The Fab Faux's "Glorious Hodgepodge"

The Fab Faux - photo by John V

On Saturday, October 1^st, The Fab Faux performed an amazing show at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, Connecticut.

If you’re a Beatles fan, this is one tribute band you simply must experience, though that description actually does the group a disservice. Led by Will Lee, former bassist for The Late Show with David Letterman, this is not just a “cover” band, but a group of extremely talented musicians who get together to perform the music of The Beatles, and share their love of these classic songs with audiences. The group often tackles themed sets, where they play an entire album, or music from a specific period of the Beatles career. But for this evening it was the “Glorious Hodgepodge of Beatles Music” show, featuring music from throughout the Fab Four’s catalog.

The songs ranged from crowd-pleasing renditions of well-known early tunes like “I Should Have Known Better” and “A Hard Day’s Night” to later period tracks such as “Lucy In The Sky with Diamonds” and “Old Brown Shoe,” as well as a couple of my favorites "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "You Can't Do That." It’s a great experience to see many of these well-loved songs performed by the group, as The Beatles stopped touring in 1966, and never played them live. The Fab Faux is dedicated to performing these tunes in the style they feel the Beatles would have played them. The band, which also includes keyboardist Jack Petruzzelli and guitar wizard Jimmy Vivino, are an extremely focused & tight unit. Everyone had multiple opportunities to shine during the show. Petruzzelli did an outstanding “blow the roof off” lead vocal on “Oh! Darling” and Vivino contributed strong vocals & a blistering solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Clint de Ganon filled in for Rich Pagano on drums, and did a great job. (Get well soon, Rich; we missed you!)

The Fab Faux - photo by John V

College Street Music Hall was a perfect venue for the band, and the audience was lively & enthusiastic during every minute of this top notch show. The entire group is fantastic, and they’re led by the boundless energy of Will Lee, who leaps around the stage like a whirling dervish, enjoying every minute of playing with his musical compatriots. This simply is the next best thing to seeing The Beatles in their heyday. The Fab Faux is a wonderful band, keeping alive the memory of some of the best rock & roll music ever recorded. These songs are part of the fabric of our lives, and you simply won’t see this music performed any better than by this stellar group. If you get the chance to see them, grab some tickets and get to the show. Here’s a link to their website: http://www.thefabfaux.com.

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The Magnificent Seven Ride Again

One of my favorite films to watch during my younger days was the 1960 western The Magnificent Seven. This remake of Akira Kurosawa’s epic Seven Samurai has gone on to become a classic in its own right, and the story of a group of gunfighters defending a small town against villainous bandits has been remade & re-worked many times over the years. It’s hard to top this movie, with its powerhouse cast, including Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn & Charles Bronson, and the rousing, iconic Elmer Bernstein score that’s become familiar even to those who haven’t seen the film. There’s also great onscreen chemistry between the stars, quotable dialogue and some excellent action set pieces; in many ways, it’s a forerunner of the modern big budget action-adventure movie. Several sequels to the film were produced, and there was even a pretty decent TV series version, which aired on CBS from 1998-2000.

Now director Antoine (Training Day) Fuqua has made a new adaptation of the tale starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt. This time out, the villain is Bartholomew Pogue, a corrupt landowner who wants to drive out the residents of a place called Rose Creek. He’s trying to force the townspeople to sign over their land to him at a fraction of what its worth, so he can mine for gold in the area. Emma Cullen, whose husband is killed by Pogue, hires bounty hunter Sam Chisolm (Washington) to gather a group of gunfighters to take on Pogue. Chisolm assembles a team including gambler Josh Faraday, sharpshooter Midnight Robicheaux and eccentric tracker Jack Horne. This motley crew of heroes must learn how to get along with each other, as well as train the people of Rose Creek to defend themselves, in order to take down Pogue and his army of men.

Screenwriters Nic (True Detective) Pizzolato & Richard Wenk try to make the “seven” more politically correct, adding an Asian & a Comanche warrior to the team this time out. It’s nice to see these “modern” touches added to the story, but even though Emma (nicely played by Haley Bennett) hires the crew, the screenplay stops short of making her a full member of the crew, though she does contribute during the climactic battle. As you'd expect, Washington & Pratt (who are both good in their roles) get the lion’s share of screen time, though the supporting characters all get some small moments to shine, including Ethan Hawke as Robicheaux and Vincent D’Onofrio as Horne. Peter Sarsgaard is appropriately hiss-able as the villainous Pogue. But the Chisolm character’s motivation for going after Pogue is a little too predictable, and it's an unnecessary addition to his backstory. While this is a watchable, well-executed version of the story, it doesn't quite live up to the Kurosawa original or the beloved (by fans) Brynner/McQueen version.

The movie is nicely directed by Fuqua, and beautifully shot by cinematographer Mauro Fiore, who gives it that classic widescreen Western feel. The action sequences are exciting, and the cast gives it their all. There are also several call-backs to the original film for fans, both visually and especially, in dialogue. It’s an enjoyable movie but it stops short of being a classic. Still, it’s nice to see an old-fashioned Western adventure (with a few new twists) on the big screen again. If you like the genre or are a fan of the actors involved, you’ll have a good time watching the movie. It’s an entertaining, well-made popcorn film, but it’s not especially memorable. The Magnificent Seven is currently in theaters. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-RBA0xoaWU/. 

Investigating Hackman's "Night Moves"

I first saw director Arthur Penn’s Night Moves (1975) back in the early 80s. It had been a sleepless night for me and the film was airing in one of those late night time slots where it was interrupted every ten or twelve minutes by those awful used car dealer and mattress outlet commercials. It probably wasn’t the best way to see this complex, noir-ish thriller, but since I was a fan of star Gene Hackman, I thought I’d give the movie a try. I found the movie interesting and well-acted, but lack of sleep and the constant commercial interruptions probably contributed to me filing the title away to see again at some point. Fast forward to 2016, and I got to watch the film with no commercials, as part of Turner Classic Movies month long salute to Hackman (one of my favorite actors) in September. I now believe it’s one of Hackman’s best performances, and one of the more under-rated films of the 1970s.

Gene Hackman in Night Moves

Hackman stars as Harry Moseby, a former football player who's working as a low end private investigator while living in Los Angeles. His wife Ellen (well played by Susan Clark) keeps pestering him to join a large investigative agency so he can make more money & take on better paying work, but he likes doing things on his own. Harry & Ellen’s relationship has hit a crossroads, and he discovers Ellen is having an affair. At a friend’s suggestion, he takes on a new case: locating the missing child of Arlene Iverson, a faded movie star. Her teenage daughter, Delly, has run off & was last seen on a film set in New Mexico. It seems Delly (Melanie Griffith, in an early role) is something of a wild child, and has been flirting & toying with several men on the film set, including mechanic Quentin & stunt pilot Marv Ellman. By the time Harry gets there, she’s already left.

Harry finds her in the Florida Keys. She’s staying with her stepfather Tom, but Delly doesn’t want to go back. She thinks her mother is only interested in her trust fund, which Arlene will inherit if anything happens to Delly. Harry stays overnight, and tries to convince Delly to return. Meanwhile, he forms a bond & shares an attraction with Paula, a woman who works for Tom. While on a boat ride with Harry & Paula, Delly goes swimming and finds the wreckage of a small plane, with the pilot’s body inside. Paula marks the spot with a buoy and the trio returns to shore. A visibly upset Delly asks Harry to take her home. He brings her back to Los Angeles, but a short time later, he hears Delly has been killed in an accident while filming a stunt on a movie set. That’s the springboard for what will become the movie’s final third. Harry, who’s been trying to salvage his relationship with Ellen, is drawn back into the case. Lies are uncovered, secrets are revealed, and in classic film noir style, things do not end well for everyone.

Night Moves is a dark, almost bleak movie, with characters like Harry and Paula stuck in places they don’t want to be, but powerless to change. In many ways, Harry is the opposite of the typical film noir hero, as he isn’t the tough guy who punches his way through things and people to solve the mystery. He hasn’t figured out the truth of the case, or his own truth. Hackman is superb in the role, subtly conveying Harry’s anguish under the surface. There’s a fine supporting cast of familiar faces, including Harris Yulin, John Crawford, Edward Binns, a young James Woods as Quentin, and the amazing Jennifer Warren, who is excellent as Paula. Arthur Penn’s solid direction, Alan Sharp’s well-honed script and cinematographer Bruce Surtees moody color palette all contribute to the movies’s success. The film is the second of three collaborations between director Penn & star Hackman, the other two being 1967’s Bonnie & Clyde and 1985’s Target. Night Moves is not a typical thriller, but it is a rewarding viewing experience, and it couldn’t have been made in a more appropriate decade than the 1970s. It’s truly worth watching. The film is available on DVD. Here’s a link to the film’s (somewhat misleading) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdlLWziBggM.a .

Star Trek Goes "Beyond" 50 Years

Since this month marks the 50^th anniversary of premiere of the original Star Trek, I thought I’d share a few thoughts about the series, and take a look at the latest big screen adventure of the Enterprise crew, Star Trek: Beyond. I first saw the first TV incarnation of Trek when it late in its original run & then when it entered syndication in the 70s. Like many others, I was entranced by the intelligence, charm and humor of the series, and the solid chemistry among the cast. Of course, it didn’t hurt that there were space battles, fistfights, aliens both friendly & hostile, and those beautiful women for the stalwart Captain Kirk to romance.  But through it all, creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a unified future where people of all races & creeds get along, and band together to explore new worlds, touched a chord with me, and a legion of fans. That philosophy has remained a significant part of most of the subsequent television series, movies & spinoffs (books, comics, etc.) throughout the years. I've continued to be a fan, and have continued to enjoy Trek in its many incarnations over the years.

Star Trek: Beyond is the third chapter in the rebooted film series begun in 2009 by producer/director J.J. Abrams. This time out, he turns the director’s chair over to Justin Lin, best known for helming several entries in the Fast & Furious franchise. It’s several years into the Enterprise’s mission, and Captain Kirk & the crew are a bit bored. The thrill of exploring strange new worlds has lost its charm for them, and everyone’s a bit…edgy. Kirk (Chris Pine) is thinking of accepting a promotion and taking a desk job, and Spock (Zachary Quinto) is considering leaving Starfleet, and changing his career path as well. But while the ship is docked at a starbase, a distress call is received by an alien woman who says her ship was attacked & her crew was taken hostage. She begs Starfleet for assistance and who's assigned to help her? The stalwart crew of the Enterprise.

Our crew races off to investigate, but of course, it’s a trap! An alien named Krall attacks & cripples the Enterprise, and our heroes are forced to evacuate & head to a nearby planet. Once there, our crew is separated into smaller groups who must figure out what Krall is up to & find a way to escape. Lin keeps the action moving along at a brisk pace and there are quite a few callbacks to the original series (both visual & in dialogue) for fans. It’s a well-mounted, exciting film, but Krall’s ultimate plan & origin (though very classic Trek in nature) is revealed a bit too late in the film to register the proper impact. But the cast is excellent, and there are some great moments in the movie, especially in the bickering banter and love-hate friendship between Quinto’s Spock & Karl Urban’s Dr. McCoy. The on again, off again romance between Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and Spock is also explored, and Scotty (once again played by Simon Pegg, who co-wrote the script) gets a few choice moments.

If you’re a Trek fan, you’ll find much to enjoy here: Star Trek: Beyond is entertaining & exciting. Director Lin provides some pulse-pounding action set pieces, including a rescue sequence that lets Chris Pine's Kirk ride a vintage motorcycle. Idris Elba is effectively villainous as Krall, and Sofia Boutella is excellent as an alien warrior who assists the crew. The only thing that’s a bit lacking is the sense of wonder & philosophical elements that permeated many of the original series best episodes. Still, after 50 years the Trek saga shows no signs of ending, as Pine and the rest of the "Abrams-verse" crew are signed for more sequels, and a new TV series, Star Trek: Discovery, premieres on CBS next year. The film is currently finishing its run in theaters, but a streaming & home video release date should be announced in the near future. Here’s a link to the trailer for Star Trek: Beyond: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzD8H6o1awQ.

The Intriguing Story of "The Quiet Beatle"

As we look forward to Ron Howard's forthcoming documentary about the Beatles touring years, let's take a glance back at George Harrison: Living In the Material World, an insightful biography of the guitarist & songwriter. It originally aired back in 2011 on HBO. Directed by Martin Scorsese, this two-part documentary traces the life of Harrison from his time as a member of The Beatles through his solo career, up to his death from cancer in 2001. It’s an informative biography, produced with the participation of Harrison’s widow Olivia, and his son Dhani. Through interviews with them, and George’s friends and collaborators, including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty and Eric Clapton, we get an in-depth portrait of the musician and the man, who was known (perhaps inaccurately) as “The Quiet Beatle.” There are some wonderful performance clips of (and a look at the stories behind) classic songs like Something, All Things Must Pass, and Here Comes The Sun. Much of the video footage and photos seen are taken from George’s personal archives, and were released by Olivia for use in the movie. 

Scorsese’s film is a story about Harrison and his music, but it’s also a thoughtful study of the former Beatle’s journey toward spiritual enlightenment and personal growth. There's some great coverage in the film on George's 1971 show, The Concert for Bangladesh, one of the earliest superstar benefit concerts. The movie also features Harrison's comeback in the late 80s & early 90s with the successful solo album Cloud Nine, and as a member of the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, along with Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison. Like Scorsese’s 2005 film about Bob Dylan, No Direction Home, the movie examines the contradictions between being a public figure whose music is admired by millions, and the desire to have a private & personal life beyond that world. It's a rich portrait of the man, as well as the rock star, and it succeeds admirably in showing a side of George Harrison we haven't seen in other movies or books. The film is available for online viewing, and has also been released on Blu-ray & DVD. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJh9O8pI4Ck.

Retro Movie: "Jessica" Is An Eerie Chiller

There are numerous versions of the vampire myth in books, movies, theatre and even music. The Twilight craze gave rise to a whole sub-genre of young adult literature featuring supernatural characters, and HBO’s True Blood had a legion of loyal fans. More recently, the excellent Showtime series Penny Dreadful gave us a new spin on Dracula, as well as some other classic monsters. But today let’s look at a different take on this often re-interpreted horror concept. I first saw 1971’s Let’s Scare Jessica To Death on the late show when I was around ten years old, and it definitely left a lasting impression on me. Zohra Lampert (best remembered as “the Goya lady” in commercials, and a frequent TV guest star at the time) stars as the title character, who’s recovering from a nervous breakdown. In order to make a new start, Jessica, her husband Duncan, and their friend Woody travel to a Connecticut farm, where they plan to live off the land. They encounter a woman named Emily, who’s been living in the empty house. They invite her to remain with them, and strike up a friendship with her. Is Emily really as innocent as she seems? She sets her sights on seducing Woody, and later, Duncan. Perhaps there's a dark underside to her free-living, hippie-esque personality.

An uncanny encounter in Let's Scare Jessica To Death

Strange and unexplained things start to happen: Jessica is hearing voices, and keeps seeing a ghostly figure in white. She learns the house was once owned by a woman named Abigail Bishop. The mysterious Abigail drowned, and is rumored to have been a vampire. Is that why so many people in the nearby town seem to have wounds on their throats? Is there really a ghostly presence in the house? Or maybe Jessica is having a relapse. Lampert gives a great performance, skillfully conveying the fragile state of Jessica’s psyche. The rest of the cast, including a young Gretchen Corbett in a key role, are also very effective. Director John D. Hancock slowly builds the level of suspense and terror to a fever pitch. Much like The Haunting (1963), Curse of The Demon (1957) or producer Val Lewton's Cat People (1942) and The Seventh Victim (1943), the horror here is understated, and in most cases, subtly suggested rather than shown.

We hear Jessica’s thoughts throughout the film, in a sort of interior monologue, and we see things as she sees them; but is any of it real? There are several eerie set pieces, including a seance, a haunting scene between Emily and Jessica in a cold lake, and a creepy confrontation in Jessica’s room. In the end, it’s our choice to decide if the events in the movie occurred or not. This atmospheric, well made thriller offers no easy answers. As Jessica says “I sit here and I can't believe that it happened. And yet I have to believe it. Dreams or nightmares, madness or sanity. I don't know which is which."  The film used to be a staple of late night TV back in the pre-cable days. While it may seem a bit dated now, it’s a quietly unsettling horror film that will stay with you long after it's over. The movie deftly combines elements of ghost stories and vampire fiction, and is significantly influenced by J. Sheridan Le Fanu's classic novella Carmilla.

Let’s Scare Jessica To Death is currently unavailable on DVD (though used copies can be found, if you look around online) However, the film can be viewed online at various sites, including Amazon. The film occasionally shows up on Turner Classic Movies, as well as other cable stations. I think it's one of the best fright films of the 1970s, and it holds up well on repeat viewings. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX4eZD3GiL0. To read more about the film, seek out Rue Morgue, a magazine focused on the horror genre. The December 2016 issue features several articles about Let’s Scare Jessica To Death, including an interview with director John D. Hancock, and an appreciation of the film from author Kim (Anno Dracula) Newman. Here's a link to their website: http://www.rue-morgue.com.

"Stranger Things" Goes Back to the 80s

The year is 1983, and there’s something weird going on in Hawkins, Indiana. After a night of playing Dungeons & Dragons at a friend’s house, Will Byers disappears without a trace on his way home. At a government facility called the Hawkins National Laboratory, strange experiments are taking place, and a scientist runs away from (and is grabbed by) a creepy creature we don't see. A mysterious young girl (who seems to be on the run) with telekinetic powers shows up, and helps Will’s friends as they search for the missing boy. That’s just the beginning of Stranger Things, an entertaining series that's now available via streaming on Netflix. It’s an affectionate homage to genre films, TV shows & fiction of the 1980s with a decidedly Spielberg-esque tone. There are also nods to Stephen King & John Carpenter (dig that synthesizer score) and there’s even a little taste of the 90s, with a slight X-Files feel to the proceedings. But Stranger Things is so much more than just a retread.

As the story continues, the sheriff searches for Will, and finds that not everything is what it seems. Will’s Mom begins to experience odd events, and believes her missing son is trying to communicate with her, though no one believes her…at first. Will's older brother Jonathan gets involved in the mystery, as he helps Mike’s older sister Nancy, whose friend Barb has also disappeared. What will happen to our young heroes? What’s the real story behind Hawkins National Laboratory and Eleven’s strange powers? Who's the white-haired man in charge of the project? Can our heroes solve the mystery & find Will & Barb? You'll be binge watching this terrific 8 episode series to discover the answers to these questions.

The show's most recognizable stars are Winona Ryder (who’s quite good as Will’s Mom) and Matthew Modine, who portrays Dr. Martin Brenner, the lead scientist at the “secret” government lab. But the real stars of the show are the kids; Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin are perfect as Will’s buddies Mike, Dustin & Lucas. They’ll evoke fond memories for fans of films like Stand By Me, E.T., The Goonies, Poltergeist, It and The Monster Squad. Millie Bobby Brown is excellent as Eleven, the young girl with mysterious powers who may hold the key to Will’s disappearance. David Harbour also gives a fine performance as Sheriff Hopper, who is drawn more deeply into the town’s mysteries as the series moves forward; he has his own reasons for finding Will & bringing him home.

The pitch perfect performances are enhanced by the series’ nostalgic look and atmosphere; it’s like someone found a lost TV series from the 80s and added it to Netflix. In addition to the Carpenter-esque score and the 80s pop & rock tunes on the soundtrack, there are a host of Easter eggs & visual shout outs to the era. The series has gained a lot of buzz since it was added to the Netflix lineup, through positive word of mouth & generally good reviews. The Duffer Brothers, best known for their work on the first season of the Fox series Wayward Pines, created the show. It's obvious that they love this material, and they treat it with affection & care; it's never just a carbon copy of what we've seen before in the genre. The series is enjoyable, consistently entertaining, enthralling, atmospheric & well-written. Stranger Things will draw you in, and you’ll find yourself caught up in its appealing retro vibe. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxyRG_tckY.