Category Archives: Movies

Night Music: Lemonheads, “Mrs. Robinson”

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As we saw with Joan Jett punkifying the Mary Tyler Moore theme, and my previous post of Hole’s version of Clouds, it’s punk’s illusions I recall.

I also recall the Lemonheads, who did the same thing with Simon and Garfunkle’s Mrs. Robinson, long before Joe Dimaggio’s 100th birthday. This is not serious, but it is hopeful it would upset Paul Simon. (Further research indicates Simon hated it, Garfunkle loved it. Beautiful.)

Evan Dando is a callow privileged ass, based on this video, but there is something theatrical that builds here. The song gets darker, despite his insipid smiles. Maybe that all derives from the movie clips. Let’s not give the Lemonheads more credit than they deserve.

Is there any reason to cover this song except the easy access to market video clips? This version certainly doesn’t improve on the original, at least not without the clips.

And, of course, you have to ask, why Venice?

Night Music: Animal Crackers, “Hooray for Captain Spaulding”

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About a year ago my friend Lisa’s husband died. Tonight there was a memorial for him in the Great Hall at Cooper Union, where his friends and family talked about his especially vibrant life.

Not neglected was his love of movies and comedy. Oh, and the Marx Brothers, who so often combined the two.

Good night, Peter.

Night Music: The Troggs, “Wild Thing”

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Came upon this funny homemade video featuring feral women like Barbara Bach, her husband Ringo Starr, and Charlton Heston, for the Troggs’ No. 1 US hit, the song that got Reg Presley out of the building trades. This is a song we’ve all heard about a million times too many, and I don’t mind it at all.

Lunch Break: Jimmy Cliff, “The Harder They Come”

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My post of yesterday, Me Talk Pretty One Day reminded me of the great Percy Henzell film from 1972, The Harder They Come.

In the movie, Jimmy Cliff plays frustrated singer Ivanhoe Martin, a young man with talent, but one unable to generate any buzz or interest in his skill either within the music industry, or with the Jamaican population.

So, he becomes and outlaw, first as part of a record deal, and then because it becomes too late to turn the clock back.

Not only is the film really great, but the soundtrack is maybe the best compilation of reggae ever assembled.

But, it was also the first film I ever saw where the words were spoken in English, but the accents were so thick, that American audiences were blessed with subtitles (I think the words of the Pikers in the movie Snatched also might have had subtitles).

Irrespective, here is the clip from the movie with Jimmy recording the title track:

Me Talk Pretty One Day

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Any of you read David Sedaris’ very funny reflections, Me Talk Pretty One Day?

Well, I am not sure why that emerged as an appropriate title for this, but Diane and I schlepped up to the Tahoe house for the Thanksgiving holiday (rest of family will start arriving tomorrow) and we were watching Life of Brian (watching Brian, or The Holy Grail when we get here is part of the ritual for us).

Of course I was cracking up, as I think Life of Brian is not just one of the funniest–and best–movies ever, but I felt strongly that before America engaged in any invasions of Iraq or Afghanistan, every American should watch the film (and then keep watching it once a week until we were out of the middle east).

That is because the issues in that region are indeed 6000 years old, and, well, they run deep and silly. But, as the “Biggus Dickus” scene popped on, it made me wonder why it is so extra funny when characters are speaking the same language, and yet still cannot understand one another.

Not to mention, maybe such language miscues really get to the heart of human problems: that we simply don’t listen or hear to one another.

Here are some pretty good cinematic examples of this, starting with the oh so brilliant Pythons.

Yet another favorite, and perhaps the greatest parody of all time (sorry Spinal Tap), this scene also completely kills me.

While Father of the Bride does not even close to rank in a favorites list, this scene with Franck (Martin Short) does always get me, especially in the sense that the women totally get Franck, and poor, flustered Steve Martin has no clue. (I know this scene is pretty much ripped from the original, with Elizabeth Taylor and Spencer Tracy, but I like this sequence better.)

Lunch Break: Frank Patterson, “Danny Boy”

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WTF?  Frank Patterson? Danny Boy?

Yeah, fucking Danny Boy.

I had the Coen’s great Miller’s Crossing film on in the background while working.

I do love the Coen’s, and while I think Fargo and Lebowski and A Serious Man might be my favorites, then I remember Miller’s Crossing and that it pretty much blows away anything else the boys have done as a whole piece of filmaking.

I am not really a big fan of the song Danny Boy, and my understanding is that Patterson recorded this version especially for the film, but, the sweet tenor, juxtaposed with the ballet of cause and effect and subsequent violence as one mob gang tries to exterminate rival boss Leo (Albert Finney) does so much to define his character within the movie.

So, the music might not be rock and roll, but the sequence surely is.

 

Algo diferente para ustedes

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The professor of my Latin American culture class has us listen to a song or two before every class so that we can dissect them as a group. Today’s song was featured in the motion picture The Motorcycle Diaries. I just like it, and I thought some of you might enjoy it as well.