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Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 1/26/19

27 Sunday Jan 2019

Posted by TGBII in Records, Spinning Sunday

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Andrew Lloyd Webber, Boomtown Rats, Brenda Spencer, Canned Heat, Discogs, Journey, Judas Priest, Music, Records, Richard Strauss, Roxy Music, Rudolf Kempe, Stan Getz, Stanley Kubrick, The Less Desirables, Tim Rice, Underdog Records

Salutations™!!

jfrontiers

©Columbia

Yesterday, The BCPF and I got off to an earlier-than-usual start and had breakfast and then ran by Underdog Records. We were there before they opened so we got first dibs on his wares, but not until he opened, of course, we don’t do that. The record-listening time was cut short because we judged a chili cook-off for the Ardmore Neighborhood late in the afternoon. But, the haul was great and I was excited about three things, in particular. Here’s the haul:

  • Roxy Music – Manifesto — This is one of the ones I’m excited about. I have really enjoyed listening to Roxy Music stuff, whether I have it on vinyl or not. In fact, I listen to it on streaming, too. I also like the Brian Eno solo stuff. He was gone from Roxy before this album came out. I was just making a point. “Dance Away” is one of my favorite Roxy tunes and it’s on this album. VG+.
  • Journey – Frontiers — Another that I was excited about. I can’t believe I didn’t already have this, but now, I can’t say that any longer. This has so many good songs from “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” to “Faithfully,” “After the Fall” to “Send Her My Love” which happens to be one of my favorite Journey songs. I know the album and the band (in this era) got a lot of flack and scoffs but I love them and I love this album. VG++.
  • Stan Getz – Eloquence — Stan Getz. ‘Nuff said. VG.
  • Canned Heat – The Canned Heat Cook Book (The Best Of Canned Heat) — All I know from Canned Heat is “Going Up the Country” and “On the Road Again.” Both of those are on here, so we got it. VG.
  • The Joseph Consortium, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice– Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat — I saw this on a traveling tour. I liked it, but then again… Webber and Rice. VG+.
  • Richard Strauss – Rudolf Kempe, Dresden Staatskapelle– Also Sprach Zarathustra — This is a “tone poem” from Strauss that was inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche’s novel Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). You and I, though? We know it as the theme to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. VG++.
  • Judas Priest – Hell Bent For Leather — The American version of Killing Machine from Priest. The album was renamed in the US because CBS/Columbia was wary of the implications following the Cleveland School Shooting in San Diego. Incidentally, that shooting led to Boomtown Rats’ song “I Don’t Like Mondays” because the shooter, 16-year old Brenda Spencer shot folks from her house across the street and when questioned about it, said “I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day.” She still sits in jail 40 years later. But, this album rocks, as does all Priest, I’m learning. It’s the last one with Les Binks behind the drums. VG.

Again, with the swing through, I didn’t get to notice a lot of equipment that Jonathan had but there were things there, including a few cassette decks, speakers and of course, turntables/record players. And, again, check out the Curated by Underdog feature that Jonathan does, now. Go in and ask him about it. Listen to The Less Desirables, new episodes out every Wednesday night, to hear the TLD/UR special of the week.

I used Discogs to track and catalog my collection.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Yesterday, when it seemed so cool, when I walked you home, kissed goodnight, I said, “It’s love”, you said, “Alright.” It’s funny how I could never cry until tonight when you pass by hand in hand with another guy. You’re dressed to kill and guess who’s dying. Dance away the heartache. Dance away the tears. Dance away the heartache. Dance away the fear. Dance away.” – “Dance Away” (Ferry)

Full Metal Jacket or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

22 Saturday Jul 2017

Posted by TGBII in Movie Review

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Tags

a/perture Cinema, Adam Baldwin, Full Metal Jacket, IMDb, Matthew Modine, Movies, Netflix, R. Lee Ermey, Rotten Tomatoes, Stanley Kubrick, The Less Desirables, Vietnam, Vincent D'Onofrio

Salutations™!!

a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, Full Metal Jacket (1987), starring Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio, Adam Baldwin.MV5BNzc2ZThkOGItZGY5YS00MDYwLTkyOTAtNDRmZWIwMGRhYTc0L2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjU0OTQ0OTY@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,656,1000_AL_

Per IMDb: “A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.”

I believe I’ve reviewed this film before, and perhaps more than once, but after watching it again with 3B just recently, it renewed my love for it. It’s super violent and shocking, perhaps the most of its kind. A mouthy, wise-cracking journalist goes through boot camp with an unrelenting drill sergeant, a dim-witted and all around screw up of a bunkmate, a violent recourse and of course, the effects of the war’s battlefield itself.

Matthew Modine’s “Joker” doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut, which gets him in some precarious positions in the barracks, with its occupants, with his immediate superiors and the brass that run the government’s military forces. He has to take the fledgling lug under his wing to make sure the rest of the platoon doesn’t suffer the consequences of the unfortunate soldier’s inadequacies. Then, as a journalist, he gets caught up in a conflict which sees heated battle zones become reality. It’s rough and Modine plays the part perfectly.

Modine is listed as the star, but I think the film’s two stars are actually real life drill instructor, retired, R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman and Vincent D’Onofrio as Leonard “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence. Ermey’s experience and ad libs were some of the most memorable lines in cinematic history. I can’t really repeat many on here without flying into a ton of obscenities. And, if you’ve not seen the film, then I’d be giving so much away to say how either of them turns out. I’m just going to say that they are both intense.

Stanley Kubrick’s visuals are, in classic Kubrick style, very vivid, both in sets and action. He set the cinematic bar high and often surpassed it on his own. The full crew had their hands full because Kubrick was a perfectionist, but everyone pulled their weight and the end result was amazing. The soundtrack also was intense. If I say much more, then I’ll end up giving stuff away. The film is pretty bad arsed, though.

Rotten Tomatoes rates it at 95% Fresh with an Audience Score of 94%. IMDb has it at 8.3 stars out of 10. I saw it on Netflix, although I own it on DVD and, I believe, Blu-Ray. It’s probably one of my Top 10 and I’m rating it 5 stars out of 5. Have you seen it? What would you like to hear/read me review?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“This is my rifle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my rifle is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy, who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will. Before God, I swear this creed: my rifle and myself are defenders of my country, we are the masters of our enemy, we are the saviors of my life. So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace. Amen.” – the Recruits

2001: a Space Odyssey or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

08 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by TGBII in Movie Review, Uncategorized

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2001: a Space Odyssey, a/perture Cinema, Amazon Prime, Douglas Rain, Gary Lockwood, HAL9000, IMDb, Johann Strauss, Keir Dullea, Netflix, Richard Strauss, Rotten Tomatoes, Stanley Kubrick, The Less Desirables, William Sylvester, WSNC

Salutations™!!

a/perture cinema, the Official Movie Sponsor of The Less Desirables, presents The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, 2001: a Space Odyssey (1968), starring Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood and William Sylvester.

Per IMDb: “Humanity finds a mysterious, obviously artificial object buried beneath the Lunar surface and, with the intelligent computer H.A.L. 9000, sets off on a quest.”2001_a_space_odyssey_1968_theatrical_poster_variant

The film opens with the dawn of Man and shows the sudden appearance of a strange monolith among the ape-like creatures. And, soon they discover how to use large bones as weapons and tools. They defend themselves and conquer other tribes. Then all of a sudden, the cut scene shifts to 2000-2001 where Dr. Heywood Floyd (Sylvester) is on his way to an American moonbase where there’s a mysterious discovery that has been placed and hidden rather deep on the moon’s surface. It’s a monolith, just like the millions of years before that. When the sun and Earth lined up over the monolith, a ear-piercing shriek emits from it.

Eighteen months later we see Jupiter One on a mission to get to Jupiter. On board this ship, there are 5 scientists: Dr. David Bowman (Dullea) and Dr. Frank Poole (Lockwood) and three in cryogenic hibernation. Also, and most importantly, there’s a Heuristically programmed Algorithm computer named HAL9000 (voiced by Douglas Rain).”Hal” as he’s known, is in charge of almost everything that is mechanical on the ship. He believes that his line of computers is “foolproof and incapable of error.” Hal is an early example of Artificial Intelligence, using rational thought and decision making, even expressing emotion.

When Hal is shown to be less-than-perfect, he does anything he can to protect himself and his mission, or is he? It could be that he’s only following programming orders and is placating the humans to make them more comfortable? To get these and more answers, you’ll have to watch the film. Perhaps you’ll get it, perhaps you won’t.

I have stated before and will again that I’ve never done an illegal substance, not even smoked pot, but after watching this (for about the fifth time), I walk away wishing that I had; either while watching or afterward to bring my brain back from mush. Basically, it’s a story about evolution, although my primitive brain had a hard time grasping that, at first. It’s the way it’s told.

This film is classic Kubrick in that the visuals are larger than life. It’s really in that, the visuals, that are the full story, here. In fact, there’s no dialogue at all for the first 30 minutes or so. When there is dialogue it’s very minimal. There’s enough to get you familiar with the relationship between Dave and Hal. The visuals are important, too, with the special effects. It’s highly regarded as the best special effect in cinematic history, at least by most “in the know” people. Every single thing that happens in the film is done on film and not a single bit of CGI. Just Kubrick genius.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke was very into true space science and was hailed as prophetic in his description and depiction of humans in space as well as with futuristic (at that time) ideas such as videoconferencing and calling. Remember this before we went to the moon, it was 1968. Man’s only knowledge of outer space, at the time, was the astronauts and cosmonauts in rockets and other spaceships.

Sound is also very important, not only in what you hear (or don’t), but the use of classical treasures such as “Blue Danube” Johann Strauss II and “Also sprach Zarathustra” from Richard Strauss which most people know as “2001: a Space Odyssey” theme. The score creates tension and is the true storyteller of this film. Fantastic stuff. I will say that if you’re watching this film in surround sound, the sound effects and computer sounds are quite intense and also quite loud; be warned.

2001 was No. 15 on AFI‘s 2007 100 Years … 100 Movies (22 in 1998). The film was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Director, Screenplay, Art Direction and Visual Effects, winning the latter. Rotten Tomatoes rates it at 94% Fresh with an Audience Score of 89%. IMDb has it at 8.3 stars out of 10. It is available on DVD.com and it can be viewed free on Amazon Prime, it is available to all Prime members. I own it on Blu Ray and watched it there. I rate it 4.25 stars out of 5; I highly recommend it. Have you seen it? Do you agree? What would you like to see/hear me review?

Full Metal Jacket or: The Less Desirables Movie of the Week

07 Saturday Mar 2015

Posted by TGBII in Movie Review, Podcasting

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Tags

a/perture Cinema, Adam Baldwin, All the President's Men, Boogie Nights, Forrest Gump, Good Morning Vietnam, Matthew Modine, Netflix, Platoon, R. Lee Ermey, Silkwood, Stanley Kubrick, The French Connection, The Less Desirables, Vincent D'Onofrio, Wheelers Dog

Salutations™!!

The Less Desirables Movie of the Week, sponsored by a/perture cinema, in Winston-Salem, is Full Metal Jacket.

FMJ is one of my all time favorite films.  It’s gritty, it’s mean, it’s lewd, it’s hard and “it’s so horny.”  Stanley Kubrick was a genius and this was one of the greats from him, in my opinion.

FullMetalJacket

Full Metal Jacket

The film had several stars that may or may not have been on the radar before this film and some that faded afterwards. Private Joker as portrayed by Matthew Modine was probably his finest role.  R. Lee Ermey played Gny. Sgt. Hartman and was a drill sergeant in the armed foreces prior to his gig.  He was dead on, too.  Adam Baldwin as Animal Mother and his ruthless, wanton ways was a beast. And, who can forget Vincent D’Onfrio as Private Pyle. Let’s just say the evil look on his face in the bathroom before the stuff goes down, is priceless, very intense and very scary.

I don’t know if the film was really comparable to what that time was like or not, as I wasn’t yet born, I don’t think.  But, having never been there, if it was worse than this film, I’m so glad I wasn’t and don’t want to think of the reality of it.  You wonder if a film can really ever capture that kind of reality, and also you wonder, would you want it to?

Many memorable lines, characters, actions and visuals laced the entire movie.  There wasn’t really slow spots as much as “calms before the storms.”  Just like in real life Vietnam, not everyone got to come home and even the beloved characters had to face that music.

As much as I’d hate to have lived through any of that, the late 60s and early 70s are one of my favorite times to watch films about.  Films like Good Morning, Vietnam, Forrest Gump and Platoon highlighted the war but films like The French Connection, All the President’s Men, Silkwood and even Boogie Nights just showed the rawness and grittiness of the times, in general; how the war affected everyone in some aspects and what it was like to live in that time, at least cognizant recognition of it.  I love stuff from then.  Love it.

So, I saw this on Netflix and I rated it 5 Stars.  It is one fantastic film, from beginning to end.  Highly recommended from me.  Tune in to The Less Desirables to hear Eugene‘s and the guest’s comments on the film, as well.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!!

—
“The dead know only one thing: it is better to be alive.” – Private Joker, Matthew Modine, Full Metal Jacket (1987)

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