1.CLINT EASTWOOD-LIKE THE QUIET/LOUD APPROACH OF NIRVANA
AND THE PIXIES-EASTWOOD VEERS FROM BIG LONG SHOTS TO
EXTREME CLOSE-UPS THAT ALLWAYS END UP FOCUSING ON THE
EYE'S-EVENTS HAVE LONG BUILD UPS AND THEN ALL HELL BREAKS
LOOSE.
2.ALFRED HITCHCOCK-HITCHCOCK COINED THE TERM "MAGUFFIN"
WHICH IS THE THING THAT EVERYONE IS AFTER,BUT NOBODY
KNOWS WHAT IT IS.
3.INGMAR BERGMAN-COMPARED TO MOST AMERICAN FILMS
BERGMAN'S FILM'S ARE STARK,BRUTELY HONEST,AND OFTEN RAISE
BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE.THIS QUEST FOR TRUTH IS OFTEN
MEET WITH ANSWERS THAT ARE AMBIVALANT AT BEST.IT'S
BERGMANS SOUL SEARCHING FOR MEANING THAT MAKE HIS
FILMS SO COMPELLING.
4.WERNER HERZOG-HAVING TO FILM IN THE MOST DANGEROUS
PLACES ON EARTH NEVER STOPPED HERZOG.TWO OF HIS BEST
FILMS WERE MADE DEEP IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE-"FITZCARALDO"
AND "AGUIRE,WRATH OF GOD"."FITZCARALDO" WAS HALF FINISHED
WHEN IT'S STAR-JASON ROBARDS BECAME ILL AND HAD TO LEAVE.
HERZOG RE-CAST KLAUS KINSKI AND STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN.
THE FILM TOOK 7 YEARS TO MAKE AND ABOUT FORTY LIFES
WERE LOST IN THE PROCESS.NOW THATS COMMITMANT!
5.FREDRICO FELLINI-FELLINI'S FILM'S ,ESPECIALLY THE TWO HE MADE
AT THE APEX OF HIS CAREER-"LA DOLCE VITA" AND "8 AND A HALF"
ARE CRAMMED WITH A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS CAST OF CHARACTORS
AND IMAGES.MARCELLO MASTRIANI IS THE LEAD ACTOR IN BOTH
FILMS AND HE SEEMS TO BE A SORT OF REPRESENTATIVE OF FELLINI.
HE IS ALLMOST NEVER ALONE.FELLINI WALLOWS IN THE DECADENCE
OF MODERN LIFE BUT IS AT THE SAME TIME IN COMPASSION WITH
IT'S LIMATATIONS AND ILLUSIONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO LIVE
WITH THEM.
6. ORSON WELLES-WELLES ,WITH HIS CAMERAMAN GREG TOLAND
PIONEERED THE USE OF DEEP FOCUS CAMERA'S -WHERE OBJECTS
FAR OFF IN THE DISTANCE ARE JUST AS SHARP AND CLEAR AS THOSE
IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE CAMERA FRAME.BY EXPIERIMENTING
AND USING THIER IMAGINATIONS WELLES AND TOLLAND LITERALLY
CAME UP WITH A WHOLE NEW LANGUAGE FOR FILM.THAT'S JUST ONE
OF MANY REASONS WHY WELLES "CITIZEN KANE" IS CONSIDERED TO
THE GREATIST FILM OF ALL TIME.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
THE GREATIST RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME
35. " SOUL MEDLY"-TODD RUNDGREN
1. "I'M SO PROUD"-CURTIS MAYFIELD
2."OHH BABY BABY"-SMOKEY ROBINSON
3."LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU"-THE DELFONICS
TODD RUNDGREN HAS WORN MANY HAT'S DURING THE COARSE
OF HIS CAREER.FROM ARTIST,PRODUCER,MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST,
AND SONGWRITER TO BEING ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST ACCURATE SONG
REPRODUCTION ARTISTS OF ALL TIME.HAILING FROM THE PHILADELPHIA
AREA; ON RUNGREN'S ALBUM "A WIZARD,A TRUE STAR" HE CHOOSE THREE
CLASSIC SOUL/POP HITS AND RENDERS THEM AS A SEAMLESS MEDLY,AS
A TRIBUTE TO HIS PHILLY SOUL ROOTS AND HIS PURE LOVE OF THESE SONGS.
A LOVE SHARED BY MILLIONS OF SOUL/POP FANS THE WORLD OVER.
THE REPRODUCTIONS ARE SO ACCURATE IT'S ALLMOST A CRIME-
BUT INSTEAD ALL YOU CAN DO IS BASK IN GREATNESS OF THESE SONGS
AND RUNDGREN'S ABILITY TO REPRODUCE THEM-NOTE FOR NOTE-
AND TO CAPTURE THE SPIRIT OF THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS MAGIC.
RUNGREN IS TRULY ONE OF THE POP & SOUL WORLDS MOST GIFTED ARTISTS
1. "I'M SO PROUD"-CURTIS MAYFIELD
2."OHH BABY BABY"-SMOKEY ROBINSON
3."LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU"-THE DELFONICS
TODD RUNDGREN HAS WORN MANY HAT'S DURING THE COARSE
OF HIS CAREER.FROM ARTIST,PRODUCER,MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST,
AND SONGWRITER TO BEING ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST ACCURATE SONG
REPRODUCTION ARTISTS OF ALL TIME.HAILING FROM THE PHILADELPHIA
AREA; ON RUNGREN'S ALBUM "A WIZARD,A TRUE STAR" HE CHOOSE THREE
CLASSIC SOUL/POP HITS AND RENDERS THEM AS A SEAMLESS MEDLY,AS
A TRIBUTE TO HIS PHILLY SOUL ROOTS AND HIS PURE LOVE OF THESE SONGS.
A LOVE SHARED BY MILLIONS OF SOUL/POP FANS THE WORLD OVER.
THE REPRODUCTIONS ARE SO ACCURATE IT'S ALLMOST A CRIME-
BUT INSTEAD ALL YOU CAN DO IS BASK IN GREATNESS OF THESE SONGS
AND RUNDGREN'S ABILITY TO REPRODUCE THEM-NOTE FOR NOTE-
AND TO CAPTURE THE SPIRIT OF THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS MAGIC.
RUNGREN IS TRULY ONE OF THE POP & SOUL WORLDS MOST GIFTED ARTISTS
Thursday, February 26, 2009
THE GREATIST RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME
34."LE MER"-CLAUDE DEBUSSY
OFR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
COND.-MILAN HOVAT
THE SOUNDS THAT MR. DEBUSSY WROTE INTO MUSIC SEEM TO
BE THE VERY SOUNDS OF LIFE ITSELF AND IT'S PLACE OF ORIGIN
"THE SEA".
HEARING DEBUSSY'S "LE MER" REMINDS ONESELF OF THE FEELING
WE ALL GET WHEN WE VISIT THE SEASHORE AFTER A LONG ABSENSE.
THAT WE HAVE COME BACK TO A PLACE OF DIVINITY WHERE INDEED
OUR OWN SOULS ONCE EMERGED-PERHAPS-IN SOME OTHER TIME-
IN SOME OTHER PLACE-THE DETAILS MAY BE AS FUZZY AS THE MIST
OF THE SEA ITSELF-BUT THE FELLING OF HOMENESS IS AS CERTAIN AS
THE SUN ITSELF.
OFR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
COND.-MILAN HOVAT
THE SOUNDS THAT MR. DEBUSSY WROTE INTO MUSIC SEEM TO
BE THE VERY SOUNDS OF LIFE ITSELF AND IT'S PLACE OF ORIGIN
"THE SEA".
HEARING DEBUSSY'S "LE MER" REMINDS ONESELF OF THE FEELING
WE ALL GET WHEN WE VISIT THE SEASHORE AFTER A LONG ABSENSE.
THAT WE HAVE COME BACK TO A PLACE OF DIVINITY WHERE INDEED
OUR OWN SOULS ONCE EMERGED-PERHAPS-IN SOME OTHER TIME-
IN SOME OTHER PLACE-THE DETAILS MAY BE AS FUZZY AS THE MIST
OF THE SEA ITSELF-BUT THE FELLING OF HOMENESS IS AS CERTAIN AS
THE SUN ITSELF.
Monday, February 23, 2009
"ROCK N' ROLL" WALKS THE LINE
THE TERM "ROCK N' ROLL" EXISTED LONG BEFORE IT BECAME ATTACHED
TO THE MUSIC OF ELVIS PRESLEY,CHUCK BERRY,BO DIDDLEY,LITTLE
RICHARD,FATS DOMINO AND JERRY LEE LEWIS.IT EXISTED AS A
BLACK SLANG WORD FOR PEOPLE DOIN' WHAT COMES NATURALLY.
AS THE TERM IS ASSOCIATED WITH SOMETHING NATURAL IT
SEEMS FAIR TO SAY THAT NATURALLY IT WOULD FIND OTHER
USE'S-AND AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE,IT DID.
SO IF YOU ARE A FILM CONSULTANT-WORKING ON A FILM ABOUT
AN ARTIST WHO WAS INVOLVED IN EARLIST STAGES OF ROCK N'
ROLL HISTORY-YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO SAY OR BE QUOTED
AS SAYING "THE TERM ROCK N' ROLL DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE{INSERT
ALL THE ROCK ARTISTS I STATED ABOVE AND AD JOHNNY CASH}.
THE REASON YOU MAY ASK-IS A SIMPLE ONE-BECAUSE THE TERM
DID EXIST BEFORE-WAY BEFORE-THE ARTIST'S WHOSE MUSIC TOOK
ON THE NAME AS A NOUN RATHER THAN A VERB.IN OTHER WORDS
WHAT USED TO MEAN DOING SOMETHING NATURAL-"ROCK N' ROLL"
IN IT'S NEW MODERN USE WAS A NAME GIVIN' TO A PARTICULAR
STYLE OF MUSIC.BE AWARE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL THE
FACT'S ABOUT THE HISTORICAL USE OF THIS TERM BE MADE
SIMPLE AND CLEAR OTHERWISE PEOPLE MIGHT START TO THINK
THE TERM "ROCK N' ROLL" DID NOT EXIST BEFORE ROCK N' ROLL
MUSIC EXISTED AND AS ANY OLD FOOL CAN TELL YOU THAT
IT DID-BUT APPARENTLY THEY FORGOT TO TELL THE
CONSULTANT TO THE FILM .
WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-2009-COPYRIGHT-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
TO THE MUSIC OF ELVIS PRESLEY,CHUCK BERRY,BO DIDDLEY,LITTLE
RICHARD,FATS DOMINO AND JERRY LEE LEWIS.IT EXISTED AS A
BLACK SLANG WORD FOR PEOPLE DOIN' WHAT COMES NATURALLY.
AS THE TERM IS ASSOCIATED WITH SOMETHING NATURAL IT
SEEMS FAIR TO SAY THAT NATURALLY IT WOULD FIND OTHER
USE'S-AND AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE,IT DID.
SO IF YOU ARE A FILM CONSULTANT-WORKING ON A FILM ABOUT
AN ARTIST WHO WAS INVOLVED IN EARLIST STAGES OF ROCK N'
ROLL HISTORY-YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO SAY OR BE QUOTED
AS SAYING "THE TERM ROCK N' ROLL DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE{INSERT
ALL THE ROCK ARTISTS I STATED ABOVE AND AD JOHNNY CASH}.
THE REASON YOU MAY ASK-IS A SIMPLE ONE-BECAUSE THE TERM
DID EXIST BEFORE-WAY BEFORE-THE ARTIST'S WHOSE MUSIC TOOK
ON THE NAME AS A NOUN RATHER THAN A VERB.IN OTHER WORDS
WHAT USED TO MEAN DOING SOMETHING NATURAL-"ROCK N' ROLL"
IN IT'S NEW MODERN USE WAS A NAME GIVIN' TO A PARTICULAR
STYLE OF MUSIC.BE AWARE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL THE
FACT'S ABOUT THE HISTORICAL USE OF THIS TERM BE MADE
SIMPLE AND CLEAR OTHERWISE PEOPLE MIGHT START TO THINK
THE TERM "ROCK N' ROLL" DID NOT EXIST BEFORE ROCK N' ROLL
MUSIC EXISTED AND AS ANY OLD FOOL CAN TELL YOU THAT
IT DID-BUT APPARENTLY THEY FORGOT TO TELL THE
CONSULTANT TO THE FILM .
WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-2009-COPYRIGHT-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Sunday, February 15, 2009
THE GREATIST RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME
33. "THE BEATLES MEDLEY"-THE BEATLES-ABBEY ROAD
(Because,You never give me your money,Sun King,Mean Mr. Mustard,
Polythene Pam,She came in through the bathroom window,Golden Slumbers,
Carry that Weight,The End}
THESE 8 SONGS WHICH WERE ALL PARTIALLY FINISHED SONGS MOSTLY
WRITTEN BY JOHN AND PAUL WERE THREADED TOGETHER TO FORM
ONE COHESIVE WHOLE.THE BEATLES APPARENLY REHEARSED THE
MEDLEY IN IT'S ENTIRITY BEFORE LAYING IT DOWN ON TAPE.SOME OF
SONGS ARE CONNECTED ONLY BY SOUND EFFECTS LIKE CRICKETS BUT
MANY OF THEM HAVE QUITE INTRICATE MUSICAL REJOINDERS THAT
MUST HAVE BEEN A MAJOR CHORE TO WORK OUT.GEORGE HARRISON'S
METICULOUS GUITAR WORK SEEMS TO PLAY A BIG PART IN THESE SONG
CONNECTORS.
THIS SUITE OF SONGS BEING SO SEEMLESSLY CONNECTED WENT ALONG
WAY TOWARDS CEMENTING THE BEATLE'S STANDIND AS THE GREATIST
BAND OF ALL-TIME.AT THE TIME IT WAS A STUNNING ACHIEVMENT AND
NOTHING LIKE IT HAS BEEN PRODUCED SINCE;NOR IS IT LIKELY TO BE IN THE
FUTURE.WHEN IT CAME TO LEADING THE WAY THE BEATLES WERE ALLWAYS
AHEAD OF EVERYONE ELSE.WAY AHEAD.
WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-COPYRIGHT 2009
(Because,You never give me your money,Sun King,Mean Mr. Mustard,
Polythene Pam,She came in through the bathroom window,Golden Slumbers,
Carry that Weight,The End}
THESE 8 SONGS WHICH WERE ALL PARTIALLY FINISHED SONGS MOSTLY
WRITTEN BY JOHN AND PAUL WERE THREADED TOGETHER TO FORM
ONE COHESIVE WHOLE.THE BEATLES APPARENLY REHEARSED THE
MEDLEY IN IT'S ENTIRITY BEFORE LAYING IT DOWN ON TAPE.SOME OF
SONGS ARE CONNECTED ONLY BY SOUND EFFECTS LIKE CRICKETS BUT
MANY OF THEM HAVE QUITE INTRICATE MUSICAL REJOINDERS THAT
MUST HAVE BEEN A MAJOR CHORE TO WORK OUT.GEORGE HARRISON'S
METICULOUS GUITAR WORK SEEMS TO PLAY A BIG PART IN THESE SONG
CONNECTORS.
THIS SUITE OF SONGS BEING SO SEEMLESSLY CONNECTED WENT ALONG
WAY TOWARDS CEMENTING THE BEATLE'S STANDIND AS THE GREATIST
BAND OF ALL-TIME.AT THE TIME IT WAS A STUNNING ACHIEVMENT AND
NOTHING LIKE IT HAS BEEN PRODUCED SINCE;NOR IS IT LIKELY TO BE IN THE
FUTURE.WHEN IT CAME TO LEADING THE WAY THE BEATLES WERE ALLWAYS
AHEAD OF EVERYONE ELSE.WAY AHEAD.
WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-COPYRIGHT 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
THE GREATIST RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME
32."ADAGIO FOR STRINGS"-SAMUAL BARBER
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC-BERNSTIEN
AN AMERICAN CLASSICAL COMPOSER,ONE OF THE VERY FEW
TO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN THE 20TH CENTURY.
"THE ADAGIO" IS PART OF A LARGER WORK COMPOSED BY
BARBER BUT EVEN FROM IT'S FIRST PERFORMANCE IT WAS
SINGLED OUT AND PERFORMED AS A SINGLE PIECE OF MUSIC
BY MANY CONDUCTORS AND MANY ORCHESTRA'S-SOME
HAVE CALLED IT THE SINGLE MOST BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF
MUSIC EVER WRITTEN.BY THE TIME OF BARBER'S PASSING
HOWEVER HE HAD BEEN LARGLY FORGOTTEN ALONG WITH
HIS "ADAGIO".
LITTLE COULD ANYONE HAVE GUESSED THAT BARBER'S
"ADAGIO FOR STRINGS",BY IT'S USE IN FILM,WOULD BECOME THE
MOST WELL KNOWN PIECE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC OF THE LATER
20TH CENTURY.
FIRST IT WAS USED AS THE ENDING SONG OF DIRECTOR DAVID
LYNCH'S PROFOUND CREATION OF THE MOVIE "THE ELEPHANT MAN"
SELDOM HAS MUSIC BEEN USED THIS EFFECTIVILY IN FILM.IT'S AN
UNFORGETABLE SEQUENCE.
"ADAGIO" GOT EVEN MORE EXPOSURE FROM IT'S USE IN OLIVER
STONE'S CLASSIC WAR FILM "PLATOON".EVEN PEOPLE WHO DON'T
KNOW WHO SAMUAL BARBER IS KNOW HIS MUSIC FROM THIS FILM.
SUCH IS THE POWER OF MUSIC AND FILM.
WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-COPYRIGHT-2009-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC-BERNSTIEN
AN AMERICAN CLASSICAL COMPOSER,ONE OF THE VERY FEW
TO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN THE 20TH CENTURY.
"THE ADAGIO" IS PART OF A LARGER WORK COMPOSED BY
BARBER BUT EVEN FROM IT'S FIRST PERFORMANCE IT WAS
SINGLED OUT AND PERFORMED AS A SINGLE PIECE OF MUSIC
BY MANY CONDUCTORS AND MANY ORCHESTRA'S-SOME
HAVE CALLED IT THE SINGLE MOST BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF
MUSIC EVER WRITTEN.BY THE TIME OF BARBER'S PASSING
HOWEVER HE HAD BEEN LARGLY FORGOTTEN ALONG WITH
HIS "ADAGIO".
LITTLE COULD ANYONE HAVE GUESSED THAT BARBER'S
"ADAGIO FOR STRINGS",BY IT'S USE IN FILM,WOULD BECOME THE
MOST WELL KNOWN PIECE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC OF THE LATER
20TH CENTURY.
FIRST IT WAS USED AS THE ENDING SONG OF DIRECTOR DAVID
LYNCH'S PROFOUND CREATION OF THE MOVIE "THE ELEPHANT MAN"
SELDOM HAS MUSIC BEEN USED THIS EFFECTIVILY IN FILM.IT'S AN
UNFORGETABLE SEQUENCE.
"ADAGIO" GOT EVEN MORE EXPOSURE FROM IT'S USE IN OLIVER
STONE'S CLASSIC WAR FILM "PLATOON".EVEN PEOPLE WHO DON'T
KNOW WHO SAMUAL BARBER IS KNOW HIS MUSIC FROM THIS FILM.
SUCH IS THE POWER OF MUSIC AND FILM.
WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-COPYRIGHT-2009-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
THE GREATIST RECORDINGS OF ALL TIME
31."BOLERO"-MAURICE RAVEL-DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
A MAGIC SPELL UNLEASED UPON AN UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC.THE FRENCH
COMPOSER OF BASQUE DESCENT-"I HAVE WRITTEN ONE MASTERPIECE
AND IT HAS NO MUSIC" HE SAID.
AN EXERCISE IN EXTREME DYNAMICS FROM A WHISPER TO A
HURRICANE OF SOUND MARCHING IN A STEP OF IT'S OWN MAKING
SOUNDING LIKE NO OTHER.SOLDIERS TRUDGING THRU THE SANDS OF
EGYPT-NAPOLIAN SEEKING THE PYRAMIDS-ANTHONY SEEKING
CLEOPATRA-ALL MEN AND WOMEN SEEKING THE THE SECRETS
OF THE ORIGIN OF ALL LIFE.A SECRET NEVER REVEALED,YET PLEASANT
TO LISTEN TOO.,ESQUISITE AT TIMES,BUILDING TO A CLIMAX,THAT COMES
SO ABRUPTLY THAT THAT WHICH SEEMINGLY WOULD LAST FOREVER IS
GONE IN THE WINK OF AN EYE.DISAPPEARED,LEAVING ONLY IT'S
MEMORY AND MOOD OF MYSTERY.
WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-2009-COPYRIGHT-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
A MAGIC SPELL UNLEASED UPON AN UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC.THE FRENCH
COMPOSER OF BASQUE DESCENT-"I HAVE WRITTEN ONE MASTERPIECE
AND IT HAS NO MUSIC" HE SAID.
AN EXERCISE IN EXTREME DYNAMICS FROM A WHISPER TO A
HURRICANE OF SOUND MARCHING IN A STEP OF IT'S OWN MAKING
SOUNDING LIKE NO OTHER.SOLDIERS TRUDGING THRU THE SANDS OF
EGYPT-NAPOLIAN SEEKING THE PYRAMIDS-ANTHONY SEEKING
CLEOPATRA-ALL MEN AND WOMEN SEEKING THE THE SECRETS
OF THE ORIGIN OF ALL LIFE.A SECRET NEVER REVEALED,YET PLEASANT
TO LISTEN TOO.,ESQUISITE AT TIMES,BUILDING TO A CLIMAX,THAT COMES
SO ABRUPTLY THAT THAT WHICH SEEMINGLY WOULD LAST FOREVER IS
GONE IN THE WINK OF AN EYE.DISAPPEARED,LEAVING ONLY IT'S
MEMORY AND MOOD OF MYSTERY.
WRITTEN BY PETE HOLLY-2009-COPYRIGHT-ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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