Hallelujah, “Star Wars” Fans!

You like the look of this?

How about this?

Olivia Munn IS Princess Leia!

How THAT for a “Star Wars” tease?

When I worked with Olivia at G4, she created quite a sensation when she first put on the Princess Leia outfit…and no one was more committed to the performance than Olivia – well, except for the guy who made THIS:

“Star Wars: Episode VII” Has A Release Date!

The internet exploded with “star joy” when word came out that “Star Wars: Episode VII” had a release date! Here is the official announcement:

“With pre-production in full-swing, a confirmed release date of December 18, 2015, has been set for Lucasfilm’s highly anticipated Star Wars: Episode VII.

“We’re very excited to share the official 2015 release date for Star Wars: Episode VII, where it will not only anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season but also ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture,” said Alan Horn, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.

Star Wars: Episode VII will be directed by J.J. Abrams and is being scripted by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi). John Williams is returning to score Star Wars: Episode VII.

Shooting is scheduled to begin spring 2014 at Pinewood Studios.

And fans are already offering up their version of the movie’s poster art, beginning with this brilliant teaser from “The Mad Butcher!”

Fan anticipation is high, as you can see…here are a few more fan-created “Episode VII” posters:

And, here is the first official teaser from Disney themselves:

OK, there is some amazing “Star Wars” artwork being shared right now – can’t wait to see what happens over the next two years!

And as the world anxiously awaits the next “Star Wars” movie, fans continue to find new ways to entertain themselves…

“I Now Pronounce You, BIG “Star Wars” Fans!”

“Star Wars” weddings are nothing new – put that phrase in “search” and you will find pictures like the one I shared with you above – after all, fans have had a rabid interest in the movie franchise since it premiered in 1977. It’s easy for forget how much the world changed when this image appeared:

The Internet Loves Star Wars, And Star Wars Loves The Internet!

We all know what a phenomenon “Star Wars” is…and that means there is a never-ending flow of material for fans, by fans, and among fans – all about the unique world that George Lucas created…across six films so far, plus countless books, animated TV shows, and of course, the three NEW films coming soon:

Cue The Star Wars Merchandise!

Along with enjoying the films on blu-ray in their new pristine versions, you can also buy a LOT of different collectible merchandise….most of it is authorized, even if some of it’s just a bit strange:

Of course you can buy stormtrooper outfits, Darth Vader helmets, light sabers and more, but I love the offbeat stuff. At Comic-Con a few years back, I bought this R2D2 soy sauce dispenser:

Of course I will never take it out of the box – it makes for a much better conversation piece in the office! Then again, I managed to pass on these:

Imagine your girlfriend, wife, significant other, WHOEVER – showing up with Yoda hanging from their ear…it’s just one of the many “unique” products with a “Star Wars” connection. Like this:

Olivia Munn And Kevin Pereira In Tokyo With The “Dancing Stormtrooper!”

Yes, Kevin and Olivia went full-on “Star Wars” when they danced with Tokyo’s famous “dancing stormtrooper”, Danny Choo! We filmed in Shibuya crossing for a great “Attack Of The Show” sketch…

Princess Olivia!

And of course, G4 fans remember when Olivia dressed up as Princess Leia at the “Star Wars” convention – when G4 had exclusive live coverage of the fan experience – as always, Olivia embraced the fan spirit and donned the Princess Leia outfit:

Olivia donned this outfit at Comic-Con, for several great “Attack Of The Show” sketches, and of course, for our live “Star Wars” special from the convention floor…these pics are all over the internet, as fans took lots of pictures of Olivia in action:

Lucas and his team have done a great job sharing the fan enthusiasm for the franchise to let this material live for fans…like this collection of bloopers from Star Wars 4. 5 and 6 that currently lives on youtube:

Disney Takes Over The Force!

Many fans were shocked when George Lucas sold his entire company, including the “Star Wars” franchise, to The Walt Disney Company. So, when it was announced, Disney President Bob Iger must have expected screenshots like this to show up online:

Fans are obviously excited about the release date for the new film, but they also want to make sure that Disney will move the franchise forward…hiring Abrams and Kasdan was certainly the perfect first step…

Bloopers, Bloopers Everywhere!

Youtube is absolutely loaded with bloopers from every single movie in the series – here are some more from the first film…doesn’t everyone look so young?

As I said earlier, when I was at G4, we did live coverage of one of the Star Wars conventions, and it was so much fun to see the fans celebrate everything “Star Wars”…and of course, there were a huge number of the film’s talent there as well, both in front of and behind the camera…it is a galaxy that just keeps growing…in ways you can hardly imagine:

“Star Wars” – As Imagined With Bacon!

Yes, real fans have stepped up in a big bacon way! When “Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” introduced the “All Terrain Armored Transport” (AT-AT) – it was only a matter of time before it would be honored with bacon!

We’ve always known that “Star Wars” fans were passionate – and now we know they love bacon, too!

Darth Vader Burger with Black Bun

For some, “Star Wars” tastes as good as it looks! And of course, the French have led the way! The fast food restaurant Quick jumped on the bandwagon by selling a Darth Vader burger!

In connection with the 3D release of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”, the French fast food restaurant chain Quick sold Darth Vader burgers with a black bun – and also a Jedi burger!

Darth Vader Contemplates Bacon!

Yes, all roads lead to “Star Wars”, and in this case, Darth Vader – who not only needs bacon, but PROMISES IT!

And if this make you thirsty, well, there’s nothing more refreshing than a:

Darth Vader Refrigerator!

There you go, plenty of stuff to keep you full of “Star Wars” until December 2015!

The Todd Rundgren / Daryl Hall Connection!

As a huge Todd Rundgren and Daryl Hall fan, this was a fun story to write! Time to go on a great musical journey, involving these two iconic Artists! They have worked together in the past, and continue to make music in the present…

Let’s Begin With This Classic Performance – Todd Rundgren and Daryl Hall Performing A Gorgeous Version Of “Can We Still Be Friends”:

That classic live version was filmed for Hall’s terrific podcast-turned-TV series “Live From Daryl’s House”…Todd’s been a guest twice, and there is more from those appearances to come…oh, and talk about popular: this youtube collaboration has been viewed more than 1.1 MILLION times!

Todd Is God!

Music legend Todd Rundgren has his fans – like me – in a frenzy right now, as he has released a new CD of music and embarked on a worldwide tour! Todd’s new “STATE” CD adheres to Todd’s musical past – it is experimental, progressive, and beautifully realized music…here is a live clip of Todd from the summer of 2013, as a fan captured his performance of the new song “Smoke:”

Another Great “LFDH” Performance!

Here is another clip of Todd and Daryl performing Todd’s beautiful song “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference”:

This year, Daryl Hall released his latest solo CD, a great collection of mid-tempo tunes and ballads called “Laughing Down Crying”…here’s the catchy first single:

Talking To You (is Like Talking To Myself)

I love that song. Now, check out this gorgeous song from the same CD..it starts out with a bang, then settles into a beautiful mid-tempo rock ballad – classic Daryl Hall…

“Get Out Of The Way”

The Todd Rundgren / Daryl Hall Connection!

OK, so now it’s time to tie the two together musically, and that takes us deep into Todd’s producing past…

A Wizard, A True Star: Todd Rundgren In The Studio – by Paul Myers and Todd Rundgren – published in 2010.

This terrific book takes an in-depth look at Todd Rundgren’s career in the studio – and what makes the book so great is that it was written with Todd’s active participation!

During the 1970s and 1980s, Rundgren produced many notable albums, including “Straight Up” by Badfinger, “We’re an American Band” by Grand Funk Railroad, “Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf, and “Skylarking” by XTC.

Todd Produced Hall & Oates!

Look at this shot I found online! That’s a very young Daryl Hall and Todd Rundgren surrounding Mick Jagger! In 1973, Todd produced Hall & Oates – and yes, it was arguably the least commercial album ever released by the duo. The album was called “War Babies”, and only yielded one modest single: “Too Much Too Soon.”

One reason I am such a huge fan of “Live From Daryl’s House” is that the show is both performance AND conversation – so you hear not only from Daryl, but from his musical guests as well…and that led to a GREAT conversation between Daryl and Todd about “War Babies.”

On Todd’s first appearance on the show, the two discuss the “War Babies” album, and Daryl Hall is really unhappy at critics who have written that Todd was responsible for the non-commercial tone of the music…the conversation is terrific, and then they sing a gorgeous version of Daryl Hall’s ballad “Wait For Me”.

If you go to the “Live From Daryl’s House” podcast, you can see both of Todd’s appearances on the show – and the show is also seen on cable and syndication as well, so go to the website for all of the info – here they are performing “I Saw The Light” together from the second show they did together – which is great because Daryl’s entire production rolls up to Todd’s house in Hawaii for the show…

Go watch the entire show. In the conversation between the two, Daryl Hall fairly bristles when hearing that many blamed Todd for the album’s hard/experimental edge. The album as a whole is a terrific, energetic and very hard-edged mix of musical styles…considering Hall & Oates were the bestselling duo of the 80′s, it’s probably a surprise when fans go back and find them singing a song in 1973 called “Johnny Gore & The ‘C’ Eaters”….

Todd & Daryl!

While the musical connection may not have resulted in commercial success, you’ve seen from the music videos AND the candid conversation that a lifelong friendship has resulted, leading to this great performance of “Bang On The Drum” from the show!

Yes, that performance is from Todd’s backyard fire pit! And if you are on Kauai, now is the time to visit Todd and Michelle Rundgren’s new Tiki Iniki bar!

Daryl Hall Censored!

If you want to read more about Daryl Hall, here is my story of the legendary “censored” music from the 70′s that his record label LOCKED AWAY IN A VAULT! It’s a fascinating story of an Artist fighting to remain true to his vision…

http://johnrieber.com/2012/09/16/daryl-hall-solo-censored-sacred-songs-laughing-down-crying-and-song-title-changes/

Check out the story of “Sacred Songs!”

“Maybe He Would Find The Girl. Maybe He Would Find Himself.”

This line is from the poster art for a classic 70′s film noir called “Night Moves”…

It’s a great line for a movie steeped in “film noir”, which is described as:

“A cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations.”

This is what film noir looks like in every single movie…

“Cynical Attitudes And Sexual Motivations”, Indeed!

Yes, classic film noir is steeped in sexuality, raw human emotion, and CRIME…and that line from “Night Moves” could also be used for this modern film noir classic as well:

The Limey!

Here’s a look at these two film noir classics…

Steven Soderbergh’s “The Limey!”

“The Limey” is a brilliant revenge thriller steeped in mood and regret…directed by Steven Soderbergh, it’s one of his least known films, but in my opinion perhaps his best…here is the plot: an extremely volatile and dangerous Englishman goes to Los Angeles to find the man he considers responsible for his daughter’s death.

Here is the trailer:

The trailer focuses on the action in the film, but what makes this movie brilliant is the atmosphere of dread and violence that permeates every frame – due in part to the riveting performance by veteran English Actor Terence Stamp…

Terence Stamp is a revelation as Wilson, a father who is estranged from his daughter, only to have to travel to LA to find out why she disappeared. The film also stars Luiz Gusman, who was in Soderbergh’s “Out Of Sight”, another classic noir…

Terence Stamp’s “Wilson” is a career criminal, but a small-time one…here he explains the philosophy behind his actions – this is one of the most perfectly written and acted monologues ever put on film:

Wilson: “How you doin’ then? All right, are you? Now look, squire, you’re the guv’nor here, I can see that. I’m in your manor now. So there’s no need to get your knickers in a twist. Whatever this bollocks is that’s going down between you and that slag Valentine, it’s got nothing to do with me. I couldn’t care less. Alright, mate? Let me explain. When I was in prison – second time – uh, no, telling a lie, third stretch, yeah, third, third – there was this screw what really had it in for me, and that geezer was top of my list. Two years after I got sprung, I sees him in Arnold Park. He’s sittin’ on a bench feedin’ bloody pigeons. There was no-one about, I could’ve gone up behind him and snapped his fuckin’ neck, *wallop!* But I left it. I could’ve knobbled him, but I didn’t. ‘Cause what I thought I wanted wasn’t what I wanted. What I thought I was thinkin’ about was something else. I didn’t give a toss. It didn’t matter, see? This berk on the bench wasn’t worth my time. It meant sod-all in the end, ’cause you gotta make a choice: when to do something, and when to let it go. When it matters, and when it don’t. Bide your time. That’s what prison teaches you, if nothing else. Bide your time, and everything becomes clear, and you can act accordingly.”

“Bide your time. That’s what prison teaches you, if nothing else. Bide your time, and everything becomes clear, and you can act accordingly.”

This dialogue is steeped in film noir, and as “everything becomes clear”, Stamp’s performance grows in intensity. Director Soderbergh gives Stamp plenty of room to roam in the film, all the while capturing his rage and anger in a “fly on the wall” manner…

“Poor Cow” Clips…

Here’s a very creative choice: Soderbergh uses a couple of film clips from the 1967 film “Poor Cow” as flashbacks of Wilson with his baby daughter and wife. It’s a really strong device, showing Actor Stamp from years earlier, to give us context and texture to the character’s life – since his sole purpose in the film is to find out what happened to his estranged daughter, and NOTHING will stand in his way…

This is a little-known masterpiece, with terrific acting by Terence Stamp, Luiz Guzman, Lesley Ann Warren and Peter Fonda. “The Limey” has tough action sequences, great acting, and a perfect film noir tone. A great great movie, get it and see!

Here’s the other classic film noir, starring the legendary Actor Gene Hackman:

I’ve written about “Night Moves” before, but now that it has been released on DVD and Amazon streaming, it’s a great film to check out.

Here is the film’s trailer:

Like “The Limey”, it’s a terrifically moody film noir – Hackman plays private detective Harry Moseby, who gets hired for a standard missing person case, as an aging Hollywood actress wants him to find her stepdaughter. The stepdaughter is played by Melanie Griffith, in her first movie role.

This is Gene Hackman’s golden era in film, beginning with “Bonnie & Clyde” and going through “The French Connection” 1 & 2, and the brilliant “Scarecrow” with Al Pacino. He even found time to star in the box office smash “The Poseidon Adventure!”

As Private Detective Harry Moseby travels to Florida to find the missing girl, he begins to see a connection with the runaway girl, the world of Hollywood stuntmen, and a suspicious mechanic when an unsolved murder comes to light.

As with all great film noir, the story takes many twists and turns as the true motives of the cast become clear…and a great cast including the young Griffith and a young James Woods as well.

Both films have a great noir mood, with deliberate pacing and sudden outbursts of violence – just what you expect from a classic noir…

I Need More Noir!

Well, if you’ve got a “film noir itch” now that needs scratching, here are some more classic choices:

“Body Heat” is a modern classic, and you can read all about this incredible film, AND the iconic “Double Indemnity” as well, by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/09/29/steamy-body-heat-and-double-crossing-indemnity-film-noir-sizzles/

You’ll never look at Fred MacMurray the same way again!

“Forget It, Jake. It’s Chinatown…”

And of course, this classic film is also film noir…read all about “Chinatown” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/02/19/forget-it-jake-its-chinatown-cynical-attitudes-and-sexual-motivations/

As the holiday season approaches, everyone will eat lots of food and sit down to watch classic holiday movies – and we all have our own favorites! I’ve got a list of the best holiday movies, including RARE behind-the-scenes photos from the set of “It’s A Wonderful Life”, and so much more!

First, get into the holiday spirit with Billy Mack’s “Christmas Is All Around”!

Thanks Billy, just what I needed to get into the holiday spirit! If you know this song, then you LOVE “Love Actually” – one of the best holiday movies ever! And I’ve got great trivia about the film, courtesy of the terrific website “IMDB.”

“Love Actually” is a series of inter-locking stories that take place during the holiday season: some are funny, and a few are sad – with an all-star cast including Kiera Knightley, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson.

So many terrific Actors in the film. Here’s a chart to help you keep track of them all:

And, thanks to the great website IMDB, here is some “Love Actually” trivia! Let’s start with this fun one:

The word “actually” is spoken twenty-two times by various characters in the film.

When casting the part of Sarah, Richard Curtis auditioned a great many British girls, but kept saying, “I want someone like Laura Linney…” The casting director eventually snapped and said, “Oh, for fuck’s sake, get Laura Linney then.” She then auditioned and got the part.

The idea for Mark’s surprise of the band singing “All You Need Is Love” at Peter and Juliet’s wedding came from Jim Henson’s funeral (which Richard Curtis attended) where all the puppeteers brought their Muppets and sung a song.

The lake that Lúcia Moniz and Colin Firth are “swimming” in was actually only eighteen inches deep and they had to kneel down and pretend to be in deeper water. It was also over-run by mosquitoes and Colin Firth was badly bitten and his elbow swelled up to the size of an avocado, requiring medical attention.

Knowing about Billy Bob Thornton’s quite unique fear of antique furniture, Hugh Grant would sometimes flash a piece of antique (which is abundant in England) in front of Thornton just before the cameras rolled, and watch him freak out in amusement.

The airport greeting footage at the beginning and end of the film is real. Richard Curtis had a team of cameramen film at Heathrow airport for a week, and whenever they saw something that would fit in they asked the people involved for permission to use the footage. Alex and I always wondered how excited these people must be to be in the film forever!

Thanks, Billy Mack!

“Christmas Is All Around” is now one of our favorite holiday songs thanks to Bill Nighy. With that tune in our heads, let’s see some of the other great holiday films, beginning with Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and the spirit of “Saturday Night Live”!

Get “Scrooged” and “Griswolded”!

“Scrooged” (1983) and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989) both are infused with SNL attitude – Bill Murray does an updated “Christmas Carol” as miserly TV exec Frank Cross – Murray is full of great lines and classic double takes, but the Actor also reveals his soft spot, in a film that has more of a manic energy than many holiday classics.

Once you are “Scrooged”, you might as well go “Griswold!”

That’s right, welcome back to the Clark Griswold family – Chevy Chase takes his clan on another “Vacation”…yes, another fun trip, but do they deserve a spot on the list? As Clark Griswold would say:

“Bend over and I’ll show you!”

OK, maybe a bit forward for the holiday…let’s go back to a simpler time…

The “White Christmas” (1954) / “Holiday Inn” (1942) Crosby Combo!

Here are two iconic holiday films starring legendary Actors – and I’ve presented it as a double bill, since they are basically the same movie! In “Holiday Inn”, Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are two war buddies who sing lots of classic Irving Berlin tunes, including the Oscar winning “White Christmas”…

The Song Becomes The Film!

“White Christmas” was such a great song that they decided to remake “Holiday Inn” and CALL it “White Christmas”! This time, Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye are two GIs coming home from WWII, who fall in love with singing-and-dancing sisters and help their general with his failing Vermont inn. Again, almost the same film, but both of classic Hollywood holiday entertainment! A great double bill!

“Bad Santa”!

This ain’t your father’s holiday movie! How can you NOT love a film with the classic line:

“F me, Santa!”

So says Lauren Graham in a movie that wears its dark heart on its sleeve…the perfect movie to watch after “Black Friday” shopping – fighting holiday crowds – and virtually impossible to watch without a stiff drink in your hand. But it is hilarious, profane and touching as well!

Happy Holidays, Del Griffith!

And now, the funniest holiday movie character ever, the legendary Del Griffith!

“Planes, Trains & Automobiles”!

I know, it takes place over Thanksgiving, but it’s a holiday movie through and through, and Del Griffith deserves to be here – as it is one of the most heartwarming holiday movies ever!

It’s the classic story of a guy just trying to get home to his family in times for the holidays. “Here’s an idea. When you tell a story, have a point!” And who can forget Del Griffith pulling his socks off on the plane, waving them around and exclaiming “the dogs are barking!”

And of course, as you can see above:

“those aren’t pillows!”

I rest my case. Just one of the sweetest holiday films ever…

All Hail The Year 2003!

2003: what a great year for holiday movies: first of all, it was the year of “Bad Santa”, but what about the other classic film from that year – the story of Buddy the Elf – check it out:

Buddy the Elf!

Will Ferrell is innocent and perfect as Buddy – the elf who heads to New York City to find his real father – a very unfriendly James Caan. Add Ed Asner as a slightly grumpy Santa PLUS Zooey Deschanel as the “innocent love” interest and you have an instant holiday classic!

Speaking of holiday classics:

Congratulations To Director Bob Clark!

Time to celebrate the seriously under-rated Director Bob Clark, who directed the classic holiday film “A Christmas Story” – literally one of the most quoted holiday movies ever! Need an example?

“You’ll shoot your eye out with that thing!”

It makes me want to have chinese food on Dec. 25th just to honor him. This is arguably the best Christmas movie of all time – the encounter with the frozen tether ball pole is just one reason…

And who can forget Dad’s new lamp – look at this terrific TBS ad for the movie that captures the fun of that scene…

It is a holiday classic, directed by Canadian Bob Clark, an under-appreciated Director…check out the trailer:

So funny, so heartwarming! That said, Bob Clark also directed the little-known classic horror film “Black Christmas”, where a sorority is terrorized by a manic over the holidays. He perfected the killer’s POV shot years before “Halloween” got credit for revitalizing it. The thriller stars Kier Dullea (2001) and Margo Kidder (Superman)…dark, dark, dark, but what a Bob Clark holiday double bill – just make sure to send the kids to bed before you start this second feature!

Added trivia: Clark also created and directed “Porky’s”…talk about an eclectic career! Finally, let’s focus on the greatest holiday film of all time…

“It’s A Wonderful Life”!

The greatest holiday movie of all! Jimmy Stewart, the Tom Hanks of his generation, beautifully portrays a disillusioned husband and father who sees his life amount to nothing – or so he thinks.

This Frank Capra classic is a dark look at one man’s disappointment with his life – of course all coming to a head on Christmas eve – and the film reveals a ton of universal truths about what we should or should not expect from life – remember this line: “we serve stiff drinks for men who want to get drunk fast!” I mean, this movie gets DARK…

Rare “Bedford Falls” Photos!

LIFE Magazine has revealed 13 rare behind-the-scenes photos from the set of the 1946 Frank Capra classic. The pictures focus on one aspect of the holiday favorite that many probably take for granted: the snowy milieu of Bedford Falls!

So as you can see, they used snow machines to create the beautiful serenity of the town:

Looks like Jimmy Stewart had a few snowballs tossed back in his direction during filming!

I will admit that, in some ways, Pottersville always looked a lot more fun than Bedford Falls – like a mini-Vegas! But no matter what life through at George Bailey, he always had a secret weapon…

That’s right – Zuzu’s pedals!

Send me a note and let me know what you watched this holiday season!

Withnail: “I think we’ve been in here too long. I feel unusual.”

Looking for a hilariously unique gift this holiday season? Well, just remember to say:

“We want the finest wines available to humanity. And we want them here, and we want them now!”

Yes, time to get the film fan in your family a combo pack of Richard E. Grant! This terrific British Actor was not only in one of the funniest films ever – “Withnail & I” – but he wrote a hilarious insider’s look at the crazy world of Hollywood – “With Nails!”

Let’s begin with one of the best British films of all time – a bold statement, but it is, to me, one of the most perfectly realized films ever:

Withnail & I

London 1969 – two unemployed actors, Withnail and Marwood, are freezing in their unheated flat – and they are flat broke. They need a plan, and fast. Here is their discussion about calling to ask someone for money…

Marwood: What about whatshisname?
Withnail: What about him?
Marwood: Why don’t you give him a call?
Withnail: What for?
Marwood: Ask him about his house.
Withnail: You want me to call whatshisname and ask him about his house?
Marwood: Why not?
Withnail: All right. What’s his number?
Marwood: I’ve no idea. I’ve never met him.
Withnail: Well neither have I. What the fuck are you talking about?

One of the funniest supporting characters in the film is “Drug Dealer Danny”, he of the super-sized spiffs, who just can’t get along with Withnail…oh, and he is CRAZY…

Danny: I don’t advise a haircut, man. All hairdressers are in the employment of the government. Hairs are your aerials. They pick up signals from the cosmos, and transmit them directly into the brain. This is the reason bald-headed men are uptight.
Withnail: What absolute twaddle.

Withnail: I must have some booze. I demand to have some booze!

The scene where Withnail guzzles lighter fluid is a highlight….he does, after all, demand to have his booze…he has also greased his body up with muscle relaxant to get warm…

Withnail: [after having entirely covered himself in muscle embrocation] Have you been at the controls?
Marwood: What are you talking about?
Withnail: The thermostats. What have you done to them?
Marwood: I haven’t touched them.
Withnail: Then why has my head gone numb?

After a near brawl in a bar, they realize they need to get out of town…

They decide on a holiday in the countryside, courtesy of Withnail’s uncle Monty’s country cottage. But when they get there, it rains non-stop, there’s no food, and their basic survival skills turn out to be somewhat limited.

Matters are not helped by the arrival of Uncle Monty, who shows an uncomfortably keen interest in Marwood…

Uncle Monty: “I adore you. Tell him if you must, I no longer care. I mean to have you even if it must be burglary!”

Sadly, Richard Griffiths just died of complication following heart surgery. He was 65, and although most will remember him for his roles in the “Harry Potter” films, it was his Uncle Monty that I will always remember him for…

This movie is hilarious, and a perfect snapshot of life at the end of the 60′s – when hip, mod London turned into the cold, harsh reality of life as a struggling Actor.

This is a tour de force performance by Richard Grant, who exudes manic, crazy charm at every turn, such as when he storms into a fancy restaurant and demands, well…

Withnail: “We want the finest wines available to humanity. And we want them here, and we want them now!”

Richard E. Grant proved to be a hilarious and honest writer as well!

With Nails – The Film Diaries Of Richard E. Grant

If you want to read all about the craziness that goes on when you make a movie – the egos, the out of control Stars, the drugs, booze and everythign else – then this candid and hilarious book is for you!

Here is the original review from BOOKLIST:

Film fans alert to the immense charm of the under-known British film Withnail & I will certainly enjoy the droll autobiography of the actor who played Withnail. Of the film’s script, Grant says “never before or since have I read something that conveys what goes on in my head so accurately.”

The image of the brusque, hilariously overbearing Withnail fits Grant, who has also appeared in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”, “The Age of Innocence”, and the Robert Altman films “The Player” and “Pret-a-Porter”.

He writes of his passage through the world of the aspiring film stardom wonderfully well, producing a book far superior to the usual movie life story. “Oh up and down and forklifts, this is a dull madness,” he says of the process of landing a role, but his book wittily presenting the madness is never dull.

Let me tell you, his stories about Bruce Willis and the making of “Hudson Hawk” are hilarious – it is “no holds barred” storytelling about the crazy world of movies…

This would make a great combo gift for the holiday – “Withnail & I” and “With Nails”!

Here’s To A Tasty Celebration Of “The GODFATHER”!

Time to bite into the greatest film ever made…and it’s also a great way to give a film buff a DINNER IN A MOVIE, MOB STYLE!

Behold Clemenza’s Meatballs!

Not only is “The Godfather” the greatest movie ever made, but it is chock full of food – family meals, wedding cakes, executions that take place in a diner that serves “the best veal”…food as part of life, and death. For example, Don Corleone’s daughter Connie makes a meal for her obnoxious husband, who announced that he’ll eat out later – you know, with his mistress…

Connie goes into a fit and flings the dinnerware around the house, causing her husband to beat her…what we find out later is that this was instigated for one reason: to lure Sonny out of his compound, and to one of the many iconic death scenes in the movie: at the toll booth.

Time To “Go To The Mattresses!”

When the five families start their mob war, they go “to the mattresses”, which means they all sleep in one place to be ready for battle at any time. Clemenza teaches Mikey how to make Sunday sauce for this house full of guys…here is the scene, and the recipe – first, the scene from the movie, courtesy of “The Godfather” blu-ray!

And here is that recipe again, courtesy of Clemenza:

“Heh, come over here, kid, learn something. You never know, you might have to cook for 20 guys someday. You see, you start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomatoes, tomato paste, you fry it; ya make sure it doesn’t stick. You get it to a boil; you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs; heh? And a little bit o’ wine. An’ a little bit o’ sugar, and that’s my trick.”

Let’s Get Cooking!

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large (28-ounce) cans tomatoes (whole, crushed or chopped)
1 (10-ounce) or 2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
3 to 4 Italian sausages, grilled and sliced
1 pound cooked meatballs (use your favorite recipe)
Dry red wine
¼ cup sugar
Hot cooked pasta

First, take whatever ground meat you like and add some fresh minced garlic and onion, plus some italian herbs….roll those into meatballs and sear them off in a pan…now, make the sauce.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes; do not let the garlic burn. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously so that a relatively smooth consistency is reached.

Add sausages and meatballs. Stir until the meat is coated. Add a splash of red wine, then the sugar, according to taste. As you can see, Clemenza is very serious about making a good meal for his men…

Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Serve over hot cooked pasta.

And whatever you do, don’t insult the head of the family when it comes time to eat:

The Godfather – “Dinner IN A Movie!”

So, make the meatballs, put in the movie’s special edition blu-ray, and enjoy! And what a great gift idea for the holiday: buy the special edition blu-ray and a big container of italian food items, add a nice bottle of red wine, and treat your film fan to a great holiday night!

Oh, you may want to plan your meal so you’re not taking a big bite during this scene!

Is It Time To Take A Hammer To Movie Remakes?

This edition of “film Fight Club” wants to smackdown the endless series of BAD BAD BAD remakes that have stunk up the cinema lately – including THESE bombs:

Wha-Wha-WHAT!??!????

Sorry, that last picture of Nicolas Cage destroying “The Wicker Man” is too much for any movie lover to stomach…well, until THIS:

Samuel L. Jackson has every reason to look terrified – its the latest remake disaster! One of the biggest bombs of 2013 was the Spike Lee remake of the classic Korean thriller “Oldboy”…

The film opened Thanksgiving weekend and bombed horribly – but was the remake’s critical and commercial trashing deserved? Is “Oldboy” just another example of Hollywood’s desire to trash every great movie by remaking it wrong?

Time For The Film Fight Club!

Let’s look at Hollywood’s latest remake disaster and see what’s worth fighting about. First, here is a quick look at the original Korean classic “Oldboy.”

Oldboy -

This is the classic 2003 Korean thriller directed by Chan-wook Park – with one of the most intense first ten minutes of any film ever made! It begins with a man who goes on a drunken bender one night, only to wake up trapped in a hotel room. For 15 years!

The opening ten minutes of this movie will suck your eyeballs out, so put them back in and enjoy Korean melodrama at its finest. Director Chan-wook Park is a brilliant filmmaker – his is the kind of aggressive, no holds barred filmmaking that many of our American movies lack right now.

The original “Oldboy” has a number of jaw-dropping moments, but perhaps the most notable is the fight scene that involves….well, let just say this: You’ll never walk down a hallway with a ball-peen hammer the same way again…

The movie gets more and more intense, and the bodies pile up until we find out why he was imprisoned, in a shocking finale…

This is brilliant, melodramatic filmmaking of the highest order – a classic action film.

Cue Spike Lee to remake it.

As a huge fan of the original film, I did everything I could to judge Spike Lee’s version on its own merits. The plot is, essentially the same. Josh Brolin stars as a drunken businessman who wakes up after a night of boozing to find himself imprisoned in a hotel room.

“15 Will Get You 20!”

Well, it takes all of five minutes for this movie to turn sour. A longer prologue shows us just what an awful person Brolin is – but did Spike need to do this? It’s just the first of many artistic decisions that not only derail the film for fans of the original, but simply confuse and alienate any viewer trying to enjoy the film…

The story let’s us know that twenty years have gone by, not fifteen years. Why the change? No reason. Strange changes in the story serve to call attention to the film’s inability to entertain like the original.

What The F!??!?!?!

Look at Samuel L. Jackson. LOOK AT HIM. What is going on here? Oh, and more importantly, WHY? Watch both versions of the film and you will be stunned at Lee’s choice to create Jackson’s character and storyline.

A bit of a spoiler here: Spike Lee has chosen to create some sort of “prison hotel” company, run by Jackson…why? Because apparently we need this type of explanation – but since it is never explained, it’s just a contrivance designed to distract us…

In addition, the Director has made some choices that didn’t work for me at all. In “Annie Hall”, having Woody Allen and Tony Roberts watch flashbacks as they were remembered worked; here, to see Josh Brolin watching the action around him from years earlier was just strange and very distracting…

Bring Down The Hammer!

Yes, the most legendary scene from the original “Oldboy” needed to be “improved” as well…

In this remake, the fight now moves across multiple floors of a parking garage…and the dozen or so men with weapons all bounce around and WAIT FOR THEIR ONE-ON-ONE CHANCE TO KILL BROLIN!

It’s almost laughable – he is surrounded by thugs, who all wait patiently – while bouncing around – while he kills them one by one. It was sad to watch, actually….

Cue The Octopus!

And what about this scene?

In the original, we see an octopus eaten live…in the remake, in one more example of acknowledging the original in the least interesting way possible, Brolin enters a restaurant and sees this:

At this point, I let the unpleasantness of the film just wash over me – a laughable villian, endless flashbacks with Brolin watching in the scene, Elizabeth Olsen being exploited in a number of pathetic ways, and then the ending, with the antagonist explaining everything before the movie ends with a “twist.”

Hammer Time!

I tried to judge “Oldboy” impartially – I like many Spike Lee films, and was open to a remake. Yes, I missed the originality of the original “Oldboy”. I missed the deranged intensity of this hammer shot. But it’s more than that…

The biggest danger, to me, is to acknowledge the original when you remake it. I hated the various “homages” put in the remake that lacked any creativity – in fact, they distract – and if you didn’t see the original, they make NO sense – most of all, I hated that “Oldboy” was turned into an unpleasant viewing experience – the shock of the original was emotional and riveting – in the remake, it was simply distasteful…

Let The “Film Fight Club” Begin!

So, I want to know: am I unwilling to accept remakes – unwilling to let new Artists re-imagine films for a new generation? Or does this:

Just become THIS in all the worst ways:

http://filmfightclub.com/

Hey, if you like to debate movies, head over to the “filmfightclub” website for stories on horror films, James Bond theme songs and more!

And please, let me know what you think: are these films being remade, or are they being destroyed? Leave a comment at “filmfightclub.com” and let the fight club begin!

Lars Von Trier Is Back!

He is one of the most mesmerizing and polarizing Directors working today…and he has a provocative new film about to be released.

Here is the very NSFW trailer for “Nymphomaniac”:

A Two-Part “Nymphomaniac!”

Magnolia Pictures has just announced the release plans for this “sure to be controversial” new film…von Trier has cut his work into two separate movies! The first, “Nymphomaniac: Part One”, will open in theaters March 21 – after premiering On Demand March 6. “Nymphomanic: Part Two” will be released On Demand April 3, followed by an April 18 theatrical release.

“Nymphomaniac: Part One” is the story of Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who is badly beaten and left in an alley. She’s helped by an older bachelor, Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), who takes her into his home. As he tends to her wounds, she recounts the erotic story of her adolescence and young-adulthood.

This film stars Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Connie Nielsen and Udo Kier.

“Nymphomaniac: Part Two” focuses on Joe’s adulthood, and stars Jamie Bell, Willem Dafoe, Mia Goth and Jean-Marc Barr in addition to Gainsbourg, Skarsgård, Martin and LaBeouf.

Lately, a series of provocative posters have been released as well, highlighting not only the all-star cast involved, but some of their most “intense” looks – here is Shia Lebouef:

Also in the film is Willem Dafoe, who previously starred in Von Trier’s brilliant “Anti-Christ”, another very controversial film:

Uma Thurman is also in “Nymphomaniac”:

Thurman’s character seems to be having a problem in her marriage – here is a clip that was released teasing her storyline, called:

“The Whoring Bed!”

Nymphomaniac appetizer – Chapter 3: Mrs. H

Here is another clip from the film as well:

Nymphomaniac appetizer – Chapter 1: The Compleat Angler

Charlotte Gainsbourg, who also starred in Von Trier’s “Anti-Christ”, is in this film, along with Christian Slater…and here is a clip with Shia Leboeuf:

Nymphomaniac appetizer – Chapter 2: Jerôme

As you can see, this is going to be quite a film – Von Trier has a very controversial career, with acclaimed movies like “Melancholia”, alongside very edgy films like “The Idiots”…and such masterpieces as “Anti-Christ” and “Dancer In The Dark” with Bjork…here is that trailer:

“Dancer In The Dark” stars Bjork in her film debut – as a young Mother who has emigrated to America, works in a factory, and is going blind. And the only thing that keeps her spirits up is when she finds solace in musicals…

Yes, it’s a musical! Catherine Deneuve and David Morse also star – and when the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, it took the festival by storm, winning Bjork best Actress and Von Trieer best film – the coveted Palm D’or award…

There were many stories about the difficulties von Trier had with Bjork on set – specifically the musical scenes, but at the end of the day, it was a triumph for both of them…

My Von Trier Exclusive!

I was in Cannes that year, overseeing E!’s festival coverage, and I got the only US TV interview with the Director. We always covered the smaller films, and that helped us get big interviews…I also did the only US TV interview in 1992 in Cannes with Director Baz Luhrmann – and also with a first-time Director named Quentin Tarantino…

My previous coverage of other von Trier films helped me get the exclusive TV conversation with the Director – and it was his first time ever in Cannes…

This was von Trier’s first time ever at the film festival – he had an aversion to travel, so he didn’t attend for his earlier efforts, “Breaking The Waves” or “The Idiots.”

He was in a very playful mood that day, funny, self-deprecating, and very passionate about film making. He admitted to me that he came to make sure the film had a shot at an award, since the festival had a reputation for not giving the “Palm d’Or” Award for best picture to any Director who didn’t show up for the festival…

Quiet Down, Bjork!

He also told me that his feud with Bjork was overblown by the Actress, and that he was only trying to get a great performance out of her…

While he tried to downplay the controversy stirred up by Bjork, he also clearly liked the attention, and he was right in the end, as Bjork won Best Actress in Cannes…and the film took home the prize for best picture.

A few years earlier, I interviewed a very young Emily Watson in Cannes for “Breaking The Waves” when the film created a sensation at the festival. Watson won best actress, and was subsequently oscar nominated as well, but that year, Von Trier didn’t make it to Cannes – due to his aversion to travel – and the film won the Grand Prize – also known as the “runner up” award…

“Breaking The Waves” is a brilliant, challenging film – here is a look at this masterpiece:

Breaking The Waves – Directed by Lars Von Trier – released in 1996

Emily Watson was Oscar nominated for Best Actress – for her portrayal of Bess, a woman who makes the ultimate sacrifice for the man she loves. Warning: this isn’t an easy film to watch, but it is BRILLIANT! Check out the trailer:

Here is how IMDB describes the film: “Drama set in a repressed, deeply religious community in the north of Scotland, where a naive young woman named Bess McNeil meets and falls in love with Danish oil-rig worker Jan.

Bess and Jan are deeply in love but, when Jan returns to his rig, Bess prays to God that he returns for good.

Jan does return, his neck broken in an accident aboard the rig. Because of his condition, Jan and Bess are now unable to enjoy a sexual relationship and Jan urges Bess to take another lover and tell him the details. As Bess becomes more and more deviant in her sexual behavior, the more she comes to believe that her actions are guided by God and are helping Jan recover.

Bess McNeill: “I don’t make love with them, I make love with Jan and I save him from dying.”

Emily Watson gives one of the most honest, uncompromising performances as a woman who believes she will heal her husband – and makes the ultimate sacrifice in order to do so.

Kudos To Lars Von Trier!

This is a controversial movie, part of Von Trier’s obsession with women who make sacrifices for a greater good – see “Dancer In The Dark” and from last year, “Melancholia”. He is a brilliant director, and the ending of the film is amazing…

Check out all of von Trier’s previous films, and I cannot wait for “Nymphomaniac” in all of its parts! Check out this amazing website for the film!

http://www.nymphomaniacthemovie.com/

Yes, It’s Jenna Jameson And Sylvester Stallone!

Wait until you hear the story behind this picture!

OK, this was designed to be, as it is known in TV, as a “deep tease.” You will have to keep reading to find out how I ended up taking this picture of Jenna Jameson and Sylvester Stallone – it’s all part of a birthday celebration of sorts…

Two Years Of Posting!

Yes, it’s the two year anniversary of this blog! When my wife Alex suggested I start this blog two years ago today, she thought it would be a fun creative outlet. She had NO idea it could lead to THIS:

Yes, I used that trust Alex placed in me to share things like this “bacon cube burger”, and some of you have thanked me for it. I have also shared things like THIS:

If you don’t recognize this image, consider yourself lucky. (Yes, it’s The Bee Gees as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band!) While this blog has been a fun project for me, it has also turned into much more: it’s been a way to share a wide variety of stories of interest to me, and more importantly, it has been a great way to meet a lot of new people with similar passions…like all of the Todd Rundgren fans I’ve met…

521,270 Strong!

I wanted to update everyone on the blog, and of course to thank all of you who take the time to read it. Last year at this time, I had just cracked 104,000 views.

In the last year, I saw a huge increase in the average daily traffic to the site – thanks in part to the huge amount of interest in things like the Eagles reunion tour, which you can see above – as well as the large number of people who have been interested in seeing just HOW Marlon Brando remembered his lines on the set of “The Godfather”:

As you can see, he DIDN’T! Yes, that is Robert Duvall holding cue cards for Brando! That story has been very popular, and if you missed it, here it is:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/20/brandos-cue-cards-real-horse-heads-the-godfathers-best-stories/

I also shared Clemenza’s recipe for meatballs – you know, when you need to feed a dozen guys after you “go to the mattresses”:

So, thanks to all of you, I smashed through a half a million views for the blog! I wanted to not only thank everyone for their support, but to share some of the most popular stories – and preview what is still to come!

Cool It, Ringo!

So, what have people responded to most? Well, it’s been everything from crazy stuff like this picture of Ringo and Raquel Welch clowning around on the set of the cult classic “The Magic Christian”…in fact, these guys always do great:

The Beatles never cease to interest people, and rightly so – my single most viewed story of last year was this one – looking at the “lost” Beatles documentary, “Let It Be”:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

Over 49,000 views for this story so far – as always, The Beatles have spoken…well, at least their fans! And speaking of rabid fans, let’s hear it for “Jerseylicious!”

“Jerseylicious” Forever!

Thanks as well to the terrific cast of “Jerseylicious”, and to the fans who love them…my wife Alex Duda created this show in 2009, and in the five seasons so far I’ve been lucky enough to befriend many of the incredibly talent people followed on the show…

Oliva is not only “America’s Sweetheart”, she’ a terrific makeup artist – and a wonderful person as well…Tracy is also great, and yes, she got married in the “still to be seen” season six of the series…

I’ve had an amazing amount of interest in my behind-the-scenes looks at the show…like when Gigi, Tracy and Olivia visited Steve Harvey:

It was a great year for the team – I had more than 11,000 views of the story about the “Jerseylicious” book by Anthony and Olivia – with amazing cast pictures by Karl Giant!

So many fun posts so far, and more “Jerseylicious” to come….you know, THE WEDDING…

In addition to stories about TV and movies, I also love posting stories about music…including stories about the eagles, Paul McCartney, great new female singer/songwriters like Grace Potter, the best and worst Jame Bond themes, and of course:

“Todd Is God!”

Todd fans know what that means, and they showed it in a big way this year…I want to thank the Todd Rundgren fans who have really shown support for this blog, including a retweet from Todd himself! Here is that story:

http://musicplatter.com/2013/11/01/laura-nyro-todd-rundgrens-muse-todds-retweet/

The original story was about Todd’s friendship with Laura Nyro, an amazing singer/songwriter…and apparently Todd approved!

I posted this story and got a retweet from Todd’s twitter account – which was really cool – I’ve also been lucky enough to have been acknowledged by Director William Friedkin, Actress Rebel Wilson and the legendary singer/songwriter Paul Williams….among many others who have RT’d my stories and shared them with friends…

You can always sign up to receive all of the music-specific stories here:

http://musicplatter.com

What’s With All The Sites?

I’m sorry if I confused some of you with the “topic-specific” sub-sites, but here’s an explanation: When I started blogging, Alex suggested a title that would capture what the site was all about – but as you see, it’s about a lot of different stuff! So I used my name as an easy entry point…

Well, maybe not so easy, since my entire life has seen RIEBER spelled “REIBER”…So, to resolve the confusion, here’s how it works…I post virtually every single day on Johnrieber.com. I hope you all sign up to get notifications – so you won’t miss anything like THIS:

Yes, “Love Actually” is my favorite holiday film…well, except maybe for “Planes, Trains & Automobiles”…and in case you missed this post, here is a list of ALL of the best holiday films:

http://johnrieber.com/2013/11/23/amazing-love-actually-facts-rare-wonderful-life-photos-the-best-holiday-movies-ever/

You see, Del Griffith understands! You don’t have to do anything to get a wide variety of stories from me – just stop by Johnrieber.com and see what’s new…and, if you want more on a certain type of subject, the mini-sites are a way for you to take a blog shortcut:

If you need a quick “bacon fix”, you don’t have to look through the 500+ posts on Johnrieber.com …because “biteeatswallow” has a bacon tab that will take you immediate to this:

Yes, you know I will always have bacon for you somewhere!

Bite Down Hard!

I enjoy posting about strange and unique food items – or as you can see above, “bacon superheroes”…and of course, I love burgers, like this ramen burger from Japan:

And you can never go wrong with a slider…I have posted many recipes for making unique sliders from around the world, like this incredible one from Japan – the “wasabi avocado slider”!

I post all of the food stories on this site first, but later I also post them on a more-specific site devoted to the wacky world of food – like this food stadium to make for Super Bowl Sunday!

Remember, any time you need a burger fix – or any other food stories, you can always go here:

http://biteeatswallow.com

Something like this will ALWAYS be waiting!

Time For A Fight!

I was most excited this year to start the “film fight club!” This allowed you to hammer down on the important film arguments of the day!

The purpose of “Film Fight Club” is solely to argue about movies we love, hate, and love to hate!
This is where you can discuss your favorite James Bond theme song, as well as why you think “The Human Centipede” is a misunderstood masterpiece!

And yes, I got lots of hate comments from fans of “Centipede”, who couldn’t understand why I called it “misguided”! Check out all of the film battles here!

http://filmfightclub.com/

Forget movies, let’s see the world!

I know that some of you enjoy vacationing here:

Let’s Travel The World!

Yep, for those of you who love to travel the world – well, I’ve got you covered: whether it’s Barcelona’s amazing aerial trams, which give you an amazing sky-high view of this incredible city, or surfing with Sasha Grey on Australia’s Bondi Beach…

I posted a number of stories recounting my G4 shoot in Australia with Sasha Grey: everything from her surfing Bondi Beach – to getting photo bombed by live sharks:

I always have to remind people that there was NOTHING between Sasha and those sharks…and then there was this clip of Sasha in the tallest building in the southern hemisphere – by far the most popular video I posted, with more than 24,000 views:

Sasha went 88 stories high in Melbourne, Australia’s Eureka tower – just one of the many travel adventures I’ve been able to share. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to some really fun places, and I’ve gotten a great response from people when I post these stories on “spinningorbit”, which you can check out here:

http://spinningorbit.com/

So, I want to thank everyone who has read a story, and I hope you come back for many more in the years ahead…there have been many fun adventures – interesting people, places and food – so what is next?

Year Three…

Here is a tease: there are more great adventures to come, including my legendary trip to Thailand with Jenna Jameson!

And it wasn’t just us…we hung out with Sylvester Stallone too!

More on that trip soon – really one of my most unique travel adventures ever – and more on Tracy’s “Jerseylcious” wedding as well:

I also have some VERY unique food to share soon:

And I have some great stories about some of the best movies of the 70′s – films that deserve to be remembered, revered, and watched!

Yes, I will be telling the story of “The Getaway”, a classic action film that also caused a Hollywood scandal! And for fans of TRULY unique movies, I have some of the most amazing exploitation classics to share with you as well!

Yes, more crazy world cinema to share! You can always read about it by clicking here:

http://jrsploitation.com/

This is my mini-site devoted to the most unique and outrageous movies the world has ever offered!

And there is a whole world of entertainment still to explore! That’s just a sneak peek of what is still to come…see, there IS a reason to keep reading!

Thanks again to everyone for your support – as always, please leave comments pro, con, or “positively negative”…I enjoy hearing back from you – and thanks again for reading! I will leave you one last tease – a new post about Todd Rundgren and some of his neglected masterpieces is on the way…

Here’s proof: click on the link to enjoy Todd’s amazing live version of “Fade Away”…more to come on this as well!

Here’s a discussion you could lose your head over! It’s Friday the 13th, and that means it’s time to get scared!

Do you know this image? Well, it’s just one of the many films I’ve got for you today…

Our Friday The 13th Shockfest 2013!

It’s time to celebrate horror! And I know there are ALL kinds of scary movies. THIS is the image you expect to see on Friday the 13th:

Time to welcome Jason Vorhees back into your house! It’s the day we grab the scariest movies we can find and turn down the lights…and if you don’t invite your friends in, they will find a way to visit anyway…

I love scary movies…and there are SO many different ones to enjoy…so what are the best? I have my favorites of course…

Yes, it’s time to get completely “horrified” for Friday the 13th, and I wanted to share a wide variety of “horrific” directions you could go…like, say….

Wait, WHAT? Too much too soon? Then you certainly WON’T appreciate this:

Friday The 13th Is On!

One of the great arguments is the debate over what is the scariest movie of all time…there is so much classic horror, psychological terror, and just outright bloody good fun…

“Scream” certainly had it share of jolts – but also a self-awareness that undercut some of the horror….some people love that, some don’t…some just want to get to the kill…

To that end, is Michael Myers the scariest person in film? In 1978, “Halloween” shocked a nation eager for a new face of horror…does that make “Halloween” the scariest film of all time?

Some upscale movie fans think THIS is the face of horror…

Yes, “The Shining” is a great horror film to put on at night with the lights out….oh, and speaking of scary looks, this one’s pretty good too:

Um, does somebody want to tell sweet Regan that she is turned the wrong way and can’t see the TV? Seriously, you can’t go wrong with these two classic horror films, read more about “The Shining” and “The Exorcist” by clicking on here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/31/the-shining-room-237-the-exorcist-the-greatest-horror-movies-ever-made/

Need more? Sure you do!

“Evil Dead” Perhaps?

Without a doubt, the first “Evil Dead” has a lot of shocking moments, but the sequel added lots of laughs with the blood…undercutting the horror a bit….then again, you could go further along the supernatural route by trying “The Changeling”…

The brilliant “The Changeling” starring George C. Scott isn’t as well known as “Evil Dead”, but both deliver the goods! Click here to read about both!

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/07/halloween-horror-bloody-tension-scary-changelings-and-the-evil-dead/

The above story includes some “Switchblade Romance” AKA “High Tension” as well – a slasher shocker that delivers!

“Light Comedy” Perhaps?

Well, you’ve come to the right place if you are one of the people who think THIS is a black comedy:

In 1974, this guy ran around with his friendly chainsaw and shocked audiences…the first example of “shock and awe” in movie theaters…

Yes, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is just about the most intensely scary film to watch in the dark, and you can read all about the classic “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” as well as the brilliant – ORIGINAL – “Carrie” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/06/17/pea-soup-pigs-blood-and-grandpas-silver-hammer-the-horror-the-horror/

Yes, Brian DePalma’s “Carrie” is a perfect horror film: lots of blood, sweat and fears!

Or Maybe Just Hang With “Jessica”?

Oops, too late – she’s dead! Well, this is a classic creepy horror film, and so is “Rosemary’s Baby”, so check out both by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/26/rosemarys-baby-jessicas-scared-to-death-great-halloween-horror/

Talk about a colic-y baby!

So, every film on these lists is full of good scares – some creepy, some shocking…and then there is, for those of you who JUST NEED BLOOD:

Yep, “J-Sploitation” to the rescue! You have to check out these “over the top” bloody horror camp classic by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/15/tokyo-gore-for-halloween-behold-j-sploitation-nishimura-rules-extreme-japanese-cinema/

I promise you: you will NEVER find movies with more blood than these ones!

Well, that said, I MAY have found a challenger- or two – to the crown – also from overseas:

“Trouble Every Day”, Indeed!

Yep, those french sure do love to soak up the screen in the color red! And they aren’t alone! Check out these obscure horror classics from France, South Korea and Hong Kong – all GREAT horror films: “Trouble Every Day”, “Cold Fish” and “Dream Home” by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/03/27/eye-popping-extreme-cinema-cold-fish-bloody-vampires-vengeance/

And speaking of foreign shock and scares…

Need some Italian “Pulp Fiction”?

While not “horror” like “The Exorcist”, there is a category of film known as the “Italian Giallo” film that features lots of shocks, scares, and mayhem!

These italian horror slashers will do the trick this Halloween for you:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/07/09/time-to-strip-nude-four-flies-and-baba-yaga-to-you-yes-its-classic-italian-giallo/

Yes, SHOCKING!

Now, In Case You Need Something Even MORE Distateful:

Yep, there is “Nazisploitation Horror” - you know, movies about how the Nazis avoided losing WW2 because they fled TO THE MOON – and are now coming back for revenge on the Earth – as Zombies! Bite down on this wacky horror trend by clicking here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/10/23/bad-taste-this-halloween-nazi-zombie-halloween-horror-halloween-party-movies/

Or, if you REALLY want to camp it up – get some “old lady horror!”

If you ever needed to see Debbie Reynolds in a horror film – and I really think you do – then this is the link for you!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/03/09/old-lady-horror-crazy-ladies-chew-up-the-screen/

So, on this Friday the 13th weekend, I encourage you all to get scared, and let me know what your favorite horror film is!

Talk About A Great Vacation!

If you’ve seen the terrific movie “Gravity”, you know there is NO sound in space…and it’s also a unique way to “get away from it all”…in fact, you could say that Sandra Bullock and George Clooney had the whole place to themselves!

Can you imagine having a job in outer space? Getting paid to go into orbit! I’d love it, but I also think it would be even better if you could take a vacation into space…no work, all float!

It may seem desolate in space, but if you think you are alone, look at this picture of outer space junk…

Behold The Space Junk!

Wow, it’s getting crowded out in space! This is an artist rendering of the space stuff that orbits the earth on a daily basis…if you’ve seen “Gravity” – and if not, go NOW! – you know that space junk is dangerous!

Cue The Wanderlust!

Are you itching for a unique vacation? Could you imagine heading into outer space to see the space junk up close?

Time For Some Extreme Travel!

If you’ve got a taste for something a bit more “adventurous”, check out some of these extreme options!

There’s even a 3D movie that shows you space junk up close! Before we imagine life in outer space, let’s go the other direction: to the center of the earth!

I found a few of these extreme travel adventures on the great website “Thecoolist”…an amazing list of places to explore that are clearly off the beaten path!

Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea!

A science travel organization called Deep Ocean Expeditions has made Mir Submersibles and Deep Rover submarines available to the traveling public for rare, firsthand views of the frontier below.

In 2012, a few passengers were taken 12,500 feet below the North Atlantic to see the wreckage of the famed Titanic. Only a handful of craft can sustain human life at such depths, the same craft that carried filmmakers to the sea floor to film James Cameron’s Titanic. How cool does that sound? You’ll even get to see some friends like this:

“The Sharks Will Wake You At Seven!”

Now, if you don’t want to go all the way to the bottom of the sea, maybe you just need to enjoy an underwater bed!

The Poseidon Undersea Resort!

Yes, Fiji is offering an amazing underwater adventure! Look at how cool this is!

If you just want to “sleep with the fishes”, then this is for you! You can find out all about it by clicking on the official website!

http://www.poseidonresorts.com/

And if you want to stay dry, but still go WAY DOWN UNDER, then this may be for you:

Spe-LUNK!

Here’s what they had to say about this “middle earth” adventure: “The Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky is the longest cave system in the world, a fascinating underground world open to traveling explorers. This Unesco World Heritage Site may be a common tourist trap, but its length is open to fearless adventurers who wish to go beyond the beaten path.

The Wild Cave Tour at Mammoth Cave takes a small group of spelunkers deep into the cave through twists, turns and tiny spaces that would inspire terror in your average tourist. If you book your own exploration, a private guide will show you the world below, exploring some of Mammoth Cave’s 365 miles of underground tunnels!

If the idea of squeezing through 9-inch by 24-inch openings of deep limestone caverns excites you, you’ll be right at home in Mammoth Cave!

Behold “Middle Earth!”

To see all of what “The Coolist” has, go to their site here:

http://www.thecoolist.com/extreme-travel-6-frontiers-for-the-fearless-adventurer/

So, if you don’t want to leave earth OR go inside it, how extreme can you get? Plenty!

Sherman’s March!

Thanks to Sherman’s Travel, I found a couple more cool, extreme things to try:

Heli-Ski!

Yep, your local ski resort just doesn’t seem to offer up enough fresh snow…so why not take a helicopter and find your own?

If you’re a top-notch skier who likes a BIG adrenalin rush, get off the trails and take to the skies by boarding a chopper and going heli-skiing, a sport that makes the trek up the mountain as exciting as the run down.

No Ski Lifts Here!

According to Sherman’s March: “Lured by the promise of untouched slopes, wilderness solitude, and challenging terrain, those who dare to get airborne access otherwise inaccessible peaks.”

If you’ve ever wanted to ski down the top of the world, it’s easier now than ever!
Check out more extreme travel from Sherman’s March:

http://www.shermanstravel.com/top-tens/top-10-extreme-travel-adventures

And if you don’t want to go to the top of the world, let the top of the world bring the show to you!

The Northern Lights!

Yes, let mother nature do all the work!

The bright dancing lights of the aurora are collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres.

Here is an amazing time lapse sequence from Norway, courtesy of NatGeo:

And in Finland, you can rent a glass igloo to watch them from the comfort of your bed! I could watch this for hours…but it still makes me want to head out there myself…

In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream!

Back to “Gravity”…that movie really made me want to head out of town on the ultimate adventure…

And guess what? I can! The 10-day space journey offered by Virginia-based Space Adventures (www.spaceadventures.com) blasts you from a launch pad in Kazakhstan into the actual orbit of the Earth, where gravity itself becomes obsolete as you circle the globe every 90 minutes – imagine how much fun it would be to float in outer space!

Virgin Galactic!

Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic (www.virgingalactic.com) launched its first staffed flights in 2010: Paying passengers will have to wait a bit longer to hop aboard suborbital flights – and it will set you back $200,000.

Flying Outer Space In Economy!

Believe it or not, there IS a low-cost alternative as well! Zero-gravity thrills at an even less-astronomical price ($4,950) are available in Las Vegas or in Cape Canaveral and Titusville, both in Florida, through Zero G (www.gozerog.com)

I for one can’t wait to fly Virgin Galactic!

So many opportunities to be an Astronaut!

So there you have it – it’s your world, explore it!

Hold The Presses! New Todd Is On The Way!

Great new Todd Rundgren news always sends me back into his music catalogue…

“AWATS” Is Upon Us!

This is great new Todd news! Todd Rundgren fans know that a new, live version of “A Wizard A True Star” is being released…Todd performing the entire album live – of course I pre-ordered mine off of:

“Toddstore.com”…

This is the latest in a series of live versions of his best albums – and in this case, his most misunderstood release ever – and it is being released on both CD and DVD…

“Hidden Todd”!

To celebrate this release, I wanted to look at some of Todd’s greatest “hidden” music. There are nights when you just need to put on some classic Todd Rundgren albums…and a “hidden gem” pops up every time!

Time To Celebrate Some Of Todd’s Hidden Gems!

I want to share my list of Todd’s hidden gems – great songs that aren’t as well known as his hit songs – and therefore don’t get played as much – and since there are SO many of them, it’s easy to put together my own CD of:

“Todd’s Hidden Gems – Album Track Greatest Hits!”

First and foremost – THANK YOU to Todd – and all of his fans, who have both posted music videos online, as well as videos of Todd in concert – these classic performances will live on for fans to enjoy forever!

I have posted links to every song I feature. The clips are all from youtube, and I try to thank the folks who posted them there for us, but if you click on the link, make sure to leave a comment and let everyone know how much their Todd passion is appreciated!

Let’s get started with these “hidden gems”, lesser-known Todd music that is still among his very best – just like this outfit!

Where Does The Time Go?

You could ask that question looking back at the entire body of Todd’s work: so many classics, but there were also some great music that was almost never released!

Let’s start with this little-heard Todd classic that was never included on a regular Todd CD..it was finally included on the “One Long Year” album, which was a compilation of songs originally released on Todd’s website…here is a great live version:

“Where Does The Time Go” – from Hermits of Mink Halloween at RundgrenRadio’s PaRRty in IKRON

“Where Does The Time Go?” is a great, upbeat pop song that fits perfectly among his best hits…and
here is a song that WAS released – but had the misfortune of being on Todd’s biggest selling album ever – “Something / Anything” – so it never became the hit single it deserved to be…

The Night The Carousel Burned Down

It’s a gorgeous song that is forgotten because it’s on an album full of amazing Todd standards like “Hello, It’s Me”, “It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference”, “I Saw The Light”…well, the entire two album set!

Here now is a video by the terrific Perry Morelli:

Great job, Perry!

Weakness

This is one of my favorite Todd songs: from “Arena” – a bombastic beginning that flows into one of his most hauntingly beautiful choruses…this youtube clip begins with a short interview with Todd, where he explains the blending of the two different sounds on the song…

I really wish Todd would do an acoustic version of this song – it would be one of his most beautiful ballads ever…I have another example of this to share later – since Todd is always playing with his songs, but first, here’s another rarity for you:

Umbrella Man

Here’s another hidden gem – never officially released, although now you can find it on various outtakes and rarities packages like I did…this is another beautiful ballad…

I’ve leaned a bit toward ballads so far, but these are the songs that just continue to resonate for me, and they are largely forgotten…

“Parallel Lines!”

I admit that “Parallel Lines” got some airplay at the time, but to me it’s another beautiful hit single that wasn’t – this is of course from Todd’s “Nearly Human” album…

Here’s an amazing live version of the song when Todd appeared on the October 29, 1989 episode of the short-lived music television show “Night Music.” It’s performed with just a piano accompaniment for the first half….

I love the story that Todd tells about his “Up Against It!” project before he performs. Now, here’s a song that was played a bit when it was first released as well, but has, for me, gained even more stature over time as one of Todd’s best ballads:

Don’t Hurt Yourself

“The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect” was Todd Rundgren’s tenth studio album, released in 1982. The album was well-received by critics AND fans, and Todd had an unexpected hit with the song “Bang the Drum All Day”.

The album was also his last official release on Bearsville Records. This clip is basically an audio file with a shot of the album cover…a brilliant album!

Todd performs this live with the Metropole Orchestra as the added on bonus disc with “STATE” import – a gorgeous live version, and the entire live Metropole performance is great!

Some of Todd’s longer songs were never meant to be hit singles, but still have amazing melodies…”The Verb To Love” is a great example of that, and so is this song:

God Said

Todd has always been interested in spirituality, of course, and I just love the conversation he carries on in this song. Here is a terrific montage from Todd’s performance with that same Metropole Orchestra…

And now, what I consider to be the biggest hit single that Todd NEVER HAD:

Espresso ( All Jacked Up)

This song rocks! Catchy, upbeat, with a killer hook – how did this not hit #1? This version was recorded on August 10, 2013 at Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, NY – posted by Larry Ruiz. It begins with a fun bit of Todd talking, and notice Kasim behind him trying to get more sound from his guitar…

I love that song…speaking of songs to love, here’s another gorgeous ballad, originally performed acapella by Todd:

Pretending To Care

This song really showcases Todd’s voice – here is “Pretending To Care” live, recorded at the Hammersmith Apollo London, 2005. Todd’s voice sounds great on this song. Posted by “rundgrenfan”.

Now, back to a song I mentioned earlier, “Weakness.” I love the song, but I also wonder what it would sound like if it was performed strictly as a ballad – if you watched the clip, Todd discusses mixing up two different style in the song – I’d love to hear it performed as a ballad…and here is a song he did that too a bit – possible my favorite Todd chorus of all:

Fade Away

“Fade Away” is the beautiful finale to his masterpiece “Hermit Of Mink Hollow.” The song is mid-tempo on the album, but here is Todd’s gorgeous, slowed down performance with the Metropole Orchestra in Amsterdam….the song starts as a ballad…

I LOVE the slower feel of the song at the beginning, and I’d love to hear Todd do the same with “Weakness” – but even if he never does, what a CD full of masterpieces this collection would be – here is my track list:

“Todd’s Hidden Gems!”

Where Does The Time Go?
The Night The Carousel Burned Down
Weakness
Umbrella Man
Parallel Lines
Don’t Hurt Yourself
God Said
Espresso (All Jacked Up)
Pretending To Care
Fade Away

All of these songs are, to me, among the best of his work! Kudos once again to Todd! Let me know what you think!

Time to honor an Actor who has always put it all out there!

Congratulations to Michael Douglas, the winner of the Golden Globe for Best Actor…for his amazing portrayal of Liberace in “Behind The Candelabra!”

Michael Douglas has always been an Actor willing to take risks – and never afraid to look like a fool! Need proof?

Sure, it looks like Douglas is having fun, but acting is tough work…I mean, you have to act with SO many people, and you are expected to do SO MANY THINGS:

And if you don’t watch out, you could end up making love to Sharon Stone, Glenn Close AND Demi Moore….like I said, acting is sure TOUGH WORK…

Well, if you are getting it on with these three, then you aren’t just ANY Actor: You are “Mr. Penis”, Michael Douglas! I mean, is there another Actor who let it all hang out for the good of Hollywood?

Well, HELLO MICHAEL!

Time to celebrate Michael Douglas, a great Actor who, in several great films, willingly put himself out there for all to see! They are three great sexploitation classics, all made by major studios…but they are, indeed, “sexploitation” based on what is on display!

Let’s begin with the entry that was oscar-nominated for Best Picture of 1987!

Fatal Attraction

Yes, it’s the “Citizen Kane” of crazy lady movies, and it is easy to forget how effective this movie is as an erotic thriller! And before you scoff, remember that “Fatal Attraction” was nominated for Best Picture of the Year, and Glenn Close was nominated for Best Actress among its many nominations! It was the second highest grossing film of 1987, and Alex and I can watch it over and over and over…because Glenn Close is so good, and Michael Douglas is so stupid – and they both let it all hang out!

“Are you….discreet?”

Happily married New York lawyer Dan Callagher has an affair with his colleague Alex, and the two enjoy a wild weekend of sex while Dan’s wife and kid are out of town.

Of course, Michael Douglas sees it as just a bit of fun, and boy do we see them having some fun fun fun! Good old Michael shows a lot of flesh – as does Glenn Close, as they do it every way they can all over her apartment building…

But an increasingly unhinged Alex will not let go of him, and she will stop at nothing to have him for herself. You know the rest – after a bit more sex, things get bloody…

Dan Gallagher: [to Alex] This has got to stop.
Alex Forrest: [to Dan] This is not gonna stop. It keeps going on and on.

“Fatal Attraction” is a movie full of intense erotic scenes with Douglas, who is always willing to step up for the good of the movie…and Glenn Close puts it all out there as well – much like Sharon Stone did in Douglas’s next notorious sex thriller:

Basic Instinct!

Without a doubt the most controversial movie of 1992, and one of the most notorious Hollywood films of the last 30 years – you know, because of THIS scene:

Sharon Stone cemented her place in Hollywood history with this memorable “show and tell” during her police interrogation…immediately turning the cops into a bunch of drooling idiots…

AND THE LEGEND GROWS!

According to Sharon Stone, director Paul Verhoeven asked her to remove her underwear for the leg-crossing scene, as he said they were too bright and reflected at the camera. Stone agreed to do so under the assumption that her genitals weren’t visible. It was only at an early preview that Stone discovered Verhoeven chose to use this specific shot. Stone was mainly cross with Verhoeven for not discussing the matter with her beforehand, but decided to let the scene go without changes, as she felt this conformed with her movie character.

However, Verhoeven’s version of the conflict is that he told Stone beforehand about the leg-crossing shot, as it was important for showing Catherine Tramell’s free-spirited nature and her constant drive to toy with people. Stone was reportedly excited about the idea and shot the scene. However, during the early preview, her agents supposedly disproved of the scene, fearing it would harm her future career. According to Verhoeven, Stone radically changed her mind about the shot and demanded that he remove it, which he ultimately refused.

It remains one of Hollywood’s most memorable scenes. And “Basic Instinct” was one of the most controversial films as well. A former rock star, Johnny Boz, is brutally killed during sex, and the case is assigned to detective Nick Curran of the SFPD. Michael Douglas is perfect as the cop with a secret past who is also sex-obsessed…and of course, Douglas bares it all over and over again…

So choreographed were the sex scenes that Sharon Stone referred to herself and Michael Douglas as “the horizontal Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of the ’90s”!

There is non-stop sex and violence in this film, and it is to the credit of all involved that they performed ALL of it!

Go, Michael Go!

There aren’t that many Actors willing to put it all out there the way Douglas did. Whether you like, love or LOATHE “Basic Instinct”, it was another example of Michael Douglas putting it all out there and not being afraid to look like a fool…

Full “Disclosure”!

Finally, Michael Douglas proved willing to get down and dirty with Demi Moore in the high tech erotic thriller “Disclosure!”

Michael Douglas willingly steps forward to portray a software tech who is seduced by a former co-worker…but now, she has more devious ideas behind her sexual advances…

You have to admire Douglas for being willing to stare Demi Moore IN THE BREASTS…but it’s just one of a number of intense sexual encounters designed to put his entire career at risk…

Of course, there is much more to the story – Alex and I love this movie because it’s ridiculous, erotic, well written and just plain fun…and kudos to Demi Moore for her performance as well….

As always, Michael Douglas is willing to be a food led along by a woman suing her sexual charms…that’s a common denominator in all three films: the women are the proactive, confident sexual creatures, and Michael Douglas is a fool who gets what he has coming for being a stupid guy!

So kudos to Michael Douglas, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone and Glenn Close – and kudos to everyone involved in these great erotic thrillers!

Ready for a “Scalpel Sharp” Dissection Of Medicine, Courtesy Of George C. Scott?

Yes, in an era when “Obamacare” is such a hot button, remember there were films that took on the medical establishment and blew the doors off of medicine!

“Now what in hell am I going to tell this boy Schaefer’s parents? That a substitute nurse assassinated him because she couldn’t tell the doctors from the patients on the floor?”

If you LOVED the screenplay for “Network”, imagine if Paddy Chayefsky put this sharp pen to the world of medical care! Well, he did, and legendary Actor George C. Scott spewed them out in a wicked medical comedy!

The Hospital!

In 1971, legendary writer Paddy Chayefsky took on medicine, and what a great result! Here’s is the trailer:

Thanks to “Movieclips classic trailers” on youtube for sharing this! Here’s the plot:

George C. Scott was on a roll in the 70′s, starting the decade by winning Best Actor for Patton, then acting in a number of tough, gritty films. THIS undiscovered gem is the setup for 1976′s classic “Network”, as both scripts were written by legendary writer Paddy Chayefsky.

Mrs. Cushing: Dr. Spezio. I think one of your patients in here is dead, Dr. Spezio.
Dr. Spezio: Why do you say that, Mrs. Cushing?
Mrs. Cushing: Because he wouldn’t give me his Blue Cross number, Dr, Spezio.

This 1971 Chayefsky script looks at the world gone mad through the eyes of a Hospital, and George C. Scott is the guy trying to hold it together. Co-Star Diana Rigg was just coming off her acclaimed performance as the Bond girl in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”…and while it has been largely forgotten to time, it was a razor sharp indictment of the medical establishment!

Scott’s acting and a terrific script make this one of the great, angry movies of the 70′s…with a caustic wit and a searing indictment of the medical community…

Writer Paddy Chayefsky performed a number of roles on the film. Chayefsky was the writer and a producer and also narrated the film at the start. Chayefsky reportedly had full control over content and casting of the movie.

Oscar Worthy Indeed!

Even though actor George C. Scott had rejected the Best Actor Academy Award gold statuette he had won the previous year for Patton (1970), Scott was still nominated in the same category for this picture but lost to Gene Hackman for The French Connection (1971).

“Now what in hell am I going to tell this boy Schaefer’s parents? That a substitute nurse assassinated him because she couldn’t tell the doctors from the patients on the floor?”

Paddy Chayefsky film script won the Best Original Screenplay Award at the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes, the Writers’ Guild of America Awards, and at the Academy Awards (Oscars).

Look for this obscure classic – made even greater by the classic 70′s film poster!

And speaking of classic’s 70′s posters, here is one for ANOTHER medical comedy from the same year, starring legendary comedian Peter Sellers!

Where Does It Hurt?

This VERY obscure comedy starring Peter Sellers as the head of a hospital that breaks ALL the rules! Take a look at what I found on youtube:

According to the youtube post, “Keith Allison, Paul Revere & The Raiders Bass Player, wrote and recorded the title song, “Where Does It Hurt”, and the theme music for this Peter Sellers Movie. Allison also played the part of Hinckley in the movie. Included in these clips is a second Allison tune probably titled Money,Money or Money Please Come Home.”

That youtube clip is to show context and analysis for the music in the film, as it takes on the wild world of medicine in the early 70′s…here is the plot: A corrupt hospital administrator decides to get as much money as possible from the patients by any means necessary – lie, cheat or steal!

Here is some great trivia, courtesy of the terrific website “IMDB.com”.

“Where Does It Hurt?” was filmed with much of the production money invested by director Rod Amateau and actor Peter Sellers, making the director and star both acting producers of the film.

On the first day of filming, Sellers phoned Amateau and asked that a limousine be sent to his Los Angeles hotel to transport the actor to the film studio. Amateau explained to Sellers that he’d be glad to send a limousine to transport the actor, but since Sellers was sharing in the expenses of the production as well as the profits, the limousine would cost the actor fifty dollars per day. The next morning, Sellers arrived at the studio in the passenger seat of a pickup truck driven by the film’s key grip. Passing Amateau on his way to the set, Sellers explained to the director, “He lives near me.”

“Where Does It Hurt?” isn’t as successful as “The Hospital” in tackling the outrageous world of medicine, but it does make an attempt to highlight the world of medicine at the time, which was even more out of control than it is today!

Both films are cult classics, and deserve to be resurrected in this era of ObamaCare and out of control medical costs….once again, Paddy Chayefsky was prescient in his world view!

“Songwriting for me is something I have to do to stay on the sunny side of life. It’s my therapy.”

Celebrating Josh Rouse!

Time to put on some classic music, thanks to a great singer/songwriter!

If you haven’t heard the beautiful music of Singer/Songwriter Josh Rouse, then you are missing a treat! My former co-worker, Blair Butler told me about this terrific singer, and once I began to listen, I was hooked!

Rouse has released a series of classic albums, and just released a new CD, which is one of his best yet!

Here is a short snippet of Rouse’s bio, courtesy of his website:

“It may have been 15+ years – from roots in rural Nebraska, through time in ‘Music City’ Nashville, TN, and to the current day relocated to a new home in cosmopolitan Spain – but it seems that the song spirits have been constant companions for Josh Rouse.

“And maybe no more so than on the singer-songwriter’s latest record, “The Happiness Waltz”, an album that marries both his past, and present – revisiting an earlier era, where his music was heavily influenced by the ‘soft rock’ of the 70’s, and combining it with lyrical tales drawn from the here and now – his modern day-to-day life, one deeply enriched by his children and family.”

Here is his first single, an immediate classic from “The Happiness Waltz” -

Julie (Come Out Of The Rain):

That is a beautiful song, just another in a career full of them. His music is mellow and heartfelt, and in many ways feels effortless – just catchy melodies and terrific musicianship.

Here is one of his most famous songs, a gorgeous ode to love – from his brilliant CD “1972″:

Love Vibration:

Rouse has released a number of acclaimed albums, and there are also several compilations that allow you to dip into the music as well – but I say buy them all!

His music has been used in many movies as well. Interestingly, the singer moved to Valencia, Spain with his wife and kids, and now records music there in a home studio. Here is a beautiful song that speaks to this change in his life:

Quiet Town:

“Ooh, sometimes I miss the show
I learned a long time ago…”

I hope you listen to his music and support him – he is a great Artist who deserves more acclaim!

Josh Rouse on iTunes!

You can go to iTunes to download all of Rouse’s music – there are so many great songs like this one, “Flight Attendant”, which was used in the movie “Eat Pray Love”:

Here is rouse performing his song “Winter In The Hamptons” live in a club in Spain…

You can get additional information and posts by the Artist himself by going to:

http://www.joshrouse.com/

Support this great artist by purchasing “The Happiness Waltz” and more great music! Kudos, Josh!

Welcome To Copenhagen!

Time to visit one of the most beautiful cities on earth!

Copenhagen, Denmark is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities – in an area that is probably not on many people’s radar – this area of Europe is further north than the hot spots of the French Riviera, Spain and Italy – but it is a gorgeous part of the world!

I was lucky enough to be asked to speak at the Danish TV/Film Institute – and I did a presentation on non-fiction programming styles in the US – I was asked to stay and do the presentation again, so I had several days to explore this amazing city!

I love exploring new places, so I spent my time wandering – I like to walk as much as possible – and it was fascinating to see so many unique aspects of the city…

The Origin Of Copenhagen!

I was unfamiliar with this part of the world, so I looked up a bunch of info on the city and country. Nearly a thousand years old, Copenhagen began as a simple fishing village and a commerce center.

Today, Copenhagen is the most visited city in Scandinavia – the waterfront area is always packed with people – and let me say, I have NEVER been to a city where the people were friendlier than they were here…

I was there in the summer, when the weather was warm – and as a result, people were hanging out and enjoying the city – and everyone was friendly, open and generous…

The Danish capital draws more than a million visitors each year. Copenhagen, as you can see from some of the pictures, has a lot of waterfront, canals, and shopping areas to explore, so it never felt too crowded, although there were always crowds around…

The city is full of shopping areas, pedestrian zones, and plenty of places to eat and drink…

And “Hold” The Corruption!

Denmark is a very clean, and incredibly honest country. The World Audit ranks Denmark as the world’s most democratic and least corrupted country in 2008. I never felt concerned for my safety – and although every city has its share of areas to avoid, I never came across one here…

The Little Mermaid!

And Copenhagen is home to the world’s “original” Little Mermaid!

The Little Mermaid statue is Copenhagen’s most famous landmark. In 1837, Danish author Hans Christian Andersen published a fairy tale about a little mermaid. Yes, Hans Christian Anderson was Danish, and they celebrate the Author everywhere!

About 70 years later, a Danish brewer attended the “Little Mermaid” ballet and commissioned the waterfront statue. As you can see, it is one of the city’s most popular destinations…

Mermaids Everywhere!

The image of Mermaids permeate life in Copenhagen…

You see mermaids everywhere in the city, on buildings and statues…

Hello Hippies!

And here is a look at the most unique aspect of Copenhagen – time to visit the world’s largest hippie community – which happens to be located within Copenhagen’s city limits!

Behold The Hippie Community of “Christiania”!

This is an overview picture of a section of Copenhagen that is home to the world’s largest hippie community!

“Christiania” is one of the most successful communal experiments that emerged from 70′s hippie culture. It is a “city within a city”, located in the heart of Copenhagen, but existing in its own unique way…

In the early 70′s, a group of hippies took over what was, up to then a military base – it began as a protest, and over the years, it has grown into a strong self-sustained, self-governed and well organized community.

Here is how an official tourist website describes it: “After four decades, its existence is the result of Danish concepts of equality and freedom on the one hand and a sense of responsibility and determination of the Christianites on the other.”

“Christiania” operates as its own government. Crucial decisions for the community need to be discussed and approved by a committee formed of chosen inhabitants from each of the 14 parts of Christiania.

There have been skirmishes with the government, and threats of closure, but Christiania lives on. I went inside to explore this amazing hippie community, which is open to everyone…

An Open Drug Trade!

One of the most controversial aspects of Christiania is that is has an open drug trade. I didn’t feel comfortable taking pictures inside the community, as there were open drug flea markets…but here are some pictures of Christiania that I found online…

These stands sell a variety of items, including drugs like pot and hash…it’s an open air drug market, and while the government has threatened to shut these down, they still exist…

it was a strange feeling wandering through the “market”, but the community is so much more – this is a unique “City within a city”, with all buildings hand made or renovated military buildings, and the community is full of unique art as well…

It is certainly a “must see” when you are in Copenhagen…a testament to a truly unique government that allows this…now, back to Copenhagen: there is another “must see”: and it is something you see, frankly, EVERYWHERE:

Blondes On Bikes!

Copenhagen is world famous for its biking culture and was named officially the first “Bike City” in the World. Last year, it was also voted the ‘Best city for cyclists’ and the ‘World’s most liveable city’.

The Danes are well known for their love of cycling and cities all around the world are now looking at ways to copy this phenomenon. And, it was soon apparent to me that there were blondes on bikes everywhere!

It really is biking heaven for the cyclist in Copenhagen with over 390 kilometres of designated bike lanes.

On every street in town, there were bikers – and since more than 60% of the country is blonde, there were blondes on bikes everywhere you looked – leading to my photo essay on the subject…

Blondes, Blondes Everywhere!

No matter where you looked, you saw blondes…even the blondes were looking for them…

When I was in Japan, I noted that it was the most homogenous country on earth – but when you are in a city like Copenhagen, where so many people are blonde – it’s noticeable!

As I continued to wander through the city, I noticed there were blondes, blondes and more blondes everywhere you look!

After walking the city, I was hungry, so it was time to enjoy some of Denmark’s local specialties:

That’s right, I found a place to sit along one of Copenhagen’s canals, and I had Tuborg beer and some pickled herring…

Speaking of Tuborg beer, I loved that buildings in Copenhagen were covered with company logos…

And later, I came across another fascinating sight: the city had turned one of their rivers into a swimming pool!

As I said, I was there when the weather was nice, and I saw these “instant swimming pools” everywhere, and they were packed with swimmers:

Next to the pool was a food kiosk:

And I got myself a Danish hot dog – a long sausage as well as a bacon-wrapped hot dog, as well as ketchup and mustard:

Tivoli Gardens!

Copenhagen also has a great entertainment park called “Tivoli Gardens”, where I went to dinner with the guys who ran the “MTV Of Denmark:”

Copenhagen’s Go Go Bars!

Another thing I noticed were several “go go” bars along the waterfront…

One of them had a very American influence. As you can see, a little bit of Beverly Hills showed up…

It was just another unique aspect of a fascinating city – I loved visiting Copenhagen, loved the people and the food, and look forward to going back!

All Hail The 1970′s!

I love 70′s movies! They are chock full of iconic stars with BIG GUNS!

Some of these movies will live forever, some have been unfortunately neglected – but thanks to DVD, blu-ray, and the thousands of films available ondemand, you never have to forget them again!

If you need to see some classic 70′s cinema, here are ten ways to start – a collection of some of the toughest action films of that decade, with terrific performances from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars…let’s get started with a neglected gem with Oscar winners in front of and behind the camera!

10-Thunderbolt And Lightfoot!

This 1974 action film is a classic, criminally overlooked Clint Eastwood heist movie – Jeff Bridges was Oscar-nominated for his role here – and it is directed by Michael Cimino, who would go on next to do the Oscar-winning best picture of 1978, “The Deer Hunter!”

That’s right, Jeff Bridges was Oscar-nominated for this, and he is terrific as always! Clint Eastwood plays a bank robber par excellence with a flair for explosives who is being hunted by his former partners, who think he has their loot from their last job.

Bridges is his eager apprentice and sidekick, who helps him escape; when Eastwood finally makes peace with his hunters, Bridges convinces them to try a daring robbery–but things inevitably go awry. Well worth the effort to find this one – as it features a VERY BIG GUN!

Here’s another film that is fairly obscure as well…and a western!

9-The Hunting Party!

In 1971, Gene Hackman, Oliver Reed and Candace Bergen starred in this gritty western.

Oliver Reed is the outlaw who wants to learn to read, and Candace Bergen is the school teacher he kidnaps to teach him –

Bergen is not only a school teacher, she’s also the wife of cattle baron Gene Hackman – who wants his wife back…

Hackman rustles up a “Hunting Party” and begins to pick off the bad guys one by one. And what starts as a rescue mission turns into a “hunting party”…

This film was shocking for the amount of violence it showed…this was a time shortly after “The Wild Bunch” raised the stakes for violence in a film…

Lots of grindhouse violence here, but kind of interesting to watch a clear B-movie being acted out by some A-list Actors!

And speaking of A-List Actors – here are several, this time is an A+ classic action thriller!

8-The Taking Of Pelham 1-2-3

Take some of the greatest character Actors of the 70′s, add some dynamite action sequences…blend with sharp dialogue and a delicious sense of humor and you have one of the great action films of the 70′s. You also have one of the great 70′s movie posters…

Here is the plot summary of “The Taking Of Pelham 1-2-3″: Four armed men hijack a New York City subway train and demand 1 million dollars – which must be delivered in 1 hour – or they will begin to execute the passengers…

Legendary Actor Walter Matthau plays Lt. Rico Patrone, who oversees the crime unit for the NY Subway. He is willing to admit that their job isn’t that exciting:

Lt. Rico Patrone: “We had a bomb scare in the Bronx yesterday, but it turned out to be a cantaloupe.”

Robert Shaw plays the leader of the hijackers, Mr. Blue. Shaw starred in a number of classic 70′s films, such as “The Sting” and “Jaws”, and he was the nearly-unstoppable killer in “From Russia With Love.” His fight sequence inside a train compartment against James Bond 007′s Sean Connery is a classic as well.

Martin Balsam and Hector Elizondo are among the thieves. Balsam brings the “every man” feel to the movie, a regular guy looking to get what he thinks he’s due. Hector Elizondo is terrific as Mr. Gray…that’s right, this is the movie where all of the hijackers called each other by colors…something Quentin Tarantino used effectively in “Reservoir Dogs”.

What’s great about this movie is how honest it feels: for example, the kidnappers don’t get along – at all – leading to this great exchange:

Mr. Blue: “I once had a man shot for talking to me like that.”
Mr. Gray: “Yeah, well, that’s the difference between you and me. I’ve always done my own killing.”

“The Taking Of Pelham 1-2-3″ has a lot of action, really great action, and a terrific ending…which leads to one of the most acclaimed and controversial films of the decade…

7-Deliverance!

One of the most iconic films of the 70′s, but a bit overlooked these days. In 1972, this was an extremely controversial film – “squeal like a pig!” anyone?

Burt Reynolds plays outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock, who is intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it’s turned into one huge lake. Lewis takes his friends on a river-rafting trip they’ll never forget into the dangerous American back-country.

“Deliverance” was one of the most iconic films of the 70′s, but it’s a bit overlooked these days. In 1972, this was an extremely controversial film – “squeal like a pig!” anyone? It was also one of the great action dramas of the seventies – Burt Reynolds became a superstar based on this film…

If you haven’t seen this brilliant movie, check out new blu-ray and DVD versions that have documentaries and commentary attached, and they are all worth viewing – and of course, there are the “dueling banjos!”

This was such a controversial film – brutal and violent, and of course its known for two amazing sequences: first, the “dueling banjos” scene, when the group comes across a young boy with a banjo…

“Squeal like a pig!”

And then there was the brutal scene with one of the most quoted lines in film history…as the group is ambushed and attacked by rednecks…this was one of the most controversial scenes in 70′s movie history…

Both scenes from “Deliverance” became permanent fixtures in pop culture forever…

Speaking Of Pop Culture Notoriety!

His breakout performance in Deliverance in 1972 made Reynolds a star. The same year, Reynolds gained even more notoriety when he posed naked in the April issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine – a landmark moment in publishing.

Reynolds claims the centerfold in Cosmopolitan hurt the chances for Deliverance and the film’s stars, including himself, from receiving Academy Awards.

6- Dirty Harry!

OK, I already included one Clint Eastwood movie – “Thunderbolt & Lightfoot”, which is lesser known…but of course, you HAVE TO put “Dirty Harry” on any list of classic 70′s action films, right?

Here is the plot: A mad man calling himself ‘the Scorpio Killer’ shoots people from San Francisco’s rooftops…terrorizing the city…

Police Inspector Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the psychopath, but when we first meet Harry, he is having a hot dog and interrupting a bank robbery…

“Do I feel lucky?” Well, do ya, punk?”

One of the greatest lines in film history comes from this scene, as Harry disrupts the robbery, shoots all of the perps, and walks over to the last one alive. As he approaches, Harry fingers his trigger while a bank robber eyes his own gun lying nearby…

“I know what you’re thinking, punk. You’re thinking “did he fire six shots or only five?” Now to tell you the truth I forgot myself in all this excitement. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and will blow you head clean off, you’ve gotta ask yourself a question: “Do I feel lucky?” Well, do ya, punk?”

That scene cements, within the first ten minutes, that Dirty Harry is a classic “cop who plays by his own rules”. This movie has a great plot, terrific direction by legendary Don Siegel, and Clint Eastwood IS Dirty Harry.

It is this exchange, however, that to me helps cement “Dirty Harry” as a classic action film of the 70′s…San Francisco’s Mayor wants Harry to explain why he shot a rapist…

Harry Callahan: Well, when an adult male is chasing a female with intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard. That’s my policy.

The Mayor: Intent? How did you establish that?

Harry Callahan: When a naked man is chasing a woman through an alley with a butcher’s knife and a hard-on, I figure he isn’t out collecting for the Red Cross!

[walks out of the room]

The Mayor: He’s got a point.

“Dirty Harry” is a great film, and the sequels are pretty good as well, especially “Magnum Force” and “Sudden Impact!”

Now, speaking of cops who play by their own rules…

5 – The French Connection!

It was the Academy Award-winning Best Picture of 1971, and it’s the true story of “Popeye” Doyle, a NY cop determined to bust a heroin smuggling ring…

He is, of course, a cop willing to break all the rules in order to get his man – and that includes one of the most amazing car chases ever filmed…beautifully filmed by legendary Director William Friedkin, who went on to make “The Exorcist”, “To Live And Die In LA”, “Sorcerer” AND “Killer Joe”!

The Legendary Car Chase!

Thanks to the terrific website IMDB, here are some amazing anecdotes about the filming of the legendary car chase through the streets of New York in “The French Connection.”

The car crash during the chase sequence, at the intersection of Stillwell Ave. and 86th St., was unplanned and was included because of its realism. The man whose car was hit had just left his house a few blocks from the intersection to go to work and was unaware that a car chase was being filmed. The producers paid the bill for the repairs to his car!

According to IMDB, the car chase was filmed without obtaining the proper permits from the city! Members of the NYPD’s tactical force helped control traffic. But most of the control was achieved by the assistant directors with the help of off-duty NYPD officers, many of whom had been involved in the actual case.

A camera was mounted on the car’s bumper for the shots from the car’s point-of-view. Hackman did some of the driving but the extremely dangerous stunts were performed by Bill Hickman, with Friedkin filming from the backseat.

Friedkin operated the camera himself because the other camera operators were married with children and he was not. The mjaority of the chase was, however, very well choreographed, but it is that realism in the filming that makes the scene itself so heart-pounding!

The film spawned a less successful sequel, but it is also a great movie, just a different one…

4-Get Carter!

In 1971 Michael Caine tore up the screen as London gangster Jack Carter. Heading “up north” to get to the bottom of the recent death of his brother, he runs afoul of the local color, who don’t appreciate his meddling.

Not content to accept the police report of suicide, Carter begins investigating. He encounters the local mob boss, his sleazy chauffeur with eyes like “piss holes in the snow,” and the lovely town porn star. Naturally, he kicks alot of ass and takes names later.

This is a pure 70′s arthouse action movie – what a combo, right? But it’s not only a great film, Michael Caine is tough as nails, so well worth checking out!

3-Prime Cut!

Lee Marvin was one of film’s all-time tough guys, and no more so than in this gritty thriller, where he saves a naked Sissy Spacek from the mob…here’s a teaser:

Lee Marvin plays his toughest role ever, as an “Enforcer” for the Mob, who heads to Kansas City to get the money that Gene Hackman owes the Mob..

Oh yeah, Hackman’s not really interested in paying back what he owes…and from then on out, the fight is on!

Hackman plays a cattle rancher who not only grinds his enemies into sausage, but sells women as sex slaves.

The movie was considered highly risqué for its time based on its level of violence, as well as its graphic depiction of female slavery, including a scene depicting the auctioning of young women in the manner of beef cattle.

Gene Hackman digs into his role as the bad guy, but it’s Marvin to kick ass and takes no prisoners. There is a scene where Marvin and Sissy Spacek are chased through a wheat field by a shredder…a great action sequence.

Marvin and Spacek have a great rapport in the film, as he takes on a “father figure” role to help her escape from the bad guys…

A couple of years before she catapulted to stardom in “Carrie”, Sissy Spacek co-stars, and does a great job in the role…

This was Sissy Spacek’s feature film debut – and involves a lot of nudity.

Marvin and Gene Hackman have a number of great scenes together, a couple of tough guys chewing up the scenery in a great B-movie.

But at the end of day, nobody beats Lee Marvin, the coolest guy in town.

Speaking of the coolest guy in town, NOBODY was cooler than this guy in 1971:

2-Shaft!

Who’s the cat that won’t cop out, when there’s danger all about? John Shaft of course! This blaxploitation classic is a hard-charging action thriller about Detective John Shaft, played to perfection by Richard Roundtree – with a big gun, of course…

“You see this cat Shaft is a bad motherf-”
“Watch Your Mouth!”
“But I’m talking about Shaft!”
“Then we can dig it!”

Check out this movie and also buy the soundtrack on iTunes, it’s a classic as well from Isaac Hayes!

Now, this is my personal favorite of them all:

1-The Getaway!

Take notorious Director Sam Peckinpah, add the toughest – and coolest – action star of the time in Steve McQueen, and add new star Ali McGraw, and you have a dynamite action film from 1972 that is as entertaining today as the day it was released!

This is the film that led to McQueen and Macgraw leaving their spouses and running off together. Here is a surprisingly long trailer!

Here’s the plot: Master thief Doc McCoy knows his wife has been in bed with the local political boss in order to spring him from jail.

What he doesn’t know are all of the double-crosses that will sour the deal once he’s on the outside – and pulling off the ultimate robbery.

This is filled with iconic scenes, and so much cool it will put a chill on your living room! Just look at McQueen and MacGraw blasting their way out of trouble…

Ali McGraw’s Husband!

Ali MacGraw was one of Hollywood’s biggest female star when she made “The Getaway”, thanks to the mega-hit “Love Story.” She was also married to movie Executive Robert “The Kid Stays In The Picture” Evans!

MacGraw and McQueen began an affair during the filming of the movie, and ended up getting married…Evans discusses this part of his life in his terrific memoir, “The Kid Stays In The Picture.”

Oh Sally!

Sally Struthers has a deliciously wacky small role in the film, as the wife of a mild-mannered Dentist! They are both kidnapped by a ruthless thug out to find McQueen…

Struthers was a big star at the time on TV’s “All In The Family”…”The Getaway” is a great action movie, beautifully directed, and worth finding on dvd…

There you have it – ten great 70′s action films, with ten very big guns!

“Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey”

It’s not only one of the longest titles for a Beatles song, but it is also one of their most neglected classics!

What a terrific, crunchy rocker from John Lennon! Although the song is credited “Lennon – McCartney”, this was a pure John song – and it is one of his best!

Here is a clip I found on youtube, and it references this as “take 12″…

The released version of the song was originally recorded at Abbey Road Studios on June 27 1968. It was, of course, included on the brilliant “White Album”, along with other classic Lennon songs like “Dear Prudence”, “Revolution”, and the gorgeous ode to his mother, “Julia.”

Here are some of the lyrics:

The deeper you go the higher you fly
The higher you fly the deeper you go
So come on come on
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on make it easy
Come on make it easy.

Take it easy take it easy
Everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey.

Your inside is out and your outside is in
Your outside is in and your inside is out
So come on come on
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on make it easy
Come on make it easy
Make it easy make it easy
Everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey.

In 1980, Lennon said: “That was just a sort of nice line that I made into a song. It was about me and Yoko. Everybody seemed to be paranoid except for us two, who were in the glow of love. Everything is clear and open when you’re in love. Everybody was sort of tense around us: You know, ‘What is she doing here at the session? Why is she with him?’ All this sort of madness is going on around us because we just happened to want to be together all the time.”

While John was writing songs about his relationship with Yoko, Paul was also hard at work on some classic music!

“I’ve Got A Feeling”

This classic McCartney song is from the “Let It Be” album – which is full of Macca classics such as the title track and “The Long And Winding Road”, but this crunchy rocker includes a fantastic, primal scream from the Beatle in the middle of the song…

Here is McCartney performing the song in 2009 – it is timeless:

According to BeatlesBible.com, “‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ was made up of two half-finished songs joined together. McCartney wrote the section that gave the song its title; Lennon’s contribution was originally called ‘Everybody Had A Hard Year’, and had previously been demoed during the White Album sessions.

BeatlesBible goes on to point out: “As such, it was the pair’s first full and equal collaboration since 1967′s Baby You’re A Rich Man. Lennon and McCartney worked on the song together at the latter’s house in Cavendish Avenue, London. Each part of the song shows the differences in the two men’s lives at that point. McCartney’s was a love song written about his future wife Linda Eastman, whom he married in March 1969.”

Lennon, conversely, had recently divorced his first wife Cynthia and was estranged from their son Julian. Additionally, he was addicted to heroin, his then-girlfriend Yoko Ono had recently suffered a miscarriage, the pair had been arrested for cannabis possession, and his enthusiasm for being a Beatle was at an all-time low.”

Here are some of the lyrics for “I’ve Got A Feeling”:

I’ve got a feeling, a feeling deep inside
Oh yeah, oh yeah, that’s right
I’ve got a feeling, a feeling I can’t hide
No no no, oh no, oh no
Yeah yeah I’ve got a feeling yeah

Oh please believe me, I’d hate to miss the train
Oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah
And if you leave me I won’t be late again
Oh no, oh no, oh no
Yeah yeah I’ve got a feeling yeah
I’ve got a feeling

All these years I’ve been wandering around
Wondering how come nobody told me
All that I was looking for was somebody
Who looked like you

I’ve got a feeling, that keeps me on my toes
Oh yeah, oh yeah

I’ve got a feeling, I think that everybody knows
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
Yeah yeah I’ve got a feeling yeah
Yeah

Everybody had a hard year
Everybody had a good time
Everybody had a wet dream
Everybody saw the sunshine
Oh yeah, (oh yeah) oh yeah, oh yeah
Everybody had a good year
Everybody let their hair down
Everybody pulled their socks up
Everybody put their foot down
Oh yeah
Yeah I’ve got a feeling
A feeling deep inside
Oh yeah

Oh yeah

The band would perform the song live on a London rooftop – the legendary “Let It Be” concert. I have a copy of it on VHS, but can’t wait for the day when this legendary concert documentary is released again…

There has been, of course, countless books about the relationship between The Beatles, the role that Yoko Ono had on John’s life, and the amazing love affair between Paul and Linda…it is the amazing music, however, that keeps their spirits alive, and “Monkey” and “Feeling” are just two more examples of their brilliant songwriting abilities…

Paul and Linda McCartney would soon head off to a very successful solo career, and a nasty feud with Lennon…you can read all about that by clicking on my story here:

http://johnrieber.com/2012/08/20/macca-ram-on-paul-mccartneys-masterpiece-john-lennons-fury-a-beatles-c-c-c-catfight/

Of course, the height of the feud was when Paul criticized John and Yoko in the song “Too Many People”, and John responded with this mean-spirited jab at Macca’s “Ram”…

Beatles Bible!

Some of the facts here were found on a fantastic Beatles website. Every Beatles fan must go to the “Beatles Bible” website – it meticulously discusses all aspects of the Fab Four and their music. As for “Monkey”, here is an interesting point:

“Although Lennon denied it, the monkey of the title was widely taken to be a reference to heroin, as were the words “The deeper you go the higher you fly”. ‘A monkey on the back’ was a jazz term for heroin addiction thought to have originated in the 1940s.”

The website also notes the original recording date as well as overdubs…again, a terrific site – full of amazing information, photos, trivia and all things Fab! I highly recommend you support it!

http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/everybodys-got-something-to-hide-except-me-and-my-monkey/

And it’s always the right time to discover great Beatles music…

All Hail Walter Matthau, Action Star!

Sure, Walter Matthau was a “Grumpy Old Man”, as well as the messy half of the classic “Odd Couple”!

He was also the coach of the original “Bad News Bears”, where he coached a ragtag team of misfits, including Tatum O’ Neal…Walter Matthau was one of our great comic Actors…

Walter Matthau, Action Hero!

No matter how much we all loved his comedic genius, it’s easy to forget that he also starred in a number of GREAT action films in the 70′s…

I’ve written about the classic thriller “The Taking Of Pelham 1-2-3″, starring Matthau and Robert Shaw, a terrific action thriller from the 70′s. But here are two more great 70′s action thrillers that Matthau headlined – both now on DVD and worth finding!

These films showcase great character actors, tight plots and great action sequences…they also highlight an era in film when leading men could be, well, “grumpier” – they didn’t flex their muscles, they just used their brains – and a gun or two – to persevere…

Charley Varrick!

Let’s start with an obscure action film that delivers the goods. What happens when you rob a bank that happens to be laundering all of the Mob’s money? The answer is the trailer for “Charley Varrick”:

That’s right, Charley Varrick, dressed like an old man, and his friends rob a small town bank. Expecting a small sum to divvy up, they are surprised to discover a very LARGE amount of money. It’s the Mob’s money, and they want it back – and they want Charley and his buddies DEAD.

The film was based on the novel “The Looters” by John H. Reese. The plot is straightforward, but the reason this film is so good is that it’s directed by Don Siegel, the legendary Director of “Dirty Harry”! It also stars Joe Don Baker, who is perfect as the Mob muscle out to track down the bank robbers…

Hey, It’s Dean Wormer!

Like I said, there are great character actors in the film – such as John Vernon…yes, “Dean Wormer” from “Animal House” can also kick ass!

The “Pulp Fiction” Connection!

Quentin Tarantino is well known to include “homages” to some of his favorite film…well, you can add “Charley Varrick” to the list!

Character Maynard Boyle’s line, “They’re gonna strip you naked and go to work on you with a pair of pliers and a blowtorch,” is paraphrased in “Pulp Fiction” by Marsellus Wallace!

“Charley Varrick” is anchored by a great Walter Matthau performance. He is smart, and he is ruthless when he needs to be…a great performance by this veteran actor…

I love this vintage newspaper ad as well – “Charley Varrick” is a pure 70′s action thriller, and it delivers! Speaking of that, here comes Matthau again!

The Laughing Policeman.

First of all, look at the tagline on the poster above:

“This movie is so real it makes every other movie in this town look like a movie.”

“The Laughing Policeman” was sold as a gritty thriller torn from the mood of the times…here is the trailer:

By the mid-seventies, the world was a dirty, crime-ridden place, and in San Francisco, Detective Walter Matthau has to find the guy who boarded a city bus late one night and opened fire on the passengers.

In keeping with the world-weary feel of the movie, Walter Matthau is terrific as a cop who’s seen too much…and he is finding it hard to make sense of a world gone wild…

Matthau isn’t helped by his partner, the very caustic Bruce Dern, who has a way of inflaming every situation he’s in.

This is an America that has seen the death in Vietnam, the massacre at Kent State, and the type of cop in “Dirty Harry” was an enemy, not a friend. It’s an America where the citizens hate the cops – almost as much as the cops hate them.

Iconic Dialogue!

The script is tight, gritty and in your face. Here’s a great line of dialogue: Bruce Dern explaining how good his lawyer is:

“He could get a sodomy charge reduced to ‘following too close.’”

More Great Bruce Dern Lines!

As I said, Dern has a field day with one-liners like this:

[to the pimp he has just pushed to the floor]

“What ever you are reaching for better be a sandwich coz you’re gonna have to eat it!”

Bruce Dern is great in the film, as is Lou Gossett Jr. And of course, it is anchored by Walter Matthau. This is the world weary, grimly determined Matthau, a much better Actor than he was given credit for…and an action star to boot!

Let me know how many of these you’ve seen!

The Beatles On Abbey Road!

I have been loving the pictures fans have posted from the Abbey Road photo session…stuff like this:

There have been tons of books that capture every single aspect of The Beatles, but for some reason, this cover shot from the “Abbey Road” album is the most iconic of them all:

Music fans wordwide are celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show….a moment that changed music forever:

More on the history of The Beatles in a moment, but first, time to share some amazing stuff from “The White Album.”

As John would say:

“Working Very Hard, The Boys And Me…”

Check out this youtube clip from the Abbey Road sessions:

As you can see, the fab four were having a great time getting this picture – just another example of how much fun they could have together, even though the recording sessions inside were anything but easy…

And now, there is a brilliant take on the majesty of “The White Album!”

The White Album – X100!

Here’s the story, thanks to Gizmodo: “Rutherford Chang is a vinyl collector with a singular focus: The White Album. The New York-based artist has built up an impressive catalog of almost 700 (!) numbered copies of the 1968 double album. Taken together, his findings have become a kind of beautiful exhibition, but Chang has also recorded audio from 100 pressings, and overlaid them into a single track. And it is incredible.”

Here it is:

https://soundcloud.com/rc428/side-1-x-100

Thanks to Gizmodo, you can read all about hos this came together, and listen to this amazing work by clicking on their story here as well:

http://gizmodo.com/listen-to-100-white-albums-played-at-once-1469731580

More “White Album” Fun!

And let’s not forget just how much incredible stuff there is from the “White Album” session – since they did film all of it:

BeatMICKRecords has posted this clip on youtube – a short collection of “White Album” recording outtakes:

The White Album Uncut!

No matter WHO says there is a brilliant single album here, I am someone who wants ALL OF IT – uncut, full on Beatles power across four sides…there may be songs that are immediately Beatles classic, but every single one of them is worth enjoying…and we also got this great foldout interior cover of candid shots…

There is a never-ending fascination with The Beatles, and I am one of the fans who enjoys it all!
I just heard about this latest Beatles biography, and I cannot wait to read it:

As Amazon states: “Tune In” is the first volume of “All These Years” — a highly-anticipated, groundbreaking biographical trilogy by the world’s leading Beatles historian. Noted Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn uses his unprecedented archival access and hundreds of new interviews to construct the full story of the lives and work of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

Let me know what you think of “The White Album” x100! And don’t forget Macca’s brilliant new CD – check out my story on “NEW” by clicking here!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/10/30/paul-mccartneys-terrific-new-music-great-new-cd/

I’ve got a link to the star-studded video for “Queenie Eye!”