"NO OFFENCE: COMPLETE COLLECTION"
"No Offence" proved to be one of the smartest and sauciest of police procedurals. The complete run is now available on DVD from Acorn Media. The cheeky, award-winning British series brims with endearing irreverence. Created by writer Paul Abbott (the original U.K. "Shameless" and "State of Play"), it's hard-hitting and graphic, but also crackling with sharp humor. Whether battling warring gangs, drug dealers or serial killers, this Manchester squad has its own way of doing things.
Two strong, memorable female cops take center stage here. Joanna Scanlon ("Death Comes to Pemberley," "Notes on a Scandal," "The Thick of It"), is a powerhouse as the uninhibited, unyielding DI Vivienne Deering. This detective is tough and determined, but caring. Elaine Cassidy ("Acceptable Risk," "The Paradise,") imbues the role of DC Dinah Kowalska with earnestness, integrity and perseverance.
Cassidy and Scanlon are consistently compelling in their multi-dimensional portrayals. Each episode is riveting, darkly funny and packed with jarringly unexpected developments. The entire cast is top-notch. Supporting ensemble members include Alexandra Roach ("The Iron Lady"), Paul Ritter ("Lovesick," "Friday Night Dinner") and Will Mellor ("Broadchurch").
Acorn's seven-DVD set includes all 21 episodes plus deleted scenes and disarming moments with the cop show's cast and crew.
"MANON"
Henri-Georges Clouzot ranks among France's most revered directors. He's best known for the thrillers "The Wages of Fear" and "Diabolique." But also standing out as one of his greatest works is a tragic romance, the 1949 drama "Manon." Arrow Academy has just released it on Blu-ray.
Adapted from Abbe Prevost's classic novel about Manon Lescaut, the modernized film, told primarily in flashback, is set in France as World War II is ending. As the Americans are liberating a small town, Manon, a teenage girl (Cécile Aubry) is being attacked by a mob. They accuse her of collaborating with the Nazis. Is she a traitor? Or just a naive young girl who cavorted thoughtlessly with the enemy in her mother's cafe?
Her ambiguity complicates the motivation in many of Manon's actions. She's more amoral than immoral. She escapes the wrath of the townspeople by captivating a Resistance fighter, Robert (Michel Auclair) who whisks her away. They pledge undying love to one another.
But Manon craves more than affection and devotion. She lusts after material possessions -- pretty outfits, luxurious surroundings. Her dodgy brother Leon (Serge Reggiani) shows her how to get what she wants, even if means cheating on Robert with a gross, but wealthy admirer. She even sinks into prostitution.
Robert is devastated by Manon's infidelity. But her weeping pleas for forgiveness always make him relent. He stoops to profiteering, to better support her. He knows Manon is leading him down a dark path to destruction, but he can't untangle himself from the searing passion he feels for her. And she does actually love him. But for Manon, love is not enough. In their last hope for salvation, on the run, they stow away on a ship. When they're caught, they tell their sad tale to the captain. Will he show mercy?
Clouzot makes the film compelling by delving deeply into the complexities of the characters. He brings unforgettable performances out of his cast, particularly Aubry. She is convincing and bewitching, whether she's being playful, ingenuous, vulnerable, seductive, coldblooded, cunning, manipulative or fearful.
Clouzot also rivets the audience with striking imagery, especially when the action moves to the Palestine desert, for the film's dramatic conclusion. The work of cinematographer Armand Thirard, shooting in black and white, is superb.
The Arrow release of this award-winning film looks great in High Definition. The bonus features include a new video appreciation of Clouzot's work by film critic Geoff Andrew and a 1970 documentary in which Clouzot himself speaks of his zeal for literature and his adaptation process.
CDs
DOUG "COSMO" CLIFFORD - "MAGIC WINDOW"
There was far more to Creedence Clearwater Revival than just John Fogerty. CCR boasted one of the best rhythm sections in rock history. At the core, sat drummer Doug "Cosmo" Clifford. But his talents extend beyond skillfully pounding the skins. He's also a gifted songwriter and vocalist. That's clear from the new release, "Magic Window."
Released on April 24, 2020, Clifford's 75th birthday, it consists of solo tracks he recorded in 1985. He found the masters while cleaning out his garage. Quite a treasure trove! With solid guitars and bass, plus keyboards, synthesizer and harmony singers backing him, he delivers a powerful album that never falters.
Clifford's potent vocal sounds a bit like Don Henley as he kicks things off with the fiercely funky title track, "Magic Window." "Born on the South Side" churns along magnetically, Creedence-style. A tantalizing tension drives "Somebody Love Me Tonight." "Hungry For Your Love" is a catchy number. "Don't Let Go" and "Just Another Girl" are mighty fine mid-tempo rockers.
There's a 1967-era Beatles feel to the charming ballad "Don't Leave Me Alone Tonight." Clifford's vocals are equally effective on slower numbers like this one and the closer, the poignant "You Mean So Much to Me."
Though the album bears the 80s guitar band sound, there is a timelessness to Clifford's songwriting and his earnest vocals. This new release of vintage material proves that even outside of CCR, Clifford knew how to create musical magic.
You can read PCC's 2012 interview the Clifford here: http://popcultureclassics.com/ccr.html
CLAIRDEE - "A LOVE LETTER TO LENA"
The inspiration of Lena Horne -- superb singer, magnificent movie star, ardent activist and righteous role model lingers a decade after her passing. Long one of the Bay Area's finest vocalists, Clairdee is the perfect artist to pay tribute to the silky splendor of Ms. Horne. She puts her own classy spin on tunes Horne had recorded over the years.
"Old Devil Moon" swings swimmingly. A pleasant surprise comes with the vibrant arrangement and performance of "Believe in Yourself," from "The Wiz" (Horne portrayed Glinda in the movie version). Another unexpected delight is Jim Croce's "I Got A Name." Here, it's given a rich, soulful flavor.
Clairdee puts all of the ache into "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." One of the most heart-rending moments comes with her lushly yearning delivery on Billy Strayhorn's classic "Something to Live For," which features a solo by violinist Regina Carter. Clairdee shines warmly on "Maybe," a very cool take on another Strayhorn tune.
Like Lena Horne, Clairdee's vocals are pleasingly smooth and elegant. Her versatility and fabulous phrasing make each of her recordings memorable. Emotional and expressive, Clairdee's singing has a powerful effect. It is complemented by impeccable instrumentation and backing vocals. Jon Herbst served as the pianist, arranger, and producer.
Also enhancing the sumptuous sounds are guest vocalists Tony Lindsay, Janice Maxie-Reid and Kenny Washington. Actress Margo Hall offers spoken word segments that illuminate various aspects of Lena Horne's life and career. The album is a worthy homage to a great artist.
LINDA LAVIN - "LOVE NOTES"
Golden Globe and Tony-winning performer Linda Lavin lavishes personality and polish on an appealing selection of standards for her new pop/jazz album, "Love Notes." Known for starring turns in the long-running CBS sitcom "Alice," as well as several Broadway hits, she seems very much at home with these well chosen, classic tunes.
She gets things off to an upbeat start with Cole Porter's "I've Got My Eyes on You." On the next track, Lavin captures the charm and nuances of both "Not a Care in the World" (Vernon Duke & John Latouche) and "Shall We Dance" (George & Ira Gershwin). She'll set your toes to tapping when she teams "It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got That Swing)" with "I Got Rhythm." An unusual, but very effective pairing comes when Lavin combines The Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why" and the Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh gem "I Walk a Little Faster." She also surprises with a smart rendition of Steely Dan's "Black Cow."
Lavin works wonders with the tender "You Must Believe in Spring," the ravishing Michel Legrand/ Jacques Demy/ Alan & Marilyn Bergman number from the film "The Young Girls of Rochefort." She finds the Latin allure in "Chega de Saudade (No More Blues)." Her plaintive "Stars Would Fall" is one of the album's highlights. While violin and guitar swing merrily, Lavin closes the set with a lively "How High The Moon."
Pianist Billy Stritch leads the excellent band backing Lavin. With her convincing, vivacious vocals, Lavin delivers an album that is consistently zesty and entertaining. Anyone who appreciates the Great American Songbook is sure to love "Love Notes."
DANA SANDLER - "I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY"
Vocalist/composer Dana Sandler has created an extraordinarily sensitive and moving new work, "I Never Saw Another Butterfly." The deeply affecting chamber jazz pieces resulted from Sandler honoring the poetry of children interred at WWII's Terezin Concentration Camp.
Located in what now is the Czech Republic, the facility's prisoners included more than 15,000 children. Less than 100 survived. While languishing there, many of the children joined in secret classes, sketching and penning poems. This allowed them a momentary respite from their nightmarish existence. In 1959, a collection of their poetry and artwork was published under the title "I Never Saw Another Butterfly."
These creative endeavors at the camp were guided and saved by Austrian artist/educator Friedl Dicker-Brandeis... before she was sent to Auschwitz, where she was killed by the Nazis. Sandler has dedicated this album to her.
The poetry reflected a melancholy beauty. Sandler captures that here, selecting poems of a few of those children and young adults, then setting them to music. The album was released on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Preceding the works of the young poets, Sandler offers an instrumental homage to each of them -- "Dear Pavel," "Dear Franta," "Dear Alena" and "Dear Anonymous."
Her exquisite voice glides gracefully through such tunes as "The Butterfly." She captures the profound sense of loss in Pavel Friedmann's lines, "It went away I'm sure, because it wished to kiss the world goodbye... That butterfly was the last one/Butterflies don’t live in here/in the ghetto.”
There's a haunting innocence and despair as Sandler sings, "When the blossom comes to bloom, the little boy will be no more." That poem, "The Garden," was written by Franta Bass, who was 11, when he and his family were sent to Terezin. Franta died at age 14, murdered at Auschwitz.
In "On a Sunny Evening," an unknown young poet observed the glory of nature and reacted differently. As Sandler sings, "If in barbed wire, things can bloom/Why couldn't I?/I will not die!"
Sandler blends the touching "I'd Like to Go Alone" with the traditional "Ani Ma'amin." Her daughter Rory joins her on the vocals for "Home/The Old House."
An emotional resonance shines through every track. Sandler's melodies give each poem its own special identity, while establishing a cohesive and compelling aura for the album as a whole. An ensemble of superb musicians helps to bring her brilliant compositions to life. Her poignant project will help listeners to never forget the tragedy at the root of these creations.
Though its origin recalls the unspeakable horror of which man is capable, the album celebrates the resiliency of the human spirit and the unquenchable urge to express oneself through the arts, even under the most impossible, soul-crushing circumstances. Sandler's lovely, skillfully sculpted songs convey a profound sadness, but also offer hope. Ultimately, they're moving and inspiring.
These pieces are timeless. Sandler sings on Alena Synkova-Munkova's poem, "I'd Like to Go Alone,"
I'd like to go away alone.
Where there are other nicer people,
Somewhere into the far unknown,
There, where no one kills another.
Maybe more of us,
A thousand strong,
Will reach this goal
Before too long.
Synkova-Munkova was one of the 100 Terezin children who survived.
BOOKS
ALL I EVER WANTED: A ROCK & ROLL MEMOIR
By Kathy Valentine [University of Texas Press]
Every rock band goes through its struggles. But nothing could stop the Go-Go's from becoming the first all-female group who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the American charts. Their whole, wild ride is documented in band member Kathy Valentine's fascinating new book, "All I Ever Wanted: A Rock & Roll Memoir."
She grew up in Austin. But it was on a trip to England, with her British mother, that Valentine had her epiphany, seeing the dynamic Suzi Quatro performing on TV. It was a rarity to view women really rocking in those days.
Rock 'n' roll was Valentine's salvation, as she grew up in a broken home with little parental guidance or discipline. She reveled in the music of such bands as Cream, ZZ Top, Mountain and Led Zeppelin.
Valentine doesn't shy away from discussing the darker elements of her life -- date rape, drug and alcohol abuse -- but she also reveals the transcendent power of making music. When she picked up a guitar, it changed her life forever.
She played in The Textones. She moved to Los Angeles, where artists like X and Lydia Lunch were all the rage in the underground music scene. There, Valentine, then 21, happened to meet guitarist Charlotte Caffey at the Whisky. This led to Valentine learning to play bass and joining Caffey, guitarist Jane Wiedlin, drummer Gina Schock and vocalist Belinda Carlisle in The Go-Go's.
In 1980, they ventured to England, where they broke through. Soon their innovative blend of punk, surf and power pop resulted in such irrepressible smash hits as "We Got The Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed." Valentine co-wrote such iconic Go-Go's songs as "Vacation" and "Head Over Heels."
But they had to navigate many obstacles, from label rip-offs to misogyny. There were trials and tribulations, as well as triumphs. Conflicts and camaraderie. Fun and fractiousness. A plethora of partying.
These young women had formed a sisterhood, albeit a dysfunctional one. Despite all the drama, when The Go-Go's finally went through a bitter break-up, it was devastating. Valentine had to redefine her identity. She had to reinvent herself.
Over the years, there were intriguing interactions with such notables as Keith Richards, Blondie's Clem Burke, Carlene Carter, Carla Olson, John Belushi, Dave Stewart, The Police and The Runaways.
With wit, wisdom and unwavering honesty, Valentine writes about her extraordinary life. It makes for an insightful, enthralling memoir. She makes clear that, for her, beyond the madness, it's still all about the music.
JENNIFER JUNIPER
: A JOURNEY BEYOND THE MUSE
By Jenny Boyd [Urbane Publications]
It's often been said that, if you can remember the 60s, you weren't there. Disproving that notion, in compelling fashion, is Jenny Boyd. She was very much there, at the center of the 60s and 70s pop culture revolution, as young people sought to create a brave new world. And she remembers it all, quite vividly.
She was married to Mick Fleetwood and survived the turbulent evolution of Fleetwood Mac. Her sister, Pattie, was married to George Harrison and then Eric Clapton. So Boyd absorbed the whirlwind of the British Invasion music explosion. Jenny inspired songs penned by Donovan and Mick Jagger (though she never learned which Stones tune she had sparked).
She also participated in the fashion revolution, modeling during the heyday of Carnaby Street. In the Summer of Love, during the Flower Power era, Jenny was staying in the hub of the movement, San Francisco. Her encounters included everyone from Jan Berry to Keith Moon to Jefferson Airplane to Hell's Angels.
Her adventures are recalled in detail in her new memoir, "Jennifer Juniper: A Journey Beyond The Muse."
We learn that the beautiful Boyd sisters had a difficult childhood, thanks to an estranged, physically and emotionally scarred father and an abusive stepfather.
The magic of the music scene transported the girls. Jenny was in her mid-teens, when Pattie appeared in "A Hard Day's Night" and became Harrison's significant other. Thus Jenny experienced the height of Beatlemania first-hand.
She shared in the spiritual quest later in the 60s. Drug experimentation swirled all around. But for Jenny, this was not the answer. She joined The Beatles and Pattie on their trek to India to meditate with the Maharishi. She chronicles the band's disillusionment with their giggling guru, who was accused lecherous proclivities.
Readers will enjoy fresh insights into rock icons. Harrison comes across as warm and caring; Clapton as dangerous, when drinking and drugging.
Jenny blossomed with motherhood, but struggled with the challenges of being wed to a rock star. Fleetwood was aloof, remote even when he wasn't on the road. Jenny was expected to be the docile homemaker, while he went galavanting across the globe, as his band's fame grew. And of course, there was his cocaine-fueled craziness.
And there were his affairs, including an especially galling one with Mac maiden Stevie Nicks. Through their drastic ups and downs, the bond between Fleetwood and Jenny never completely crumbled. But when they were a couple, Jenny too often felt alone and filled with self-doubt.
Being a muse and the "wife of" didn't fulfill Jenny. She needed to find her own voice, her own path. During her second marriage, this one to rock/jazz drummer Ian Wallace (King Crimson, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan), she went back to school and earned a Ph. D in Human Behavior. Now a research psychologist currently married to an architect, Jenny studied musicians' creative processes and wrote the well received book "It's Not Only Rock 'n' Roll."
Never resorting to sensationalism, Jenny Boyd's new memoir gives us a thoughtful and illuminating glimpse into the world of rock stars and their romantic partners. It's a remarkable journey and she makes it a thoroughly absorbing experience for readers.
