Vincent's Dazzling "Whatever It Takes"

If you're the type of fan who longs for those halcyon days of turning on your transistor radio and listening to songs by bands like Ambrosia and Orleans, or tunes by power pop pioneers like The Raspberries, then you need to check out the music of Kyle Vincent. He's a supremely talented musician and songwriter whose latest album, Whatever It Takes, is a wonderful collection of sunshine-drenched pop songs that's a gift to music lovers everywhere. Kyle's a veteran performer who started out in the music world at the age of eight, when he played saxophone in his school's jazz program at Berkeley, California. He later took bass lessons from none other than guitar master Joe Satriani, and went on to front the power pop band Candy. That group's lineup included Gilby Clarke, who later became a charter member of Guns 'n Roses.

Candy released one album, 1985's Whatever Happened To Fun..., which was produced by Jimmy Ienner, who'd worked with Grand Funk Railroad and the Bay City Rollers. Wally Bryson of The Raspberries was the musical director for the project. The title track received a lot of MTV airplay at the time. The band went on to open for acts like Rick Springfield and Corey Hart, and the group is still well-regarded in power pop circles. Kyle went on to release a number of excellent solo albums, and his music has been featured in a number of television shows, including MTV's The Hills and The Real World, and films such as The Other Sister. He's also fronted touring versions of the Bay City Rollers and Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods, and opened for Barry Manilow (a big supporter of Kyle's music) on his Greatest Hits & Then Some tour.

Whatever It Takes is filled with shimmering pop confections that will move you, enchant you, exhilarate you and have you singing along on repeat listens. As soon as you hear the opening track, the lovely "Dreaming of July," you'll realize that this album is something special. The ethereal song is a beautiful ode to summer love that superbly captures the longing for that special someone that lights up your life, and the memories you've shared. The heartfelt vocals, masterful work from the backing musicians, and sparkling production resonate from every track on the record. Check out "Dreaming of July" to see what I mean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE7LqGX4XkU.

Tracks like "Bubblegum Baby" and "I Feel New" radiate joy, and aptly illustrate Kyle's innate gifts as a songwriter and musician. It's something of a cliche to say "there's not a bad song on the album," but in the case of Whatever It Takes, it's true. The record features a talented lineup of musicians backing Kyle, including legendary session guitarist Louie Shelton, who has played on hits like "Last Train To Clarksville" and "Let's Get It On." Also appearing on the record are several power icons, including guitarist Tommy Dunbar of The Rubinoos, and drummer Jim Bonfanti and guitarist Wally Bryson of The Raspberries. Noted Japanese guitarist Kyoji Yamamoto plays on the title track, and Parthenon Huxley, a power pop hero in his own right, co-wrote the marvelous song "Hard To Be Happy," with Kyle.

The music on Whatever It Takes will instantly teleport you back to a simpler time, have you smiling from ear to ear, and will absolutely inspire you to check out the rest of Kyle's catalog of fantastic songs and albums. Kyle is a remarkable artist who crafts melodic, emotion-filled pop tunes that will get stuck in your head and steal your heart. Whatever It Takes is now available from Universal Music Group, and can also be found at Kyle's website, https://www.kylevincent.com, where you can learn more about Kyle and his music. I can't think of a better way to end this review than with a link to the track "A Gilbert O'Sullivan Song," which perfectly encapsulates all the best qualities of Kyle's music. If you'e ever been enthralled by the work of an artist who made a real impact on your life, you'll empathize with the feelings that Kyle shares in this tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1b3CaOi5TI.

Lon Chaney, Jr. Enters the Inner Sanctum

In the 1930s and 1940s Inner Sanctum was a print, radio and film franchise which featured tales of mystery, murder and the macabre. The Inner Sanctum imprint was initially used for a series of best-selling mystery novels from Simon & Schuster that ran from the 1930s right through to the 1960s. The title was also used for a very popular radio show that aired from 1941-1952. The show was memorable thanks to the eerie "creaking door" sound effect which opened each episode. It was inevitable that Hollywood would take advantage of the Inner Sanctum's success, and Universal Pictures signed Lon Chaney, Jr. to star in a series of films bearing the Inner Sanctum banner. Chaney had portrayed the Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster and most notably, The Wolf Man in various films, and he was eager to try something a bit different, while the studio wanted to capitalize on the success of one of their biggest horror stars.

The six movies in Universal's series of "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" are indeed mysteries, and not horror films, as they have often been misrepresented as, or misunderstood as, over the years. While some of the movies contain mild supernatural elements, these films should really be viewed as murder mysteries or suspense thrillers. The Inner Sanctum films were produced between 1943 and 1945, and they're a lot of fun to watch. These movies are prime examples of the kind of B pictures that were a staple of the classic Hollywood era, and they truly "don't make 'em like that anymore." Several of the films even have Chaney narrating the story or letting us in on his thoughts via an inner monologue, in the style common to classic tales of film noir.

The first film in the series, 1943's Calling Dr. Death, stars Chaney as Dr. Mark Steele, whose wife is murdered. Steele is a prime suspect because he can't remember where he was, or what he was doing, for several days, including the time the murder was committed. Has this memory loss occurred because he's blacked out the fact that he actually committed the crime? A police detective (a nice performance by character actor J. Carroll Naish) and Steele's dedicated secretary, played by Patricia Morison, try to help him remember, but they have quite different motives for doing so. The film is solidly directed by Reginald LeBorg, who'd go on to helm the next two movies in the series. LeBorg, would later direct such well-regarded "A" films such as San Diego, I Love You and Destiny, as well as a ton of additional B movies, including Voodoo Island, with Boris Karloff and Elisha Cook, Jr., and Diary of a Madman, which starred Vincent Price and Nancy Kovack.

Weird Woman (1944), the second film in the Inner Sanctum sextet, is based on Fritz Lieber's novel Conjure Wife, which was later adapted into the well-regarded 1962 British horror film Burn, Witch, Burn. This tale of love, jealousy and murder stars Chaney as a college professor who gets mixed up in witchcraft. The supporting cast features Evelyn Ankers, Anne Gwynne and Elisabeth Russell, all of whom are familiar faces to classic horror fans. It's an entertaining thriller that's one of the best entries in the series. The third film in the Inner Sanctum oeuvre, Dead Man's Eyes, also from 1944, features Chaney as an artist who goes blind due to a terrible accident. He receives the eyes of his fiance's father in a transplant, but only after the man is murdered. The catch is, the victim recently changed his will to bequeath his eyes to....his new son-in-law! 

The fourth film in the series, directed by Harold Young, is entitled The Frozen Ghost (1945), and stars Chaney as Gregor the Great, a hypnotist with a successful night club act. When a man dies onstage during a performance, Gregor blames himself, and retires from his hypnotism gig. But he probably should have re-thought his choice of next job; working at an eerie wax museum! This time out, the supporting players include Chaney's House of Frankenstein co-star Elena Verdugo and veteran movie villain Martin Kosleck. 1945's Strange Confession, the fifth film in the series, tells a flashback-centered story of love, betrayal and murder. Chaney portrays Jeff Carter, who works for a pharmaceutical company owned by Roger Graham (J. Carroll Naish again) a duplicitous jerk with designs on Carter's wife. The final entry, Pillow of Death (1945), is a moody tale of murder and mysticism as lawyer Wayne Fletcher (Chaney) is accused of killing his wife by her ghost, via a seance conducted by spiritualist Julian Julian, portrayed by Chaney's Son of Dracula co-star J. Edward Bromberg.

The Inner Sanctum movies all run about (or just over) an hour, so they never overstay their welcome. These films were primarily designed to play as second features, and they're well-made, enjoyable mysteries. They're atmospheric, stylishly directed and crisply paced. Lon Chaney, Jr. is often given a bad rap (and is quite under-rated) as an actor, but I think these movies suit his on-screen persona and his talents very well. He's quite effective in them, often as a man caught up in circumstances he can't control. The supporting casts are filled with terrific character actors, such as Lloyd Bridges, Mary Gordon (Mrs. Hudson from the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Homes films) and Clara Blandick, best known as Auntie Em from The Wizard of Oz. Classic film fans will have a ball seeing all of those familiar faces. These movies should resonate with, and have strong appeal for, old school mystery and horror fans. There are excellent Blu-ray releases of the complete series from Mill Creek Entertainment in the US, and the Eureka label in the UK. Some of the films are also available to view on various streaming services. Here's the trailer for the Eureka films Blu-ray release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2zj10Nc98k, and watch out for that crystal ball encased floating head (played by actor David Hoffman) that introduces the first five films in the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaF7VPjAM-Y.

Those Who Wish Me Dead: Fiery Action, Hired Killers and a Heroic Angelina Jolie

The action film genre is constantly trying to reinvent itself, top itself, and find new ways to thrill audiences. There are certain tropes, however, that you'll likely see play out in most iterations of this type of film. We usually see a hero haunted by a tragedy from his past, where a person or a group of people died as a result of a difficult choice made by him. The hero gets a chance to redeem himself when a new challenge comes his way. In director Taylor Sheridan's combustive thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead, the hero is actually a heroine. The story concerns Hannah Faber, a Montana-based smokejumper who can't get over the deaths of several people during an out of control forest fire her team was trying to contain. She blames herself for their deaths in the out of control conflagration.

Hannah's ex-boyfriend Ethan, a deputy sheriff, tries to get her to deal with her guilt, but she lives on the edge and is something of a loose cannon. Meanwhile, Owen Casserly, a forensic accountant, discovers that some people close to him have died in a mysterious explosion. Owen realizes the mob boss he worked for is eliminating those who could offer evidence that would put him in jail. Owen goes on the run with his son Connor. When Owen is killed by assassins sent by his former boss, Connor goes on the run, and he meets up with Hannah, who's stationed in a fire lookout tower.

Of course, Hannah ends up helping Connor evade the hit men, and Ethan lands in their crossfire as well. There's also a super-sized fire (set by the assassins as a distraction) to contend with, and Hannah has to use all her skills to save Connor and survive the deadly inferno. Those Who Wish Me Dead doesn't blaze any new trails in the action genre, but Taylor Sheridan's excellent direction helps propel the film, and keeps you interested throughout. Sheridan is perhaps best known for writing two well-received thrillers, Sicario and Hell or High Water, and for co-creating the TV series Yellowstone. He co-wrote the screenplay along with Charles Leavitt and Michael Koryta, based on Koryta's novel.

Angelina Jolie is excellent as the resourceful Hannah, and gives the character a bit more shading than usual in this type of thriller. She has good chemistry with her young co-star Fin Little, who plays Connor. The supporting players include Jon Bernthal as Ethan, and Jake Weber as Owen. Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen are quite effective as the dangerous and driven hit men. Tyler Perry has a cameo as their boss. Media Senghore is very effective in her role as Ethan's wife, who gives the assassins a bigger challenge than they expected; appearances can be deceiving.

Those Who Wish Me Dead is an exciting, well-directed action film with a talented cast. The movie has a sharp and energetic visual style, courtesy of director Sheridan, cinematographer Ben Richardson and editor Chad Galster. It's the kind of fast-paced, well-made popcorn flick where you don't start asking too many questions about its believability before it ends. If you're looking for an enjoyably old-fashioned thriller that will hold your interest, but doesn't overstay it's welcome, Those Who Wish Me Dead should fit the bill.The movie is currently in theaters, and is also streaming on HBO Max until June 13. Here's a look at the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kciXOTguPCs.