Greetings,
I am going to do something today that I have not done before, and let's just hope that it works out. I will be reviewing an album that has no music. Why does it have no music? Well, after all the comedy got put on it, there was no room left. That's right. Today, I will be talking about a comedy album, The Top Part by John Mulaney.
If you don't already know, John Mulaney is a comedian from Chicago who, at the young age of 30, is already quite accomplished. He has been a writer on Saturday Night Live for a while and has shown up on "Weekend Update" and has made appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Okay, so he is clearly not a morning person. I first heard his hilarity as I was going through a button pushing fit on my satellite radio. I'll get that first bit I experienced later, but let's get to the album.
From the very start, John Mulaney showed that he was going to be more than willing to do what the best comedians do, and that is using his personal problems to make us laugh. In the first track "Blacking Out and Making Money", he addresses the fact that he used to have a little problem with the drinking. His talking about that is even funnier when you know how incredibly young he looks for his age. He probably still gets carded now, so I have no idea how on God's green he ever was able to get alcohol when he was younger. The fact that he looks so young is kind of an ongoing joke. Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it. I guess not everyone sees him as non-threatening, though, like the woman with whom he engaged in a "Chase Through the Subway".
If there is one thing I like it's comedians, or famous people in general, pointing out their own shortcomings and magnifying them into jokes. In "I Just Got My License", John tells us that, at the age of 26, he just got his license. Surprises around every corner. Actually, I know someone who did not get her license until she was 22, so not only did this make her laugh, it made her feel much better and less embarrassed for herself. So if John wants to consider this bit an act of charity, so be it.
Now if you're curious as to where the title of this album came from, look no further than the track entitled "Math and King Solomon". Well, actually, you should look further than the "Math" part and get to "King Solomon", because here is where you'll find it. In John's mind, the kidnapper in the King Solomon Cut the Baby story says something like,"Good idea. I'll take what I can get. She can have the top part!" I'm paraphrasing, but get it? The Top Part. Short and sweet.
There is one particular part of this album that endeared me to this funny man, most likely, forever. It was his great love and appreciation for something called Law and Order. If any of you have read my blog before, you will know that I have an overwhelming amount of love for this show as well. So I was pleased to hear him devote some time to it. And since I've always loved it when comedians say something that I've been saying myself for years, I really liked it when he discussed the recurring characters that Law and Order often chose to feature. But not only did he discuss the show as a whole, he gave special attention to Mr. Jerry Orbach. Now sometimes I don't like it when jokes are made regarding someone who has passed away, especially someone who I loved as much as the man who gave us Detective Lenny Briscoe, but this was actually full of a lot of fondness and respect. It was clearly a personal tribute by someone who admired Jerry Orbach greatly, and I have no problem with that.
Okay, on to the final track of the album and the first one I ever heard. It is called "The Salt and Pepper Diner". It is very special to me, being my first, and it is absolutely hilarious. If I break it down to its simplest form, two young boys use the classic music of Tom Jones to torture the patrons of a local diner. Wow, that kind of sounds like the summary for a Stephen King short story, but fear not. There is no bloodshed here, unless laughing too hard can give you a nosebleed or something. It would be well worth it though.
Now I only mentioned some of the bits on this album, but rest assured, there is really not a single unfunny moment here. Believe it or not, that is not an easy thing to achieve. Another thing that is hard to achieve these days if one wants to be a successful comic is to have a CD that is not littered with "F bombs" and other expletives. Okay, admittedly, he does swear a few times, but it's nowhere near as many as you'd expect. I find this kind of refreshing, and John proves the point that it's not necessary to use them constantly to be funny. Even though he does use them a little. Maybe a lot outside of this, but whatever. I am very forgiving.
So, in conclusion, for my first comedy album review, I think I chose a very good one. The Top Part is consistently funny, which is what we all want from our comedy, and we get to learn a few things about the comedian himself. Like I said, John Mulaney is already very accomplished, but if he keeps up with things like this, he will, no doubt, have a long and wonderful career.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
Top Ten Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episodes
Greetings,
For the most part, I think that movies should just be the movies that they are and nothing more. Unfortunately, if money could possibly be made, certain people like to take movies and . . . do stuff with them. Stuff like sequels and remakes and the popular turning them into a TV show. Actually, in recent years, there has been more turning old TV shows into movies, and that doesn't really go well either. But let's go back to a time, quite possibly the only time, when someone took an okay movie and turned it into a great TV show. That would be Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.
In case you don't know, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer was a comedy/horror film released in 1992. I don't think it did terribly well, but it did develop a cult following. Don't things like this always. Anyway, in 1997, it became a TV series. The show had a darker feel, but it was not short on laughs either. It was just more dramatic than the film. It starred my girl, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and now she will always be known as Buffy whether she likes it or not. I suppose it could be worse.
So, though I do find many problems with this show, mostly due to my Christian upbringing, I did like it a lot. Well, I liked it enough to devote one of my top ten lists to it. Since I don't feel like giving some long drawn out explanation of the plot and the characters, and since I will be giving spoilers, I suggest you only read this if you have watched Buffy . . . a lot. So here we go. Top ten Buffy, the Vampire Slayer episodes.
#10. "Helpless"(Season 3) - We're coming up on Buffy's 18th birthday, but she feels sick. Really sick. Too bad, because she has to fight a very strong, very mad vamp. That's short for vampire. Turns out, there is a calculated reason as to why she is sick. This is one of the episodes where we really get to see that she and Giles have a relationship that goes beyond that of just slayer and watcher, and it is touching yet heartbreaking to see.
#9. "Welcome to the Hellmouth" (Season 1) - Here we have the first episode. Now in the Buffy movie, the plot is that she finds out she is the slayer and begins to do her work as such. In this pilot, she is already the slayer and has just arrived in a new town, Sunnydale. So it does not do what a lot of pilots for movie based TV shows have done in the past, which is to simply recreate the film only shorter. If for no other reason, that is why this one made the list. But it was also a great start for the show.
#8. "Chosen" (Season 7) - From the first to the last, here we have the finale. Of course, I was sad to see Buffy go, but this final episode was done very well. They did have some good closure, some of which was opened back up again when the new season of Angel started (Hey, Spike! What is up?)), but they also left the appropriate amount of question mark for the characters and their futures. And I love the final look we get from Sarah Michelle here. Perfect.
#7. "The Dark Age" (Season 2) - Up until this point, we have seen Giles as a very straight-laced, 'by the book' man. Turns out, though, that he has quite a dark past involving some of his old friends, and it comes back to haunt both him and those about whom he cares. It was another rough fight for Buffy, but I think this is when she began to realize how much Giles is an actual person, flaws and all, and not just her watcher. Also, the thought of Giles being a bit of a bad boy in the past sounds pretty good to me.
#6. "The Body" (Season 5) - This season was pretty dramatic concerning Buffy's mom, Joyce, and her health. All of this culminates with her death in this episode. It's very different from the rest. There is no music, and this was one of the few times when Buffy literally could not stop something from hurting someone she loves. It also really showed off the acting abilities of all the cast members, Sarah Michelle especially. Love her or not, this episode proves that she is a truly gifted actress.
#5. "A New Man" (Season 4) - Okay, here we have another episode surrounding Giles. This time he is revisited by one of those aforementioned old friends, Ethan Rayne. This dude is pretty bad, but he was always very entertaining. Anyway, he convinces Giles to have a drink with him where he slips a little something into that drink. Don't worry. It's not what you think. Nope, Giles just wakes up the next morning feeling and looking very . . . different. The whole thing is pretty funny, but nothing more than the interactions between Giles and Spike, acted out brilliantly by Anthony Stewart Head and James Marsters. Hilarious!
#4. "Once More, With Feeling" (Season 6) - I discussed this episode in another post about TV musical episodes. Yes, this would be Buffy, the Musical. I think this is one of the "love it or hate it" episodes. Personally, I really like it, some moments more than others. I do have to say how good the songs were, thanks to Joss Whedon, who it appears is also a great songwriter. He is gifted. And some, SOME, of the cast members actually do have very good singing voices. So it all worked out pretty well. I don't know why they never did a musical episode of Angel. You know Christian Kane was probably begging for it.
#3. "Who Are You?" (Season 4) - Being an actor or actress means embodying someone who is not you. After all those years of playing Buffy, we knew how Sarah Michelle did it. We knew how she spoke, her mannerisms, all of it. And when Miss Eliza Dushku came along to play Faith, we learned her ways pretty quickly as well. But we weren't the only ones. Apparently, those girls were paying attention to each other as well, because, in this episode, they had to switch characters. I must say, I thought they both did a great job. And it was a lot of little things you could catch if you had been watching closely. I had been, so I got it.
#2 "Passion" (Season 2) - After turning evil again, Angel starts to kill people. Boo! One person he kills is Jenny Calendar, school computer teacher and girlfriend of Giles. Yay! Okay, let me explain that one. I have always had a little crush on Giles, so you can only imagine why I enjoy this episode. I am horrible. Kidding aside, I must say that David Boreanaz was fantastic in this one. Yep, definitely like him better evil. He's a lot less boring that way. A lot. (P.S. I actually love Robia LaMorte, the actress who played Jenny. She's awesome!)
#1. "Pangs" (Season 4) - My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, so naturally, my favorite episode of Buffy would be the Thanksgiving episode. Everyone is gathered at Giles' house for dinner, even Spike, all nice and tied up. That's right, ladies! Unfortunately, we must also fight the spirit of an angry Native American. What a coincidence. Seriously, though, this situation leads to some hilarious exposition from Spike. As a partial Native American, I probably should not have sided with him on the argument, but he actually was making a lot of sense. But, all in all, this episode had everything we loved about Buffy all there for the taking. Oh, so it was like a good Thanksgiving dinner. Genius!
So there you have it. It has been nearly ten years since Buffy the Vampire Slayer went off the air, but these episodes do hold up and are entertaining to this day. There have been rumors flying around about a movie, but I don't know. If they can do it and do it right, I say go for it. If not, please back away from the franchise slowly.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
For the most part, I think that movies should just be the movies that they are and nothing more. Unfortunately, if money could possibly be made, certain people like to take movies and . . . do stuff with them. Stuff like sequels and remakes and the popular turning them into a TV show. Actually, in recent years, there has been more turning old TV shows into movies, and that doesn't really go well either. But let's go back to a time, quite possibly the only time, when someone took an okay movie and turned it into a great TV show. That would be Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.
In case you don't know, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer was a comedy/horror film released in 1992. I don't think it did terribly well, but it did develop a cult following. Don't things like this always. Anyway, in 1997, it became a TV series. The show had a darker feel, but it was not short on laughs either. It was just more dramatic than the film. It starred my girl, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and now she will always be known as Buffy whether she likes it or not. I suppose it could be worse.
So, though I do find many problems with this show, mostly due to my Christian upbringing, I did like it a lot. Well, I liked it enough to devote one of my top ten lists to it. Since I don't feel like giving some long drawn out explanation of the plot and the characters, and since I will be giving spoilers, I suggest you only read this if you have watched Buffy . . . a lot. So here we go. Top ten Buffy, the Vampire Slayer episodes.
#10. "Helpless"(Season 3) - We're coming up on Buffy's 18th birthday, but she feels sick. Really sick. Too bad, because she has to fight a very strong, very mad vamp. That's short for vampire. Turns out, there is a calculated reason as to why she is sick. This is one of the episodes where we really get to see that she and Giles have a relationship that goes beyond that of just slayer and watcher, and it is touching yet heartbreaking to see.
#9. "Welcome to the Hellmouth" (Season 1) - Here we have the first episode. Now in the Buffy movie, the plot is that she finds out she is the slayer and begins to do her work as such. In this pilot, she is already the slayer and has just arrived in a new town, Sunnydale. So it does not do what a lot of pilots for movie based TV shows have done in the past, which is to simply recreate the film only shorter. If for no other reason, that is why this one made the list. But it was also a great start for the show.
#8. "Chosen" (Season 7) - From the first to the last, here we have the finale. Of course, I was sad to see Buffy go, but this final episode was done very well. They did have some good closure, some of which was opened back up again when the new season of Angel started (Hey, Spike! What is up?)), but they also left the appropriate amount of question mark for the characters and their futures. And I love the final look we get from Sarah Michelle here. Perfect.
#7. "The Dark Age" (Season 2) - Up until this point, we have seen Giles as a very straight-laced, 'by the book' man. Turns out, though, that he has quite a dark past involving some of his old friends, and it comes back to haunt both him and those about whom he cares. It was another rough fight for Buffy, but I think this is when she began to realize how much Giles is an actual person, flaws and all, and not just her watcher. Also, the thought of Giles being a bit of a bad boy in the past sounds pretty good to me.
#6. "The Body" (Season 5) - This season was pretty dramatic concerning Buffy's mom, Joyce, and her health. All of this culminates with her death in this episode. It's very different from the rest. There is no music, and this was one of the few times when Buffy literally could not stop something from hurting someone she loves. It also really showed off the acting abilities of all the cast members, Sarah Michelle especially. Love her or not, this episode proves that she is a truly gifted actress.
#5. "A New Man" (Season 4) - Okay, here we have another episode surrounding Giles. This time he is revisited by one of those aforementioned old friends, Ethan Rayne. This dude is pretty bad, but he was always very entertaining. Anyway, he convinces Giles to have a drink with him where he slips a little something into that drink. Don't worry. It's not what you think. Nope, Giles just wakes up the next morning feeling and looking very . . . different. The whole thing is pretty funny, but nothing more than the interactions between Giles and Spike, acted out brilliantly by Anthony Stewart Head and James Marsters. Hilarious!
#4. "Once More, With Feeling" (Season 6) - I discussed this episode in another post about TV musical episodes. Yes, this would be Buffy, the Musical. I think this is one of the "love it or hate it" episodes. Personally, I really like it, some moments more than others. I do have to say how good the songs were, thanks to Joss Whedon, who it appears is also a great songwriter. He is gifted. And some, SOME, of the cast members actually do have very good singing voices. So it all worked out pretty well. I don't know why they never did a musical episode of Angel. You know Christian Kane was probably begging for it.
#3. "Who Are You?" (Season 4) - Being an actor or actress means embodying someone who is not you. After all those years of playing Buffy, we knew how Sarah Michelle did it. We knew how she spoke, her mannerisms, all of it. And when Miss Eliza Dushku came along to play Faith, we learned her ways pretty quickly as well. But we weren't the only ones. Apparently, those girls were paying attention to each other as well, because, in this episode, they had to switch characters. I must say, I thought they both did a great job. And it was a lot of little things you could catch if you had been watching closely. I had been, so I got it.
#2 "Passion" (Season 2) - After turning evil again, Angel starts to kill people. Boo! One person he kills is Jenny Calendar, school computer teacher and girlfriend of Giles. Yay! Okay, let me explain that one. I have always had a little crush on Giles, so you can only imagine why I enjoy this episode. I am horrible. Kidding aside, I must say that David Boreanaz was fantastic in this one. Yep, definitely like him better evil. He's a lot less boring that way. A lot. (P.S. I actually love Robia LaMorte, the actress who played Jenny. She's awesome!)
#1. "Pangs" (Season 4) - My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, so naturally, my favorite episode of Buffy would be the Thanksgiving episode. Everyone is gathered at Giles' house for dinner, even Spike, all nice and tied up. That's right, ladies! Unfortunately, we must also fight the spirit of an angry Native American. What a coincidence. Seriously, though, this situation leads to some hilarious exposition from Spike. As a partial Native American, I probably should not have sided with him on the argument, but he actually was making a lot of sense. But, all in all, this episode had everything we loved about Buffy all there for the taking. Oh, so it was like a good Thanksgiving dinner. Genius!
So there you have it. It has been nearly ten years since Buffy the Vampire Slayer went off the air, but these episodes do hold up and are entertaining to this day. There have been rumors flying around about a movie, but I don't know. If they can do it and do it right, I say go for it. If not, please back away from the franchise slowly.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Hutton The Big Time
Greetings,
Hey, remember when I talked about Christian Kane? And remember how I mentioned the show he is on, Leverage, also starring Timothy Hutton? And remember how I mentioned how much I love Timothy Hutton? You do? Good, because today I will expand on my love for Mr. Hutton. I don't know what I can tell you about him that you don't already know, but I will do my best. Let's go steal a tribute! Only Leverage fans will get that.
On August 16, 1960, we welcomed into the world Timothy Tarquin Hutton. That's right. He was given the best middle name I've ever heard. Thanks, Mom and Dad. He was born in California, but, after his parents got divorced, his mother moved them to Boston, only to return nearly a decade later. It was when he was 16 and cast in a school production of Guys and Dolls that he truly developed a love for acting. You see, teachers. When you are pressured to cast students because of their parents' status on the school board or the PTA, remember that there are repercussions to not just casting the most talented kids. Imagine how different the world would be if our beloved Timothy had lost the part to the son of the principal. I shudder.
Now, while he didn't start acting professionally until he was about 18, Tim (I'm just gonna call him "Tim" because it's less typing for me) did have a couple of childhood jobs. First, at the age of five, he had a part in a film called Never Too Late, which was uncredited. However, both Wikipedia and IMDB have chosen to dub him "Boy running to his daddy". Hey, we all have to start somewhere. Next, he showed up in an installment of The Wonderful World of Disney. It was something filmed in 1970 that wasn't aired until 1972, and it was called "Dad, Can I Borrow the Car?". I don't know what his role was in this, but since he was ten at the time, I'm assuming that, if he asked this question, the answer would be no. Then again, it was the 70's, so who knows? (Oopsy! After I posted this, a reader commented that the "Car" movie was doubled with something called "The Hunter and the Rock Star" and it is this one that Tim appears in. He apparently plays a singer who runs away to an island where they hunt tigers, and he becomes friends with one of them! Okay! I haven't seen either, so I will take their word for it. See, I can admit and fix my mistakes.)
When he did start acting seriously, it was mostly in TV roles, and he did build up a fairly good resume. But all of that paled in comparison to his first major motion picture role. That of Conrad Jarrett in the film Ordinary People. Where do I begin with this one? It is absolutely amazing. It's all about a family doing their best to survive in the midst of tragedy, and it is done in a stunning way. When you take into account everything that is attached to this film, it would have taken a asteroid hitting the set for anything to go wrong. Not only was this Tim's first time acting in a movie, but it was also Robert Redford's first time at the helm as a director. The cast included Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Elizabeth McGovern, even a young Adam Baldwin. But even with all of this greatness, it was Timothy Hutton, a young man barely out of his teens and a first time film actor, who stole the show. He was so brilliant and was rewarded (along with Redford as director and the film itself) with an Academy Award. Sometimes they do get it right.
And now for the bad news. There is this theory that, after one wins an Academy Award, a slump follows. Tim kind of fell victim to this. The 80's were not exactly the best time for him cinematically speaking. I mean, he actually had to be in films with Tom Cruise AND Sean Penn . . . twice! Why didn't they just take him out back and beat him? Sorry. Not a huge fan of those two guys. There were a few bright moments. He was in an acclaimed TV movie called A Long Way Home, and he also directed the video for the Cars' song "Drive". (Side note: he also recently directed the video for the song "The House Rules" by his co-star, Christian Kane. To You Tube!) Still, it was not exactly the best of times professionally.
But never fear. As the decade drew to a close, things picked up. He landed a few Broadway roles and, heading into the 90's, began to take more featured parts in films. Let me discuss a few of those.
One of my favorites from this time was The Dark Half, based on the book by Stephen King. Tim plays a writer who wants to kill off his pseudonym, which only serves to bring it to life. So he's actually playing two characters that are technically the same person. This movie was filmed in 1990-91, but was not released until 1993, due to studio upheaval. Upon release, it was not a huge box office success, but people have, in time, come to appreciate the film and its star.
A few years later, Tim did a great, star-studded movie called Beautiful Girls. In this, he plays a successful pianist who is in the midst of trying to make some big decisions concerning his life and relationships. He returns to his hometown for a high school reunion, only to be hit on by a fourteen year old Natalie Portman! Hey, look, whatever she says to him in this movie is nowhere near what she put poor Jean Reno through in The Professional. But seriously, I'm with you on both counts there, Natalie.
As we moved into the new milleniumn, Tim revisited the world of Stephen King by starring in Secret Window. Okay, so he wasn't the "star", because that was Johnny Depp. He played the man for whom Johnny Depp's wife left him. Now I have actually heard some women ask "Who would leave Johnny Depp for Timothy Hutton?", though I think they just meant who would leave Johnny Depp for anyone, and Tim just happened to be the anyone in this situation. Frankly, if you asked me that question, I would raise my hand and say, "I would!". Call me shallow, but I prefer a man who actually WON an Academy Award.
And in 2008, he was in a movie called Lymelife with two Culkins and a Baldwin. That would have been enough for me to say no to that part, but the fact that my girl Jill Hennessy was involved would probably allow me to overlook that and get involved. And the movie was actually pretty good.
In amongst all these feature films, Tim did do a lot of TV work. In 2006, he was one of the stars of a show called Kidnapped. This show was interesting because every season they would have a new kidnapping victim, therefore a new victim's family, therefore a new cast for the most part. So since Tim was the first victim's father, it didn't matter much to his fans that the show only lasted one season, because his character would only last one season anyway. Sad for Jeremy Sisto, though. Look, the show was great and should not have been cancelled. But this first and only season was very, very similar to the movie Ransom. They even got Delroy Lindo to be in it. So watch it on Netflix because it's great, but don't expect too many surprises.
This brings us to present day and a man named Nathan Ford. Yes, it is time for Leverage talk. In late 2008, we got the thing for which we had been waiting - Timothy Hutton on a weekly basis. I talked about Leverage in my other post, but to recap, they are "bad guys" who are now "good guys". Robin Hoods, if you will, or perhaps a new A-Team, with girls. Look, I did give Christian Kane a load of praise, but Tim is absolutely brilliant on this show, playing "The Mastermind" of his band of people helpers. He is as good as he was in Ordinary People, just in a very different way. I actually consider this the funniest non-comedy on television right now, and he makes that work perfectly. But don't get me wrong. Tim does still have his dramatic chops. There are moments where he just breaks my heart, but in a good way. There is just no one like him. And since I did bring up Ordinary People again in this paragraph, may I say I would love to see Mary Tyler Moore guest star on the show. Maybe she can play his mom! Brilliant idea.
Well, now that I see how much I have written, perhaps I should wrap it up. So in conclusion, let me say that I love Timothy Hutton. He is, without a doubt, one of my favorite actors, and from what I gather, he seems like a nice guy in real life. That always matters to me. So may we continue to be blessed with more of Timothy Hutton and Leverage, or whatever else he wants to do. Whatever it is, I'm sure he will not disappoint.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Hey, remember when I talked about Christian Kane? And remember how I mentioned the show he is on, Leverage, also starring Timothy Hutton? And remember how I mentioned how much I love Timothy Hutton? You do? Good, because today I will expand on my love for Mr. Hutton. I don't know what I can tell you about him that you don't already know, but I will do my best. Let's go steal a tribute! Only Leverage fans will get that.
On August 16, 1960, we welcomed into the world Timothy Tarquin Hutton. That's right. He was given the best middle name I've ever heard. Thanks, Mom and Dad. He was born in California, but, after his parents got divorced, his mother moved them to Boston, only to return nearly a decade later. It was when he was 16 and cast in a school production of Guys and Dolls that he truly developed a love for acting. You see, teachers. When you are pressured to cast students because of their parents' status on the school board or the PTA, remember that there are repercussions to not just casting the most talented kids. Imagine how different the world would be if our beloved Timothy had lost the part to the son of the principal. I shudder.
Now, while he didn't start acting professionally until he was about 18, Tim (I'm just gonna call him "Tim" because it's less typing for me) did have a couple of childhood jobs. First, at the age of five, he had a part in a film called Never Too Late, which was uncredited. However, both Wikipedia and IMDB have chosen to dub him "Boy running to his daddy". Hey, we all have to start somewhere. Next, he showed up in an installment of The Wonderful World of Disney. It was something filmed in 1970 that wasn't aired until 1972, and it was called "Dad, Can I Borrow the Car?". I don't know what his role was in this, but since he was ten at the time, I'm assuming that, if he asked this question, the answer would be no. Then again, it was the 70's, so who knows? (Oopsy! After I posted this, a reader commented that the "Car" movie was doubled with something called "The Hunter and the Rock Star" and it is this one that Tim appears in. He apparently plays a singer who runs away to an island where they hunt tigers, and he becomes friends with one of them! Okay! I haven't seen either, so I will take their word for it. See, I can admit and fix my mistakes.)
When he did start acting seriously, it was mostly in TV roles, and he did build up a fairly good resume. But all of that paled in comparison to his first major motion picture role. That of Conrad Jarrett in the film Ordinary People. Where do I begin with this one? It is absolutely amazing. It's all about a family doing their best to survive in the midst of tragedy, and it is done in a stunning way. When you take into account everything that is attached to this film, it would have taken a asteroid hitting the set for anything to go wrong. Not only was this Tim's first time acting in a movie, but it was also Robert Redford's first time at the helm as a director. The cast included Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Elizabeth McGovern, even a young Adam Baldwin. But even with all of this greatness, it was Timothy Hutton, a young man barely out of his teens and a first time film actor, who stole the show. He was so brilliant and was rewarded (along with Redford as director and the film itself) with an Academy Award. Sometimes they do get it right.
And now for the bad news. There is this theory that, after one wins an Academy Award, a slump follows. Tim kind of fell victim to this. The 80's were not exactly the best time for him cinematically speaking. I mean, he actually had to be in films with Tom Cruise AND Sean Penn . . . twice! Why didn't they just take him out back and beat him? Sorry. Not a huge fan of those two guys. There were a few bright moments. He was in an acclaimed TV movie called A Long Way Home, and he also directed the video for the Cars' song "Drive". (Side note: he also recently directed the video for the song "The House Rules" by his co-star, Christian Kane. To You Tube!) Still, it was not exactly the best of times professionally.
But never fear. As the decade drew to a close, things picked up. He landed a few Broadway roles and, heading into the 90's, began to take more featured parts in films. Let me discuss a few of those.
One of my favorites from this time was The Dark Half, based on the book by Stephen King. Tim plays a writer who wants to kill off his pseudonym, which only serves to bring it to life. So he's actually playing two characters that are technically the same person. This movie was filmed in 1990-91, but was not released until 1993, due to studio upheaval. Upon release, it was not a huge box office success, but people have, in time, come to appreciate the film and its star.
A few years later, Tim did a great, star-studded movie called Beautiful Girls. In this, he plays a successful pianist who is in the midst of trying to make some big decisions concerning his life and relationships. He returns to his hometown for a high school reunion, only to be hit on by a fourteen year old Natalie Portman! Hey, look, whatever she says to him in this movie is nowhere near what she put poor Jean Reno through in The Professional. But seriously, I'm with you on both counts there, Natalie.
As we moved into the new milleniumn, Tim revisited the world of Stephen King by starring in Secret Window. Okay, so he wasn't the "star", because that was Johnny Depp. He played the man for whom Johnny Depp's wife left him. Now I have actually heard some women ask "Who would leave Johnny Depp for Timothy Hutton?", though I think they just meant who would leave Johnny Depp for anyone, and Tim just happened to be the anyone in this situation. Frankly, if you asked me that question, I would raise my hand and say, "I would!". Call me shallow, but I prefer a man who actually WON an Academy Award.
And in 2008, he was in a movie called Lymelife with two Culkins and a Baldwin. That would have been enough for me to say no to that part, but the fact that my girl Jill Hennessy was involved would probably allow me to overlook that and get involved. And the movie was actually pretty good.
In amongst all these feature films, Tim did do a lot of TV work. In 2006, he was one of the stars of a show called Kidnapped. This show was interesting because every season they would have a new kidnapping victim, therefore a new victim's family, therefore a new cast for the most part. So since Tim was the first victim's father, it didn't matter much to his fans that the show only lasted one season, because his character would only last one season anyway. Sad for Jeremy Sisto, though. Look, the show was great and should not have been cancelled. But this first and only season was very, very similar to the movie Ransom. They even got Delroy Lindo to be in it. So watch it on Netflix because it's great, but don't expect too many surprises.
This brings us to present day and a man named Nathan Ford. Yes, it is time for Leverage talk. In late 2008, we got the thing for which we had been waiting - Timothy Hutton on a weekly basis. I talked about Leverage in my other post, but to recap, they are "bad guys" who are now "good guys". Robin Hoods, if you will, or perhaps a new A-Team, with girls. Look, I did give Christian Kane a load of praise, but Tim is absolutely brilliant on this show, playing "The Mastermind" of his band of people helpers. He is as good as he was in Ordinary People, just in a very different way. I actually consider this the funniest non-comedy on television right now, and he makes that work perfectly. But don't get me wrong. Tim does still have his dramatic chops. There are moments where he just breaks my heart, but in a good way. There is just no one like him. And since I did bring up Ordinary People again in this paragraph, may I say I would love to see Mary Tyler Moore guest star on the show. Maybe she can play his mom! Brilliant idea.
Well, now that I see how much I have written, perhaps I should wrap it up. So in conclusion, let me say that I love Timothy Hutton. He is, without a doubt, one of my favorite actors, and from what I gather, he seems like a nice guy in real life. That always matters to me. So may we continue to be blessed with more of Timothy Hutton and Leverage, or whatever else he wants to do. Whatever it is, I'm sure he will not disappoint.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Top Ten Law and Order: SVU Guest Actors
Greetings,
Alright, the ladies had their day, but now it is time for the boys to shine. I don't mean to undermine my sisters, but this list was a lot harder to make than the other one. I don't know why. It just sort of happened that way. I suppose that means the guys I picked should appreciate their places even more.
#10. John Stamos ("Bang", Season 12) - So John Stamos plays a guy who has and wants to continue impregnated as many women as possible so the world can be full of little hims. I get that he is supposed to be the bad guy, but if you're going to cast someone who is bad because he wants to populate the world with a bunch of people who look like him, don't cast someone who looks like John Stamos. Because we're not going to think it's such a bad idea for that to happen. Good acting though.
#9. Alfred Molina ("Night", Season 6) - Alongside co-star Angela Lansbury, Alfred Molina made this episode great. He played this guy who was totally bizarre with all these quirks and idiosyncracies which would annoy the crap out of anyone. Unfortunately, these were not the worst things about him. Of course.
#8. Martin Short ("Pure", Season 6) - Remember how creepy Ed Grimley was? Well, he is still the creepiest of them all, but Martin Short's character here is a close second. And he seems so nice is real life. I guess you never know.
#7. Michael Gross ("Lust", Season 4) - Oh, Michael Gross. How did you combine the prissiness of Steven Keaton with the wholehearted love of killing things of Burt Gummer? You, sir, are magic.
#6. Aidan Quinn ("Savant", Season 9) - I love Aidan Quinn. I just do, and while there was no big ka-boom moment in his performance here, it was still so consistently well done that I had to include it. Plus, you know, I love him.
#5. Michael Shannon ("Quarry", Season 6) - If you don't know who Michael Shannon is, he is the man who should have and would have won an Academy Award in 2009 had it not been for the fact that he was breathing. This was his first foray into television and he gave a sometimes understated, sometimes powerful performance that is all around fantastic.
#4. Henry Winkler ("Greed", Season 3) - This is probably how Fonzie would have turned out had the Cunninghams not gotten a hold of him. I just love how Law and Order takes the lovable people of the real world and lets them be diabolical masterminds. Just for an hour, but sometimes that's all they need.
#3. Chad Lowe ("Pique", Season 2) - One viewing of this episode and you will regret it if you ever reduced Chad Lowe to simply being Rob Lowe's brother or Hilary Swank's husband (former). As if his genius portrayal on Life Goes On wasn't reason enough, here is something to hit home exactly how talented this man is.
#2. Kyle MacLachlan ("Conscience", Season 6) - Redemption! After being in lowly projects like Showgirls and Sex and the City (like there is a huge difference between those things), Kyle MacLachlan reminded us why he is a successful actor. He goes from being a grief stricken father to a methodical defendant, and, for some reason, we are on his side the entire time. At least I was. That is something it takes a gifted artist to do.
#1. Robin Williams ("Authority", Season 9) - I think we all know that when he calms down, gets a good script and acts it out, Robin Williams is a truly remarkable actor. Though his character was quite different, his performance here reminds me very much of one he did on another favorite show of mine, Homicide: Life on the Street, back in 1994 (also featuring a young Jake Gylenhall, FYI). In spite of all his cinematic faux pas, there's no doubt that Robin Williams is one of the finest actors of all time. Just give him something good to act and he will prove it, time and again.
And congratulations to all my boys here. Like the ladies, you have enriched the world of Law and Order, and we are grateful that you have done so.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Alright, the ladies had their day, but now it is time for the boys to shine. I don't mean to undermine my sisters, but this list was a lot harder to make than the other one. I don't know why. It just sort of happened that way. I suppose that means the guys I picked should appreciate their places even more.
#10. John Stamos ("Bang", Season 12) - So John Stamos plays a guy who has and wants to continue impregnated as many women as possible so the world can be full of little hims. I get that he is supposed to be the bad guy, but if you're going to cast someone who is bad because he wants to populate the world with a bunch of people who look like him, don't cast someone who looks like John Stamos. Because we're not going to think it's such a bad idea for that to happen. Good acting though.
#9. Alfred Molina ("Night", Season 6) - Alongside co-star Angela Lansbury, Alfred Molina made this episode great. He played this guy who was totally bizarre with all these quirks and idiosyncracies which would annoy the crap out of anyone. Unfortunately, these were not the worst things about him. Of course.
#8. Martin Short ("Pure", Season 6) - Remember how creepy Ed Grimley was? Well, he is still the creepiest of them all, but Martin Short's character here is a close second. And he seems so nice is real life. I guess you never know.
#7. Michael Gross ("Lust", Season 4) - Oh, Michael Gross. How did you combine the prissiness of Steven Keaton with the wholehearted love of killing things of Burt Gummer? You, sir, are magic.
#6. Aidan Quinn ("Savant", Season 9) - I love Aidan Quinn. I just do, and while there was no big ka-boom moment in his performance here, it was still so consistently well done that I had to include it. Plus, you know, I love him.
#5. Michael Shannon ("Quarry", Season 6) - If you don't know who Michael Shannon is, he is the man who should have and would have won an Academy Award in 2009 had it not been for the fact that he was breathing. This was his first foray into television and he gave a sometimes understated, sometimes powerful performance that is all around fantastic.
#4. Henry Winkler ("Greed", Season 3) - This is probably how Fonzie would have turned out had the Cunninghams not gotten a hold of him. I just love how Law and Order takes the lovable people of the real world and lets them be diabolical masterminds. Just for an hour, but sometimes that's all they need.
#3. Chad Lowe ("Pique", Season 2) - One viewing of this episode and you will regret it if you ever reduced Chad Lowe to simply being Rob Lowe's brother or Hilary Swank's husband (former). As if his genius portrayal on Life Goes On wasn't reason enough, here is something to hit home exactly how talented this man is.
#2. Kyle MacLachlan ("Conscience", Season 6) - Redemption! After being in lowly projects like Showgirls and Sex and the City (like there is a huge difference between those things), Kyle MacLachlan reminded us why he is a successful actor. He goes from being a grief stricken father to a methodical defendant, and, for some reason, we are on his side the entire time. At least I was. That is something it takes a gifted artist to do.
#1. Robin Williams ("Authority", Season 9) - I think we all know that when he calms down, gets a good script and acts it out, Robin Williams is a truly remarkable actor. Though his character was quite different, his performance here reminds me very much of one he did on another favorite show of mine, Homicide: Life on the Street, back in 1994 (also featuring a young Jake Gylenhall, FYI). In spite of all his cinematic faux pas, there's no doubt that Robin Williams is one of the finest actors of all time. Just give him something good to act and he will prove it, time and again.
And congratulations to all my boys here. Like the ladies, you have enriched the world of Law and Order, and we are grateful that you have done so.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Top Ten Law and Order: SVU Guest Actresses
Greetings,
I recently had someone ask me to do a top ten list of my favorite Law and Order: SVU episodes. Now, as a general rule, though there have been exceptions, I don't do episode lists of shows that are still on the air. But I do love this show and would love to honor it in some way. So I had to think of something, and this is what I came up with. I decided to do a list of the best guest stars to be featured on the show, since the entire Law and Order franchise certainly brings out the best in people. But, as I began to make the list, it became too difficult to narrow things down. My solution was to separate the girls from the boys, like a summer camp where the counselors actually do their job. So today, best guest actresses, because ladies first.
Before I begin, let me say something about both of these lists. Like I said, this was hard to do because there have been so many stellar performances on this show. But I made these choices a lot based on these performances compared to others in their career, or if what they did simply reminded me of how amazing they are. Some people are consistently great, but we may forget. Others may be great as well, but we just never truly saw it until they came to the Law and Order world. I think you'll know which ones fall into which categories. So let's begin.
#10. Angela Lansbury ("Night", Season 7) - So Mrs. Potts or Jessica Fletcher herself plays a rich woman with many powerful friends and a son who is a complete mama's boy! And she's totally wicked. Technically, the bad kind of wicked, but she makes it so good.
#9. Carol Burnett ("Ballerina", Season 10) - We have a former Rockette named Birdie who owns a strip club and is played by, you guessed it, Carol Burnett. Ya know, that kind of sounds like a character she would have created for her variety show. To the time machine store!
#8. Kellie Martin ("Tragedy", Season 5) - I loved Kellie Martin on Life Goes On. She is one of my favorite TV actresses. But here she used her skills to play someone who wasn't the victim or the guilty party, but she was also, in a way, both of those things. It doesn't make sense on paper, but she made it work.
#7. Erika Christensen ("Signature", Season 9) - There are some people who look perpetually like teenagers, and Erika Christensen is one of them. So having her play a Special Agent (FBI?) would seem crazy. But she was phenomenal in this episode and totally made me a believer.
#6. Jill Scott ("Disabled", Season 11) - If any of you have ever seen either of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? movies, you will think of Jill Scott as a beautiful, sweet but strong women who is wonderful to her friends. Well, forget that! Here she plays a total mean lady who is jealous of and abusive toward her disabled sister. I didn't think I could buy her as such a character, but she succeeded in making me do so. Big time! The episode ends and we all thank God for real life where Jill Scott is the wonderful woman we all know and love.
#5. Jennifer Love Hewitt ("Behave", Season 12) - People have always underrated the acting abilities of Jennifer Love Hewitt. I think pretty much for the same reason they once underrated Dolly Parton and her musical abilities. Both reasons! But I must say, whatever you think of her, you can't deny what a fine job she did portraying a rape victim here. I was extremely impressed.
#4. Ellen Burstyn ("Swing", Season 10) - We've always known some things about the family of Elliot Stabler, but here, we learn of the mental problems of his mother. And there was no one better to play this role than Ellen Burstyn. We all know she's brilliant, but hopefully, this episode introduced her to a younger generation who can know how amazing she is, as well.
#3. Marcia Gay Harden ("Raw", Season 7) - She donned a Southern accent and slapped Richard Belzer. I have nothing else to say.
#2. Marlee Matlin ("Painless", Season 5) - Actually, she was in two episodes, but this one, here first, was the best. She proves, yet again, that she is not disabled because she can't hear, but she is differently abled. I mean, I can hear, but I can't do what she does when she gets in front of a camera. And she worked that magic here, hardcore.
#1. Tracy Pollan ("Closure, Part II", Season 2) - Again, she had two episodes, but, in this case, it was her second appearance that completely blew me away. Her first episode featured her as a rape victim who had become totally broken by it. But then she came back, determined to take charge and see her attacker brought to justice any way she could. Granted, some people would call her methods extreme, but who cares? Maybe if we had more women willing to do this, more rapists would be behind bars. Anyway, however you feel about the tactics of her character, Tracy Pollan played her brilliantly.
So hats off to you, ladies. You stand out in a crowd of the best and made our SVU experience even greater than we ever thought it could be. Thanks.
Tomorrow, the boys!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I recently had someone ask me to do a top ten list of my favorite Law and Order: SVU episodes. Now, as a general rule, though there have been exceptions, I don't do episode lists of shows that are still on the air. But I do love this show and would love to honor it in some way. So I had to think of something, and this is what I came up with. I decided to do a list of the best guest stars to be featured on the show, since the entire Law and Order franchise certainly brings out the best in people. But, as I began to make the list, it became too difficult to narrow things down. My solution was to separate the girls from the boys, like a summer camp where the counselors actually do their job. So today, best guest actresses, because ladies first.
Before I begin, let me say something about both of these lists. Like I said, this was hard to do because there have been so many stellar performances on this show. But I made these choices a lot based on these performances compared to others in their career, or if what they did simply reminded me of how amazing they are. Some people are consistently great, but we may forget. Others may be great as well, but we just never truly saw it until they came to the Law and Order world. I think you'll know which ones fall into which categories. So let's begin.
#10. Angela Lansbury ("Night", Season 7) - So Mrs. Potts or Jessica Fletcher herself plays a rich woman with many powerful friends and a son who is a complete mama's boy! And she's totally wicked. Technically, the bad kind of wicked, but she makes it so good.
#9. Carol Burnett ("Ballerina", Season 10) - We have a former Rockette named Birdie who owns a strip club and is played by, you guessed it, Carol Burnett. Ya know, that kind of sounds like a character she would have created for her variety show. To the time machine store!
#8. Kellie Martin ("Tragedy", Season 5) - I loved Kellie Martin on Life Goes On. She is one of my favorite TV actresses. But here she used her skills to play someone who wasn't the victim or the guilty party, but she was also, in a way, both of those things. It doesn't make sense on paper, but she made it work.
#7. Erika Christensen ("Signature", Season 9) - There are some people who look perpetually like teenagers, and Erika Christensen is one of them. So having her play a Special Agent (FBI?) would seem crazy. But she was phenomenal in this episode and totally made me a believer.
#6. Jill Scott ("Disabled", Season 11) - If any of you have ever seen either of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? movies, you will think of Jill Scott as a beautiful, sweet but strong women who is wonderful to her friends. Well, forget that! Here she plays a total mean lady who is jealous of and abusive toward her disabled sister. I didn't think I could buy her as such a character, but she succeeded in making me do so. Big time! The episode ends and we all thank God for real life where Jill Scott is the wonderful woman we all know and love.
#5. Jennifer Love Hewitt ("Behave", Season 12) - People have always underrated the acting abilities of Jennifer Love Hewitt. I think pretty much for the same reason they once underrated Dolly Parton and her musical abilities. Both reasons! But I must say, whatever you think of her, you can't deny what a fine job she did portraying a rape victim here. I was extremely impressed.
#4. Ellen Burstyn ("Swing", Season 10) - We've always known some things about the family of Elliot Stabler, but here, we learn of the mental problems of his mother. And there was no one better to play this role than Ellen Burstyn. We all know she's brilliant, but hopefully, this episode introduced her to a younger generation who can know how amazing she is, as well.
#3. Marcia Gay Harden ("Raw", Season 7) - She donned a Southern accent and slapped Richard Belzer. I have nothing else to say.
#2. Marlee Matlin ("Painless", Season 5) - Actually, she was in two episodes, but this one, here first, was the best. She proves, yet again, that she is not disabled because she can't hear, but she is differently abled. I mean, I can hear, but I can't do what she does when she gets in front of a camera. And she worked that magic here, hardcore.
#1. Tracy Pollan ("Closure, Part II", Season 2) - Again, she had two episodes, but, in this case, it was her second appearance that completely blew me away. Her first episode featured her as a rape victim who had become totally broken by it. But then she came back, determined to take charge and see her attacker brought to justice any way she could. Granted, some people would call her methods extreme, but who cares? Maybe if we had more women willing to do this, more rapists would be behind bars. Anyway, however you feel about the tactics of her character, Tracy Pollan played her brilliantly.
So hats off to you, ladies. You stand out in a crowd of the best and made our SVU experience even greater than we ever thought it could be. Thanks.
Tomorrow, the boys!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Movie Musical Review
Greeting,
Some of you may be sitting in confusion right now. I've been celebrating the Bee Gees this weekend, but here I'm doing a post about Sgt. Pepper. AND I am calling it a movie review. Well, if you have no idea what this is all about . . . I envy you! Because I, and many others, know all too well about the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Yes, the album by the Beatles, which is considered by many to be their greatest, was turned into a movie in 1978 and it starred the Bee Gees. I bet the confusion is still there despite this explanation. Let's go in depth, shall we? Hold on tight.
In the late seventies, the Bee Gees were on top of the world, as was their manager, Robert Stigwood. His RSO Records produced Saturday Night Fever in 1977 and released the soundtrack to Grease the following year. At some point during this time, though, someone mentioned that they should make a movie musical based on Sgt. Pepper, and a lot of people apparently agreed. Of course, in hindsight, we all think "No, stop the madness!" But at the time, and in theory, this probably could have worked. It had potential to be something great, but it just didn't happen. The problem, one of them, was that I think they aimed too high. They should have just agreed to make a fun, good movie. That would have been plenty. But no, they wanted more. I've actually heard that the producers hoped it was going to be "this generation's Gone With the Wind". Yeah, that is not what we got. That's for darn sure. What we got was . . . I don't even know what to call it! I suppose you all can decide when you're done reading. I will do my best to take you through all of it, the cast, the . . . plot? Sure, why not? I'll be giving spoilers, too, if that is even possible, but that will give you another excuse not to see it, since you already know what happens. Oh, mercy, here we go.
We begin with the voice of George Burns, who was allegedly brought to the film once they realized that none of their previous cast members could handle lines. He serves as our movie narrator and the mayor of a town called Heartland, USA, because, apparently, Smallville was taken. He tells us the story of Sgt. Pepper and his Lonely Hearts Club Band. According to this story, their music was the secret weapon of the Allies in WWI, and it took our country through all of its highs and lows, until 1958, when Sgt. Pepper dropped dead in the middle of town. And in the middle of playing a note. Twenty years later, the band is reformed. It features Sgt. Pepper's grandson, Billy Shears, of course, played by Peter Frampton, fresh off of "coming alive". He is joined by his three best friends, Dave, Mark and Bob Henderson (Henderson, I'm assuming, based on the line from "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite")and they are played by our beloved Bee Gees. I would tell you which one plays which, but I don't even think it really matters. The new band is introduced to the town by Billy's stepbrother and self appointed manager, Dougie. Yes, Dougie. And as their manager, he is to this movie what Sly Winkle was to California Dreams. He's played by a guy named Paul Nicholas, who I never heard of outside of this film, but he does have a great voice. Anyway, on a summer day, on a lovely gazebo/stage, we get to hear the new band perform. First, the back up Hendersons, then Billy Shears in all his pink-shirted, white-overalled glory.
Now, of course, a band this great can't possibly stay in its piddly little town forever. When a record company shows interest in their music, they make a tape (Google if you don't know what that is, youngsters) and send it to B.D Hoffler, the head of Big Deal Records. He is played by Donald Pleasance. For real. He loves the tape and tells them to come to Hollywood. But, alas, this means that Billy must leave his girlfriend, Strawberry Fields. No, seriously, that is her name. Of all the girl names from Beatles songs, they give her a name that is not even a name. It's a smoothie flavor. Anyway, boo-hoo, Billy leaves with his band for the big, bad city. And what awaits these wannabe rockstars? Drugs and whores, what else? And then we have to watch them get famous and forget their roots. You could choke on the thickness of that originality. Did I say choke? I meant gag.
In the meantime, there is some kind of plot going on to destroy their little hometown. They find this out when Strawberry comes to their recording studio so she can tell them. Oh, and because she is way clingy and thinks that her boyfriend has been cheating on her. Just because she's right doesn't mean she's not obsessive. This all leads to some bizarre stuff with the plot about the old Sgt. Pepper bands' instruments being stolen or something. And there are some bizarre performances, like Steve Martin doing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and Alice Cooper creepily singing "Because". Not to mention Strawberry Fields singing "Strawberry Fields Forever". Okay, so she's obsessive and narcissistic. Now there are actually some good performances mixed in here, too, but I'll get to that later.
This whole wacky plot crescendos with Billy and his "good band" fighting, literally, with the "bad band" played by none other than Aerosmith. No lie. Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees get into a brawl with Aerosmith, and it has not the outcome one would expect. Bye, Steven Tyler! As if that wasn't bad enough, somewhere in the midst of all this, Strawberry falls from this high up stage thing to her death. Well, it's more like the death of a life size dummy. It is very, very obvious. Have they never heard of real, live stunt people?
So we have her funeral back in Heartland where Billy decides to jump from a roof to his own death because he is so distraught. Oh, please! But he is saved when - you'll love this!- Sgt. Pepper comes back! Only now he is Billy Preston. My goodness, Grandpa, don't you look different. And guess who else comes back to life? The obsessive, narcissistic, psycho girlfriend! Hooray! And then we have the final image of the film. It is clearly an attempt at recreating the legendary Sgt. Pepper cover by having the band stand before a load of celebrities all singing the reprise. And just who is a part of this elite group? Well, let me rattle off some names, and I am not making any of this up. We had George Benson, Keith Carradine, Robert Palmer, the gals from Heart, Tina Turner, Bonnie Raitt and . . . Donovan? Oh, you've got to be kidding me! How not busy were these people? And I didn't even mention half the names. I guess they just got tricked into believing they were going to be a part of a legendary film. I mean, they were, but not the way they thought.
After mentioning all these other great people who were involved with this, I am reminded of the one positive thing about this whole ordeal. And it is a major positive. That would be the soundtrack. The soundtrack was and is fantastic. I am not kidding. You've got all these Beatles songs sung by amazing singers, so why wouldn't it be great? Of course, there were a few tracks recorded for comic effect (i.e. George Burns pretty much talking his way through "Fixing a Hole"), but the rest was just a flat out phenomenal album. Aside from Frampton and the Bee Gees, we got an impressive version of "Got to Get You Into My Life" from Earth, Wind and Fire, Billy Preston singing "Get Back" (ironic!) and Aerosmith's now classic take on "Come Together". Oh, and I'd be foolish not to mention Robin Gibb's solo performance of "Oh, Darlin'" which actually went top twenty on the Billboard charts. It was stunning. So, basically, they should have just gotten all these people together to do a concert or something. It would have been a lot easier to swallow.
In conclusion, let me say this. I think we need bad movies so we can more appreciate the good ones. And this will certainly make you appreciate every good movie you have ever seen. It's pretty bad. I mean, the clear sign of a bad movie is when you don't laugh when they're trying to be funny, but you do when they're trying to be dramatic. There was a lot of that. Now, obviously, I am not fully recommending this one, especially if you are a snob about movies. However, if you are a connoisseur of bad movies, or if you're just curious, I say, sure, go ahead and watch it. Just don't say I didn't warn you about all the insanity involved with it. Actually, there is a rumor that John Lennon was on a plane one time and this was the movie they showed. So if he didn't jump out after seeing it, you all should be okay. Or you can just get the soundtrack. It's a lot safer.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Some of you may be sitting in confusion right now. I've been celebrating the Bee Gees this weekend, but here I'm doing a post about Sgt. Pepper. AND I am calling it a movie review. Well, if you have no idea what this is all about . . . I envy you! Because I, and many others, know all too well about the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Yes, the album by the Beatles, which is considered by many to be their greatest, was turned into a movie in 1978 and it starred the Bee Gees. I bet the confusion is still there despite this explanation. Let's go in depth, shall we? Hold on tight.
In the late seventies, the Bee Gees were on top of the world, as was their manager, Robert Stigwood. His RSO Records produced Saturday Night Fever in 1977 and released the soundtrack to Grease the following year. At some point during this time, though, someone mentioned that they should make a movie musical based on Sgt. Pepper, and a lot of people apparently agreed. Of course, in hindsight, we all think "No, stop the madness!" But at the time, and in theory, this probably could have worked. It had potential to be something great, but it just didn't happen. The problem, one of them, was that I think they aimed too high. They should have just agreed to make a fun, good movie. That would have been plenty. But no, they wanted more. I've actually heard that the producers hoped it was going to be "this generation's Gone With the Wind". Yeah, that is not what we got. That's for darn sure. What we got was . . . I don't even know what to call it! I suppose you all can decide when you're done reading. I will do my best to take you through all of it, the cast, the . . . plot? Sure, why not? I'll be giving spoilers, too, if that is even possible, but that will give you another excuse not to see it, since you already know what happens. Oh, mercy, here we go.
We begin with the voice of George Burns, who was allegedly brought to the film once they realized that none of their previous cast members could handle lines. He serves as our movie narrator and the mayor of a town called Heartland, USA, because, apparently, Smallville was taken. He tells us the story of Sgt. Pepper and his Lonely Hearts Club Band. According to this story, their music was the secret weapon of the Allies in WWI, and it took our country through all of its highs and lows, until 1958, when Sgt. Pepper dropped dead in the middle of town. And in the middle of playing a note. Twenty years later, the band is reformed. It features Sgt. Pepper's grandson, Billy Shears, of course, played by Peter Frampton, fresh off of "coming alive". He is joined by his three best friends, Dave, Mark and Bob Henderson (Henderson, I'm assuming, based on the line from "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite")and they are played by our beloved Bee Gees. I would tell you which one plays which, but I don't even think it really matters. The new band is introduced to the town by Billy's stepbrother and self appointed manager, Dougie. Yes, Dougie. And as their manager, he is to this movie what Sly Winkle was to California Dreams. He's played by a guy named Paul Nicholas, who I never heard of outside of this film, but he does have a great voice. Anyway, on a summer day, on a lovely gazebo/stage, we get to hear the new band perform. First, the back up Hendersons, then Billy Shears in all his pink-shirted, white-overalled glory.
Now, of course, a band this great can't possibly stay in its piddly little town forever. When a record company shows interest in their music, they make a tape (Google if you don't know what that is, youngsters) and send it to B.D Hoffler, the head of Big Deal Records. He is played by Donald Pleasance. For real. He loves the tape and tells them to come to Hollywood. But, alas, this means that Billy must leave his girlfriend, Strawberry Fields. No, seriously, that is her name. Of all the girl names from Beatles songs, they give her a name that is not even a name. It's a smoothie flavor. Anyway, boo-hoo, Billy leaves with his band for the big, bad city. And what awaits these wannabe rockstars? Drugs and whores, what else? And then we have to watch them get famous and forget their roots. You could choke on the thickness of that originality. Did I say choke? I meant gag.
In the meantime, there is some kind of plot going on to destroy their little hometown. They find this out when Strawberry comes to their recording studio so she can tell them. Oh, and because she is way clingy and thinks that her boyfriend has been cheating on her. Just because she's right doesn't mean she's not obsessive. This all leads to some bizarre stuff with the plot about the old Sgt. Pepper bands' instruments being stolen or something. And there are some bizarre performances, like Steve Martin doing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" and Alice Cooper creepily singing "Because". Not to mention Strawberry Fields singing "Strawberry Fields Forever". Okay, so she's obsessive and narcissistic. Now there are actually some good performances mixed in here, too, but I'll get to that later.
This whole wacky plot crescendos with Billy and his "good band" fighting, literally, with the "bad band" played by none other than Aerosmith. No lie. Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees get into a brawl with Aerosmith, and it has not the outcome one would expect. Bye, Steven Tyler! As if that wasn't bad enough, somewhere in the midst of all this, Strawberry falls from this high up stage thing to her death. Well, it's more like the death of a life size dummy. It is very, very obvious. Have they never heard of real, live stunt people?
So we have her funeral back in Heartland where Billy decides to jump from a roof to his own death because he is so distraught. Oh, please! But he is saved when - you'll love this!- Sgt. Pepper comes back! Only now he is Billy Preston. My goodness, Grandpa, don't you look different. And guess who else comes back to life? The obsessive, narcissistic, psycho girlfriend! Hooray! And then we have the final image of the film. It is clearly an attempt at recreating the legendary Sgt. Pepper cover by having the band stand before a load of celebrities all singing the reprise. And just who is a part of this elite group? Well, let me rattle off some names, and I am not making any of this up. We had George Benson, Keith Carradine, Robert Palmer, the gals from Heart, Tina Turner, Bonnie Raitt and . . . Donovan? Oh, you've got to be kidding me! How not busy were these people? And I didn't even mention half the names. I guess they just got tricked into believing they were going to be a part of a legendary film. I mean, they were, but not the way they thought.
After mentioning all these other great people who were involved with this, I am reminded of the one positive thing about this whole ordeal. And it is a major positive. That would be the soundtrack. The soundtrack was and is fantastic. I am not kidding. You've got all these Beatles songs sung by amazing singers, so why wouldn't it be great? Of course, there were a few tracks recorded for comic effect (i.e. George Burns pretty much talking his way through "Fixing a Hole"), but the rest was just a flat out phenomenal album. Aside from Frampton and the Bee Gees, we got an impressive version of "Got to Get You Into My Life" from Earth, Wind and Fire, Billy Preston singing "Get Back" (ironic!) and Aerosmith's now classic take on "Come Together". Oh, and I'd be foolish not to mention Robin Gibb's solo performance of "Oh, Darlin'" which actually went top twenty on the Billboard charts. It was stunning. So, basically, they should have just gotten all these people together to do a concert or something. It would have been a lot easier to swallow.
In conclusion, let me say this. I think we need bad movies so we can more appreciate the good ones. And this will certainly make you appreciate every good movie you have ever seen. It's pretty bad. I mean, the clear sign of a bad movie is when you don't laugh when they're trying to be funny, but you do when they're trying to be dramatic. There was a lot of that. Now, obviously, I am not fully recommending this one, especially if you are a snob about movies. However, if you are a connoisseur of bad movies, or if you're just curious, I say, sure, go ahead and watch it. Just don't say I didn't warn you about all the insanity involved with it. Actually, there is a rumor that John Lennon was on a plane one time and this was the movie they showed. So if he didn't jump out after seeing it, you all should be okay. Or you can just get the soundtrack. It's a lot safer.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Top Ten Bee Gees Songs
Greetings,
And now on to day two of our Bee Gees Celebration Weekend. Today I will be discussing my top ten favorite Bee Gees songs. As some of you may know, I already did a top ten albums list, one of my most viewed posts, so now it is time for this. Much like that albums list, I am certain there will be several entries here about which many people have never heard. It's a little sad, but it will certainly separate true fans and admirers from the posers. Still, it makes this list a bit relevant. What good does it do me to tell you of things about which you already know? None, so here we go.
#10. "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" - I've always wanted to write a song about a guy going to the electric chair, but the Gibb boys beat me to it. Yes, that is what this song is about. Apparently, Robin wrote the lyrics for this one, and I've heard he said it's about a man in prison for killing his wife's lover. Hey, why not? And here I thought this was just a good song for people who aren't tough enough for "Folsom Prison Blues", but still want to say they have an edge. Maybe not. Oh, and I should mention a great version of this song from last year with Robin and The Soldiers, a group of three British Army soldiers, that was released as a charity single. Very nice.
#9. "Embrace" - This song was featured on their final album, This Is Where I Came In, and it was written by Robin alone. While I do love the structure of the song, with the way it starts with a slow tempo only to build up to something of a dance track, I always wished an acoustic version would have been recorded. Something softer and slower so we can really appreciate the great lyrics. But I'll take it any way I can get it.
#8 "Above and Beyond" - Here is one of the few songs where they let Maurice sing lead. Obviously, a lot of people would not recognize his voice as easily as they do with Barry and his falsetto or Robin and his vibrato, but I always loved Maurice's voice. It was nice to here things on the albums that were unexpected, and, when it came to what we usually heard from the Bee Gees, his voice was exactly that. Of all his moments to shine, this is my favorite. I find this tune extremely catchy with good lyrics, and it is one of the best on the album from which it came.
#7. "Country Lanes" - I could have picked any of the more popular songs from the Main Course album, which is one of their best, but I really love this one most of all. It's a ballad with a soft verse melody, but then the chorus swells a bit and the way the vocals are arranged give it this interesting feeling. The best way I can describe it is that it sounds the way it looks when two people are dancing and the man lifts the woman's arm above her head and spins her around. Does that make any sense? Well, whatever. To me, this chorus sounds the way that looks.
#6. "Miracles Happen" - I mentioned this as my favorite song off the Still Waters album which I just reviewed. So naturally, it's on this list, being a beautifully tear-jerking song. And since I just talked about it, I'll merely give a little reminder of what I said. Basically, I love it.
#5. "You Win Again" - This is a song that was originally on the E.S.P. album, but I first heard it on my American release of One. There's a fun story that Maurice told about this one. On the demo, they had this amazing beat that sounded like stomps, and it was only going to be on that demo. But when they met up with producer, Arif Mardin, to actually cut it, the first thing he said was, "So, have you got the stomps?" to which Maurice replied, "Um . . . no." And then I imagine Arif saying back to him, "Well, what the heck with that? Go get them!". Or something to that effect. Turns out, those stomps ended up being the most recognizable and sought out element of the song. Apparently, even Phil Collins asked for them, but this may just be a rumor.
#4. "Wish You Were Here" - This was one of the first songs that Barry, Robin and Maurice recorded after Andy died in 1988. It's simple and beautiful, and when you think of everything surrounding it, you won't be able to help but get a little emotional at the very least. If you're anything like me, though, you will full on cry at least once. Actually, if you're anything like me, you will full on cry pretty much every time you hear it.
#3. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" - I seem to recall the late, renowned Billboard editor Timothy White saying that the Bee Gees' Size Isn't Everything album was one of the strongest of their career. Agree! So much that it placed very high on my top ten albums list. And the best song on it is, without a doubt, "For Whom the Bell Tolls". So what if they stole the title from Ernest Hemingway? It wasn't the first time they did that (Hello! "Islands in the Stream"!) But seriously, if you have a dream to write an epic ballad, this is for what you should strive.
#2. "Rings Around the Moon" - If anyone, and I do mean ANYONE, knows this song without having been involved in the making of it, I will literally pass out from shock. It's one thing for me to mention a little known song from a little known album, but this one wasn't even that. It was a bonus track on the single release for the song "Alone" in 1997. I know that "B-sides", as they used to be called, were such things for a reason. They tended to be the weaker song, but not in this case. This song is absolutely phenomenal. I cannot believe it didn't make the cut for the album. This is why I will probably never understand boys and the stuff they do. But I love the visuals of the lyrics, especially in the chorus. It's just a wonderful, clearly underrated love song.
#1. "I Started a Joke" - Not only is this my favorite song by the Bee Gees, it is my favorite song, and that is the end of the sentence. It's mesmerizing, plain and simple. I know it has a lot to do with the timeless voice of Robin Gibb, but I also love the lyrics, and I get them. I get them more than the Bee Gees themselves. No, really. I'm pretty sure I remember them saying on their episode of VH1 Storytellers that they had no idea what this song was about. Well, relax, boys. I understood it. I understood it, and it completely changed me. Thanks!
You know, I could probably make a top 100 list and still have songs to spare. The Bee Gees are just everlasting. I, like so many others, am so sad that we can no longer hear new music from them, but they left us with so much of their life's work, we should be fine. And they all have a great legacy through their talented children. So, if I may quote something that someone probably said around 1979, "Wow! We're never gonna get rid of these guys, are we?" Nope! Thank God!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
And now on to day two of our Bee Gees Celebration Weekend. Today I will be discussing my top ten favorite Bee Gees songs. As some of you may know, I already did a top ten albums list, one of my most viewed posts, so now it is time for this. Much like that albums list, I am certain there will be several entries here about which many people have never heard. It's a little sad, but it will certainly separate true fans and admirers from the posers. Still, it makes this list a bit relevant. What good does it do me to tell you of things about which you already know? None, so here we go.
#10. "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" - I've always wanted to write a song about a guy going to the electric chair, but the Gibb boys beat me to it. Yes, that is what this song is about. Apparently, Robin wrote the lyrics for this one, and I've heard he said it's about a man in prison for killing his wife's lover. Hey, why not? And here I thought this was just a good song for people who aren't tough enough for "Folsom Prison Blues", but still want to say they have an edge. Maybe not. Oh, and I should mention a great version of this song from last year with Robin and The Soldiers, a group of three British Army soldiers, that was released as a charity single. Very nice.
#9. "Embrace" - This song was featured on their final album, This Is Where I Came In, and it was written by Robin alone. While I do love the structure of the song, with the way it starts with a slow tempo only to build up to something of a dance track, I always wished an acoustic version would have been recorded. Something softer and slower so we can really appreciate the great lyrics. But I'll take it any way I can get it.
#8 "Above and Beyond" - Here is one of the few songs where they let Maurice sing lead. Obviously, a lot of people would not recognize his voice as easily as they do with Barry and his falsetto or Robin and his vibrato, but I always loved Maurice's voice. It was nice to here things on the albums that were unexpected, and, when it came to what we usually heard from the Bee Gees, his voice was exactly that. Of all his moments to shine, this is my favorite. I find this tune extremely catchy with good lyrics, and it is one of the best on the album from which it came.
#7. "Country Lanes" - I could have picked any of the more popular songs from the Main Course album, which is one of their best, but I really love this one most of all. It's a ballad with a soft verse melody, but then the chorus swells a bit and the way the vocals are arranged give it this interesting feeling. The best way I can describe it is that it sounds the way it looks when two people are dancing and the man lifts the woman's arm above her head and spins her around. Does that make any sense? Well, whatever. To me, this chorus sounds the way that looks.
#6. "Miracles Happen" - I mentioned this as my favorite song off the Still Waters album which I just reviewed. So naturally, it's on this list, being a beautifully tear-jerking song. And since I just talked about it, I'll merely give a little reminder of what I said. Basically, I love it.
#5. "You Win Again" - This is a song that was originally on the E.S.P. album, but I first heard it on my American release of One. There's a fun story that Maurice told about this one. On the demo, they had this amazing beat that sounded like stomps, and it was only going to be on that demo. But when they met up with producer, Arif Mardin, to actually cut it, the first thing he said was, "So, have you got the stomps?" to which Maurice replied, "Um . . . no." And then I imagine Arif saying back to him, "Well, what the heck with that? Go get them!". Or something to that effect. Turns out, those stomps ended up being the most recognizable and sought out element of the song. Apparently, even Phil Collins asked for them, but this may just be a rumor.
#4. "Wish You Were Here" - This was one of the first songs that Barry, Robin and Maurice recorded after Andy died in 1988. It's simple and beautiful, and when you think of everything surrounding it, you won't be able to help but get a little emotional at the very least. If you're anything like me, though, you will full on cry at least once. Actually, if you're anything like me, you will full on cry pretty much every time you hear it.
#3. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" - I seem to recall the late, renowned Billboard editor Timothy White saying that the Bee Gees' Size Isn't Everything album was one of the strongest of their career. Agree! So much that it placed very high on my top ten albums list. And the best song on it is, without a doubt, "For Whom the Bell Tolls". So what if they stole the title from Ernest Hemingway? It wasn't the first time they did that (Hello! "Islands in the Stream"!) But seriously, if you have a dream to write an epic ballad, this is for what you should strive.
#2. "Rings Around the Moon" - If anyone, and I do mean ANYONE, knows this song without having been involved in the making of it, I will literally pass out from shock. It's one thing for me to mention a little known song from a little known album, but this one wasn't even that. It was a bonus track on the single release for the song "Alone" in 1997. I know that "B-sides", as they used to be called, were such things for a reason. They tended to be the weaker song, but not in this case. This song is absolutely phenomenal. I cannot believe it didn't make the cut for the album. This is why I will probably never understand boys and the stuff they do. But I love the visuals of the lyrics, especially in the chorus. It's just a wonderful, clearly underrated love song.
#1. "I Started a Joke" - Not only is this my favorite song by the Bee Gees, it is my favorite song, and that is the end of the sentence. It's mesmerizing, plain and simple. I know it has a lot to do with the timeless voice of Robin Gibb, but I also love the lyrics, and I get them. I get them more than the Bee Gees themselves. No, really. I'm pretty sure I remember them saying on their episode of VH1 Storytellers that they had no idea what this song was about. Well, relax, boys. I understood it. I understood it, and it completely changed me. Thanks!
You know, I could probably make a top 100 list and still have songs to spare. The Bee Gees are just everlasting. I, like so many others, am so sad that we can no longer hear new music from them, but they left us with so much of their life's work, we should be fine. And they all have a great legacy through their talented children. So, if I may quote something that someone probably said around 1979, "Wow! We're never gonna get rid of these guys, are we?" Nope! Thank God!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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