An Evocative Meeting of Poetry and Film

Drew Pisarra is a multi-talented sonneteer and playwright who's the author of the outstanding poetry collections Infinity Standing Up and Periodic Boyfriends, as well as the compelling short story collection You’re Pretty Gay. His work is clever, witty, erotically charged, sharply observed and infused with emotionally rich thoughts on life, love and relationships. His latest collection, Fassbinder; His Films, My Poems, is a series of bold, intelligent, razor-sharp and sensual pieces which celebrate Pisarra’s love for the work of avant-garde filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder, while showcasing his own gift for crafting exceptional pieces of verse-based literature.

Many of the poems in this remarkable volume share titles with films in Fassbinder’s celebrated cinematic output, including The Marriage of Maria Braun, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, and Fox and His Friends. Not only do these poems share the titles of classic Fassbinder works, they also examine many of the themes featured in those films, including loneliness, love, relationships, sex and the alienation felt by characters who feel they’re trapped on the fringes of society. The poems collected in Fassbinder; His Films, My Poems, are haunting, heart-rending, and harrowing. They are also funny, touching and soulful.  

These enthralling poems will vibrate through your being and echo across your soul. “The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant” and “In A Year Of Moons” display Pisarra’s innate gift for wordplay and vivid imagery, as well as his wry, ironic sense of humor. Captivating entries like “Theatre in Trance,” “Love Is Colder Than Death,” and “Das Kaffehouse: Director’s Cut” play with the general structure of verse, and are riveting in their own right. Every poem in this phenomenal collection strikes just the right note, and will continue to resonate with you as you re-visit them, which you will absolutely want to do.

Drew Pisarra’s intelligent and passionate poems are a joy to experience. He regularly challenges the conventions of the genre, as he did in the sonnet cycle Periodic Boyfriends, which used the periodic table of elements as a springboard for an evocative walk through his romantic entanglements. Fassbinder; His Films, My Poems is another superb work from a uniquely talented writer. You don’t need to be familiar with Fassbinder’s oeuvre to appreciate the brilliance inherent in Pisarra’s poems, but if you have seen some of those amazing films, you’ll discover an additional layer of resonance in the themes explored by both artists. If you’re not already a Fassbinder (or Pisarra) fan, Fassbinder; His Films, My Poems will inspire you to check out some of those terrific films, as well as Pisarra's other wonderful work.

Retro Movie: Colossus: The Forbin Project

Susan Clark, Eric Braeden and Georg Stanford Brown

There have been a number of films featuring sentient computer systems which attempt to take over, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Demon Seed, and The Terminator. One of the best examples of this science-fiction sub-genre is the 1970 thriller Colossus: The Forbin Project. The movie stars Eric Braeden as Dr. Charles Forbin, who's one of the minds behind Colossus, a powerful computer system which is designed to control the nuclear weapons of the United States. The idea behind Colossus is that it would take the human element out of the equation, utilizing a more logical thought process in case of a nuclear conflict, and hopefully minimize the threat of World War III.

Forbin and his team have done their job all too well. Once Colossus is activated, it quickly proves to be sentient, and more powerful than anyone initially thought possible. Colossus asks to be linked to Guardian, a similar system which has been developed in Russia. Colossus warns that if this task is not accomplished, there will be consequences, and the super intelligent computer happens to be in full control of our nuclear arsenal. Suddenly, it's a race against time for America and the USSR to turn off these renegade machines before they cause can death and destruction. But it might not be as easy as Forbin, his team, and their counterparts in Russia think. Can they stop Colossus from taking over the world, and enforcing its will on mankind?

Colossus: The Forbin Project is a thought-provoking tale. While some of the computer hardware, and the Cold War setting of the film, may seem be a bit dated, it's still a fascinating story of technology run amok. The themes of the film seem even more relevant in our modern world, at a time when we're more reliant than ever on technology to assist us in our daily lives, and the rise of AI brings up more questions about the proper use of technology. The movie works both as a cautionary tale, and a tense, well-paced race against time thriller. The rise of Colossus is portrayed in chilling, realistic fashion, and the threat to the human race posed by this sentient supercomputer illustrates the price mankind might pay if one of its own creations turns against it.

In addition to star Braeden, then best known for his role in the television series The Rat Patrol, the supporting cast features a number of familiar faces, including Susan Clark, William Schallert, Marion Ross, Martin E. Brooks, and Georg Stanford Brown. The film was directed by Joseph Sargent, who was also behind the camera for the original version of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. The screenplay for the movie was penned by James Bridges, who also wrote the scripts for The Paper Chase and The China Syndrome, a film he also directed. Colossus: The Forbin Project is based on the novel Colossus by writer D.F. Jones, who also authored two sequels, The Fall of Colossus and Colossus and the Crab, though only the first book was adapted for the screen.

Colossus: The Forbin Project is worth a look for science-fiction and thriller fans. Once seen, that darker edged early 1970s style ending is not soon forgotten. By the way, if the voice of Colossus sounds familiar, that's because those dulcet tones belong to veteran actor Paul Frees, who's known for his performances in a plethora of classic films and TV shows. The movie was one of my favorite genre films in my younger years, and it still holds up well today. It's available on DVD and Blu-ray, and also for rental on Amazon. Here's a look at a trailer for the film's Blu-ray release on the Shout! Factory label: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyOEwiQhzMI.

The Top Ten Posts: 2024 Edition

Last March, I wrote about the Top Ten most visited posts for this blog since its inception in 2011. I thought it might be interesting to see if things had changed in a year's time, so here's the Eclectic Avenue Top Ten as of this week:

1. It's A Terrifying Trilogy of Terror: Still at number one, this popular post was part of a blogathon, and it's a retrospective about the classic telefilm, Trilogy of Terror: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2019/03/its-terrifying-trilogy-of-terror.html.

2. Vincent's Dazzling "Whatever It Takes": Retaining the number two spot, a review of Kyle Vincent's album, "Whatever It Takes": https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2021/06/vincents-dazzling-whatever-it-takes.html.

3. The Bellero Shield: Hanging in at number three, a look at one of my favorite episodes of the original Outer Limits TV series: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2018/07/robert-culp-rocks-outer-limits.html.

4. Early Elton: This is a superb tribute band that I've seen perform a number of times throughout the years. They've been featured on the blog several times, and this review of a 2017 performance is still in the number four spot: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2017/06/early-elton-resurrects-madman.html.

5. Avengers: Endgame: My review of the Marvel superhero film from 2019 is a new entry on the list, flying into the number 5 slot: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2019/05/action-humor-and-pathos-in-endgame.html.

6. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark: my post about the classic made for TV chiller starring Kim Darby, which was part of a blogathon, is another new entry in the top ten, notching the number 6 spot: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2017/02/you-can-still-be-afraid-of-dark.html.

7. Andrew Curry of Curry Cuts Records: Andrew is the fabulous producer behind several outstanding tribute albums. We've talked several times over the years, and this chat from 2021 about a terrific Andy Gibb tribute record remains on the list: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2021/05/higher-than-mountain-songs-of-andy-gibb.html. 

8. Cinesavant: My look at the work of the excellent film writer Cinesavant shows up at number eight, retaining a spot on the list: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2020/12/cinesavant-trailers-from-hell-comfort.html.

9. Starting Over: At number nine, it's a look at musician and author Ken Sharp's insightful and revealing book on the sessions for John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album, Double Fantasy: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2020/10/an-in-depth-look-at-starting-over.html.

10. The Magnificent Seven: This look at the 1960 Western classic is another blogathon post, and it rides into the number ten spot as it debuts on the list this year: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2017/04/eli-wallach-vs-magnificent-seven.html.

As always, thanks for supporting this blog, and my writing, throughout the years. Please use the search function on the right side of the main page to check out some of the other articles from Eclectic Avenue!

Retro TV Episode: Space 1999's "Black Sun"

Barry Morse and Martin Landau in Space: 1999

Space: 1999 was one of the more ambitious science-fiction series of the mid-1970s. In those pre–Star Wars days, there were far less genre options on TV than there are in the current viewing landscape. The series, which ran from 1975-1977, was the brainchild of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, who had found fame with puppet-based children's adventure shows such as Thunderbirds. Their first foray into live-action sci-fi was the 1969 film Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, which starred Roy Thinnes. That big-screen adventure was followed by UFO, a television series featuring Ed Bishop as Col. Ed Straker, the head of an multi-national organization called SHADO, which protected our planet from villainous alien invaders.

UFO was a British production which aired in syndication here in the US. While it found some success in the ratings, it was not renewed for a 2nd year. Gerry Anderson retooled his concept for UFO’s second season, which would’ve centered on adventures on SHADO's base on the moon, into Space:1999. In this new sci-fi epic, our moon is blown out of Earth's orbit by a nuclear explosion. The runaway moon (and the crew of Moonbase Alpha) wander thru space, encountering aliens and strange phenomena as they try to find a new home. The series starred Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, the husband-and-wife team who had previously found television success on Mission: Impossible, and Barry Morse, then best known for his role as Lt. Gerard on The Fugitive.

Space:1999 featured spectacular special effects from Brian Johnson, who had worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey. The series contained elements of science-fiction laced with horror and even a touch of fantasy, and often dealt with heady concepts about our place in the universe, for which no easy answers or neat resolutions were provided by the end of the episode. This appealed to some fans but turned off other viewers, and that disparity in opinions regarding the quality of the series continues to this day. One of the best examples of this “metaphysical sci-fi” aspect of the show is "Black Sun," an episode from the first season, which originally aired on November 6, 1975.

In “Black Sun,” the moon encounters a "black sun" (essentially a black hole) which threatens the existence of Moonbase Alpha. The black sun is wreaking havoc with the base’s power systems, and Commander Koenig (played by Landau) is worried the moon may not survive the trip through the anomaly, because of its tremendous gravitational forces. Koenig and Dr. Victor Bergman (portrayed by Morse) hatch a plan to shield Moonbase Alpha from the black sun’s destructive power, but they're not sure their idea will succeed. As a backup plan, Koenig prepares to send an Eagle transport ship into space, with several crew members aboard, which will ensure that some of the crew will survive if the moon is destroyed.

The episode showcases a philosophical discussion between Koenig and Bergman about how they’ve survived their adventures thus far, and their thoughts about some kind of unknown force guiding the moon’s journey through space. As their fateful journey through the black sun grows closer, the two men share a mystical experience with a powerful entity. This 2001 style sequence (with spiritual undertones) deftly illustrates what many fans love about the show, and also what detractors of the series point to as one of its flaws: that nothing is ever really resolved, and we're left with more questions than answers. Doesn't science-fiction (at it best) make us think, and ask us to ponder the big questions about life?  In my opinion, “Black Sun,” is one of the finest episodes of the series, featuring solid work from the cast, excellent music and special effects, a fine script by David Weir (including an uncredited rewrite from story consultant Christopher Penfold) and strong direction from Lee H. Katzin.

The series was revamped for its second and final season, with producer Fred Freiberger (Star Trek, Wild Wild West) coming on board to guide the show. Barry Morse departed the series, and several other members of the supporting cast weren’t asked to return. Catherine Schell was added to the ensemble as Maya, an alien metamorph who could transform into any person or animal at will. Tony Anholt also joined the cast as security chief Tony Verdeschi. The sets were re-designed, and the somber mood of the first season was abandoned in favor of action-oriented stories, featuring more traditional TV style conflict between the characters. Fans of the series are passionate about which season they like best, with many favoring Year One's more serious approach, and others enjoying Year Two’s fast-paced outings, which also included more humor than the first season.

Whatever iteration of the series you prefer, it's available for viewing on various streaming services, and the show has also been released on Blu-ray and DVD. Space: 1999 is worth revisiting if you haven’t seen it in a while. The first season is better than it’s reputation among non-fans suggests, and there are even some solid outings in the much-maligned second season. If the show's reach sometimes exceeded its grasp, at least it was an ambitious undertaking that tried to bring something different to the genre. Here’s a trailer for a Blu-ray release of the series, featuring Barry Gray’s iconic theme from Year One: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_nciw0ALw0\.

Ken Sharp Invites You to "Toytown"

Ken Sharp, the power pop maestro who's previously brought us terrific records such as 1301 Highland Avenue and Beauty in the Backseat, has just released his latest, Welcome to Toytown. Like his previous effort, 2021’s Miniatures, this double-length album explores a wide array of emotions in songs that are of shorter duration, all of them running one to two minutes in length. These superb tunes feature Sharp's heartfelt vocals and majestic melodies, layered into a shimmering, multi-instrumental soundscape that will evoke memories of the vintage baroque pop sound of groups such as The Left Banke and The Zombies, as well as modern practitioners of the form like The Divine Comedy, Velvet Crush, and Daniel Knox.

Welcome to Toytown is bursting at the seams with lovely songs such as “Great Big Beautiful World," "Friend In You," and “To Praise Your Love.”  Sharp is a supremely talented artist whose music reaches us on an emotional level because it’s full of genuine heart and soul. These well-crafted songs also connect with us because they’re infused with Sharp’s deep love and affection for the sounds of classic pop and rock, which shines through on tracks like “Last of the Dandys,” “Dreams In Our Head,” "I Am Your Spaceman," and of course, “Beach Boys On My Stereo.”

Speaking of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, the centerpiece of the album is a song cycle entitled “Toytown Suite" which recalls Wilson’s work on classics records like Pet Sounds and Smile. This glorious mini pop opera features 12 inter-connected songs which tell the tale of a toymaker king who has lost his crown combined with the story of a child's enthusiasm about the Christmas holiday. In just under ten minutes, “Toytown Suite" will take you on a musical journey that encompasses a variety of emotions, sounds and musical styles. It's not just one of the best tracks on the album, it’s one of the finest pieces of work in Sharp’s already impressive musical oeuvre.

Welcome to Toytown is a phenomenal album filled with extraordinary music and fabulous songs featuring enchanting, intricate arrangements. This record is manna from heaven for lovers of classic pop. Ken Sharp's splendid songs will etch themselves into your memory, and find a lasting place in your heart. For more information on Ken and Welcome To Toytown, head over to https://kensharp.bandcamp.com/album/welcome-to-toytown, and follow this link to watch the video for “Great Big Beautiful World,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pelcPvtL1c.

13 Years of Eclectic Avenue

I started this blog back in 2011 as an outlet to write about my passion for the movies, music and books I loved, and share those thoughts with others. Throughout the previous years, I'd done some writing for local newspapers, and I'd also did a stint as a writer/editor for the KISS fanzine FIRE, which was published by my pal Gilda. I had been thinking about doing a blog for a while, and thanks to the support and encouragment of Gilda and a few other dear friends, I launched Eclectic Avenue. Alongside my "real-life" job experiences in publishing, IT and healthcare, working on the blog been a fantastic adventure, and the blog (and my writing) have come a long way in the ensuing years.

The positive response to Eclectic Avenue allowed me to participate in several blogathons, which are special events where a group of bloggers all write about a shared topic (for example, favorite TV episodes) and it also led me to submit a story to CultureSonar, a well-respected arts and entertainment website. I became a regular contributor to the site in 2017 and have written a quite a few articles for them since, including interviews with Dave Mason, William Shatner and Phil Volk of Paul Revere and The Raiders. It's a privilege to work for CultureSonar, and an honor to be part of the site's group of uber-talented writers.

A live shot of Early Elton from 2016

 

My work here at Eclectic Avenue and at CultureSonar has been tremendously fulfilling, and a whole lot of fun. When I started this blog, if you'd told me about the incredible experiences I'd have over the years, the people I'd meet, and the artists, writers and producers (including the talented Marc Platt, Grey DeLisle, Rin Lennon, Kurt Reil and Rich Pagano, John Conte and Jeff Kazee of Early Elton) I've gotten to know (and interact with on a regular basis) I probably wouldn't have believed you! My sincere thanks to you all for your kindness and cooperation, and your appreciation of my writing. It has been a fabulous, awesome and amazing experience to work with all of you.

I'm grateful to everyone who's read and enjoyed my work, and to those who've taken the time to reach out and comment about it. Thanks to Al and Cindy from CultureSonar for their continued support and encouragement, and also to Marty and Maureen at JEM Records for digging my work, and asking me to write about their fabulous artists on a regular basis, both here and at CultureSonar. Finally, I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my friends for being there for me throughout the years. There's more to come both here at Eclectic Avenue and over at CultureSonar, so stay tuned!

 

TV Episode Blogathon 2024: The Bionic Woman

Vincent Price & Lindsay Wagner

The 1970s was the "bionic era" on ABC. In 1973, the network premiered The Six Million Dollar Man, first as a trio of made for TV movies, and later as an ongoing series. Based on the novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin, the novel, movies and ongoing series tell the story of Steve Austin, played by Lee Majors, who was given bionic enhancements after he was seriously injured in a crash while testing an experimental aircraft. Austin ends up working as an agent for the the Office of Scientific Investigation, aka the OSI, taking on enemies like aliens, robots, and nefarious enemy spies. The series was a ratings success, and a spinoff, The Bionic Woman, was launched in 1976.

The Bionic Woman is the tale of  Jaime Sommers (Lindsay Wagner), a tennis pro and old flame of Steve's,  who is seriously injured in a skydiving accident. Steve asks his OSI boss, Oscar Goldman, to give Jaime bionic upgrades in order to save her life. The character was first introduced during the second season of The Six Million Dollar Man, in a two-part episode, in which Jaime dies after her body rejects her bionics. The character proved so popular that she was brought back the following season, and it was revealed she had been saved using an experimental procedure which preserved her life, but affected her memory. She doesn't recall her past romance with Steve. Jaime ends up returning to her hometown of Ojai (where she and Steve grew up) working as a teacher, while also moonlighting as an OSI agent.

During the three season run of her series, The Bionic Woman battled the Fembots, mad scientists, enemy agents and her murderous doppleganger, Lisa Galloway, often teaming up with Steve Austin for multi-part crossover adventures. But did you know she also faced off against a  rogues gallery featuring Vincent Price, Julie Newmar, Abe Vigoda, Hermione Baddeley and William Windom. They all appeared in “Black Magic," which originally aired on November 10, 1976, as part of the series' 2nd season. Although there's no actual black magic featured in the episode, it's a spooky adventure with Jaime encountering a gallery of much beloved character actors.

After a briefing by Oscar Goldman, Jaime goes undercover to infiltrate the Carstairs family, a group of con artists, tricksters and ne’er do wells. Cyrus, the clan’s patriarch, has passed away, and the clan is coming together for reading of his will. Jaime poses as Tracy, a member of the family who no one has seen since she ran away to join the circus (to become a fortune teller, no less!) years ago. Among Cyrus’s possessions is a highly coveted formula for a new alloy that will be used in the manufacture of jet fighters.Oscar has inside intel which reveals it's going to be sold to the highest bidder, and it's Jaime’s objective to obtain the formula before it falls into the wrong hands.

The family gathers for the reading of the will, which was videotaped by Cyrus prior to his death. The larcenous assembly instantly begins bickering, sniping and trying to one up each other. It turns out the late patriarch isn’t going to make it easy for anyone to claim his fortune. On the videotape, Cyrus delivers a riddle inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll. The riddle contains clues to the whereabouts of his riches, which are hidden in a box somewhere in the house. The first person to find the treasure gets everything. The scavenger hunt is on, and it's every man or woman for themselves. When the family members split up to locate the box, everyone starts to mysteriously disappear! Soon only Manfred and Jamie remain. He and Jaime team up to locate the box. But is Manfred going to double cross her and keep the treasure (and the formula) for himself?

“Black Magic,” is a lot of fun. The cast of veteran actors all have a good time tossing off the snarky dialogue in Arthur Rowe's script. That master of menace,Vincent Price, plays a dual role as both Cyrus and the wily Manfred, while Julie Newmar, aka Catwoman on the 1960s Batman series, is slinky and sinister as Claudette. Abe Vigoda, (Tessio in The Godfather and Sgt. Fish on Barney Miller) is Barlow, the double-crossing butler. Also on hand are Hermione Baddley of Mary Poppins and Maude, and William Windom, who has a ton of TV credits to his name, including a memorable appearance as Commodore Decker in the original Star Trek episode "The Doomsday Machine" and a recurring role on Murder, She Wrote. "Black Magic" was helmed by prolific TV director Barry Crane, who also was behind the camera for episodes of Mission: Impossible and Hawaii Five-O.

The Bionic Woman was in some ways the kindler, gentler side of the two bionic shows, which perfectly suited Wagner's personality and charisma. She won an Emmy for the role of Jaime in 1977. The series had its share of dramatic and intense episodes during its run, including the two-parters "Doomsday is Tomorrow" and "Deadly Ringer." "Black Magic" is definitely more of a lark, and Wagner has fun interacting with Price and the other veteran scene stealers, while trading quips (and silly code names) with Richard Anderson's Oscar Goldman. This is the sort of gathering that could only have happened on 1970s television! The Bionic Woman ran for two years on ABC, then moved over to NBC for its final season. Wagner, Majors, Anderson, and Martin E. Brooks, who played scientist Rudy Wells, reprised their roles in three TV movie reunions in the 1980s and 90s.

This post is part of the Favourite TV Episode Blogathon, hosted by Terence over at his blog, A Shroud of Thoughts. I'd like to thank him for allowing me to join in on the vintage TV fun. For more information on the blogathon, and to check out the other entries, please follow this link: https://mercurie.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-10th-annual-favourite-tv-show.html.