"THE BIG CLOCK"
This film deserves to be far more widely known. It's brilliant -- unique and and highly entertaining. It's a thriller with noir overtones and numerous comedic bits. A perfect balance is achieved by director John Farrow ("Night Has a Thousand Eyes," "Hondo"). He skillfully captures a Hitchcockian flavor, while establishing a fluid, striking, distinctive visual style of his own. The cinematography is equally impressive.The film was co-produced by Richard Maibaum, who wrote the early James Bond films.
It all starts with story. And this picture has a compelling one. With a script by Jonathan Latimer, from a Kenneth Fearing novel, is takes us into the publishing empire ruled ruthlessly by imposing magnate Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton). He is proud of his big clock, which is a focal point of his massive office building. And Janoth coldly expects everything and everyone to run like clockwork. George Stroud (Ray Milland), editor of the company's true crime magazine, maintains his individuality.
When a murder takes place, Janoth forces Stroud to forego his long-planned family vacation/overdue honeymoon. Stroud is assigned to find the mystery man who committed the crime. The dilemma is that he himself is the unfortunate fellow he's supposed to track down! As an innocent man, urgently trying to avoid becoming the fall guy, Stroud must unmask the real killer. But the noose is getting tighter by the minute. Tick-tock. Farrow keeps the suspense mounting.
The cast is superb. Milland is at his best, charming and convincing. He deftly handles the lighthearted moments, but also delivers the goods when his trapped character is intense, frightened, desperate. Laughton makes a marvelous villain, suggesting ample subtext to the publisher's motivations.
Maureen O' Sullivan (John Farrow's wife and Mia's mum) plays Milland's irritated wife. Rita Johnson is gorgeous, enticing and dangerous as Laughton's mistress. She's a femme fatale, but not a typical one. Despite her greed and manipulation, the character has a sympathetic quality, thanks to Johnson.
Elsa Lanchester (Laughton's real-life wife) delights as an eccentric painter. And Harry Morgan (from TV's "Dragnet") proves appropriately unnerving as the publisher's silent, but deadly henchman. Nostalgic TV fans will also notice, in very small roles, two 50s favorites -- Noel Neill (Lois Lane on "Superman") and Richard Webb ("Captain Midnight").
The extras on the Blu-ray disc are extraordinary. There's an in-depth, insightful analysis of the film by Adrian Wootton, the critic and chief executive of Film London. The new audio commentary by film scholar Adrian Martin adds even more layers to our appreciation of "The Big Clock." Another treat is the 1948 radio dramatization of the story, also starring Milland.
Laughton is certainly a complex and intriguing personality and we get wonderful bonus feature here -- "A Difficult Actor," a revealing look at him by fellow actor Simon Callow ("Four Weddings and a Funeral"), who wrote a Laughton biography. Also provided are the original theatrical trailer and a gallery of vintage stills and promotional materials.
"SEX MADNESS REVEALED"
Kino Classics brings us this deliciously dark, ingenious, twist-filled spoof on Blu-ray. Writers Tim Kirk (who also directed) and Patrick Cooper took a 1938 black-and-white sexploitation melodrama, which masqueraded as a public service film, and transformed it into something entirely new.
The original movie, "Sex Madness" (aka "Human Wreckage, aka "They Must Be Told," aka "Trial Marriage"), directed by Dwain Esper, introduces us to an innocent woman (Vivian McGill), a small-town beauty contest winner, who arrives in New York, eager to enter the spotlight. Harsh realities lead her astray and after an alcohol-blurred night, she winds up with syphilis. The film details her terrible travails. Also, to cement its educational function, it shows not-for-the squeamish actual photos of the ravaging effects of the disease. Along the way, the movie offers glimpses of wild parties, burlesque houses and even a hint of lesbianism.
"Revealed" brings another layer to this bargain basement sex hygiene film. It introduces the voice of Jimmy Morris (Patton Oswalt) who's doing an audio commentary of "Sex Madness" for his tacky "Film Dick" podcast series. Morris brings on the mysterious Chester Holloway, the grandson of the original filmmaker. Holloway begins by providing tasty trivia about the making of "Sex Madness." It's the stuff that might be expected in such an enterprise. But gradually, Holloway reveals his grandfather's horrifying schemes and methods. Too late, Morris realizes that the shocking threads are still being woven... and he himself may be trapped!
This creation cleverly satirizes audio commentaries, as well as "Mystery Science Theater 3000" sort of riffing. Oswalt (a regular on the revived MST3K) gives the project all the right levels of humor and tension, making it funny and engrossing. Rob Zabrecky, voicing Holloway, is spot-on with a dry, deadpan delivery that tingles with an undercurrent of off-beat menace.
The Blu-ray contains several not-to-be missed special features, including the short "The Other Side with Zabrecky, in which Rob, playing a spiritualist, connects comedian Will Forte ("SNL," "Last Man on Earth") with the ghost of W.C. Fields. Also on the disc is the original, unadulterated version of "Sex Madness," as you'll probably curious about it, after experiencing "Revealed."
"BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS"
Shout Select's new Blu-ray release of the 1986 movie version of "Brighton Beach Memoirs" displays Neil Simon at his best. In this semi-autobiographical story, which he adapted from his award-winning play, Simon finds poignant dramatic moments he can weave into his sentimental, nostalgic piece. But he doesn't skimp on the laughs, which are plentiful. In some of his later works, the playwright worked too hard to show his earnest, weighty side, wanting to be taken seriously. But here, he manages to make significant comments on Depression-era challenges, as well as the love and friction of family relationships. Yet the witty Simon consistently peppers the scenes with dialogue that's wonderfully snappy and true.
In 1930s Brooklyn, fifteen-year-old Eugene Morris Jerome (Jonathan Silverman "Weekend at Bernie's") is coming of age and that's a painful journey. He just may be the world's horniest human being. The rest of his family may be unaware of it, but his older brother Stanley (Brian Drillinger) needles him about that itch. Their tough-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside mother (Blythe Danner) has generously invited her widowed sister (Judith Ivey) and two nieces to live with them. Stanley has a crush on the older girl.
Having extra mouths to feed results in hardship for the Jeromes, who already were having difficulty making ends meet. It means Eugene's father (Bob Dishy) must wear himself to a frazzle, working a second job. Stanley struggles to help out financially. The father has the added worry of the impending war in Europe, a looming nightmare for every Jewish family with relatives overseas. Meanwhile, Eugene dreams of joining the New York Yankees, becoming a writer... and, of course, sex.
The cast handle handles the golden Simon material well, particularly Silverman and Dishy. Watch for brief appearances by Steven Hill (the original "Mission Impossible" TV series) as Stanley's intolerant employer, Fyvush Finkel as the local butcher and Jason Alexander cast as a tough pool shark (a far cry from his role of George on "Seinfeld.")
Both audio and video quality are first-rate on the Blu-ray. And the original theatrical trailer is included on the disc.
"CHARLIE CHAPLIN: FILM MUSIC ANTHOLOGY"
For this silent film star, music was vital. Charlie Chaplin was a prolific composer who began writing and publishing movie music as early as 1916. Yet he was completely untrained as a musician. He could neither read nor write music notation. Chaplin believed that being versed in proper music structure would hinder his creativity. He preferred to let the melodies and rhythms pour out of him freely and naturally.
He could play a bit of piano, violin and cello, the instrument he most loved. In composing, he would sing, hum and similarly convey to accomplished musicians what he wanted. They would then handle the transcriptions and arrangements, which were completed exactly to his demanding specifications. The music was played by musicians live in the theatres in the early days. Once synchronized sound was introduced to film, Chaplin delighted in the control that gave him over the sounds that would accompany his ingenious visuals.
This new two-disc anthology, assembled by the Chaplin Office and released by [PIAS], honors the 130th anniversary of the comedy legend's birth. It opens the door to a greater appreciation of the sophistication and breadth of Chaplin's work as a composer. The first disc consists of music he composed in Hollywood from 1931 to 1952. We hear dramatic flourishes of the opening music from "City Lights"; the frenzied and exotic nightclub snippet from the same film; both the ominous and whimsical aspects of automation of "Modern Times"; the epic sweep of the main theme from Chaplin's devastating spoof of Hitler, "The Great Dictator"; and the lush and lovely waltz from "The Gold Rush."
Even in tracks that last only a minute or two, vivid moods and powerful emotions shine through. One longer number, "Nonsense Song," from "Modern Times," will have you chuckling, as Chaplin sings in what sounds like a foreign language, but is really gibberish.
You'll recognize one of his most famous compositions, the heart-tugging "Smile," from "Modern Times." It became a standard, recorded by countless pop artists.
Disc two contains material Chaplin composed at his home in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland from 1957 to 1976. In that span, in addition to scoring his brilliant satirical feature "A King in New York," he created new scores for many of his earlier films that were being rereleased. From 1957's "A King in New York," we hear the irresistible "Juke Box," sung by Shani Wallis," as well as "Now That It's Ended," with a wistful vocal by Joy Nichols. Vastly different are the militaristic marches he composed for "Shoulder Arms."
Other highlights of this disc include the jaunty "Rag," from "A Dog's Life" and the amusing country tune, "Bound for Texas," sung by Matt Munro, from "The Pilgrim." Selections from "The Circus" include another of the anthology's Chaplin vocals, "Swing High, Little Girl." "The Kid"offers a fanciful musical flight. Latin rhythms enliven "The South American Theme" from "The Idle Class." There's a reflective feel to "Forgotten," from "Sunnyside."
As we listen to the 67 tracks here, we can imagine a starving gold prospector devouring his shoelaces as spaghetti or a melancholy tramp staring longingly at a winsome girl. From slapstick silent shorts to the dark later features such as "Monsieur Verdoux," about a serial killer, Chaplin used music to illustrate and enhance what was happening on screen. It's fascinating to hear his compositions assembled on this anthology. These tasty morsels will leave you hungering to view the classic films and to hear the music in context.
MARY QUANT
Editor Jenny Lister; Foreword by Suzy Menkes [V & A Publishing]
British Invasion bands such asThe Beatles, The Dave Clark 5, The Stones, The Who and The Kinks were changing the face of popular music. Terence Stamp, Albert Finney, Richard Harris and Peter O'Tool were doing the same with film acting. But equally important to the exciting London scene of the swinging 60s were the innovative, wondrously imaginative fashions of Mary Quant. She was a mod marvel. Her clothes were vibrant and brave, sassy and fun.
This beautiful new, 224-page, hardback book, published as an accompaniment to a Quant exhibition at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, demonstrates how the designer shifted the art of fashion from an elitist, niche pedestal to something with which everyone could identify. Representing a burst of individuality and self-expression, her work reflected the era's burgeoning youthful exuberance, rebelliousness and irreverence.
Written with access to Quant's archives, the book tells her life story and details her impact on the rapidly changing look of the day. Quant's influence can still be seen in today's fashions. The illustration-filled book includes vintage photos, as well as new shots of her miniskirts and other designs.
Quant's clothes are forever linked with the revolutionary artistic explosion emanating from that special time and place, London of the 60s. There are great, historic photos here, such as one of Pattie Boyd modeling a "Miss Moffett" dress, surrounded by The Rolling Stones. There's another of Twiggy parading a smart Quant outfit in front of a Union Jack. A 1967 advertisement showing young ladies modeling Quant berets asks, "Is This Just Another Fad?" Well, Quant's fashions have actually proven to be timeless. Poring through the pages of the book, you'll find the designs to be as playful and pleasing as ever.
THE BIG BOOK OF ROCK & ROLL NAMES
By Adam Dolgins [Abrams Image]
Have you ever wondered how your favorite bands got their odd names? Of course you have. This new book by Adam Dolgins will sate your curiosity and make you a fount of trivia knowledge. It's a great concept, fully realized. You'll learn how artists -- listed alphabetically from ABBA to ZZ Top -- chose their memorable monickers. There are 536 artists in all.
Sometimes bands agonize over what the name should be. It has to be something that hasn't been used before, even by an obscure act. Other groups casually accept a name on a whim, not thinking that, for example, calling themselves Flock of Seagulls might result in rowdy audience members shouting bird sounds at them.
Puns have been popular, as epitomized by The Beatles.
You'll discover that The Yardbirds found their identity, when lead vocalist Keith Relf saw that term, a reference to hobos, in the liner notes for a Jack Kerouac poetry LP. Deep Purple came from the Nino Tempo and April Stevens single of that name, the favorite tune of Ritchie Blackmore's grandmother. Duran Duran came from the name of the villain in the Jane Fonda sci-fi spoof "Barbarella." Herman's Hermits was borrowed from a character in "The Bullwinkle Show" cartoons.
Solo artists are included, as well, for example, Pink, Chubby Checker and Bruno Mars, who took his first name from his dad's wrestling idol, 60s champ Bruno Sammartino.
Many of the stories of the sources of names come in quotes from the artists themselves, such as Joan Jett talking about both The Runaways and The Blackhearts.
There are so many diverse artists detailed here -- Beastie Boys, The Fugs, The Ronettes, The Tubes, My Chemical Romance, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire and on and on.
You'll often learn about earlier names that were quickly discarded. For instance, The Association was first going to call themselves The Aristocrats, using the punchline to the world's dirtiest joke.
It's a fun read. Peruse the first few entries and you'll quickly find yourself hooked. You won't want to stop until you get to the final fact -- ZZ Top's name originated with the combination of a blues legend, a lesser known R&B singer and a door's wooden beams.
