Retro Scary Movie: The Haunting

Claire Bloom & Julie Harris

The Haunting (1963) is widely regarded by fans and critics as one of the best horror films of all time. Dr. John Markway (Richard Johnson) heads a group of people who are going to investigate unusual activity in a mansion called Hill House. It’s a supposedly haunted dwelling where unexplained events & several mysterious deaths have occurred. The others in the group are: Theodora (Claire Bloom), a psychic; Luke (Russ Tamblyn), a member of the family that currently owns the house, and the meek, sensitive Eleanor. As the quartet settles in, strange things begin to happen; doors seem to move by themselves, there are odd noises & ghostly apparitions. Most of the paranormal events affect Eleanor. Her delicate psyche appears to the target of the forces in the house, and the ghostly presence seems to focus on events in her own life. What's the real secret of Hill House? Will the house possess Eleanor, and consume her mind & soul?

The movie is based on the Shirley Jackson novel, The Haunting of Hill House. Director Robert Wise previously worked with iconic horror producer Val Lewton, and that influence is strongly felt here. It’s a visually interesting film; the horror is suggested rather than shown outright. What you don't see scares you a lot more than what you do see. The actors are all excellent in their roles, but Julie Harris is a particular standout as Eleanor, whose fractured mind may reflect the ominous events occurring in the house. It’s a movie that works well as a psychological thriller, in addition to being a terrifying ghost story. Long a favorite of famous fans like Stephen King and Martin Scorsese, The Haunting is a classic tale of terror. The movie would be perfect viewing for Halloween or a cold winter’s night. The Haunting has just been released on Blu-ray and features a commentary by members of the cast & crew that was ported over from a previous DVD release. Here's a link to the trailer for The Haunting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-zIjOnl7ms.

“Silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.” - From the novel by Shirley Jackson

The Terror Continues in "Insidious: Chapter 2"

When we last left the Lamberts at the end of Insidious (2011), it appeared the evil spirits that haunted them had been driven away. But as Insidious: Chapter Two begins, the family is still being plagued by mysterious events. Josh (Patrick Wilson) insists that everything’s fine, and the supernatural forces that pursued them are gone. But his wife Renai (Rose Byrne) and their children continue to experience strange occurrences. She also suspects something’s wrong with her husband, as his behavior becomes more & more erratic. In order to get some answers, Josh’s mother Lorraine (Barbara Hershey) tracks down one of the paranormal investigators who helped Josh as a child. But the forces they're dealing with are much darker than they realize, and it will take all their love & strength to defeat them.

The story builds on the events of the first film, with some nice twists along the way. There are a couple of eerie scare sequences, including a visit to a run down, deserted hospital. The ultimate reveal regarding the identity of the demonic villain is appropriately horrific. Unlike many sequels, the movie doesn’t alter or rewrite what happened in the previous story. The main characters are interesting & well developed. A couple of younger ghost hunters featured in the film are played for comic relief, they're sometimes a bit over the top, but they don’t completely wear out their welcome. By the way, one of those ghost trackers is played by the movie's co-story writer & screenplay author, Leigh Whannell. The performances are uniformly strong, with Wilson, Byrne & Hershey particular standouts.

Despite the fact that Director James Wan kicked off the Saw franchise in 2004, his style here is refreshingly restrained. He accomplishes a lot with creepy atmosphere & suggestion; he doesn’t rely on blood & gore. Though there are some very good special effects, they aren't overdone or over-used either. There are a few “jump scare” moments that just might catch you off guard. In fact, Wan has helped power a resurgence of old school terror films with the first Insidious, and this past summer’s fact-based ghost story The Conjuring. The film’s strength is in the characters; we really care about this family and what happens to them. At the end of the movie, the door is left open for a third chapter, which could take the series in a new direction. If it’s anywhere near as good as the first two films, it would be a welcome addition to the terrifying saga.

James Wan is proving himself to be on of our best genre filmmakers, and his love for classic horror shows in his well-crafted movies. The first film, Insidious, is currently available on Blu-ray & DVD, and The Conjuring will be released on video on October 22. Insidious: Chapter 2 is currently in theaters. If you’re a fan of terror tales like Poltergeist, The Legend of Hell House & The Haunting, this movie should be on your must see list. Here’s a link to the trailer for Insidious: Chapter 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBbi4NeebAk.

Make "The Friedkin Connection"

William Friedkin, the talented director behind such films The Exorcist (1973) & To Live & Die in L.A. (1985), has recently published his autobiography, The Friedkin Connection. It’s a great read about his life in the movie business. He sticks to discussing his professional career, after a brief history of his formative years in the book’s early pages. Starting out as a director of documentaries & television shows, Friedkin charts his path working on films like The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968) & the 1967 Sonny & Cher vehicle Good Times. He’s open about his frustrating experiences on these early projects, which were not very successful. Then we get to his Oscar winning classics The French Connection & The Exorcist. The bulk of the book focuses on these two movies; Friedkin goes into great detail about the productions, and the challenges he faced making both films. For The French Connection, he was still considered a newcomer, even though he had directed several films previously, and faced numerous battles with studio heads over the film’s budget & shooting schedule. On The Exorcist, there were numerous bumps in the road in bringing the novel to the screen, including dealing with the controversial subject matter, and getting the right cast & crew together. There are fascinating behind the scenes details about both movies. These stories are the best parts of the book, and offer real insight into the moviemaking process.

Friedkin is candid about his successes & failures, and owns up to his own faults when relationships with his collaborators turned out badly. Another film extensively covered is 1977’s Sorcerer, an expensive remake of the classic French film The Wages of Fear (1953), which spiraled over budget & out of control during production. It later flopped at the box office, though it has had a bit of a critical re-evaluation in recent years. There’s also a section on the controversial film Cruising (1980), a murder mstery set in the world of gay sex clubs, which starred Al Pacino. Despite his candor, there’s no mention of two notorious failures, Deal of The Century (1983) and The Guardian (1990), both of which were troubled productions that turned out badly. One weakness of the book is that there’s less focus on the second half of Friedkin’s career; his later films are given much shorter shrift, though there are still some interesting anecdotes, especially regarding To Live & Die in L.A. What some readers may find surprising is that Friedkin later had success directing operas, collaborating with the likes of Placido Domingo. In the final portions of the book he does talk about his home life, discussing some personal health issues & his fourth marriage, to studio head Sherry Lansing. A few more words about his personal life would have been welcome, since he’s very open about it in the later portion of his life story. He also focuses on two recent film projects, both based on plays by Tracy Letts, Bug (2006) and Killer Joe (2011). This is a well-written, honest & entertaining read, especially if you’re a fan of Friedkin’s work as a director.

An Eclectic Avenue Playlist: Meat Loaf & Jim Steinman Edition

Over the top production & instrumentation; operatic, choral, sometimes Broadway-style vocals. Clever lyrics with word-laden, wild images & sexual innuendo. The latest hit from a teen pop sensation? No, we’re talking about the partnership of Meat Loaf & lyricist Jim Steinman. From the classic album Bat Out of Hell through the present day, they’ve created some of rock’s most iconic songs. Since Meat Loaf is currently doing a six-week run of shows in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino celebrating his career, let’s pay tribute with a little Meat Loaf/Steinman playlist:

1.     Bat Out Of Hell – the title track from the 1977 album has it all, the amazing vocals, great guitar work and an epic wall of sound, courtesy of producer Todd Rundgren.

2.     Paradise By The Dashboard Light – also from Bat Out Of Hell, the famous ode to one night of lust leading to a lifetime of regret. Originally recorded with singer Ellen Foley, but later performed by Meat Loaf with a variety of other artists, including Karla DeVito.

3.     You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth – a poppy, catchy sing along that starts with a spoken word intro (recorded by Steinman & Marcia McClain) “On a hot summer night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?” One of the best tracks on Bat Out Of Hell, and clearly influenced by the work of producer Phil Spector.

4.     I‘d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) – from Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell (1993), the song that brought Meat Loaf (and Steinman) back into the spotlight, and led to successful tours and more album releases.

5.     Read ‘Em & Weep – from Dead Ringer (1981) – from the follow-up album to Bat Out of Hell, a typically cool Steinman lyric and a fine vocal performance by Meat Loaf highlight this tune, which later became a hit for Barry Manilow.

6.     Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad – Perhaps the biggest hit from Bat Out Of Hell, and an AM radio staple for much of the 70s.

7.     Dead Ringer For Love – a duet with Cher from Dead Ringer, the video for this one has “VH1 Classic 80s” written all over it. Oh, and the song features the memorable Steinman line “Rock & Roll and brew. Rock & Roll and brew. They don't mean a thing when I compare 'em next to you…”

8.     Bad For Good – recorded by Steinman as the title track to his own 1981 album, it was later revived by Meat Loaf for Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster is Loose in 2006. The very definition of “over the top,” but a fun track, with guitar work by Brian May of Queen.

9.     Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are - from Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell. A long title for a mournful, reflective power ballad that runs about ten minutes on the record. Classic Steinman song structure & lyrics.

10.   Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through – another song from Steinman’s Bad For Good album that Meat Loaf later recorded and released on Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell.

11.   I’m Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us – along with the Cher duet above, this song was one of the singles released from Dead Ringer, an album that was successful, but didn’t quite reach the sales heights of Bat Out Of Hell.

12.  Nowhere Fast – Originally recorded by the Steinman created group Fire, Inc. for the 1984 film Streets of Fire, Meat Loaf’s version is on Bad Attitude (1985). Ironically, Meat’s version may be a bit more restrained than the original!

Bonus Tracks:
13.  I’d Lie For You (And That’s The Truth) – from Welcome To The Neighborhood (1995) – This tune wasn't written by Steinman, but this Diane Warren penned song is certainly patterned after the Steinman style in both vocals & production.

14.  Loving You’s A Dirty Job But Somebody’s Gotta Do It – Bonnie Tyler & Todd Rundgren. Not a Meat Loaf song, but this duet features Rundgren (who did work on all three Bat Out Of Hell albums) and Tyler, who had hits with several Steinman compositions, including Total Eclipse of The Heart. This duet can be found on Tyler’s 1986 album Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire.

"History Of The Eagles" Soars

The Eagles flew out from the shadows of serving as Linda Ronstadt’s backing band to become rock superstars. They had a string of hits, including “Take It Easy, One of These Nights, and Take It To The Limit.” They hit their peak with 1976’s Hotel California, one of the most successful rock albums of all time. Then the cracks started to show, as internal conflicts, too much partying & the pressures of fame began to unravel the band. The group broke up in 1980, but resurfaced in 1994 with an MTV special, album & eventual tour called Hell Freezes Over. They’ve reunited on and off ever since. The two part documentary History of the Eagles charts their meteoric rise, fall & eventual reunion. 

The film is filled with great behind the scenes footage, photos & performance clips from throughout the group’s career. In addition to interviews with current & former band members, there are also appearances by Ronstadt, Jackson Browne & Bob Seger. Part One traces the band’s beginnings through their split in 1980, and Part Two charts the road to their reunion and comeback. The band (including Don Henley, Glenn Frey & Joe Walsh) is remarkably candid about the good times & the bad times that occurred during the group’s heyday. The guys are open (and intense & emotional) about their opinions, and sometimes (especially in the case of the often prickly Frey) don’t always come off in a positive light. And it’s interesting to see what former members like Bernie Leadon & Don Felder (who wrote a tell-all memoir about his tenure in the band) have to say about their time in the group.

The Eagles, whose Greatest Hits, Vol 1., 1971-1975 was named the best selling album of the 20^th Century by the Recording Industry Association of America, have an amazing body of work and History of the Eagles reminds us of their enduring legacy of classic songs. But it also gives us a glimpse of the band’s current lineup, which now includes Felder’s replacement, guitarist Stueart Smith. There's also footage of the group working on their most recent disc, 2007’s Long Road Out of Eden. I wish there were some complete vintage performance clips featured as extras, but there is a bonus disc included (on both the DVD and Blu-ray versions) with an hour’s worth of performances from a 1977 concert at the Capital Centre, though it’s not the complete show.

Director Alison Ellwood has done a remarkable job with this film; the three-hour plus running time of the documentary gives her ample time to really tell the band’s story, though Part One is a good deal longer than Part Two. This is a fascinating chronicle of the rise, fall (and return) of one of rock’s most memorable groups, and if you’re a fan of the band, enjoy ‘70s rock or the country rock genre, the film is essential viewing. The movie originally aired on Showtime, but is available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download. Here’s a link to the trailer for the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkYZrcJzY-M and a vintage performance of “Take It Easy” : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZwFmNmB0OQ.

Kurt Baker's Excellent "Brand New Beat" is Power Pop at its Best

Regular readers of this blog know of my fondness for power pop music. Well, thanks to the syndicated radio series Little Steven’s Underground Garage, hosted by Steven Van Zandt, I’ve discovered another artist who’s a prime example of the genre. Little Steven’s show always showcases a “Song of the Week,” and he recently featured Kurt Baker’s “Weekend Girls,” a tuneful blast of pop rock sunshine. It led me to check out Baker’s 2012 release, Brand New Beat. It’s a fantastic album that will appeal to fans of 70s & 80s artists like The Cars & Elvis Costello. The album kicks off with the rocking “Hit The Ground,” and from then on it’s track after track of power pop excellence on songs such as the electric “Partied Out,” the fine ballad “She’s Not Sorry,” and the bright summer love tale “She Can Do It All.” You’ll hear echoes of Marshall Crenshaw, Cheap Trick, The Beatles & The Beach Boys in the sparkling harmonies, catchy lyrics and jangly guitars, on songs like “Everybody Knows" & the all out rocker "Qualified." There’s even a touch of the pop punk sound of The Ramones, another group Baker cites as an influence.

The production & arrangements are excellent, and the band (including producer Wyatt Funderburk on Guitar & Bass, Kris Rodgers on Keyboards, Geoff Palmer on Rhythm Guitar and Adam Cargin on Drums ably backs Baker on every track. The sound of vintage pop rock is captured perfectly on this great disc. Brand New Beat is a terrific set of “pure pop for now people,” to borrow the title of a Nick Lowe record. This is a great release by an artist whose music deserves to be heard. If you’re a power pop fan, a classic rock fan, or enjoy any of Baker’s influences, this Portland native (formerly of the band The Leftovers) will have your toes tapping and your hands clapping. Baker also has several EPs available, including 2012’s Want You Around and his awesome debut, Got It Covered (2010), a fantastic set of covers featuring the artist’s own power pop favorites, including terrific versions of Lowe’s “Cruel To Be Kind,” Rick Springfield’s “I’ve Done Everything For You” and The Vapors “Turning Japanese.” Highly recommended.

Here are links to videos for “She Can Do it All,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjq5vLoYack & “She’s Not Sorry” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODmul0cLYiw from Brand New Beat, and “Cruel To Be Kind” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBArHrEei5U & “I’ve Done Everything For You” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzrFvg79KU8 from Got It Covered.