOPLE) — OK, it may have the worst title Lennon ever gave a song, but this shows he could write political rock that actually worked musically (as opposed to most of the "STINYC" material). #9 DREAM — Featuring then-girlfriend May Pang whispering John's name (despite what Yoko's revisionist video might make you think), this dreamy track from "Walls and Bridges" shows, like "Mind Games," that Lennon paid close attention when he was working with Spector. NOBODY LOVES YOU (WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT) — A world-weary, cynical Lennon expresses his disillusionment with his life and career in this bluesy lament. MOVE OVER MS. L — This rock 'n' rolling B-side probably isn't Yoko's favorite track. More typically John asked her forgiveness in song, but in this lyrically inventive number from the time the Lennons were separated, he notes that he'll forgive HER trespasses as well. STAND BY ME — The highlight of Lennon's disappointing "Rock 'n' Roll" sessions backs his impassioned singing of the Ben E. King tune with majestic acoustic guitar strumming. HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) — Deservedly a holiday classic, this is the last really great Phil Spector production. The use of the Harlem children's choir was a masterful touch. WHATEVER GETS YOU THRU THE NIGHT — This rip-roaring, rollicking tune, with Bobby Keys on sax and Elton John singing backup, gave Lennon an unexpected chart-topper. (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER — Lennon's sunny "comeback" single offers a musical ode to the hits of his youth in the 1950s. Who could resist that infectious chorus? I'M LOSING YOU ("Lennon Anthology" version with Cheap Trick) — Bill said he chose this harder version "because I think it is vastly superior to the version from 'Double Fantasy.' This version has a real edge and grunginess which goes along a lot better with the subject matter of the song." WATCHING THE WHEELS — Lennon sums up his househusband period with an immediately accessible piano-based tune that still manages to get a fair amount of radio airplay. WOMAN — Lennon dubbed this overtly romantic ballad the "Beatley" track of "Double Fantasy," and it is indeed the most memorable melody on the album. BEAUTIFUL BOY — A lot of folks still can't hear this Eastern-tinged, unabashed expersssion of a father's tender love for his son without choking up. And they called McCartney the sentimental family man! NOBODY TOLD ME — This posthumous release combines whimsical Lennon lyrics with a catchy melody and a great refrain. I'M STEPPING OUT — An upbeat summation of Lennon's philosophy: "If it don't feel right, don't do it / Just leave a message on the phone and tell them to screw it." REAL LOVE (version from "Imagine: John Lennon" soundtrack) — This acoustic guitar rendition of the lovely tune — another take of which was later given by Yoko to the Threetles for a wonderful "reunion" track — is the best of the solo Lennon versions. LOOK AT ME (from "Acoustic") — An "unplugged" take (just Lennon on acoustic guitar) of one of the loveliest of the "Plastic Ono Band" songs (and another Beatles leftover). BLUE SUEDE SHOES (live Plastic Ono Band version) — This blast from Lennon's past was the most confident performance from his impromptu, hastily rehearsed first solo concert appearance. REMEMBER — John recalls his childhood in this simple but driving number from "Plastic Ono Band." CRIPPLED INSIDE — With Nicky Hopkins on honkytonk piano, Lennon revisits his skiffle days while lambasting hypocrisy. WOMAN IS THE NIGGER OF THE WORLD — The most musically accessible and commercial of his "STINYC" social-activist broadsides. SLIPPIN' AND SLIDIN' — this rousing, well-sung cover of a Little Richard tune has the energy sorely lacking in most of the draggy "Rock 'n' Roll" tracks. I SAW HER STANDING THERE (live with the Elton John Band) — Onstage at Madison Square Garden, Lennon wound up his guest stint with Elton by doing "a number of an old, estranged fiance of mine called Paul." It was the musical highlight of the evening. AISUMASEN (I'M SORRY) ("Home Version" bonus track from the first remixed and remastered "Mind Games" reissue) — This is the original country-blues number with Lennon singing the much better I"ll ease your pain, girl" refrain instead of the awkwardly phrased "Aisumasen, Yoko" of the official "Mind Games" version. GROW OLD WITH ME (the "Anthology" version with George Martin's orchestration) — This tune that has become a wedding standard shows Lennon at his most romantic. The posthumous "Milk and Honey" version taken from cassette sounded too unfinished; Martin's tasteful orchestration smooths the home recording's rough edges. And there you have it. Forty great reasons to spend Wednesday listening to John Lennon's music rather than dwelling on sad memories. I'm sure you might disagree over the inclusion or omission of a track here and there, and if so please feel free to share your views by clicking on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: enthralled (39 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, November 29th, 2010
6:36 pm	A lot has changed since November 1975, but Franco is still dead Thirty-five years ago today, Leslie and I got married on a very cold Saturday in my hometown of Athens, Ga., at the Taylor-Grady House, boyhood home of famed 19th century journalist Henry Grady. After the reception, we immediately hit the road for the lengthy drive to Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg, our honeymoon destination. A lot has changed since then (not us, of course!). Digging through an old “wedding” file Leslie had stashed away, I see we paid $35 to rent the antebellum mansion where we wed; today it would cost us $1,000. We paid $60 a night at the Colonial Williamsburg Inn (which was pretty pricey back then), and those rooms now go for 10 times that rate. Anyway, I was thinking about that long drive to Virginia and the songs we listened to as we passed through the coverage areas of various Top 40 radio stations. It wasn’t a great time for classic hits, though a few worthy numbers from that time have stuck around. Top of the charts that week was the forgettable “Fly Robin Fly” by Silver Convention. And I remember we couldn’t excape the C.W. McCall trucker tune “Convoy,” and in fact encountered a couple of attempts at trucker convoys on I-85. Also very popular at the time was KC and the Sunshine Band’s nefariously catchy “That’s the Way (I Like It),” along with the Four Seasons’ discoey “Who Loves You,” Elton John’s “Island Girl,” Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be,” the Bay City Rollers’ “Saturday Night,” the Eagles’ “Lyin’ Eyes,” the Bee Gees’ “Nights on Broadway” (my favorite Brothers Gibb number of all time), Jefferson Starship’s “Miracles,” Wings’ “Venus and Mars/Rock Show,” the briefly reunited Simon and Garfunkel’s excellent “My Little Town,” Linda Rondstadt’s “Heat Wave” and Neil Sedaka teaming with Elton on “Bad Blood,” plus soon-forgotten trifles like the Captain and Tenille’s “The Way I Want to Touch You” and Jigsaw’s “Sky High” and that Morris Albert abomination that would haunt many a hotel lounge for the next couple of decades, “Feelings.” Other pop culture mileposts from that time: New that fall was NBC’s late-night comedy showcase “Saturday Night” (which hadn’t yet added the “Live” to the title because that belonged to a short-lived Howard Cosell variety hour that was still on the air), “Good Morning America” premiered on ABC with actor David Hartman as host, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” with Jack Nicholson was the big new movie release, Sony introduced the Betamax VCR and long-ailing Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco finally died after lingering for weeks, setting off a memorable “Saturday Night” Chevy Chase “Weekend Update” running bit that introduced the show’s first catch phrase, “Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead!” Thirty-five years later, that’s one thing (besides me and Leslie) that hasn’t changed. REMEMBERING LESLIE NIELSEN: Lots of news reports today about the death of actor Leslie Nielsen at age 84. While it’s to be expected that his obituaries chiefly focus on the latter decades of his long career when he morphed from being a serious actor into a straight-faced onscreen comedian in parodies such as “Airplane!” (Surely, you can’t be serious.” “I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley!”) and the “Naked Gun” movies, for me Nielsen will always be Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion in the “Swamp Fox” episodes that ran on “Walt Disney Presents.” The eight-episode “Swamp Fox” miniseries, which was shown sporadically in 1959-61, was my first real TV obsession, since I was a bit young the first time “Davy Crockett” aired. I never forgot the typically catchy Disney theme song (“Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, tail on his hat, Nobody knows where the Swamp Fox at”) and years later when I got to view the shows again on the Disney Channel (back when it was devoted to classic Disney fare instead of B-grade comedy for 12-year-olds), I was pleased to see that they held up pretty well. As Nielsen later noted, “That was a great experience, because the Disney people didn’t do their shows like everyone else, knocking out an episode a week. … We only had to do an episode a month, and the budgets were extremely high for TV at that time. So we had location shooting rather than cheap studio backdrops, and very authentic costumes.” While the first three episodes were released five years ago on DVD in a package with “The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca,” it’s long past time that Disney put the complete “Swamp Fox” series out. AT THE MOVIES: I saw the new "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" with my daughter while spending four days in Athens over the Thanksgiving holiday, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s easily the best of the series since "Prisoner of Azkaban," in no small measure because Emma Watson’s Hermoine plays a major role. We’re really looking forward to "Part 2," which is set for release in July. … Leslie and I went to see the Swedish "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" last week and really enjoyed it. It was a bit easier to follow than the first two films but very tense and exciting. Noomi Rapace is an amazing talent. I'll be interested in seeing the recast Hollywood version of this series and how it compares. Meawhile, I read that Rapace has a part in the upcoming “Sherlock Holmes 2” with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. … Looking over the upcoming holiday season movie releases, there aren't too many must-sees for me. Having seen the first two in the series, I would have been willing to take my daughter to "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," but she says she’s not interested. I have no interest in “Little Fockers,” the latest in the Ben Stiller-Robert De Niro “Meet the Parents” series or in “Tron: Legacy.” (There’s an interesting concept: Do a big-budget sequel for a film that flopped 28 years ago!) I have a feeling the Jack Black version of Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels” might have a rather loose connection with the source material, but I’ll be interested in seeing how the reviews go. But based on the previews the live action-computer animation combo “Yogi Bear” (with Yogi and Boo Boo voiced by Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake) looks absolutely awful. We might be interested in seeing Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in the Italian-set thriller “The Tourist.” But we generally don’t do rom-coms, so “How Do You Know,” with Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon and Owen Wilson, is out. On the other hand, “The King’s Speech,” with Colin Firth as the stuttering King George VI and Helena Bonham Carter as his queen, is a good bet to get us to the arthouse. And Darren Aronofsky's dark thriller "Black Swan," with Natalie Portman, is a possibility. I don’t think I care to sit through Gwyneth Paltrow singing in “Country Strong,” however. And unless I hear great word of mouth on it, the Cohen brothers’ remake of “True Grit” with Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon probably will remain on my wait-for-it-on-satellite list. QUICKIES: Steven Soderbergh is negotiating to do a movie remake of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," possibly starring George Clooney as Napoleon Solo. If it happens, who do you think should play Illya? I realize he's already playing a famous second banana as Dr. Watson, but Jude Law would be good. James McAvoy would be another. As for Mr. Waverly, maybe the original Napoleon Solo, Robert Vaughn, would be a good choice. Or perhaps Dumbledore himself, Michael Gambon. … So far, “Conan” on TBS more closely resembles Conan O’Brien’s version of the West Coast “Tonight Show” than the more edgy New York City sensibility of his old “Late Night” gig on NBC. The opening monologues are generally pretty good but the rest of the show is heavily dependent on who the guest is (not surprising since I never thought interviewing was Conan’s strong suit). With a Tom Hanks or a Russell Brand, it’s worth watching but otherwise I usually skip the second half of “Conan” to catch the opening of “Letterman.” … I was sorry to hear that AMC decided not to renew its intelligence community conspiracy series “Rubicon” for a second season. The first series’ ponderously slow and murky start drove away too many viewers. But those of us who stayed to the end saw a satisfying thriller. … Good news for “Lost” fans: Jorge Garcia, who played Hurley, has joined the cast of “Lost” creator J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Fox pilot “Alcatraz,” about a group of missing prisoners and guards from the infamous pentitentiary who suddenly reappear 30 years later in the present day. The story will chronicle the efforts of a team of FBI agents to track them down and unravel the mystery behind their disappearance. … Oldies radio fans in Atlanta received bad news last week as 106.7 FM decided to dump Scott Shannon’s True Oldies Channel in favor of strictly local DJs and a tweaked playlist that skews heavily toward the 1970s, adds hits from the ’80s and cuts back considerably on the music of the ’60s. This apparently was prompted by the ratings dipping the past couple of months. I really don't see how they think they’re going to improve their ratings by playing music that's already available in plentiful supply elsewhere. Soon this station will be indistinguishable from The River with its tight Eagles-and-Elton-every-20-minutes format. At least we can still hear Shannon’s TOC online. http://www.trueoldieschannel.com/Article.asp?id=1474423 JFK, Andy Griffith, Bob Dylan, MLK and John Lennon all make an appearance in this piece by Jeff Cochran for Like the Dew. Since it involved a Beatle and Andy, I'm one of the folks quoted. Check it out. http://likethedew.com/2010/11/21/from-mayberry-to-woodstock/?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4cea7167c29e7d51%2C0 If you'd like to add to or have your say about anything in this column, just click on comment below. You don't have to be registered with Live Journal. Current Mood: nostalgic (19 Comments |Comment on this)