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DEJA RE-VU
"NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST"/"ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES" Produced by Roger and Gene Corman, it's the science-fiction/horror tale of an astronaut who dies as he returns from space. But wait, he's alive again! However, it becomes clear there's something not quite right about him. Perhaps it has something to do with the alien that's using his body as an incubator for its offspring. As suspense builds, scientists at a remote research station must figure out what to do. Leo Gordon, who wrote the screenplay, acted in hundreds of projects, usually as a baddie in westerns or gangster pics. He also appeared on "The Rockford Files," "Little House on the Prairie" "Cheyenne," "The Untouchables" and tons of other TV shows. In addition, Gordon had numerous writing credits, including "The Wasp Woman" and such episodic TV as "Bat Masterson," "Lawman," "Maverick," "Bonanza" and "Hawaiian Eye." The movie is barely over an hour. Fortunately, as a bonus, you get to view a new HD print of "Attack of the Giant Leeches." It's not easy convincing people that they're under siege by oversized leeches. When an adulterous woman and her lover disappear in the swamp, will the local police suspect the jealous husband? Or will they buy his story, that monstrous, slime creatures dragged them beneath the muck? Authorities are reluctant to accept that the recent deaths and disappearances were caused by anything non-human. When you watch these movies, you might think, "I guess the director couldn't land any other gig." The fact is, Bernard L. Kowalski, who had charge of both of the flicks, was a prolific TV director, helming episodes of such series as "Richard Diamond," "Perry Mason," "The Rifleman," "The Rebel," "Knight Rider" and "Diagnosis Murder." So "Leeches" and "Blood Beast" weren't exactly his finest moments. "Leeches" stars wooden hulk Ken Clark. The cast includes the alluring Yvette Vickers, whom you might remember from "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman." If you're longing for more of the vixenish Vickers, there's a collection of her stills, among the slideshows in the bonus features. Other extras for the two films in this Film Masters set include commentaries, a featurette on director Kowalski, re-cut trailers, and an 8mm silent digest version of "Blood Beast." If you can't reel off enough wisecracks of your own while watching these pictures, the set includes the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" episodes for both. There are some horrible quality versions of these films on the market. Unquestionably the Film Masters new restorations are vastly superior to anything else that's out there. This package makes for an entertaining, campy double feature.
"ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK" There's a lot more to Elvira than just décolletage and a mountain of raven-colored hair. Cassandra Peterson (her real name) flaunts a sensationally sassy sense of humor and a take-no-crap attitude, which brought her stardom as a TV horror movie hostess. She fashioned a character in the vein of Maila Nurmi's Vampira, but with more over-the-top amusing twists. At the height of her popularity, she starred in the feature "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark." Arrow has released the 1988 movie in a vibrant 4K Blu-Ray edition. Though the picture is far from a classic, it serves up loads of silly fun, spoofing cheesy genre flicks. There's a funny scene parodying a famous "Flashdance" moment. The slim plot involves Elvira, having quit her TV hosting gig, going to a small town to check out the decrepit mansion she just inherited from her great-aunt Morgana. The outlandish personality is not exactly welcomed with open arms by the staid locals. They would rather burn her at the stack than get her autograph. And her uncle, who happens to be warlock, is sneaking around trying to snare the family spell book. The queen of innuendo and double-entendre, Elvira fires off wisecracks as she thwarts would-be harassers and rip-off artists. Peterson shows why she became a pop culture icon. The Arrow newly restored, special edition's Dolby Vision/HDR visuals and original uncompressed stereo 2.0 audio impress. So do the many bonus features, which include several audio commentary tracks; a feature-length documentary about the making of the movie; a featurette on the creation of the infamous "pot monster," storyboards, trailers and more.
LINDA RONSTADT -- "LIVE IN HOLLYWOOD" (EXPANDED DIGITAL RE-RELEASE) From start to finish, on these 20 tracks, recorded for an HBO special in 1980, Ronstadt's performances are breathtaking. She'll rock you with a vengeance on selections like Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy," Chuck Berry's "Back in the U.S.A." Billy Steinberg's "How Do I Make You" and Warren Zevon's "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me." Then Linda will tear your heart out on such ballads as J. D. Souther's "Faithless Love," Lowell George's "Willin'" and The Eagles "Desperado." No matter how familiar the song, Ronstadt makes it sound fresh and new -- Al Gorgoni and Chip Taylor's "I Can't Let Go," a 1966 UK smash for The Hollies; Doris Troy's Top 10 R&B classic "Just One Look" (which had also been covered by The Hollies); and Clint Ballard Jr.'s "You're No Good," a huge hit for Ronstadt, which had previously been recorded by Dee Dee Warwick, Betty Everett and The Swinging Blue Jeans. On Roy Orbison's "Blue Bayou," Ronstadt sings exquisitely in both English and Spanish. She also works wonders with "Hurts So Bad," written by Bobby Hart, Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein and a mega-hit for Little Anthony and The Imperials. If you already purchased the earlier release, the reason for grabbing this digital edition is the eight previously unreleased live tracks. They're all powerful, must-have performances. They include cuts from her then current "Mad Love" album, among them Elvis Costello's "Party Girl," Neil Young's "Look Out for My Love" and the title track, penned by Mark Goldenberg. Goldenberg's "Cost of Love," also from that record, is another potent rocker, delivered with urgency by Ronstadt. Another highlight is her wildly exhilarating rendition of "Lies" a Beatles-ish 60s hit by The Knickerbockers, which ended up being part of Ronstadt's 1982 "Get Closer" album. Ronstadt's magnificent voice magnetically holds the spotlight. Always 100 percent authentic, she puts her distinctive, luminous imprint on everything she sings. But she always serves the song... and the songwriter. And she's perfectly complemented by her all-star band, which features guitarists Kenny Edwards and Danny Kortchmar, drummer Russ Kunkel, bassist Bob Glaub, keyboardist Billy Payne (Little Feat), pedal steel guitarist Dan Dugmore, and on backing vocals, singer-songwriter Wendy Waldman and Ronstadt manager/producer Peter Asher (of Peter & Gordon fame). This tour-de-force concert is as dazzling as it was when it was recorded nearly 45 years ago. The Ronstadt magic is eternal.
IAIN MATTHEWS - "HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH" The opener, "Ripples in the Stream," flows beautifully. The symbolic "The Bird and the Fish" tenderly uplifts. The songwriter worriedly looks around at the raging world and asks, "Where Is The Love?" In a droll poke at the modern age, "She's A Digital Girl" depicts a teen blissfully lost in an internet haze. "Santa Fe Line" chugs along amiably with the air of a classic English folk tune. He sings eloquently of a life in music in the title track, "How Much Is Enough?" Tribute is paid to our musical roots with "Rhythm and Blues." Matthews co-wrote "It's Complicated" with his Dutch collaborator/producer BJ Baartmans. There's political bite to "Turn and Run" and a haunting, relevant profundity to "The New Dark Ages." Matthews closes with the lovely "To Baby." Every one of the gentle, intelligent, involving songs here is gem. The arrangements and production are perfect, tastefully complementing, never overpowering Matthews' engaging vocals and thoughtful lyrics. The instrumentation is subtly elegant. His daughter supplies some backing vocals. Matthews was born in England, lived in Los Angeles for several productive years and is now based in the Netherlands. Wherever he resides, he continues to make extraordinary music. How much is enough? When it comes to Matthews, we can never get enough.
You can read our 2015 interview with Matthews here:
BROADCAST - "DISTANT CALL: COLLECTED DEMOS 2000- 2006" Although Broadcast's electronic, psych-folk music earned critics' acclaim and a devoted cult following, they released only a handful of studio albums. But musical notions danced into Keenan's fertile mind ceaselessly. She breathed music in. She breathed music out. With her musical soulmate Cargill, she went on fascinating sonic explorations, creating intricate, layered recordings that hypnotized and surprised. They bounced inspirations off one another and took off on bold voyages, taking us along with them for glorious flights. The new collection, filled with enchanting melodies and intriguing lyrics, permits us to hear many songs in nascent moments, before they were fully fleshed out. Yet they are affecting and memorable. The demos come from different stages of development, some reflecting the seeds of promising musical ideas, others a bit closer to being wholly realized. These are the sketches for what would become brilliant musical paintings. And in this form, we can appreciate the songwriting more clearly. The album opens with the touching "Tears in the Typing Pool" whose final version was heard on the "Tender Buttons" album. Trisha's echo-y, effects-laden voice, vulnerable and unguarded, sounds like it's wafting down to us from another dimension, a gift from the great beyond. The perfect, pure, pretty simplicity of "The Little Bell" and "Distant Call," with an acoustic guitar providing the spare backing, allow Keenan's vocals to gently captivate. A throat-clearing in the middle of "Colour Me In" breaks the spell for an instant, reminding us we're hearing unfinished recordings. But a split second later, we're completely enraptured by Keenan again. Sweet harmonies weave their way through numbers like "Ominous Cloud" and "Please Call to Book." Other high points of the collection include "Still Feels Like Tears," "Come Back to Me," "Valerie," the delicately swirling "Flame Left From the Sun," and "O How I Miss You." O how we miss you, Trish.
She sings on "Poem of a Dead Song," We could say the same of this one-of-a-kind artist. The intimacy of these unadorned tracks is disarming and alluring. Throughout, Keenan's voice mesmerizes. Though she's calling to us from an infinite distance, she reaches deep inside us, stirring a vast array of thoughts and emotions. As Broadcast did over the course of their influential, fiercely independent, fantastically fruitful body of work, on these demos, Keenan and Cargill connect with one another -- and with us -- on a profound level. The music here, fragile and unforgettable, proves to be beautifully haunting. Keenan left us far too soon. But she left us a treasure trove of lasting music. "Distant Call" adds to a lustrous legacy.
THE WALL OF LIFE: PICTURES AND STORIES FROM THIS MARVELOUS LIFETIME The chapter titled "Beginnings" offers cute shots of her idyllic childhood in Virginia and her loving bond with brother Warren (Beatty), Then it was on to New York, New York, where she found first love and a Broadway debut. On to Hollywood, where she learned the ropes by working with Alfred Hitchcock, and a helpful John Forsythe, on "The Trouble With Harry." The book includes reminiscences about MacLaine's encounters with such luminaries as Marlene Dietrich, Jerry Lewis, Barbra Streisand, Bette Davis, Stephen Hawking, Teddy Kennedy and Elvis Presley. She even had a surprising meet-up with Fidel Castro. She talks about friendships with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jack Nicholson, Jack Lemmon, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Peter Sellers, Michael Caine, Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon, and Bella Abzug, as well as the romances, which included Robert Mitchum and Danny Kaye. There are anecdotes about making many of her classic films, such as "Around The World in 80 Days," "Can-Can," "The Apartment," "The Turning Point" and "Terms of Endearment." MacLaine is a multi-dimensional woman, so her book touches on her political activism and her role as mom, as well as her performing. "The Wall of Life" is an opportunity to thumb through the scrapbook of one of the world's more interesting people. And she's on board to present context and details about the fabulous photos.
DAMN GLAD TO MEET YOU: MY SEVEN DECADES IN THE HOLLYWOOD TRENCHES That likability transfers well to the page. In his new memoir, Matheson charms as he uses an entertaining, conversational tone to tell his life story. His career goes back to the early 60s, when he was a child actor, appearing in such iconic shows as "Leave It to Beaver" and "My Three Sons." He voiced the title character in the hit animated series "Jonny Quest." His anecdotes about those days will delight Boomers. Matheson is one of the rare actors to make the transition from child actor to adult star. It was an eye-opener to be working with legends Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda in 1968's family comedy "Yours, Mine and Ours." A year later, Jackie Gleason and Bob Hope made a huge impression on Matheson, as they filmed "How to Commit Marriage." But the more important lasting influence from that picture, Matheson relates, came from Leslie Nielsen, who offered invaluable advice. The busy Matheson had recurring roles on "Bonanza" and "The Virginian." There are riveting moments with Michael Landon and Lorne Greene n the book. Matheson guested on countless hit series, including "Night Gallery," "Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law," "Kung Fu," "Rhoda," "Black Sheep Squadron" and "Hawaii Five-O." He co-starred with Kurt Russell in the too brief 1976 series "The Quest." Westerns were out of fashion at that time. But Matheson does have great stories about making the show. He also has some memorable tidbits to offer about Clint Eastwood, with whom he made the 1973 Dirty Harry opus "Magnum Force." Matheson learned a lot about the craft from observing Eastwood as he shared scenes with him. He learned about the perils of rock stardom when he went on a promotional tour with The Beach Boys for 1978's "Almost Summer." Matheson makes clear he felt lucky to have survived the sustained drug, alcohol and sex frenzy. One of the roles for which Matheson is best remembered was also released that year -- "National Lampoon's Animal House." And yes, the book goes into great detail about that momentous shoot. He landed the part of Otter after Chevy Chase passed on the project. John Belushi, who warrants his own short chapter in Matheson's memoir, was on his best behavior during the filming of "Animal House." Matheson points out that he worked with other comic actors who left us too soon -- John Candy, Sam Kinison, Doug Kenney and Chris Farley. Matheson worked with Belushi again on Steven Spielberg's overblown comedy "1941," one of the director's few bombs. But a number of unforgettable yarns came out of that production, including one involving Nancy Allen and Brian De Palma. Filming "Fletch," Chevy Chase requested that Matheson hurl vicious insults at him from off camera, to get him in the proper frame of mind for a scene. Matheson kept working, showing his versatility, doing numerous TV-movies. He earned Emmy nominations for his work on "The West Wing." He parlayed his vast experience into a second successful career -- as a director. The book contains a wealth of behind-the-scenes movie and television stories. He unveils the insanity of Hollywood, the degrading process of auditioning, the juicy roles that got away. But the actor was able to glide through the peaks and valleys. Matheson also lets us in on his wild romantic romps along the way. Remaining unwaveringly relevant, Matheson continues to add to his credits. Recently, he has been seen as a regular on the "Virgin River" Netflix series. He has had full, rich life and he tells about it with candor and wit. His account of seven decades in the Hollywood trenches, funny and touching, makes a damn good read.
SIDNEY POITIER: This new book, compiled by his widow Joanna Poitier and with a foreword by Oprah Winfrey, has carefully collected stirring lines from speeches Poitier gave over the course of his life. They are illuminating and thought-provoking. The star earned the public's reverence. But the book gives the reader an even greater understanding and appreciation for the heart and soul of this extraordinary man. The pearls of wisdom within these pages were drawn from speeches Poitier gave at all sorts of events -- awards shows, commencement ceremonies and memorials. He honors filmmakers such as Martin Ritt and George Stevens, Jr. He offers a sense of black artists' contributions to our culture, singing the praises of such figures as Harry Belafonte, Marian Anderson, Quincy Jones, Sarah Vaughan and Berry Gordy, Jr. He cites the breakthroughs achieved by Thurgood Marshall, the first African American justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Poitier touches on everything from civil rights to movie history to raising children. He doesn't shy away from the painful elements of our existence. But his optimism never wavers. Poitier had a gift for inspiring others. Addressing graduating students, he said, "Expect you may find a world that is not working quite as well as it should, or you would like it to. For the fact is the world at large is not in the best of shape at the moment. Expect to be welcomed into it because your ideas, your energy, your dreams are essential to its future." Over the years, facing numerous challenges, Poitier's integrity, courage and determination could never be shaken. He made many iconic films, including "A Patch of Blue," "The Defiant Ones," "The World, The Flesh and The Devil," "To Sir, With Love," "In The Heat of the Night" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." In putting together this impressive book, Joanna Poitier has taken another important step in preserving her husband's shining legacy. Email Paul Freeman at paul@popcultureclassics.com |
