Retro Movie: Frankenstein's True Story

David McCallum, Nicola Pagett & Leonard Whiting

There have been many versions of Mary Shelley's classic novel, Frankenstein, but one of my favorites is the British/American co-production, Frankenstein: The True Story. In this retelling of the story, Victor Frankenstein (who's training to be a doctor) loses his faith after his brother drowns. He vows to learn to create life & resurrect the dead, and achieve the power of God himself. Working with the brilliant scientist Henry Clerval, Victor attempts to re-animate dead flesh & limbs, and the two achieve amazing results. But Clerval dies suddenly, and Victor is forced to continue his work alone. He sacrifices his personal life (including his relationship with his fiance) in pursuit of his goals. When his creature is born, Victor is elated by his success...at first. But then Clerval's former mentor, the scheming Dr. Polidori, arrives, and forces him to do further experiments. As the story continues, Polidori gets Victor to help him create a "bride" for the monster, and a series of murderous events is put into motion, culminating in a final confrontation between Victor & the monster.  

The intriguing difference this time out is that the "monster" is an intelligent being who starts out looking handsome, and degenerates into a nightmarish creature. Victor & his creation are friends at first, but things soon take a turn for the worse. Along the way, there are some memorable moments, including one involving the monsters's bride that has stuck in my mind ever since I first saw the film back in 1973. It originally aired on NBC as a two part mini-series, though a shorter, feature-length version of the movie was released overseas. If you're a fan of the Universal or Hammer films interpretations of the story, you'll find a lot to enjoy in this film. Frankenstein: The True Story is a handsomely produced, well written (by Christopher Isherwood & Don Bachardy) & directed (by Jack Smight) version of the classic tale. The phenomenal cast includes David McCallum, James Mason, Jane Seymour, Leonard Whiting and Michael Sarrazin. There are also cameos by Tom Baker, John Gielgud and Agnes Moorehead. The two-part version of the movie is available on DVD, and is recommended viewing for your Halloween fright fest. Here's a link to some scenes from the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx83SjnHxBo.

Brief Reviews: New Solo Releases by Chris Cornell, Don Henley & Grace Potter

Chris Cornell – Higher Truth – The talented front man for Soundgarden & Audioslave recently released this stunning solo disc. After working with producer Timbaland on 2009’s electronica & pop influenced Scream, Cornell dials things back on Higher Truth. It’s a folk-leaning record that features his usual strong vocal performances, but in a more acoustic setting. The songs are about life, love, loss & redemption, and feature Cornell’s vivid & atmospheric lyrics. Some highlights include the melodic "Worried Moon," the mandolin tinged “Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart,” the beautiful “Let Your Eyes Wander,” and a father’s touching ode to his daughter in “Only These Words.” Producer Brendan O’Brien plays on many of the tracks with Cornell, and has done a fabulous job crafting the sound of the album. This may be Cornell’s most assured solo work to date, and it’s a solid mix of his alternative rock strengths with a more quiet, ethereal feeling. Higher Truth is very much worth a listen.

Don Henley – Cass County - It shouldn’t be a surprise that Henley’s gone country on his first solo release in 15 years. The Eagles always had a touch of country in their sound, and Henley & Glenn Frey got their start backing Linda Ronstadt in her early days. On this new release, he reflects on growing older & the passage of time in our lives on songs like “Take A Picture Of This,” and “That Old Flame,” a duet with Martina McBride. In fact, there are many guest stars on the record including Jamey Johnson, Merle Haggard, and Dolly Parton. One of my favorite tracks is the opener, a solid cover of Tift Merritt’s “Bramble Rose,” that features Mick Jagger & Miranda Lambert. It’s an enjoyable, low-key album that will appeal to Henley’s fans, and might grab him a few new ones. It recently debuted at number one on the country charts.

Grace Potter – Midnight – I’m a huge fan of Potter’s work with her roots-oriented rock band The Nocturnals, with whom she’s recorded several fine albums. But she’s taken a sharp left turn towards pop on her solo debut. The music has a very produced, layered & radio ready feel, courtesy of producer Eric Valentine. Sadly, it sometimes push Potter's wonderful voice to the background. Tracks range from the bouncy “Alive Tonight” to the r&b flavored “Instigators,” & the destined for the Top 40 “Delirious.” That’s not to say these songs are bad, but it’s a very different sound for the soulful Potter, and may surprise longtime listeners. As the album winds down, we are treated beautiful ballad about loss entitled “Let You Go,” that sounds most akin to her previous work. Potter is stretching her muscles here, and trying something different. It will be interesting to see how the album (and the accompanying tour) is received by her loyal fans.

All three albums are now available online & in stores: Here are links to "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart," by Chris Cornell, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpMfZPAc1kg, "Take A Picture of This," by Don Henley, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHTZwvgcGZQ, and Grace Potter's "Delirious," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cEKi_W4Vvg.

Get "Lost In Space" All Over Again!

For longtime TV science-fiction fans, there are the acknowledged classics: The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and the original Star Trek, to name a few. Then there are the classics of a different kind; the fun shows that bring out the kid in all of us, and a smile to our faces; the 1950s Superman series starring George Reeves, the 1960s Batman adventures with Adam West & Burt Ward, and of course, Lost in Space. The series, created & produced by Irwin Allen, is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year. To commemorate the event, Twentieth Century Fox has released a comprehensive Blu-ray box set of the series. Lost in Space, which originally aired on CBS from 1965-68, chronicled the adventures of the Robinsons, a family of space colonists, whose ship was bound for Alpha Centauri. The villainous Dr. Smith used the mission’s Robot to sabotage the ship, and the Jupiter 2 went off course. The family attempted to find their way back to their original heading, and survive in the far reaches of space. Conceived by writer-producer Allen as a space-age version of the Swiss Family Robinson, the original pilot was the most expensive show filmed for TV up to that time.

Lost In Space starred Guy Williams as the group’s stalwart leader, John Robinson, June Lockhart as his wife Maureen, and as their children: Marta Kristen as Judy, Angela Cartwright as Penny and Bill Mumy as Will. The show also featured Mark Goddard as pilot Don West, Bob May (inside the suit) & Dick Tufeld (the voice) as the Robot, and Jonathan Harris as Smith. During the first season, our heroes crash landed on an unknown planet, and while repairing their ship, fought to survive the elements, and met a host of weird creatures & alien beings. The group also had to deal with the scheming, manipulative Smith, who seemed willing to sell them down the river to anyone or anything who might help him return to Earth. These early episodes, filmed in black & white, are some of the series’ best. The shows ended with cliffhangers that brought viewers back the following week to see the story’s resolution. That format remained in place for the series' first two seasons. For the third year, the cliffhangers were dropped in favor of a coming attractions trailer with scenes from the next week's episode.

As the show switched to color and moved into its second season, stories began to focus more on the trio of Dr. Smith, Will Robinson & the Robot, who were constantly getting into & out of trouble. Smith’s character became less of an evil, unsympathetic villain, and more of a comic foil, with many episodes centered on the character’s silly antics. The show still featured colorful sets, cool special effects & wild looking (often comedic) aliens. The fantasy elements (and the camp level) of the stories were amped up, reportedly to compete with ABC’s Batman. The same thing happened with Irwin Allen’s other series, Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea, which had shifted from the Cold War centered, espionage themed stories of its first season episodes to more fanciful tales in its later years. Lost in Space tried to pull the balance back toward some of the other characters in its third & final season, but those episodes were still a long way from the relatively serious shows of the first year. Still, there are some enjoyable outings throughout the run of the show, and it remains a fan favorite to this day. The cast is wonderful & the Robinsons are similar to other TV families of the era, likable & appealing. The show also had some talented (and familiar) guest stars, including Michael Rennie, Al Lewis, John Carradine, Warren Oates and a young Kurt Russell. Even the goofiest episodes have some effective moments; well, maybe not the infamous "The Great Vegetable Rebellion," which truly has to be seen to be believed.

The new Blu-ray set features all 83 episodes of the series presented in impressive high definition transfers. The black & white episodes look fantastic, and the color shows look very good as well. There are a plethora of extras, including cast commentaries (some of them boisterous & laugh-filled) on selected episodes, TV spots & effects footage, and the option to view several shows as they aired in the 1960s, complete with vintage commercials. Also featured is is a full length documentary on Irwin Allen’s career, The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen, originally produced for the Sci-Fi Channel, an episode of A&E’s Biography series focusing on Jonathan Harris, a Lost In Space animated TV special from 1973, and some current interviews with the surviving cast members. And you can also check out a couple of special treats: one is a table reading by cast members of Bill Mumy’s epilogue for the series, which he wrote to tie up the plotlines of the show; another is the longer version of the series unaired original pilot “No Place To Hide,” which did not feature Dr. Smith or the Robot – they were added to the series later, and joined the cast in the reworked debut episode, “The Reluctant Stowaway.”

This is the best home video presentation of the series thus far, and the extensive bonus features are truly worth viewing. Whether you watched the show during its original airings, or first saw it via syndicated reruns (as I did) indulge that young sci-fi fan inside you, and pick up this terrific release. I'm not going to review the individual episodes here, but if you 're a fan, you'll want to dig into the set and watch some of your favorites. For example, I enjoyed seeing some of the more straightforward adventure-themed episodes like "The Derelict" and "Invaders From The Fifth Dimension," but I also liked some of the more comedic stories like "A Visit To Hades" and "Revolt Of The Androids." By the way, here's a little trivia note: the theme music for the series was composed by the one & only John Williams, of Jaws & Star Wars fame. For fans of Lost In Space, this Blu-ray set is highly recommended. Follow this link to view a vintage trailer for the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mok6sn3v3HM. The full details of this spectacular Blu-ray release can be found here: http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=16490. And remember "Warning! Warning! Danger, Will Robinson!"

Rock's Behind the Scenes Heroes are profiled in "The Wrecking Crew"

California Dreaming. Good Vibrations. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling. Be My Baby. These are some of the most enduring & memorable songs of the rock era. But who really played on those records? A group of wonderful artists that became known as The Wrecking Crew, who were vital to the creation of these now classic songs. During the 50s & 60s, as rock & roll was on the rise, it was common practice to have session musicians lay down the studio tracks, and then the actual bands would play the songs on tour. Now, an engrossing documentary traces the history of these supremely talented musicians. The film features insightful, revealing & entertaining interviews with drummers Hal Blaine & Earl Palmer, bassist Carol Kaye, guitarist Tommy Tedesco, and other members of this amazing cadre of players. There are also comments from Roger McGuinn, Brian Wilson, Micky Dolenz, Nancy Sinatra, Cher, Dick Clark and many others.

The movie has fascinating behind the scenes footage of The Wrecking Crew at work in the studio, and some great vintage performance clips. This is an elite group of musicians who were not mere sidemen, but helped come up with the sound & feel of well-remembered songs & albums such as The Beach Boys classic Pet Sounds. In fact, the segments on the sessions with Brian Wilson are some of the best in the film. It’s also a fascinating look at the Los Angeles based side of the recording industry during those halcyon days of the rock era. In addition, you get to see the members of the “crew” who went on to become stars in their own right, including Glenn Campbell & Leon Russell. Denny Tedesco, the son of iconic guitarist Tommy Tedesco, who passed away in 1997, directed the film. It's a wonderful & loving tribute to his father, as well as the rest of these fine musicians who helped provide the soundtrack of our lives.

If you’re a classic rock fan who has enjoyed other films about this era, such as Standing In The Shadows of Motown, 20 Feet From Stardom or Muscle Shoals, then this is essential viewing. It’s a compelling & powerful story that will really resonate with you. And it’s a unique & absorbing look at the creative process, detailing how music was recorded & produced back then. These artists weren’t just there for this era of rock history; they helped make that history. They’re the unsung heroes of rock & roll, and their stories really are worth seeing & hearing. The Wrecking Crew is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and for digital streaming on sites such as Netflix. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX5BCgmr7tg. By the way, you can also see The Wrecking Crew depicted in the current Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy, starring Paul Dano & John Cusack, which is also recommended. You can read my review of that film here: http://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2015/06/love-mercy-genius-of-brian-wilson.html.

Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle: A Tale of Love, Pain, Struggle & Redemption

Andrew Davidson’s The Gargoyle is a powerful novel about a love that transcends history and time. The narrator, who is never identified by name, has a horrific car accident in which most of his body is horribly burned. While he’s in the hospital, recovering in the burn unit, a mysterious woman named Marianne Engel visits him. She says it is not the first time he’s been burned. They’ve known & loved each other in previous lives, and she’s going to tell the story of their love affair to him. It seems that the narrator was a mercenary who was injured in battle & she was a nun who was assigned to heal his wounds. As he heals, she tells him not only their story, but also other stories & fables of love & redemption. When he is released, he moves in with her, and their relationship deepens. But both the narrator & Marianne are struggling with the their own deep seated issues & inner demons. Can their love be reborn & survive more challenges?

In addition to Marianne & the narrator, we are introduced to other interesting characters, including some of the staff at the burn unit, and Marianne’s agent & friend, Jack. All of their personal stories are interwoven with those of Marianne & the narrator. The supporting cast is particularly well developed, and have some interesting stories of their own. But the enigmatic Marianne may be the most intriguing character; she is a sculptor of gargoyles, and feels an intense, mystical connection with her work. And is that work taking over her life & soul? Is the narrator’s addiction to morphine (for pain) the first step in a descent into a personal hell? It’s not by accident that one of the books that is referenced most often in the narrative is Dante’s Inferno. I found that some of the best parts of the book are the tales that Marianne tells as the novel unfolds. They're wonderful stories of the triumph of love over adversity & good over evil.

This 2008 release was Davidson’s first novel, but he tells a compelling story, and has a great command of words & imagery. If you’re not a romantic, the prose may seem a bit over the top, but it works very well within the context of the story. The stories & fables set in the past are beautifully woven into the narrative, and are some of the best parts of the book. If you like a good story of love with a spiritual element, then do check out The Gargoyle. It's a novel that's somewhat unique for its genre, but still has all the best hallmarks of a good romantic story. The Gargoyle is available in stores & online. Here is a link to a short film made of one of the stories told by Marianne, related by author Davidson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBIsL6pwdo4.

Back into the “Shadows” at Collinwood

The 2012 big screen remake of Dark Shadows, directed by Tim Burton & starring Johnny Depp wasn’t as successful as many fans had hoped, but the original show & its various spinoffs still have a legion of loyal followers. The Gothic horror soap originally ran from 1966-71; two feature films were released during the 1970s, as well as a short-lived primetime revival in the 1990s that starred Ben Cross, Roy Thinnes & Jean Simmons. There are still various conventions & fan gatherings devoted to the series, and novels, comic books & audio dramas featuring the characters continue to be published. One of the best books devoted to the history of Dark Shadows is Return To Collinwood by Kathyrn Leigh Scott & Jim Pierson. Scott portrayed Maggie Evans & Josette DuPres in the original series & the film House of Dark Shadows. Scott has written several previous books about the show, but this is the first volume that covers all the different versions of the series to date.

Return To Collinwood was published to tie in with the release of the Burton/Depp movie, and begins with a section by Scott relating her experiences filming a cameo for that production, along with co-stars Lara Parker, David Selby & Jonathan Frid, the original Barnabas Collins. The book also features Scott’s memories of shooting the original series, as well as an in-depth chapter by Darren Gross about 1970’s House of Dark Shadows & 1971’s Night of Dark Shadows, the two movie spinoffs of the series. There is also coverage of NBC's 1991 prime-time version; a reminisce by Parker, who played Angelique on the show, and information about the creation & production of the original audio dramas based on the series. Also included is a touching introduction by Frid, who passed away in 2012, and a poem by Selby, who played Quentin on the original show.

The many rare & behind the scenes photos from the various incarnations of the show provide a treasure trove for fans. The pictures include some wonderful shots of Lyndhurst Mansion in New York & Seaview Terrace in Rhode Island, the houses that stood in for the Collins family homes during the run of the original show & 1970s movies. Return To Collinwood is published by Pomegranate Press, an imprint that was started by Scott back in the 1990s to publish books about the series. Their output has since expanded to include some non Dark Shadows titles as well. If you’re even a casual fan, this lavish, well produced book offers the best overall coverage of the Dark Shadows phenomenon. It's an informative, enjoyable read and an affectionate tribute to creator/producer Dan Curtis' classic & fondly remembered series. You can order Return To Collinwood online at amazon and other retailers or go directly to the Pomegranate Press at http://pompress.com, where you can also find info on other books related to the series.

Rock & Roll Times 3 at The Oyster Festival

The Milford Oyster Festival is well known for hosting great musical acts. In the past rockers such as Joan Jett, The Marshall Tucker Band and Bret Michaels haven graced their main stage. August 15^th of this year was no exception, showcasing a triple bill of bands: The Rembrandts, Fastball, and Gin Blossoms. In a way, it was a flashback to the 1990s as all three groups first found fame during that decade. They’re performing as part of the “Circle of Friends” tour. Opening act The Rembrandts are of course best known for their hit song, “I’ll Be There For You,” the theme song to the TV series Friends, but they delivered a solid set of acoustic-tinged rock, featuring tunes such as “Chase The Clouds Away” and “Johnny Have You Seen Her.” Members Danny Wilde & Phil Solem know their way around a good song, and the crowd enjoyed their solid vocals and fluid guitar work. The California based band wrapped up their portion of the show with the 1990 hit “Just The Way It Is, Baby” and of course, the Friends song, with a touch of the Green Acres theme played at the start as a joke, when they noted "This is a song we wrote for a TV show."

Next up was Fastball, who hit it big with the song “The Way” off their 1998 release All The Pain Money Can Buy. They powered through a fantastic 11 song set featuring several of their hits, including “Fire Escape” and “You’re An Ocean” as well as a deftly played cover of Steve Earle’s “Devil’s Right Hand,” and the rocking instrumental “Tanzania.” Miles Zuniga was marvelous on lead guitar & vocals and was matched by the excellent work of Tony Scalzo on vocals, keyboards & guitar, Joey Shuffield on drums and Lonnie Trevino, Jr. on bass. Not only were they fantastic musically, but they displayed a sly sense of humor as well. The crowd (which was filling up in front of the stage at this point) even did some singing along on “Out of My Head” & “The Way.” After that, the Austin, Texas outfit finished their set with “Always Never.”

Then Gin Blossoms took the stage, and rocked out for the rest of the afternoon.  Singer-guitarist Robin Wilson led the band through a generous selection of their catalog including “Until I Fall Away,” & “Found Out About You.” Wilson continually cajoled the crowd to sing along, clap & raise/wave their hands, and even passed a couple of tambourines into the crowd so people could play along. The Tempe, Arizona rockers (who first broke through with their 1992 release New Miserable Experience) also features Bill Leen on bass, Scott Hessel on drums, and Scott Johnson & Jesse Valenzuela on guitar. The enthusiastic crowd had jam-packed the main stage area by this point, and the group fed off the crowd’s energy, bringing the show to a climax with their hits “Hey Jealousy” & “Til I Hear It From You.” But the fun wasn’t over yet, and the guys returned for an encore that included a killer cover of The Plimsouls classic “A Million Miles Away” featuring a guest appearance by Miles from Fastball! Then the band closed the show with their hit “Follow You Down,” from 1996's Congratulations, I'm Sorry.

It was a tremendous afternoon of music, and all three bands delivered solid sets of well-played rock & roll. As always, the organizers of the Milford Oyster Festival provided solid entertainment, as well as great food and arts & crafts vendors. It’s always a wonderful event. And if you get the chance to see Gin Blossoms, Fastball or The Rembrandts on tour, you won’t be disappointed. Set lists for the bands are below:

Photo by John V

The Rembrandts:

1. Burning Timber

2. Johnny Have You Seen Her

3. Follow You Down

4. Chase the Clouds Away

5. Someone

6. St. Paul

7. If Not for Misery

8. How Far Would You Go?

9. This House Is Not a Home

10. Just the Way It Is, Baby

11. I'll Be There for You

Photo by John V

Fastball:

1. Rampart Street 

2. Sooner or Later 

3. Love Comes in Waves

4. Fire Escape

5. You're an Ocean

6. Devil's Right Hand (Steve Earle cover) 

7. Til I Get It Right

8. Tanzania (instrumental)

9. Out of My Head

10. The Way

11. Always Never

Photo by John V

 Gin Blossoms:

1. Lost Horizons

2. Somewhere Tonight

3. Miss Disarray

4. As Long as It Matters 

5. Found Out About You

6. Until I Fall Away 

7. Dead or Alive on the 405

8. Allison Road

9. Hands Are Tied

10. I'm Ready

11. Wave Bye Bye

12. Til I Hear It from You

13. Hey Jealousy

Gin Blossoms Encore:

A Million Miles Away (The Plimsouls cover featuring Miles Zuniga of Fastball) 

Follow You Down