Elvis Presley‘s “Viva Las Vegas” is one of the most infectious rock songs of the 1960s. According to Bob Dylan, it’s also an advertisement. Dylan had a lot to say about the co-writer of the song. “Viva Las Vegas” went on to have a significant impact on the titular city.
Bob Dylan wrote that Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ is a ‘bright and breezy love song’
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Music, Dylan had plenty of positive things to say about “Viva Las Vegas.” “‘Viva Las Vegas’ is also a commercial,” he opined. Notably, “Viva Las Vegas” was co-written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the same duo behind other Elvis hits such as “Surrender,” “Little Sister,” and “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”
“Of course, when Elvis first recorded this Doc Pomus–Mort Shuman composition in 1963 and released it in 1964, he didn’t know that five years later,...
Bob Dylan wrote that Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ is a ‘bright and breezy love song’
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Music, Dylan had plenty of positive things to say about “Viva Las Vegas.” “‘Viva Las Vegas’ is also a commercial,” he opined. Notably, “Viva Las Vegas” was co-written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the same duo behind other Elvis hits such as “Surrender,” “Little Sister,” and “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”
“Of course, when Elvis first recorded this Doc Pomus–Mort Shuman composition in 1963 and released it in 1964, he didn’t know that five years later,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Sometimes, the best classic rock covers are the most unexpected ones. Dead Kennedys covered Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas” and that changed their live shows forever. Band member Jello Biafra explained why his band decided to put their edgy spin on an Elvis song and why that made them different from other bands of the time.
Dead Kennedys’ cover of Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ was meant to confuse fans
“Viva Las Vegas” remains one of the most famous songs from Elvis’ movies. Dead Kennedys recorded the song with some lyrical twists. Dead Kennedys’ version features the lines “Oh, I’m gonna give it everything I’ve got / Lady Luck’s with me, the dice stay hot / Got coke up my nose to dry away the snot.” Those are not the sort of lyrics the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll would sing.
In the 2014 book Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables,...
Dead Kennedys’ cover of Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ was meant to confuse fans
“Viva Las Vegas” remains one of the most famous songs from Elvis’ movies. Dead Kennedys recorded the song with some lyrical twists. Dead Kennedys’ version features the lines “Oh, I’m gonna give it everything I’ve got / Lady Luck’s with me, the dice stay hot / Got coke up my nose to dry away the snot.” Those are not the sort of lyrics the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll would sing.
In the 2014 book Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables,...
- 10/1/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
No matter how learned they are, film critics can be oh, so wrong. Elvis Presley‘s Viva Las Vegas inspired a review in The New York Times that was critical of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s early work. The New York Times also ignored one of Elvis’ best songs in the review.
The New York Times said Elvis Presley’s singing improved in ‘Viva Las Vegas’
In a 1964 article, The New York Times gave a mixed appraisal of Viva Las Vegas. “Coming on a balmy day, with no pretensions of art, Viva Las Vegas, the new Elvia Presley vehicle, is about as pleasant and unimportant as a banana split,” the article said. “And as fetching to look at, it might be added.
“By now, after some rocky beginnings, the Presley movie formula has leveled off to a series of musical romps that are extremely easy to take,” the article continued.
The New York Times said Elvis Presley’s singing improved in ‘Viva Las Vegas’
In a 1964 article, The New York Times gave a mixed appraisal of Viva Las Vegas. “Coming on a balmy day, with no pretensions of art, Viva Las Vegas, the new Elvia Presley vehicle, is about as pleasant and unimportant as a banana split,” the article said. “And as fetching to look at, it might be added.
“By now, after some rocky beginnings, the Presley movie formula has leveled off to a series of musical romps that are extremely easy to take,” the article continued.
- 9/30/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro died due to a drug overdose, according to a newly released autopsy (via TMZ).
Peligro passed away from the “combined effects of fentanyl and heroin,” the autopsy concluded. Additionally, he had non-small cell lung cancer at the time of his death.
Peligro died on Friday, October 28th, 2022, at the age of 63. Initially, his cause of death was reported to be trauma to the head caused by an accidental fall in his Los Angeles home. However, the autopsy stated that there was no evidence of traumatic injuries.
D.H. Peligro, who was born Darren Henley, replaced original Dead Kennedys drummer Ted (Bruce Slesinger) in 1981. He made his debut on the EP In God We Trust, Inc., and also drummed on the albums Plastic Surgery Disasters, Frankenchrist, and Bedtime for Democracy, as well as singles/rarities collection, Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death.
Following Dead Kennedys...
Peligro passed away from the “combined effects of fentanyl and heroin,” the autopsy concluded. Additionally, he had non-small cell lung cancer at the time of his death.
Peligro died on Friday, October 28th, 2022, at the age of 63. Initially, his cause of death was reported to be trauma to the head caused by an accidental fall in his Los Angeles home. However, the autopsy stated that there was no evidence of traumatic injuries.
D.H. Peligro, who was born Darren Henley, replaced original Dead Kennedys drummer Ted (Bruce Slesinger) in 1981. He made his debut on the EP In God We Trust, Inc., and also drummed on the albums Plastic Surgery Disasters, Frankenchrist, and Bedtime for Democracy, as well as singles/rarities collection, Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death.
Following Dead Kennedys...
- 5/2/2023
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Music
In her mom Ivana’s new memoir Raising Trump, Ivanka Trump describes what she refers to as her “punk phase.” It didn’t involve protesting, or blasting Dead Kennedys records in her room, or chartering a private jet to London to walk in the footsteps of the Sex Pistols and The Clash. No, it involved dyeing her hair blue…
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- 10/18/2017
- by Katie Rife
- avclub.com
Twenty five years ago today, the Los Angeles riots erupted response to the shocking acquittal of four Lapd officers videotaped beating motorist Rodney King the year before. Over six days, 55 people died, 11,000 were arrested, and the city suffered approximately $1 billion in property damages. But the riots profoundly changed the city, laying bare systemic problems of race and class discrimination that had plagued La for decades – problems music artists had been screaming about for years. Warning: explicit lyrics. Dead Kennedys – “Riot” This 1982 song from the San Francisco hardcore punk band was inspired more by unrest in the 60s and 70s, but in.
- 4/30/2017
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Patrick Stewart is impressive as a white supremacist in a genuinely shocking horror-thriller about a punk band’s battle with neo-Nazis
In 2013’s ultra-low-budget eye-opener Blue Ruin, writer-director Jeremy Saulnier wondered what a revenge thriller would look like if most of the movie took place in the sticky aftermath of vengeance. Now, in this only marginally less stripped-down follow-up, Saulnier takes a box cutter to the conventions of the siege/slasher genre, creating a gruelling, gutsy suspense ride that swaps the marooned vistas of Blue Ruin for the claustrophobic confines of a rural roadhouse in which our punk rocker antiheroes are trapped.
The set-up finds hardcore Arlington band the Ain’t Rights losing their shirts on an end-of-road tour from which they can’t even afford the petrol home. Tempted by a matinee payday playing to the backwater boots and braces crowd in a remote Oregon dive, the band head...
In 2013’s ultra-low-budget eye-opener Blue Ruin, writer-director Jeremy Saulnier wondered what a revenge thriller would look like if most of the movie took place in the sticky aftermath of vengeance. Now, in this only marginally less stripped-down follow-up, Saulnier takes a box cutter to the conventions of the siege/slasher genre, creating a gruelling, gutsy suspense ride that swaps the marooned vistas of Blue Ruin for the claustrophobic confines of a rural roadhouse in which our punk rocker antiheroes are trapped.
The set-up finds hardcore Arlington band the Ain’t Rights losing their shirts on an end-of-road tour from which they can’t even afford the petrol home. Tempted by a matinee payday playing to the backwater boots and braces crowd in a remote Oregon dive, the band head...
- 5/15/2016
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
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Director Jeremy Saulnier’s back with a new thriller, Green Room. He chats to us about John Carpenter’s influence, action and more.
Blue Ruin wasn’t Jeremy Saulnier’s first feature film (that was 2007’s Murder Party), but it was the one that saw his career roar off into the stratosphere. Made on a tiny budget, the intimate, exquisitely-shot revenge thriller caused a sensation following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Suddenly, Saulnier found his film, funded via a mixture of loans, credit cards and Kickstarter, thrust onto the world stage as it racked up rapturous reviews and even a couple of independent movie awards.
Three years later, and Saulnier’s back with another thriller which, as he says himself, is both bigger and smaller than Blue Ruin. Green Room has a cast of familiar faces (Patrick Stewart, Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots) and a larger...
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Director Jeremy Saulnier’s back with a new thriller, Green Room. He chats to us about John Carpenter’s influence, action and more.
Blue Ruin wasn’t Jeremy Saulnier’s first feature film (that was 2007’s Murder Party), but it was the one that saw his career roar off into the stratosphere. Made on a tiny budget, the intimate, exquisitely-shot revenge thriller caused a sensation following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Suddenly, Saulnier found his film, funded via a mixture of loans, credit cards and Kickstarter, thrust onto the world stage as it racked up rapturous reviews and even a couple of independent movie awards.
Three years later, and Saulnier’s back with another thriller which, as he says himself, is both bigger and smaller than Blue Ruin. Green Room has a cast of familiar faces (Patrick Stewart, Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots) and a larger...
- 5/11/2016
- Den of Geek
There’s an exchange in the classic Howard Hawks western Rio Bravo: “I told him you were one of the best,” and the other man responds with, “Well, I’ll tell you what I’m a lot better at, Mr. Wheeler, and that’s minding my own business.” If only the band in Green Room followed the lesson imparted by Colorado Ryan. I mention both of these films, along with the John Carpenter film Assault On Precinct 13 (which was inspired by Rio Bravo), because they all exist as siege films – a small group is barricaded in a single location and fights for their life against overwhelming obstacles. It’s an exciting subgenre that director Jeremy Saulnier centers the main conflict around, but diverts from by not having someone trained to deal with hostility like John Wayne or even Bruce Willis like in Die Hard. Who he places on...
- 4/29/2016
- by Michael Haffner
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“Punk ain’t no religious cult. Punk means thinking for yourself. You ain’t hardcore ‘cause you spike your hair When a jock still lives inside your head. Nazi punks! Nazi punks! Nazi punks! Fuck Off!” – Dead Kennedys When the punk rock Aren’t Rights cover this song at a white supremacist venue, it’s the first sign that these kids are in over their heads. The song’s lyrics ironically reflect on the band and its audience, neither thinking for themselves nor as hardcore as they think. Writer/Director Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room understands that Diy anarchist punk ethics are in constant danger from a systematic rule. The police state that the Dead Kennedys reference later in their song exists in multiple forms: governments, industries (musical and otherwise), and subcultures like Neo-Nazi fascists. Aren’t Rights is made of, well, a bunch of bums. Anton Yelchin is the band’s wimpy-voiced, put-upon...
- 4/20/2016
- by Jacob Oller
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The tenth annual Frigid Festival is underway in New York City's East Village, and in our first of two dispatches from it; our first trio of plays under discussion includes a twelve year-old pornographer-for-hire, an irreverent grandfather, and a cabin in the woods. We will touch on only a fraction of the 30 shows in this year's festival, but more information can be found on the Frigid New York website (http://www.frigidnewyork.info/), where there is also a deal available that gets you into three shows for just $30. The show with the highest box office will receive an encore performance at the end of the festival, and audiences are encouraged to vote for their favorite shows.
The Gospel of Sherilyn Fenn Written and performed by Brad Lawrence Directed by Cyndi Freeman Under St. Marks, NYC February 24-March 5, 2016
Brad Lawrence’s The Gospel of Sherilyn Fenn, much like its director Cyndi Freeman...
The Gospel of Sherilyn Fenn Written and performed by Brad Lawrence Directed by Cyndi Freeman Under St. Marks, NYC February 24-March 5, 2016
Brad Lawrence’s The Gospel of Sherilyn Fenn, much like its director Cyndi Freeman...
- 2/23/2016
- by Leah Richards
- www.culturecatch.com
"But it's already played." There is no greater currency in the press at a film festival than the word "premiere." And that word can mean a great many things. There are regional premieres. North American premieres. Us premieres. Or, in the best case scenario, world premieres. If you've got a movie no one's seen, and it's by someone who has a track record, that is bait on a hook. And sometimes, it seems like it's important to see something first. Take Michael Moore, for example. He's got a track record. There are plenty of things of Michael Moore's that I like. I think you will find few more ardent "TV Nation" fans than me. But he's been away from the game for a while. And tonight, he had a film premiere at the Princess Of Wales theater. I could have gone to that. I will see it tomorrow. There...
- 9/11/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Lamb of God offset the Los Angeles sunshine with the darkness of "512" during Thursday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, performing the brooding single on the show's outdoor stage. Led by Randy Blythe's dark bellow and the explosive soloing of guitarist Mark Morton, the metal veterans inspired a crowd mosh pit.
In June, Lamb of God premiered a macabre music video for "512" filled with dead bodies and murderous revenge. The track is featured on the Virginia band's eighth LP, VII: Sturm Und Drang, which was inspired by Blythe's life-changing stint in Prague's Pankrác Prison.
In June, Lamb of God premiered a macabre music video for "512" filled with dead bodies and murderous revenge. The track is featured on the Virginia band's eighth LP, VII: Sturm Und Drang, which was inspired by Blythe's life-changing stint in Prague's Pankrác Prison.
- 8/28/2015
- Rollingstone.com
As I mentioned way back on this post from 2008, as much as I’ve tried to branch out, my tastes are pretty narrow when it comes to reading material.
I’d love to say that I’m broadly well-read when it comes to the more celebrated books of the day, but it’s just not true. If you’re looking to engage in a discussion about today’s most incisive fiction, you’re much better off speaking with my wife (who works in publishing) than one such as I. Truthfully, I’ve pretty much lost my taste for fiction almost entirely. Unless I have some vested interest (like, say, I know the author or it’s about something near and dear to me), I usually cannot muster up the interest to crack the binding.
As a result, whenever I’m perusing through the aisles of a bookstore (when I can still find one,...
I’d love to say that I’m broadly well-read when it comes to the more celebrated books of the day, but it’s just not true. If you’re looking to engage in a discussion about today’s most incisive fiction, you’re much better off speaking with my wife (who works in publishing) than one such as I. Truthfully, I’ve pretty much lost my taste for fiction almost entirely. Unless I have some vested interest (like, say, I know the author or it’s about something near and dear to me), I usually cannot muster up the interest to crack the binding.
As a result, whenever I’m perusing through the aisles of a bookstore (when I can still find one,...
- 6/27/2015
- by Alex in NYC
- www.culturecatch.com
Viewers can step into the brilliant world of H.R. Giger and learn about the late legend in Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World. The intimate documentary hits select theaters tomorrow from Icarus Films, and we have release details and two clips from the movie.
Press Release -- "Surrealist artist H. R. Giger (1940-2014) terrified audiences with his Oscar-winning monsters in Ridley Scott's Alien. Sci-fi, horror, music, album covers, tattoos and fetish art have been influenced by his dark, intricate paintings and sculptures depicting birth, death and sex.
Both a mesmerizing introduction to Giger's oeuvre and a must-see for Giger devotees, Belinda Sallin's definitive documentary Dark Star: H. R. Giger's World shares the intimate last years of the artist's life and reveals how deeply he resided within his own artistic visions.
Behind the shuttered windows and ivy-covered walls of his residence in Zurich, Switzerland, Dark Star brings viewers into Giger's...
Press Release -- "Surrealist artist H. R. Giger (1940-2014) terrified audiences with his Oscar-winning monsters in Ridley Scott's Alien. Sci-fi, horror, music, album covers, tattoos and fetish art have been influenced by his dark, intricate paintings and sculptures depicting birth, death and sex.
Both a mesmerizing introduction to Giger's oeuvre and a must-see for Giger devotees, Belinda Sallin's definitive documentary Dark Star: H. R. Giger's World shares the intimate last years of the artist's life and reveals how deeply he resided within his own artistic visions.
Behind the shuttered windows and ivy-covered walls of his residence in Zurich, Switzerland, Dark Star brings viewers into Giger's...
- 5/14/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
May releases from Diamond Select Toys include Ghostbusters, Predator, and a zombified Jay and Silent Bob. Also in our latest round-up: 20 Seconds to Live, a Captain America vs. Iron Man infographic, and new Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World stills.
Diamond Select Toys: Press Release -- "The new Previews catalog is in comic shops now, and inside is a litany of new products coming your way from Diamond Select Toys! Due out this fall, the new offerings include items from the Batman Classic TV Series, Batman The Animated Series, Gotham, Ghostbusters, Jay and Silent Bob, Marvel Select, Predator, Pulp Fiction, Star Trek, Universal Monsters and more! It’s the best of all worlds! Read on for more info, and pre-order today through your local comic shop, your favorite online retailer, or diamondselecttoys.com! Find your nearest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com!
Ghostbusters Movie Select Action Figures Series 1 Asst.:
A Diamond Select Toys release!
Diamond Select Toys: Press Release -- "The new Previews catalog is in comic shops now, and inside is a litany of new products coming your way from Diamond Select Toys! Due out this fall, the new offerings include items from the Batman Classic TV Series, Batman The Animated Series, Gotham, Ghostbusters, Jay and Silent Bob, Marvel Select, Predator, Pulp Fiction, Star Trek, Universal Monsters and more! It’s the best of all worlds! Read on for more info, and pre-order today through your local comic shop, your favorite online retailer, or diamondselecttoys.com! Find your nearest comic shop at comicshoplocator.com!
Ghostbusters Movie Select Action Figures Series 1 Asst.:
A Diamond Select Toys release!
- 5/11/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
North American moviegoers can step into the mind of the late H.R. Giger with Belinda Sallin's intimate documentary, Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World, which is hitting big screens in the U.S. and Canada this May. Also featured in our latest round-up is information on tonight's Everly signing with director Joe Lynch and cast and crew members at Burbank's Dark Delicacies horror shop, as well as the home media release details for Dark Sky Films' Let Us Prey.
Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World: Press Release -- "Surrealist artist H. R. Giger (1940-2014) terrified audiences with his Oscar-winning monsters in Ridley Scott's Alien. Sci-fi, horror, music, album covers, tattoos and fetish art have been influenced by his dark, intricate paintings and sculptures depicting birth, death and sex.
Both a mesmerizing introduction to Giger's oeuvre and a must-see for Giger devotees, Belinda Sallin's definitive documentary Dark Star: H.
Dark Star: H.R. Giger's World: Press Release -- "Surrealist artist H. R. Giger (1940-2014) terrified audiences with his Oscar-winning monsters in Ridley Scott's Alien. Sci-fi, horror, music, album covers, tattoos and fetish art have been influenced by his dark, intricate paintings and sculptures depicting birth, death and sex.
Both a mesmerizing introduction to Giger's oeuvre and a must-see for Giger devotees, Belinda Sallin's definitive documentary Dark Star: H.
- 4/21/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
After a successful film festival run, the definitive documentary Dark Star: H.R. Giger’S World opens in theaters across the U.S. and Canada starting on May 15th, released by Icarus Films and KimStim.
Surrealist artist H. R. Giger (1940-2014) terrified audiences with his Oscar-winning monsters in Ridley Scott’s Alien. Sci-fi, horror, music, album covers, tattoos and fetish art have been influenced by his dark, intricate paintings and sculptures depicting birth, death and sex.
Both a mesmerizing introduction to Hansruedi Giger’s oeuvre and a must-see for Giger devotees, Belinda Sallin’s definitive documentary Dark Star: H. R. Giger’S World shares the intimate last years of the artist’s life and reveals how deeply he resided within his own artistic visions.
The film will play in St. Louis from June 5 – June 10 as part of the Webster University Film Series.
Click here for a complete list of upcoming engagements.
Surrealist artist H. R. Giger (1940-2014) terrified audiences with his Oscar-winning monsters in Ridley Scott’s Alien. Sci-fi, horror, music, album covers, tattoos and fetish art have been influenced by his dark, intricate paintings and sculptures depicting birth, death and sex.
Both a mesmerizing introduction to Hansruedi Giger’s oeuvre and a must-see for Giger devotees, Belinda Sallin’s definitive documentary Dark Star: H. R. Giger’S World shares the intimate last years of the artist’s life and reveals how deeply he resided within his own artistic visions.
The film will play in St. Louis from June 5 – June 10 as part of the Webster University Film Series.
Click here for a complete list of upcoming engagements.
- 4/19/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Hard to believe that The Rolling Stones, half of The Beatles and The Who, and a dozen more bands that started a full decade before The Ramones (1974) have outlived them, and in many cases are still touring. They were one of my favorite punk bands ever... and with the recent death of Tommy Ramone (nee Thomas Erdelyi), all four original members of one of New York's finest bands ever, we are not "glad to see you go." The first three -- lead singer Joey (nee Jeffrey Hyman, died 2001), bass player Dee Dee (nee Douglas Colvin, died 2002), and guitarist Johnny (nee John Cummings, died 2004) -- all died only within six years after calling it quits.
They did not go gently into the night. Their off-stage dramas kept them from maintaining their once shared friendships.
Ironic isn't it? The original Ramones, the guys from "Rockaway Beach" that wanted to be sedated, are all gone.
They did not go gently into the night. Their off-stage dramas kept them from maintaining their once shared friendships.
Ironic isn't it? The original Ramones, the guys from "Rockaway Beach" that wanted to be sedated, are all gone.
- 7/15/2014
- by Dusty Wright
- www.culturecatch.com
I came across an amazing beautiful photo essay by Angela Boatwright that she did on punk rockers. They had on all the typical attire you would expect and most were adorned with ill thought out piercings and tattoos. The difference here, tho’, was that these kids were all Latinos. The photos led me to a documentary series Boatwright did on Latino punk rockers that threw concerts in whatever backyard they could find in East Los Angeles. These kids took pride in being from places like Compton, Long Beach, South Gate, East Los and thought of each other as family. What I found incredibly moving was that beyond the ‘Suicidal Tendencies’, ‘Dead Kennedys’ & ‘Misfits’ T-Shirts, beyond the mosh pits and aggressive music were these expressively tenderhearted kids. There’s Anthony who was raised by an O.G. abuelo, ‘Nekro’ who plays acoustic guitar while his abuelita serenades him with a ranchera and sweet faced 14-year-old Lauren who has to be chaperoned by her mother to the gigs. Angela Boatwright shatters your perception of what it is to love punk rock music. As one purple haired young woman stated, “It’s bigger than us”.
LatinoBuzz: I love East L.A and try to go every time I’m in Cali but I had no idea about the backyard Latino punk movement. How did you come across this?
Angela: I discovered two articles online, they were written for L.A. Weekly by an awesome human named Javier Cabral.
LatinoBuzz: You are from Ohio, did you imagine you would be making a film in East La one day?
Angela: Not specifically, but in a way, yes. I lived in NYC for 19 years before I moved to L.A. so my teenage thoughts were more focused on the east coast, however I've always been into aggressive music so in that regard, documenting the East L.A. scene wasn't too far from my initial interests - geographically far but not spiritually.
LatinoBuzz: What was the most important thing you wanted to say about your subjects?
Angela: It seems incredibly obvious to me (and potentially to you and your readers) that music is almost never the "problem". These kids (and all kids, honestly) have valid, distinct and complicated lives. Life is difficult especially when you're young and especially when your dad is in jail, as in Lauren's case. Music is their salvation, their place to belong.
LatinoBuzz: How did you gain their trust?
Angela: I make sure and keep my word for starters (side note: I use the word "kids" in the general sense - many of these "kids" are in their early to mid 20s). And I listen to and attempt to remember the details of their stories. I was a very similar teenager, although I grew up on heavy metal and later, hardcore and grunge.
LatinoBuzz: Who did you relate to most?
Angela: I definitely related to each character (and several of the kids that weren't featured) in their own way. I suppose Lauren's story is the most like my own, however.
LatinoBuzz: I found the kids to be sweet and your affection for them shows. Do you think people pre-judge these kids?
Angela: Sure. And for a million reasons. But people pre-judge everyone, we all do it. It's awesome to get to know individuals you might never speak to or think about in real life through documentary filmmaking. I think that deep down we are all so incredibly similar, I want the audience to be able to relate to the kids as much as possible.
LatinoBuzz: Would you ever re-visit these kids on film later on in life to see where it took them?
Angela: Of course! I'm still in touch with all of them, there have already been some changes in their lives. I love projects through the passage of time. Almost everyone I've photographed personally I've kept in touch with. It's one of my favorite things about being a photographer.
LatinoBuzz: Who do you think they will become?
Angela: I have no idea! I hope they all go on to do amazing things!
LatinoBuzz: Your favorite moment in the film?
Angela: Haha, I spent so many hours editing the episodes - my most favorite moments are very quick and brief. I love the shot of the skinheads in the teaser, for example. I love that shot! There are tons of quotes and moments that didn't make the cut that I love, too. In Episode 3, I love the transition from Lauren's seemingly bratty attitude directly into her father's voice via telephone call from jail. That moment always hits my heart. I cry every time I watch that episode.
LatinoBuzz: Do you ever want to do a fiction narrative?
Angela: Maybe, sure!
LatinoBuzz: What was the Vans connection?
Angela: I had spent four years previous to the Vans project documenting metal bands that tour all over the world and funded it by myself. I was working with Vans photographing their Vans Girls' look-books around the same time. I asked the Vans Girls' art director if she could introduce me to anyone in the video department so that I could show them the teaser for my personal, heavy metal doc. The introduction was made, Vans loved the teaser and asked me to contribute to their 2014 documentary campaign.
To view more of Angela’s work take a visit to: http://www.angelaboatwright.com , and stay for a while!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
LatinoBuzz: I love East L.A and try to go every time I’m in Cali but I had no idea about the backyard Latino punk movement. How did you come across this?
Angela: I discovered two articles online, they were written for L.A. Weekly by an awesome human named Javier Cabral.
LatinoBuzz: You are from Ohio, did you imagine you would be making a film in East La one day?
Angela: Not specifically, but in a way, yes. I lived in NYC for 19 years before I moved to L.A. so my teenage thoughts were more focused on the east coast, however I've always been into aggressive music so in that regard, documenting the East L.A. scene wasn't too far from my initial interests - geographically far but not spiritually.
LatinoBuzz: What was the most important thing you wanted to say about your subjects?
Angela: It seems incredibly obvious to me (and potentially to you and your readers) that music is almost never the "problem". These kids (and all kids, honestly) have valid, distinct and complicated lives. Life is difficult especially when you're young and especially when your dad is in jail, as in Lauren's case. Music is their salvation, their place to belong.
LatinoBuzz: How did you gain their trust?
Angela: I make sure and keep my word for starters (side note: I use the word "kids" in the general sense - many of these "kids" are in their early to mid 20s). And I listen to and attempt to remember the details of their stories. I was a very similar teenager, although I grew up on heavy metal and later, hardcore and grunge.
LatinoBuzz: Who did you relate to most?
Angela: I definitely related to each character (and several of the kids that weren't featured) in their own way. I suppose Lauren's story is the most like my own, however.
LatinoBuzz: I found the kids to be sweet and your affection for them shows. Do you think people pre-judge these kids?
Angela: Sure. And for a million reasons. But people pre-judge everyone, we all do it. It's awesome to get to know individuals you might never speak to or think about in real life through documentary filmmaking. I think that deep down we are all so incredibly similar, I want the audience to be able to relate to the kids as much as possible.
LatinoBuzz: Would you ever re-visit these kids on film later on in life to see where it took them?
Angela: Of course! I'm still in touch with all of them, there have already been some changes in their lives. I love projects through the passage of time. Almost everyone I've photographed personally I've kept in touch with. It's one of my favorite things about being a photographer.
LatinoBuzz: Who do you think they will become?
Angela: I have no idea! I hope they all go on to do amazing things!
LatinoBuzz: Your favorite moment in the film?
Angela: Haha, I spent so many hours editing the episodes - my most favorite moments are very quick and brief. I love the shot of the skinheads in the teaser, for example. I love that shot! There are tons of quotes and moments that didn't make the cut that I love, too. In Episode 3, I love the transition from Lauren's seemingly bratty attitude directly into her father's voice via telephone call from jail. That moment always hits my heart. I cry every time I watch that episode.
LatinoBuzz: Do you ever want to do a fiction narrative?
Angela: Maybe, sure!
LatinoBuzz: What was the Vans connection?
Angela: I had spent four years previous to the Vans project documenting metal bands that tour all over the world and funded it by myself. I was working with Vans photographing their Vans Girls' look-books around the same time. I asked the Vans Girls' art director if she could introduce me to anyone in the video department so that I could show them the teaser for my personal, heavy metal doc. The introduction was made, Vans loved the teaser and asked me to contribute to their 2014 documentary campaign.
To view more of Angela’s work take a visit to: http://www.angelaboatwright.com , and stay for a while!
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 6/25/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
While his name may not jump out at you at first, I can promise you that Mike Vraney was an important part of just about every horror fan's life, and unfortunately he's been taken from us far too soon. Vraney, the founder of Something Weird Video, has passed on at the age of just 56.
From the Something Weird Video Facebook Page
In Memorium Mike Vraney Founder of Something Weird December 29, 1957 to January 2, 2014
We regret to tell you that Something Weird’s founder, Mike Vraney, passed away on January 2, 2014 after a long heroic battle with lung cancer. He was 56 years old, way too young to leave this planet. There was still so much Mike wanted to do in his life, so many films to be found, and adventures to be embarked upon.
This sad news may come as a shock to most of you. Mike was a very private person and didn’t want anyone,...
From the Something Weird Video Facebook Page
In Memorium Mike Vraney Founder of Something Weird December 29, 1957 to January 2, 2014
We regret to tell you that Something Weird’s founder, Mike Vraney, passed away on January 2, 2014 after a long heroic battle with lung cancer. He was 56 years old, way too young to leave this planet. There was still so much Mike wanted to do in his life, so many films to be found, and adventures to be embarked upon.
This sad news may come as a shock to most of you. Mike was a very private person and didn’t want anyone,...
- 1/6/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
The founder of Something Weird Video, Mike Vraney, died on January 2nd after a long battle with lung cancer. He was 56.
Something Weird was founded in 1990 as a way for Vraney to rescue many obscure exploitation, sexploitation and grindhouse films from obscurity and deliver them to the masses on video and DVD. The company was known for specializing in the films of Doris Wishman, David F. Friedman and, especially, H.G. Lewis. The name of the company, as well as its logo, was taken from Lewis' 1967 film Something Weird. I remember first seeing the ads for Something Weird Video when I was a child, in the pages of Fangoria magazine and dreaming of the day that I could afford to start buying from their collection.
Vraney's love for exploitation began during his teen years as a drive-in projectionist. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was deeply involved in the Seattle punk music scene.
Something Weird was founded in 1990 as a way for Vraney to rescue many obscure exploitation, sexploitation and grindhouse films from obscurity and deliver them to the masses on video and DVD. The company was known for specializing in the films of Doris Wishman, David F. Friedman and, especially, H.G. Lewis. The name of the company, as well as its logo, was taken from Lewis' 1967 film Something Weird. I remember first seeing the ads for Something Weird Video when I was a child, in the pages of Fangoria magazine and dreaming of the day that I could afford to start buying from their collection.
Vraney's love for exploitation began during his teen years as a drive-in projectionist. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was deeply involved in the Seattle punk music scene.
- 1/3/2014
- by Alyse Wax
- FEARnet
Pickpockets to highwaymen, bank heists to drug smuggling, the readers' collective Robin Hood act has made a treasure chest
Under the cover of darkness they came. Precious time was snatched to deliver. One reader endured terrible pain and went to hospital, another is set to move house, but this did not stop them. And another, more delightfully, saw the delivery of a beautiful baby (I dedicate this blog to you, prolific Rr regular BeltwayBandit - congratulations!), and despite all of this, during this crazy pre-Christmas period, you still brought riches. Thank you, me hearties, for your bountiful song booty! From rampant robbery to surreptitious smuggling your treasures cascaded through the cellar door of the Readers Recommend and I spent many hours admiring, examining, analysing and enjoying. I am a man poor in time, but rich in song.
And now my turn again to stand and deliver. And indeed, among all the thieves,...
Under the cover of darkness they came. Precious time was snatched to deliver. One reader endured terrible pain and went to hospital, another is set to move house, but this did not stop them. And another, more delightfully, saw the delivery of a beautiful baby (I dedicate this blog to you, prolific Rr regular BeltwayBandit - congratulations!), and despite all of this, during this crazy pre-Christmas period, you still brought riches. Thank you, me hearties, for your bountiful song booty! From rampant robbery to surreptitious smuggling your treasures cascaded through the cellar door of the Readers Recommend and I spent many hours admiring, examining, analysing and enjoying. I am a man poor in time, but rich in song.
And now my turn again to stand and deliver. And indeed, among all the thieves,...
- 12/19/2013
- by Peter Kimpton
- The Guardian - Film News
"Portlandia" will kick off its fourth season on IFC on Thursday, February 27 at 10:00pm Et/Pt, the network announced today. The 10-episode new season of the Emmy-nominated comedy series will find co-creators and stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein joined by guests like Tunde Adebimpe (TV On The Radio), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Vanessa Bayer ("Saturday Night Live"), Kirsten Dunst ("Melancholia"), Joshua Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), singer-songwriter k.d. lang, Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver), Silas Weir Mitchell ("Grimm"), Michael Nesmith (The Monkees), Mark Proksch ("The Office"), Maya Rudolph ("Bridesmaids"), columnist Dan Savage, Nick Swardson ("Reno 911!"), jazz duo Tuck and Patti, Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) and Olivia Wilde ("House"). Paul Allen and members of the Portland Trail Blazers will also stop by. Past guests set to return include Ed Begley Jr. ("Arrested Development"), Steve Buscemi ("Boardwalk Empire"), Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Jeff...
- 12/10/2013
- by Alison Willmore
- Indiewire
Students at USC are used to seeing celebrities at school: This year alone the campus has hosted Elton John, Steven Spielberg, and many other bold-faced names. But usually tickets to those events are hard to come by, even for students, and the guest speaker is announced months in advance. So it was a real treat for one small digital media class Wednesday when artist and activist Shepard Fairey, sporting a Sex Pistols t-shirt and black leather jacket, made his way into their lecture hall, surprising the students who’d studied his work with a talk that spanned the influence of...
- 10/31/2013
- by Laura Hertzfeld
- EW.com - PopWatch
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Pearl Jam has often been described as ‘the band that survived Grunge’. Their seminal work, 1991′s ‘Ten’, rocketed them to overnight superstardom and the forefront of the American music scene alongside fellow Seattle bands Nirvana, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.
Whether or not Pearl Jam actually belonged to the Grunge genre is still a hotly debated topic. The heavily distorted, downtuned guitars and angsty critical lyricism of their peers was almost totally absent from a lot of Pearl Jam’s recordings. They favoured delicate sounds, anthemic vocal lines and storytelling. Their sound transcended the typical Grunge noise. They seemed to be a standalone act. Something completely original, but a victim of the time’s need to label everything.
As had become a regular occurrence with a lot of the Grunge movement, the racking pressure of overnight success began to take its toll on the band. A...
Pearl Jam has often been described as ‘the band that survived Grunge’. Their seminal work, 1991′s ‘Ten’, rocketed them to overnight superstardom and the forefront of the American music scene alongside fellow Seattle bands Nirvana, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.
Whether or not Pearl Jam actually belonged to the Grunge genre is still a hotly debated topic. The heavily distorted, downtuned guitars and angsty critical lyricism of their peers was almost totally absent from a lot of Pearl Jam’s recordings. They favoured delicate sounds, anthemic vocal lines and storytelling. Their sound transcended the typical Grunge noise. They seemed to be a standalone act. Something completely original, but a victim of the time’s need to label everything.
As had become a regular occurrence with a lot of the Grunge movement, the racking pressure of overnight success began to take its toll on the band. A...
- 10/29/2013
- by Sam Driver
- Obsessed with Film
There's very little about Al Jourgensen's legendary band Ministry that hasn't been covered on these pages in some form or another, since I've been a hardcore fan of Uncle Al's output since the late '80s – a period which not only encompasses Ministry's pioneering works of industrial/metal fusion, but side projects like Revolting Cocks and Lard (the latter featuring Dead Kennedys founder and punk icon Jello Biafra), and his collaborations with industrial icons like Skinny Puppy. For those of you still catching up, you can take part in a pretty comprehensive musical journey through the band's catalog via the live album/concert film Adios... Puta Madres (which I covered in depth here), a candid document of the band's "C-u-latour." Several factors at the time led Jourgensen to dissolve Ministry after that run – including the departure of co-founder Paul Barker, the death of legendary bassist Paul Raven, and Al's own declining health.
- 9/3/2013
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
MOCAtv's YouTube homage to all things punk music continues with a third episode devoted entirely to the San Francisco hardcore band, Dead Kennedys.
The group quickly became underground icons after forming in 1978, combining garage rock, surf music, and a touch of rockabilly with biting critiques of capitalism and the Reagan era. In the most recent installation of "The Art of Punk," Moca explores not only the music and lyrics of frontman Jello Biafra and crew, but also the well-known Dead Kennedys logo -- the simple, red-and-black "Dk" design created by longtime collaborator Winston Smith.
"Anybody could make [punk art] if you had a demented enough brain," Biafra states in the video. "All it took was scissors and a razor blade and some glue."
MOCAtv managed to interview Biafra, Smith and a number of other Dk disciples, who reminisce about the period when "punk music was rearing its ugly head," as Smith says in the video.
The group quickly became underground icons after forming in 1978, combining garage rock, surf music, and a touch of rockabilly with biting critiques of capitalism and the Reagan era. In the most recent installation of "The Art of Punk," Moca explores not only the music and lyrics of frontman Jello Biafra and crew, but also the well-known Dead Kennedys logo -- the simple, red-and-black "Dk" design created by longtime collaborator Winston Smith.
"Anybody could make [punk art] if you had a demented enough brain," Biafra states in the video. "All it took was scissors and a razor blade and some glue."
MOCAtv managed to interview Biafra, Smith and a number of other Dk disciples, who reminisce about the period when "punk music was rearing its ugly head," as Smith says in the video.
- 6/25/2013
- by Katherine Brooks
- Huffington Post
A new series from MOCAtv is celebrating subversive artwork in early punk music.
"The Art of Punk" begins with a profile of the artist Raymond Pettibon, who founded Black Flag with his brother, guitarist Greg Ginn. In the short documentary-style film, filmmakers Bryan Ray Turcotte (Kill Your Idols) and Bo Bushnell (The Western Empire) chronicle the birth of Blag Flag's logo -- four black bars that came to symbolize hardcore music.
The 22-minute video includes interviews with notable punk figures like Henry Rollins and Flea, providing glimpses into the impressive archive of posters, album designs and t-shirts bearing the Pettibon logo. It is a celebration of all things atonal and anti-authoritarian, which makes sense, considering Pettibone's reputation for making "obsessive, black-humored art."
Two other installations are planned as follow-ups to the Black Flag episode, focusing on the art of the California-based punk band, The Dead Kennedys as well as the...
"The Art of Punk" begins with a profile of the artist Raymond Pettibon, who founded Black Flag with his brother, guitarist Greg Ginn. In the short documentary-style film, filmmakers Bryan Ray Turcotte (Kill Your Idols) and Bo Bushnell (The Western Empire) chronicle the birth of Blag Flag's logo -- four black bars that came to symbolize hardcore music.
The 22-minute video includes interviews with notable punk figures like Henry Rollins and Flea, providing glimpses into the impressive archive of posters, album designs and t-shirts bearing the Pettibon logo. It is a celebration of all things atonal and anti-authoritarian, which makes sense, considering Pettibone's reputation for making "obsessive, black-humored art."
Two other installations are planned as follow-ups to the Black Flag episode, focusing on the art of the California-based punk band, The Dead Kennedys as well as the...
- 6/17/2013
- by Katherine Brooks
- Huffington Post
A new web series on the MOCAtv YouTube Original Channel is bringing viewers the stories behind iconic pieces of punk rock art. The Art of Punk, created by filmmaker Bryan Ray Turcotte, is a three-part documentary series that explores the logos of three famous punk bands. The first of three 20-minute docs has been released, and it discusses Black Flag, arguing that the band's four-bar logo is part of its identity. The episode shine light on the band and its titular symbol via interviews with band members (including the always-eloquent Henry Rollins), artist Raymond Pettibon (brother of Black Flag founding member Greg Ginn and creator of the four-bar logo), and Flea, who was inspired by Black Flag as a youngster and is so punk that he gives his interview while sitting on the toilet. Two more docs will arrive over the next couple of weeks, one on the Dead Kennedys and another on Crass.
- 6/13/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Opening with a postcard-perfect vista of a Cambodian beach, followed with a sequence that could have been scripted by the Cambodian tourism bureau, Kieran Darcy-Smith's Wish You Were Here seems intent on proving that a "holiday in Cambodia" can be more than a dark Dead Kennedys song—until the film goes just as dark. A picture about lovely façades and the rot within, Wish You Were Here concerns Dave and Alice (Joel Edgerton and Felicity Price), a married Australian couple vacationing with Alice's sister, Steph (Teresa Palmer), and Steph's beau, Jeremy (Antony Starr), a businessman whose success is evident and enigmatic. When Jeremy goes missing, a search ensues, continuing after the other three return to Australia. The setup smacks of Hitchcock and Nicolas Roe...
- 6/6/2013
- Village Voice
"Because punk, you can go awfully wrong with punk, when you're really over doing it," Heidi Klum told us on the red carpet last night at the Met Ball. "I don't know. It's good in photo shoots. Not really good for real life."
So true! And that's why the "Punk: Chaos to Couture" theme at this year's bash was such a challenge! When I think of punk, the red carpet doesn't even come to mind... I immediately think of Sid and Nancy, safety pins, studs, the Dead Kennedys and mohawks. Oh yes, mohawks; the real deal, back before all ...
Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
So true! And that's why the "Punk: Chaos to Couture" theme at this year's bash was such a challenge! When I think of punk, the red carpet doesn't even come to mind... I immediately think of Sid and Nancy, safety pins, studs, the Dead Kennedys and mohawks. Oh yes, mohawks; the real deal, back before all ...
Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
- 5/7/2013
- by nobody@accesshollywood.com (AccessHollywood.com Editorial Staff)
- Access Hollywood
Tags: Rachel MaddowRedditThe Rachel Maddow ShowIMDb
Yesterday Rachel Maddow participated in a Reddit Q&A which means the internet could ask her whatever they wanted and she could decide what she wanted to answer. While there were a lot of nice things said about her and rude things asked of her, the MSNBC host did a wonderful job of answering some serious questions and some fun inquires from fans. Here are some of the things we enjoyed reading her answers to. (Questions and answers are all sic.)
Q: If you had to choose one story you've covered that you wish more people were aware of, what would it be?
It seems crazy that an ongoing war is an undercovered story, but I wish there was more debate about why and how and if we should still have 60,000 Americans in Afghanistan. It's not done, there are still real decisions to be made,...
Yesterday Rachel Maddow participated in a Reddit Q&A which means the internet could ask her whatever they wanted and she could decide what she wanted to answer. While there were a lot of nice things said about her and rude things asked of her, the MSNBC host did a wonderful job of answering some serious questions and some fun inquires from fans. Here are some of the things we enjoyed reading her answers to. (Questions and answers are all sic.)
Q: If you had to choose one story you've covered that you wish more people were aware of, what would it be?
It seems crazy that an ongoing war is an undercovered story, but I wish there was more debate about why and how and if we should still have 60,000 Americans in Afghanistan. It's not done, there are still real decisions to be made,...
- 3/9/2013
- by trishbendix
- AfterEllen.com
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Some Spoilers Below
Deadpool kills a lot of presidents in this issue. In fact, I’d say this is the goriest issue yet. After the disturbing visual of Deadpool dressed as Marilyn Monroe there is a flood of presidential slaughter (I counted twelve kills this issue). Seriously with Brian Posehn being one of the writers how has there not been a Dead Kennedys joke at some point in the last four issues?
I’m not the biggest Deadpool fan in the world. I think he’s the kind of character that works best in small doses, and I’ve never been too interested in his solo books. Add Posehn and my interest peaks immediately. Add a ludicrous plot where Deadpool has to kill the resurrected evil presidents – alright fine I’m in.
This is still a Deadpool comic so it’s going to be hit or...
Some Spoilers Below
Deadpool kills a lot of presidents in this issue. In fact, I’d say this is the goriest issue yet. After the disturbing visual of Deadpool dressed as Marilyn Monroe there is a flood of presidential slaughter (I counted twelve kills this issue). Seriously with Brian Posehn being one of the writers how has there not been a Dead Kennedys joke at some point in the last four issues?
I’m not the biggest Deadpool fan in the world. I think he’s the kind of character that works best in small doses, and I’ve never been too interested in his solo books. Add Posehn and my interest peaks immediately. Add a ludicrous plot where Deadpool has to kill the resurrected evil presidents – alright fine I’m in.
This is still a Deadpool comic so it’s going to be hit or...
- 1/25/2013
- by Christopher Jones
- Obsessed with Film
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
I’m tired. I’m drunk. I’ve been away for a few days at a festival. I’ve not unpacked. There are no covers on my bed. I was supposed to be getting on top of things today – getting significant progress underway for the numerous assignment units I have to do for an Oca course, intending them to be done before I move away to start Uni for the second time, finalizing a number of the necessary details of my move, formulating a cunning plan to claw my way back out of the far reaching abyss that is my overdraft, cut the crap and get fully back into the diet and fitness regime, work out some features for this very music section. You know, western problems. The problems of the default factory setting for easy living – white male.
All pent up rage with nothing of worth to aim it at.
I’m tired. I’m drunk. I’ve been away for a few days at a festival. I’ve not unpacked. There are no covers on my bed. I was supposed to be getting on top of things today – getting significant progress underway for the numerous assignment units I have to do for an Oca course, intending them to be done before I move away to start Uni for the second time, finalizing a number of the necessary details of my move, formulating a cunning plan to claw my way back out of the far reaching abyss that is my overdraft, cut the crap and get fully back into the diet and fitness regime, work out some features for this very music section. You know, western problems. The problems of the default factory setting for easy living – white male.
All pent up rage with nothing of worth to aim it at.
- 9/4/2012
- by Morgan Roberts
- Obsessed with Film
The A-Team. Miami Vice. Starsky and Hutch. The Smurfs. The Transformers. The Land of the Lost. The Dukes of Hazzard. Alf!…
Okay, not that one yet (thank God), but the rest of these are recent examples of television shows from the 70′s and 80′s that have been plucked by lazy studio execs to receive the feature film treatment in hopes that their established names and fanbases will lead to easy box office gold.
The monetary success of these films have varied, but, as you might have guessed, the artistic value of these retro-retreads has been universally anemic (although I have to admit, Starsky and Hutch is a guilty pleasure of mine).
Given this track record then, what could be expected from 21 Jump Street? Based on the television series of the same name that ran from 1987-1991 and chronicled an undercover police unit comprised of youthful looking cops who infiltrated the...
Okay, not that one yet (thank God), but the rest of these are recent examples of television shows from the 70′s and 80′s that have been plucked by lazy studio execs to receive the feature film treatment in hopes that their established names and fanbases will lead to easy box office gold.
The monetary success of these films have varied, but, as you might have guessed, the artistic value of these retro-retreads has been universally anemic (although I have to admit, Starsky and Hutch is a guilty pleasure of mine).
Given this track record then, what could be expected from 21 Jump Street? Based on the television series of the same name that ran from 1987-1991 and chronicled an undercover police unit comprised of youthful looking cops who infiltrated the...
- 3/29/2012
- by Christopher Lominac
- AreYouScreening.com
Dave Grohl drew a lot of attention with his acceptance speech/rant for Best Rock Performance at the Grammys on Sunday, with many (us included) noting the subtle swipe at electronic dance music. Now, Grohl is back with a second rant to clarify the real meaning behind what he said with a public statement.
Here we go!
Oh, what a night we had last Sunday at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. The glitz! The Glamour! Seacrest! Where do I begin?? Chillin' with Lil' Wayne...meeting Cyndi Lauper's adorable mother...the complimentary blinking Coldplay bracelet.....much too much to recap. It's really is still a bit of a blur. But, if there's one thing that I remember Very clearly, it was accepting the Grammy for Best Rock Performance...and then saying this: "To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of music is what's important.
Here we go!
Oh, what a night we had last Sunday at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. The glitz! The Glamour! Seacrest! Where do I begin?? Chillin' with Lil' Wayne...meeting Cyndi Lauper's adorable mother...the complimentary blinking Coldplay bracelet.....much too much to recap. It's really is still a bit of a blur. But, if there's one thing that I remember Very clearly, it was accepting the Grammy for Best Rock Performance...and then saying this: "To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of music is what's important.
- 2/17/2012
- by Gazelle Emami
- Huffington Post
On Grammy night, Foo Fighter frontman Dave Grohl made his distaste for computer-assisted music clear. Or so we thought. Now, in a new statement, Grohl heartily apologizes for giving the impression that he's not a fan of electronica, hip-hop and basically anyone else who might have been offended.
Here's what Grohl said last Sunday (Feb. 12):
"To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of music is what's important. Singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do... It's not about being perfect, it's not about sounding absolutely correct, it's not about what goes on in a computer. It's about what goes on in here [your heart] and what goes on in here [your head]."
In a statement released Friday, Grohl softens his stance, basically saying that he was thinking on his...
Here's what Grohl said last Sunday (Feb. 12):
"To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of music is what's important. Singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that's the most important thing for people to do... It's not about being perfect, it's not about sounding absolutely correct, it's not about what goes on in a computer. It's about what goes on in here [your heart] and what goes on in here [your head]."
In a statement released Friday, Grohl softens his stance, basically saying that he was thinking on his...
- 2/17/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
'Never has a 33-second acceptance rant evoked such caps-lock postboard rage,' Grohl writes on the Foo Fighters' Facebook page.
By James Montgomery
Foo Fighters onstage at the 2012 Grammy Awards
Photo: Getty Images
Midway through his Mvp-like performance at Sunday's 54th Grammy Awards — a tour de force that included wearing a Slayer T-shirt, engaging in a lengthy guitar duel with Bruce Springsteen and inadvertently standing in Paul McCartney's spotlight for, like, 45 seconds — Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl strode to the stage to deliver a delightfully long-running acceptance speech, one that some thought took a few none-too-subtle jabs at the burgeoning Edm movement.
Surrounded by his bandmates and Wasting Light producer Butch Vig, Grohl held the band's Best Rock Performance award and spoke about the back-to-basics approach the Foos employed while making the album, which included eschewing computers and recording directly to 2-inch tape, saying in part:
"To me,...
By James Montgomery
Foo Fighters onstage at the 2012 Grammy Awards
Photo: Getty Images
Midway through his Mvp-like performance at Sunday's 54th Grammy Awards — a tour de force that included wearing a Slayer T-shirt, engaging in a lengthy guitar duel with Bruce Springsteen and inadvertently standing in Paul McCartney's spotlight for, like, 45 seconds — Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl strode to the stage to deliver a delightfully long-running acceptance speech, one that some thought took a few none-too-subtle jabs at the burgeoning Edm movement.
Surrounded by his bandmates and Wasting Light producer Butch Vig, Grohl held the band's Best Rock Performance award and spoke about the back-to-basics approach the Foos employed while making the album, which included eschewing computers and recording directly to 2-inch tape, saying in part:
"To me,...
- 2/17/2012
- MTV Music News
Update: Andrew Necci of the Richmond-based Rva Magazine has done quite a bit of research, and has come to the conclusion that the guy identified as Stewart in the photo is probably Alford Faulkner of the band Red Cross. Thanks for the heads up, Jason.
Original: Here's a good one for Jon Stewart fans. Long before stepping behind the pulpit of his "Daily Show" desk, Stewart (formerly Jon Leibowitz) loved going to punk shows when he was attending the College of William and Mary. And now, we have proof.
In the early 1980s, photographer Irish Willis Peele snapped a photo of Jon enjoying himself at a Richmond punk show featuring the bands Front Line and Dead Kennedys. He posted it on his blog and it's been making the rounds. Celebrities -- they're just like us! When we moshed at punk shows in the early '80s!
Nobody should be surprised...
Original: Here's a good one for Jon Stewart fans. Long before stepping behind the pulpit of his "Daily Show" desk, Stewart (formerly Jon Leibowitz) loved going to punk shows when he was attending the College of William and Mary. And now, we have proof.
In the early 1980s, photographer Irish Willis Peele snapped a photo of Jon enjoying himself at a Richmond punk show featuring the bands Front Line and Dead Kennedys. He posted it on his blog and it's been making the rounds. Celebrities -- they're just like us! When we moshed at punk shows in the early '80s!
Nobody should be surprised...
- 1/28/2012
- by Ross Luippold
- Huffington Post
Do you like David Lynch? Me too. I’m pretty sure that Calvin Lee Reeder, Director of The Oregonian, the film that caused quite a stir at Sundance in 2011, is a big fan. As previously stated, I also enjoy a David Lynch picture although I am partial to his earlier, more accessible work if you want to call movies like Eraserhead and Blue Velvet accessible. I also do not have a problem with folks trying to push the boundaries of story telling, sensory perception and complex visual concepts, but what we have here is a failure to communicate.
Basic story line: The Oregonian (Lindsay Pulsipher) leaves her horse farm, gets into a car accident and then spends the remainder of the picture trying to find help for some injured people in said accident. She tries to figure out how she came to be on the farm, why she left and...
Basic story line: The Oregonian (Lindsay Pulsipher) leaves her horse farm, gets into a car accident and then spends the remainder of the picture trying to find help for some injured people in said accident. She tries to figure out how she came to be on the farm, why she left and...
- 1/20/2012
- by Jimmy Terror
- The Liberal Dead
Young Adult
Written by Diablo Cody
Directed by Jason Reitman
USA, 2011
Four years later, is there any doubt that Juno is now a dirty word? Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s first collaboration, which turned the latter into a household name thanks to her unlikely career path, can also retrospectively seen as presaging a particular kind of loathsome indie-quirk comedy, the likes of which still manifests itself a half-dozen times a year, often nabbing some semi-significant Sundance prize. Their second movie together, Young Adult, is not only emphatically not of a piece with that film, it sometimes feels like its antimirror, a bitter, sometimes shockingly brusque character study with hardly an inch of wasted celluloid.
Eager to rip it up and start again, young-adult-lit novelist Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron, utterly convincing as a different sort of Monster), who’s been toiling away at an overdue draft of the last installment...
Written by Diablo Cody
Directed by Jason Reitman
USA, 2011
Four years later, is there any doubt that Juno is now a dirty word? Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s first collaboration, which turned the latter into a household name thanks to her unlikely career path, can also retrospectively seen as presaging a particular kind of loathsome indie-quirk comedy, the likes of which still manifests itself a half-dozen times a year, often nabbing some semi-significant Sundance prize. Their second movie together, Young Adult, is not only emphatically not of a piece with that film, it sometimes feels like its antimirror, a bitter, sometimes shockingly brusque character study with hardly an inch of wasted celluloid.
Eager to rip it up and start again, young-adult-lit novelist Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron, utterly convincing as a different sort of Monster), who’s been toiling away at an overdue draft of the last installment...
- 12/23/2011
- by Simon Howell
- SoundOnSight
With shooting already wrapped in Salem, Massachusetts, you'd think writer-director Rob Zombie would have his full cast locked in for The Lords Of Salem. Nope. The shock rocker-turned-filmmaker reveals that child star Brandon Cruz has joined the massive cast as "Ted Delta", a local Salem drug counselor. Shooting continues in Los Angeles. Brandon was a staple of 70's TV appearing in such shows as "The Incredible Hulk", "Police Story", "Kung Fu", "Gunsmoke" and of course as Eddie alongside Bill Bixby on the hit show "The Courtship of Eddie's Father". Add to that a starring turn in the 1976 smash film The Bad News Bears. During is absence from acting Brandon has focused on music, heading the punk band Dr. Know during the 80's and more recently replacing Jello Biafra in the legendary band The Dead Kennedys.
- 11/19/2011
- bloody-disgusting.com
Nope, Rob Zombie's not done yet adding to his already eclectic cast for the upcoming The Lords of Satan. The newest addition? Former child TV star Brandon Cruz, better known to many of us of a certain age as "Eddie".
Here's what Zombie had to say on his Facebook page:
"Child star Brandon Cruz has joined the cast of The Lords Of Salem as Ted Delta, a local Salem drug counselor.
Brandon was a staple of 70's TV appearing in such shows as The Incredible Hulk, Police Story, Kung Fu, Gunsmoke and of course as Eddie along side Bill Bixby in the hit show The Courtship Of Eddie's Father. Add to that a starring turn in the 1976 smash film The Bad News Bears.
During his absence from acting Brandon has focused on music, heading the punk band Dr. Know during the 80's and more recently replacing Jello Biafra in...
Here's what Zombie had to say on his Facebook page:
"Child star Brandon Cruz has joined the cast of The Lords Of Salem as Ted Delta, a local Salem drug counselor.
Brandon was a staple of 70's TV appearing in such shows as The Incredible Hulk, Police Story, Kung Fu, Gunsmoke and of course as Eddie along side Bill Bixby in the hit show The Courtship Of Eddie's Father. Add to that a starring turn in the 1976 smash film The Bad News Bears.
During his absence from acting Brandon has focused on music, heading the punk band Dr. Know during the 80's and more recently replacing Jello Biafra in...
- 11/19/2011
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Now that Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem has resumed production in Los Angeles - after shooting in Salem, Massachusetts - the writer-director is sharing a bit more casting news. From Zombie's Facebook page: Child star Brandon Cruz has joined the cast of The Lords Of Salem as Ted Delta, a local Salem drug counselor. Brandon was a staple of 70's TV appearing in such shows as The Incredible Hulk, Police Story, Kung Fu, Gunsmoke and of course as Eddie along side Bill Bixby in the hit show The Courtship Of Eddie's Father. Add to that a starring turn in the 1976 smash film The Bad News Bears. During is absence from acting Brandon has focused on music, heading the punk band Dr. Know during the 80's and more recently replacing Jello Biafra in the legendary band The Dead Kennedys....
- 11/19/2011
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Hank Williams Jr. 's son -- Hank Williams III -- doesn't think his father should have opened his mouth about Obama yesterday ... telling TMZ most musicians are "not worthy" of a political discussion. TMZ spoke with HW3 -- and punk rock-meets-country singer -- who tells us, "The only person out there worthy of mixing political views and music is Jello Biafra ." Fyi -- Jello Biafra is the original lead singer of the legendary punk rock...
- 10/4/2011
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
In this week's Music in the Movies, we pick out ten of cinema's finest non-score soundtracks...
Having focused mainly on scores in this column, I thought I’d turn my attention to soundtracks that consist mainly of sourced material. I've chose some of my favourites, and also asked some Den of Geek 's writers to suggest a few choices of their own. And just to make the list a little more balanced, I've made sure to only choose one film per director...
A Life Less Ordinary
Nominated by N P Horton
I originally intended to include Trainspotting in this article, but I decided to ask my followers on Twitter (comprising largely of DoG writers) to nominate their favourite scores, and this was Mr Horton’s. So given that I wanted to include only one film per filmmaker, out went Trainspotting, and in came A Life Less Ordinary.
Ash’s titular...
Having focused mainly on scores in this column, I thought I’d turn my attention to soundtracks that consist mainly of sourced material. I've chose some of my favourites, and also asked some Den of Geek 's writers to suggest a few choices of their own. And just to make the list a little more balanced, I've made sure to only choose one film per director...
A Life Less Ordinary
Nominated by N P Horton
I originally intended to include Trainspotting in this article, but I decided to ask my followers on Twitter (comprising largely of DoG writers) to nominate their favourite scores, and this was Mr Horton’s. So given that I wanted to include only one film per filmmaker, out went Trainspotting, and in came A Life Less Ordinary.
Ash’s titular...
- 8/26/2011
- Den of Geek
The Glee 3D Concert Movie soundtrack. If pretty boys and pretty girls wearing mechanical smiles and throwing their lean bodies around a stage in freshly pressed Gap slacks whilst executing melodically accurate renditions of a selection of pop songs ranging from The Beatles to Cee Lo Green flips your switch, you young sir or madam are in luck. If on the other hand you find such relentlessly glossy teens oppressively annoying, and their heartless karaoke like toxic noise pollution, simply buy yourself a copy of Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables by Dead Kennedys, put California Uber Alles on repeat and take refuge from the glossy mob.
Yes, the half-dozen soundtrack albums already available from Glee’s inexplicably adored TV series have been commercially successful to an appropriately money-guzzling level to warrant the release of a 3D concert movie, complete with soundtrack tie-in. This is sure to make a bazillion dollars,...
Yes, the half-dozen soundtrack albums already available from Glee’s inexplicably adored TV series have been commercially successful to an appropriately money-guzzling level to warrant the release of a 3D concert movie, complete with soundtrack tie-in. This is sure to make a bazillion dollars,...
- 8/15/2011
- by Chris Neilan
- Movie-moron.com
Islamic punk was just an idea in a novel by a disaffected Muslim convert – but for the bands he inspired around the world the scene became real. Now, as The Taqwacores is about to be released, has the scene already betrayed its ideals?
There was a time when the words "Muslim radical" painted a clear enough picture – a young man strapped with explosives, perhaps, or a bearded cleric calling for Sharia law from Land's End to John O'Groats. But things have changed. The protestors of the Arab Spring are both Muslim and radical, as are the bungling jihadis of Chris Morris's movie Four Lions. And now a new film, The Taqwacores, attempts to further stretch the definition.
The film's set up sounds familiar enough – a meek Muslim student named Yusef joins a hardcore Islamic commune in upstate New York and becomes radicalised. But this time, "hardcore" refers to punk rock.
There was a time when the words "Muslim radical" painted a clear enough picture – a young man strapped with explosives, perhaps, or a bearded cleric calling for Sharia law from Land's End to John O'Groats. But things have changed. The protestors of the Arab Spring are both Muslim and radical, as are the bungling jihadis of Chris Morris's movie Four Lions. And now a new film, The Taqwacores, attempts to further stretch the definition.
The film's set up sounds familiar enough – a meek Muslim student named Yusef joins a hardcore Islamic commune in upstate New York and becomes radicalised. But this time, "hardcore" refers to punk rock.
- 8/5/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
Islamic punk was just an idea in a novel by a disaffected Muslim convert – but for the bands he inspired around the world the scene became real. Now, as The Taqwacores is about to be released, has the scene already betrayed its ideals?
There was a time when the words "Muslim radical" painted a clear enough picture – a young man strapped with explosives, perhaps, or a bearded cleric calling for Sharia law from Land's End to John O'Groats. But things have changed. The protestors of the Arab Spring are both Muslim and radical, as are the bungling jihadis of Chris Morris's movie Four Lions. And now a new film, The Taqwacores, attempts to further stretch the definition.
The film's set up sounds familiar enough – a meek Muslim student named Yusef joins a hardcore Islamic commune in upstate New York and becomes radicalised. But this time, "hardcore" refers to punk rock.
There was a time when the words "Muslim radical" painted a clear enough picture – a young man strapped with explosives, perhaps, or a bearded cleric calling for Sharia law from Land's End to John O'Groats. But things have changed. The protestors of the Arab Spring are both Muslim and radical, as are the bungling jihadis of Chris Morris's movie Four Lions. And now a new film, The Taqwacores, attempts to further stretch the definition.
The film's set up sounds familiar enough – a meek Muslim student named Yusef joins a hardcore Islamic commune in upstate New York and becomes radicalised. But this time, "hardcore" refers to punk rock.
- 8/5/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
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