“We felt that the whole machine was teetering on the brink of collapse. Some amazing things went down in Britain during the ’70s—the government decided they could disempower the unions by having a three-day week, for instance. Can you imagine that? … There were garbage strikes, train strikes, power strikes, the lights were going out—everything … Continue reading Culture Clash: RUDE BOY (1980)
An 80s Pop Music Extravaganza: Absolute Beginners (1986)
I recently wrote about the often overlooked 1980s pop music extravaganza ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS (1986) for The Cultural Gutter. The film has grown on me a lot over the years thanks to a central performance by the one and only David Bowie and a a growing respect for what (I believe) director Julien Temple was trying … Continue reading An 80s Pop Music Extravaganza: Absolute Beginners (1986)
January at the Movie Morlocks
Had planned on posting this a few weeks ago but it slipped my mind. Still trying to get back into the swing of things around here. What follows is a list of my January posts for TCM's Movie Morlocks blog: - Peter O’Toole: A Hellraiser Remembered Excerpt: "I can’t speak for my fellow Morlocks but … Continue reading January at the Movie Morlocks
In Celebration: Elvis Presley at 79
Today is January 8th and it would have been Elvis Presley's 79th birthday if he was still with us. I often spend this day listening to my favorite Elvis albums so today I thought I'd share 5 of my favorite Elvis songs from 5 of my favorite Elvis movies. Enjoy! "Jailhouse Rock" - from JAILHOUSE … Continue reading In Celebration: Elvis Presley at 79
Young Americans (1967)
The Young Americans (1967) From my latest piece at the Movie Morlocks ... "In 1968 five documentary films were nominated for an Oscar but you’d never know that from looking at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website. The site claims to feature a complete list of all the Oscar nominees and winners, … Continue reading Young Americans (1967)
Winter A Go-Go (1965)
Linda Rogers in a promo shot from WINTER A GO-GO (1965) It's cold outside and like a lot of people I've got a case of the post holiday blues but I also have a cure. Make your way over to the TCM Movie Morlocks blog where you can find my latest post titled “Ski Buffs … Continue reading Winter A Go-Go (1965)
KEN RUSSELL: IN HIS OWN WORDS
Controversial film director Ken Russell passed away suddenly this week at the age of 84. Russell has long been considered the bad boy of British cinema or the original ‘enfant terrible’ of the empire, but for almost as long as I can remember he’s been one of my favorite filmmakers. I was introduced to his … Continue reading KEN RUSSELL: IN HIS OWN WORDS
A Light that Never Went Out: The MTV Legacy of Derek Jarman
One of the most fascinating and overlooked aspects of Derek Jarman’s impressive filmmaking career is his collaborative work with musical artists. These projects materialized as experimental short films as well as music promo videos that regularly aired on MTV throughout the 1980s. Jarman appreciated the money he made directing videos but he wasn’t particularly happy … Continue reading A Light that Never Went Out: The MTV Legacy of Derek Jarman
Velvet Goldmine: Celluloid Pictures of Living
"Histories, like ancient ruins, are the fictions of empire. While everything forgotten hangs in dark dreams of the past, ever threatening to return.” - Todd Haynes, Velvet Goldmine When Velvet Goldmine was originally released in 1998 it confused and frustrated a lot of critics who were turned off by its uninhibited style, hyper editing, abundant … Continue reading Velvet Goldmine: Celluloid Pictures of Living
Shammi Kapoor 1931-2011
From India comes the sad news that the beloved Bollywood star Shammi Kapoor has died at age 79 due to kidney failure. Kapoor has been called the "Bollywood Elvis" and his films helped define the swinging sixties in India. I've only seen a few of the movies that Shammi Kapoor appeared in but An Evening … Continue reading Shammi Kapoor 1931-2011
