Noir Alley: TCM Explores the Dark Side

This time out at Eclectic Avenue, I'd like to showcase another piece I wrote for the the excellent arts and entertainment website, Culture Sonar. I've been a member of their staff since February, and it's been a wonderful experience. The site has a truly talented collection of writers who cover all kinds of subjects across the pop culture spectrum. The site is located at http://www.culturesonar.com. Click on the link below to view my story about Noir Alley, the Sunday morning film series on Turner Classic Movies, hosted by Eddie Muller. You can take a look at the other articles I've written for the site by using the search function on the main page, and please do look around and check out some of the fantastic work by my fellow writers! Thanks for reading, and feel free to share!

http://www.culturesonar.com/noir-alley/

Otis Redding's Unforgettable Soul

This week at Eclectic Avenue, I'd like to showcase another place you can check out my musings on movies, music and television; the excellent arts and entertainment website, Culture Sonar. I've been a member of their staff since February of this year, and it's been a fantastic experience. The site has a very talented collection of writers who cover all kinds of subjects in the pop culture spectrum. Please check out the site at http://www.culturesonar.com. Click on the link below to view one of my stories for the site, a look at the classic Otis Redding album, Otis Blue. Thanks for reading, and look for my other articles, as well as those of my wonderful fellow writers at Culture Sonar. Feel free to share!

http://www.culturesonar.com/otis-blue-album/

This "Monster" is Delightful and Engaging

Ever have one of those days? Monster Dionysus works for the "cryptobiological containment department" of animal control. He captures mythological and magical creatures along with his partner, Chester, a paper gnome, who’s actually from another dimension. Monster’s bad day starts when he gets a call about a Yeti who’s wreaking havoc in a supermarket - actually the big furry guy is sitting there eating ice cream. Monster rescues Judy, an employee at the store, from the ravenous snow giant, and assumes his job is done. But in A. Lee Martinez’s comic novel, Monster, that's just the beginning of the story. Suddenly, a host of magical creatures are following Judy everywhere. They wreak havoc not only with her life, but with Monster’s as well.

Most humans in Monster’s world forget their encounters with the fantastic as soon as they occur. They have to be reminded about what happened to them; apparently, our little brains can’t handle the idea that magic is real. So Monster has to keep telling Judy about all the supernatural events that surround her. As more and more creatures appear, he has to figure out why Judy seems to be the epicenter of all these fantastic events. Monster also has to deal with the mysterious Lotus, who is going around turning people into cats! It looks like Lotus knows what's really going on, but she isn't telling. And let’s not forget Monster’s girlfriend from hell – who really is from hell. She's pretty angry most of the time, which also complicates matters for our hero.

Monster combines clever dialogue and fantastical situations along with some elements of action and adventure, which makes for an enjoyable, fast-paced read. Martinez' style is reminiscent of Christopher Moore and Douglas Adams. If you're a fan of those authors, I think you'll dig this particular Monster. Martinez maintains a light tone throughout this engaging, well-paced book, and creates some memorable, engaging characters. If you enjoy your fantasy or science-fiction on the lighter side, then Monster is highly recommended. Martinez has written several other excellent books, including a comic horror story entitled Gil’s All Fright Diner, another delightful fantasy titled Divine Misfortune and a sci-fi/hardboiled detective pastiche called The Automatic Detective. You can learn more about his other works here: http://www.aleemartinez.com.

The Sherman Brothers: A Musical Legacy

Richard and Robert Sherman created some of the most memorable movie music of the last 50 years, writing songs for films such as Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, The Parent Trap, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Snoopy, Come Home. Their story is told in the illuminating 2009 documentary, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story. It's a unique portrait of two talented, but very different, individuals. The film covers their remarkable journey from their humble beginnings as young songwriters, to their Academy Award winning success with Mary Poppins, and beyond.  Interviews with those who worked with them, including Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, and Hayley Mills are interspersed with reminisces by their family and friends.

However, that's not the whole story. This fascinating film is also an in-depth examination of the relationship between the two brothers. Like many great songwriting partnerships, it’s the differences in their personalities and styles that helped make their collaboration so successful. But it’s those same qualities that caused friction between the siblings. Outside of their days working in the studio, the Shermans didn't really spend much time together, despite the fact that their families lived about six blocks from each other. The film (produced and directed by the duo’s sons, Gregory B. Sherman and Jeff Sherman) tries to get to the heart of this complicated relationship, and provide some answers, as well as some closure, regarding the brothers’ personal history.

This is also a story about the incredible songs created by this this amazing duo. There are clips from many of the movies and stage productions that the Shermans worked on, along with commentary by contemporary artists, actors and directors, including Ben Stiller, singer-songwriter Randy Newman, and Pixar’s John Lasseter, who discuss the lasting impact of their unforgettable music. A significant portion of the film also covers their close relationship with Walt Disney, and their years working at that studio on various projects. This allows us a peek inside that magical place where so many iconic films were created. If you’re a fan of the movies mentioned above, or are interested in a thoughtful examination of the creative process, and how it informs and affects the relationship of the artists doing the work, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story is highly recommended. The film is available on DVD, and also for digital viewing on Amazon. Here's a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny9bcJijkzU.