Monday, August 13, 2018
TV review - "Star Trek episode 4 - The Naked Time" (1966) ***
The Enterprise gets infected with a space disease and sends everyone ga-ga. Lots of fun for fans - Spock uses the Vulvan nerve pinch, Kirk smacks out Spock, a woman lusts after Spock who is turned on, Sulu runs around with a rapier bare-chested, McCoy is jumpy, Scotty complains about the engine (my memories of this show as a small kid are mainly how stressful it was... the engine was always overheating).
Movie review - "Annihilation" (2017) **1/2
Stylish handsome looking gals-on-a-mission sci fi film from Alex Garland which gives another choice support role to Jennifer Jason Leigh, having a bit of a career renaissance at the moment.
It's smart, but the most effective bits for me were good old fashioned scares - an attack on a hut at night being particularly effective. The acting is strong and Natalie Portman very good.
It's arty and I respect it for that but I do admit to being confused and not liking it that much.
It's smart, but the most effective bits for me were good old fashioned scares - an attack on a hut at night being particularly effective. The acting is strong and Natalie Portman very good.
It's arty and I respect it for that but I do admit to being confused and not liking it that much.
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Thoughts on George Chakiris
Chakiris is sometimes held up to be an example of the Oscar curse- you win an Oscar and are never heard of again.
It's a little unfair in his case.
He really came out of nowhere with West Side Story. Sure he'd danced a lot but mainstream audiences didn't know it. He got lucky being cast in the stage show then the film.
They did try to turn himself into a film star afterwards. The Mirisch Brothers put him in three big films - Kings of the Sun, Flight of Ashiya and 633 Squadron. All were adventure films with good production values and co stars. 633 was a hit. The others weren't.
Then he kind of faded away.
Some of his films did the rounds - The High Bright Sun is on TV a lot. The Young Girls of Rochefort was an art house hit.
He definitely should have done more musicals. It's amazing that he became famous in one but didn't do any apart from Rochefort. He was announced for Carnival! but it was never made. The Mirisches didn't make that many.
To be fair the musical was in decline but there were some in which Chakiris could have worked - Bye Bye Birdie, Camelot, Sweet Charity. He could've gone to Broadway, like Rita Moreno. His looks may have limited him but there were "swarthy roles" (for lack of a better term) - Guns of Navarone, Lawrence of Arabia, Zorba the Greek (actually I should just say "Anthony Quinn" films), Magnificent Seven sequels.
There were better roles, and I feel Chakiris could have gotten them, but he didn't. Too much time in Europe. Not enough musicals.
Maybe he just didn't have the fire in the belly.
It's a little unfair in his case.
He really came out of nowhere with West Side Story. Sure he'd danced a lot but mainstream audiences didn't know it. He got lucky being cast in the stage show then the film.
They did try to turn himself into a film star afterwards. The Mirisch Brothers put him in three big films - Kings of the Sun, Flight of Ashiya and 633 Squadron. All were adventure films with good production values and co stars. 633 was a hit. The others weren't.
Then he kind of faded away.
Some of his films did the rounds - The High Bright Sun is on TV a lot. The Young Girls of Rochefort was an art house hit.
He definitely should have done more musicals. It's amazing that he became famous in one but didn't do any apart from Rochefort. He was announced for Carnival! but it was never made. The Mirisches didn't make that many.
To be fair the musical was in decline but there were some in which Chakiris could have worked - Bye Bye Birdie, Camelot, Sweet Charity. He could've gone to Broadway, like Rita Moreno. His looks may have limited him but there were "swarthy roles" (for lack of a better term) - Guns of Navarone, Lawrence of Arabia, Zorba the Greek (actually I should just say "Anthony Quinn" films), Magnificent Seven sequels.
There were better roles, and I feel Chakiris could have gotten them, but he didn't. Too much time in Europe. Not enough musicals.
Maybe he just didn't have the fire in the belly.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Movie review - "Extinction" (2018) **1/2 (warning spoilers)
A good chance for Michael Pena but I'm not sure he's a star, even as an Everyman - I kept wishing his part was given to Lizzy Kaplan who plays his wife.
For the most of the time this is fairly stock alien invasion stuff - the man who has visions, the woman who doesn't believe them. It was fine, a bit stock - I was moved by the tale of a man defending his family but I'd seen it before.
Then for around twenty minutes it gets awesome with the reveal the invading forces are humans and the heroes are robots and this fantastic world is revealed and you're like "that's the film! make that film!" Then the forget it to go running around at the end for ten more minutes and it's over.
Its frustrating. A film about Pena and his family and humans (the guy who plays the human soldier is good) would've been really worth it.
Photography, acting, direction etc is fine.
For the most of the time this is fairly stock alien invasion stuff - the man who has visions, the woman who doesn't believe them. It was fine, a bit stock - I was moved by the tale of a man defending his family but I'd seen it before.
Then for around twenty minutes it gets awesome with the reveal the invading forces are humans and the heroes are robots and this fantastic world is revealed and you're like "that's the film! make that film!" Then the forget it to go running around at the end for ten more minutes and it's over.
Its frustrating. A film about Pena and his family and humans (the guy who plays the human soldier is good) would've been really worth it.
Photography, acting, direction etc is fine.
Friday, August 10, 2018
Movie review - "Riptide" (2017) **1/2
Sweet, good natured film about an American girl, Debbie Ryan, who comes to Australia to learn surfing, help her aunt get over the death of her husband and design some clothes. Ryan is pretty, and the film is stunningly shot with attractive views of the coast. There's a handsome hero who pats horses on the beach, and surfing, and some friends I had trouble telling apart. Familiar names like Marcus Graham and Aaron Jeffrey pop up in the support cast.
Monday, August 06, 2018
Random thoughts on the Doors -
Inspired by watching When You're Strange...
I think I was attracted to the band in part because it had broken up. You could study within a self contained format. Also the music was distinctive but covered a few genres - pop, rock and roll...
The first album "The Doors" is great.
"Break on Through" is a fun opening track - good choice for a first single. I loved The Simpsons episode where Krusty sang it. "Soul Kitchen" is fun - you can hear why the riff was sampled. "The Crystal Ship" is fine. "20th Century Fox" has stuck in my head because of the film studio. I love the version of "Alabama Song". I was actually never that huge a fan of "Light My Fire" but it is a good song. "Back Door Man" is an insight to what the band would become. "I Looked At You" is fine, ditto "End of the Night" (very spooky) and "Take It as It Comes".
"The End" is sensational. I remember playing it in a darkened house - that opening twang. It gives you shivers.
Second album - "Strange Days" - also fantastic.
It didn't have a huge single but "Love Me Two Times" and "People Are Strange" became classics (I love the latter's use in The Lost Boys). The song "Strange Days" is fun. Some wistful tunes like "You're Lost Little Girl" and "Unhappy Girl" and "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind". "Horse Latitudes" is some ranting but "Moonlight Drive" is awesome. "My Eyes Have Seen You" is fine and "When the Music's Over" a decent second-tier epic.
Third album - "Waiting for the Sun" - not bad.
I've never been a huge fan of the big hit, "Hello I Love You"... but it's a track that has never left my brain. There's a few songs I"m not wild about - "Summer's Almost Gone", "Wintertime Love". "Love Street" is cute and "Not to Touch the Earth" has stayed with me; "The Unknown Soldier" is catchy as is "Spanish Carvan". I don't mind "My Wild Love" and "We Could Be SoGood together". "Yes the River Knows" is interestingly random. "Five to One" a solid anthem.
But for some reason this album doesnt get me like some of the others.
Fourth album - "The Soft Parade". No one really likes this one. It's used when people over praise Robbie.
I love the song "Touch Me" - some people think it's too poppy but it's great. "Tell All the People" gets the album off to a bad start. "Shaman's Blues" is okay but "Easy Ride" good. "Do It" is okay. "Wild Child" is a good song with a catchy riff. "Runnin Blue", "Wishful Sinful" are so-so (the latter feels tired)... I didn't mind the anthem "The Soft Parade". It's not as bad as it's rep.
Fifth album - "Morrison Hotel". Amazing. My favourite.
I can't believe "Roadhouse Blues" wasn't a massive hit. "Waiting for the Sun" is great though it feels like it should be on an earlier album. "You Make Me Real" and "Peace Frog" are brilliantly catchy. "Blue Sunday" is fine. "Ship of Fools", "Land Ho", "The Spy" and "Queen of the Highway" are solid. "Indian Summer" is brilliant - one of my all time favourites. "Maggie M'Gill" is cute.
Final album - "LA Woman". Another masterpiece.
Everyone loves "Riders on the Storm" but for me "LA Woman" is the standout. "Love Her Madly" is quite chirpy. "The Changeling" is fine (great riff) but "Been Down So Long" "Cars Hiss By My Window" "l"America" "Hyacinth House" and "Crawling King Snake" are strong rock and roll tracks. "The WASP" is super catchy although it always sounds like its the beginning of a song which is going to kick into something else.
I think I was attracted to the band in part because it had broken up. You could study within a self contained format. Also the music was distinctive but covered a few genres - pop, rock and roll...
The first album "The Doors" is great.
"Break on Through" is a fun opening track - good choice for a first single. I loved The Simpsons episode where Krusty sang it. "Soul Kitchen" is fun - you can hear why the riff was sampled. "The Crystal Ship" is fine. "20th Century Fox" has stuck in my head because of the film studio. I love the version of "Alabama Song". I was actually never that huge a fan of "Light My Fire" but it is a good song. "Back Door Man" is an insight to what the band would become. "I Looked At You" is fine, ditto "End of the Night" (very spooky) and "Take It as It Comes".
"The End" is sensational. I remember playing it in a darkened house - that opening twang. It gives you shivers.
Second album - "Strange Days" - also fantastic.
It didn't have a huge single but "Love Me Two Times" and "People Are Strange" became classics (I love the latter's use in The Lost Boys). The song "Strange Days" is fun. Some wistful tunes like "You're Lost Little Girl" and "Unhappy Girl" and "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind". "Horse Latitudes" is some ranting but "Moonlight Drive" is awesome. "My Eyes Have Seen You" is fine and "When the Music's Over" a decent second-tier epic.
Third album - "Waiting for the Sun" - not bad.
I've never been a huge fan of the big hit, "Hello I Love You"... but it's a track that has never left my brain. There's a few songs I"m not wild about - "Summer's Almost Gone", "Wintertime Love". "Love Street" is cute and "Not to Touch the Earth" has stayed with me; "The Unknown Soldier" is catchy as is "Spanish Carvan". I don't mind "My Wild Love" and "We Could Be SoGood together". "Yes the River Knows" is interestingly random. "Five to One" a solid anthem.
But for some reason this album doesnt get me like some of the others.
Fourth album - "The Soft Parade". No one really likes this one. It's used when people over praise Robbie.
I love the song "Touch Me" - some people think it's too poppy but it's great. "Tell All the People" gets the album off to a bad start. "Shaman's Blues" is okay but "Easy Ride" good. "Do It" is okay. "Wild Child" is a good song with a catchy riff. "Runnin Blue", "Wishful Sinful" are so-so (the latter feels tired)... I didn't mind the anthem "The Soft Parade". It's not as bad as it's rep.
Fifth album - "Morrison Hotel". Amazing. My favourite.
I can't believe "Roadhouse Blues" wasn't a massive hit. "Waiting for the Sun" is great though it feels like it should be on an earlier album. "You Make Me Real" and "Peace Frog" are brilliantly catchy. "Blue Sunday" is fine. "Ship of Fools", "Land Ho", "The Spy" and "Queen of the Highway" are solid. "Indian Summer" is brilliant - one of my all time favourites. "Maggie M'Gill" is cute.
Final album - "LA Woman". Another masterpiece.
Everyone loves "Riders on the Storm" but for me "LA Woman" is the standout. "Love Her Madly" is quite chirpy. "The Changeling" is fine (great riff) but "Been Down So Long" "Cars Hiss By My Window" "l"America" "Hyacinth House" and "Crawling King Snake" are strong rock and roll tracks. "The WASP" is super catchy although it always sounds like its the beginning of a song which is going to kick into something else.
Movie review - "When You're Strange" (2009) ***1/2
Once upon a time I was a massive Doors fan, so I got into this doco, whose main benefit is some incredible footage of the band. Jim Morrison was a film student at one stage, and so made a bunch of films - including one fascinating piece where he's hitchhiking and driving through the desert. There's also concert footage, pictures of him as a kid, TV appearances - these are more familiar.
A very vivid picture of Morrison emerges - smart, charismatic, needing family, a bit of a wanker who was ultimately brought down by good old fashioned alcoholism. The band dynamics were always interesting - Morrison the quintessential front man, Robbie Krieger the guitarist whom everyone seemed to respect, John Densmore who struggled with Morrison but whose drumming was so crucial, Ray Manzareck who was the original driving force and got somewhat sidelined. There was also Paul Rothschild, whose professionalism was so crucial to what was a relatively rapid rise, and Pamela Courson.
It was made by Tom Di Cillo, best known for Living in Oblivion.
A very vivid picture of Morrison emerges - smart, charismatic, needing family, a bit of a wanker who was ultimately brought down by good old fashioned alcoholism. The band dynamics were always interesting - Morrison the quintessential front man, Robbie Krieger the guitarist whom everyone seemed to respect, John Densmore who struggled with Morrison but whose drumming was so crucial, Ray Manzareck who was the original driving force and got somewhat sidelined. There was also Paul Rothschild, whose professionalism was so crucial to what was a relatively rapid rise, and Pamela Courson.
It was made by Tom Di Cillo, best known for Living in Oblivion.
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