Session: Karloff in the Age of Aquarius, Week 2 Movie: The Haunted Strangler (1958) Directed by Robert Day
As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL
Plot: A novelist is investigating the twenty-year old serial killer case in which the murderer was hanged. He won't like what he figures out. Hilarity ensues. Reaction:
In the past two sessions we've seen two 1958 movies that show Karloff in reasonably subtle roles wherein his character is somewhat sympathetic. It has given me new respect for his acting abilities. In this Jeckyl and Hyde kind of role, Karloff did a great job of displaying his "man of a thousand faces" skills. Without makeup he contorted his face into a twisted caricature of a murderous animal. That said, while I enjoy these movies, I can't shake the feeling that they're largely nonmemorable fluff. There have been other movies that I didn't think highly of when we saw them, but that stuck with me and forced me to keep revisiting them in my mind. By contrast, when we saw this I thought that it was very good. But a few days later I had to struggle to remember what I'd seen. And I don't think I thought about it at all since the morning after. Sorry, Keith... Ratings:
I can't find my notes, so I'm not sure what everyone gave it. There was a general consensus that this movie was better than last week's. I disagreed with that consensus. Joe missed this session, but he would have given the movie a 10. You can deny it, but you know I'm right.
This song has been running through my head all week. OK, the week is still young. But anyway...
There's something enjoyably creepy about the opening line, "She reminds you of your mother in a dirty sort of way."
I think the first time I came across Five Chinese Brothers was at the Lonestar Roadhouse (which was a Midtown Manhattan music spot. They were opening for Mike Nesmith. Or maybe for the Beat Farmers. It's been long enough that I don't remember. But I liked them enough to buy all their albums -- at least I think I have all their albums.
A couple of other sidenotes:
I used to have a friend named George. We're not friends anymore, but that's another matter. George, had, briefly, been in a band with Paul Foglino of Five Chinese Brothers.
Years later Five Chinese Brothers' original drummer was, briefly, my daughter's guitar teacher.
None of the members of Five Chinese Brothers was Chinese.
I recently finished writing a song called "From Chelsea Street to Avon Road." It's a lamentation of lost youth and lost dreams.
The song had been a work in progress for several years -- I don't know. exactly how many, but I'm pretty sure it's more than five. I don't write songs fast. Anyway, I remember mentioning the idea to a colleague* when I first had the idea, so I happened to mention to him that I had finished it. Offhand comment. Not a big deal. Of course he didn't remember the earlier conversation, but that's beside the point.
I was describing the song to my colleague, and he made a quick quip about the concept. That quip gave me an idea for the bridge. I already had a bridge, but I felt that this idea was stronger. On the spot I wrote new lyrics for the bridge, based on what my colleague had said. I didn't use his words -- just the idea.
Now, strictly speaking, I can run merrily along with this. I don't owe him a co-writing credit or a share of the royalties (if there are ever royalties to be had, but I'm not holding my breath). An idea like that isn't subject to copyright. If he had actually written the lyrics for a new bridge, that would be a different matter.
But I want to be on the up and up (and I do work with him), so I asked if, assuming I use the new lyrics, does he want a co-writing credit. "Of course," he responded grinning like Cheshire Cat. I asked what percentage ownership he wanted. He said he'd get back to me.
Meanwhile, I did my own calculation.
The song is structured as verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, verse, chorus, extra chorus.** That's eight segments. The bridge, being one of these eight segments, is one eighth of the song.
The idea at hand affected the lyrics, not the melody. So we're talking about half the bridge. And we're down to one sixteenth.
But remember that my colleague didn't write the lyrics; he came up with the concept. Surely that makes the contribution less than if he had written the lyrics. On that basis, I'm going down to one thirty-second.
So, by reckoning, a fair offer is 3.125%. I would maintain an ownership share of 96.875%.
The next day he came back with his thought. He wants 41% of the song. As near as I can figure out, he came up with the figure because 41 is his wife's lucky number.
Unfortunately, he has been intransigent. He is firm at 41%. He has argued that the change would make the song a hit, so my choice is between 96.875% of nothing and 59% of millions of dollars. It's safe to say that his tongue was firmly planted in his cheek; he doesn't really believe there's any actual money to be made. The fact, there is potentially some money at stake -- I have been toying with the idea of recording an album. If I do so, and I include a song that he cowrote, I'd owe him a share of royalties. I don't know the numbers, but if I were to press a thousand copies, the difference between 3.125% and 41% could be $20 or so. It's not a lot of money, I'll admit. But the thought of signing over 41% and implicitly saying that he wrote nearly half the song bothers me. Even if it there's no money at stake.
So, sadly, I'm sticking with the bridge I had.
*To honor his wishes, I won't reveal his name here. Suffice to say you can't pronounce it without making sounds.
** Typical of how I've been writing songs recently, each occurrence of the chorus has different lyrics. They all end with the same anchor line or phrase, but they each get there differently. In that sense they're, lyrically, like verses. But melodically they act as choruses. So that's what I'm calling them.
Back in 1975 Nick Lowe was under contract with United Artists -- a residual obligation from his days with Brinsley Schwarz. He wanted out.
So he recorded a high concept single -- a tribute to the Bay City Rollers. He figured that that UA would drop him. Well, UA loved it, and wanted a followup. It was released as a single (under the pseudonym "The Tartan Horde"). And it was a hit in Japan. Go figure.
I'm going with this now because I am reading Will Birch' entertaining biography of Nick Lowe, and this morning I read about how this single came to be.
Session: Karloff in the Age of Aquarius, Week 1 Movie: Corridors of Blood (1958) Directed by Robert Day
As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL
Plot: A devoted surgeon tries to develop anesthesia, but it gets him entangled in a web of murder. Hilarity ensues. Reaction: The most important thing that needs to be said about this movie is that it's a case study in false advertising. The screaming title and the trailer both sell it as an exploitation flick. But it was more intelligent and serious than that. CoB was addressing the subject of pain in surgery before the use of anesthesia. Because of that it reminded me of Preston Sturges' 1944 film, The Great Moment, which covered the same topic, albeit more seriously and more historically accurate. Boris Karloff did a great job starring as Dr. Bolton. Tortured by the pain he causes his patients, he tries to invent a method to numb the pain. But, experimenting on himself, he slowly becomes addicted. He did an admirable job portraying the Doctor's descent. But the show was stolen by Christopher Lee playing Resurrection Joe. His haunting performance was the high point. This exceeded my expectations by a wide margin.
I'm not sure how the idea came to me. But it did. That, according to what seems to be the consensus was a major spiritual failing on my part.
Maybe it was the fact that I had a container of kiwi fruit on my desk. And that I was hungry. At any rate, I started wondering what pizza would taste like with kiwi on it. I put it out on Facebook because, well, everyone knows that the best way to get a reliable answer is to throw the question out to a self-selecting mob.
The Facebook answers were largely in agreement, except for the couple of folks who thought of so-called "dessert pizza," everyone seemed to think that kiwi pizza sounded like a bad idea. But more -- it wasn't just bad food. It was some kind of spiritual transgression. Which meant I had to try it.
Bear in mind that I was thinking about pineapple pizza. That's a hotly debated topic in the pizza world, with traditionalists rejecting the idea --sort of like cinnamon raisin bagels raised to the tenth power. Myself, I'm not crazy about pineapple on pizza, but I find it edible. That said, pineapple and pizza both taste better if not mixed. At any rate, that was my model. Pineapple is a sweet but tangy fruit, and so is kiwi. Maybe they'd be OK together. And, over the phone, Blair reminded me that I have relatives who put cheddar cheese on apple pie. I don't find that at all appealing, but it's a similar concept -- a mixing of sweet and savory.
So, come lunchtime, I went out and got a couple slices. Then off to lunch with a colleague (who took one of the pictures) in Conference Room 16Q.**
I sliced up a kiwi and put some pieces on the end of one of the pizza slices -- I was all down for trying it, but I didn't want to ruin a whole slice in case it was vile.
The verdict? It wasn't terrible. It wasn't great, but it was edible. That whole tart/sweet combination was doing its thing. Sort of like pineapple pizza. I don't think I'll ever have it again -- if I want pizza and kiwi in the same meal, it's better to keep them separate.
What I'd love to know is how many of the people who reacted completely negatively to the idea also hate pineapple pizza?
*I won't reveal his name. Suffice to say he also likes food. **Yes, for real.
In my Tunesday post from this week, I explained at length why I wasn't going to attend the book signing for Will Birch's new tome, Cruel to Be Kind: The Life and Music of Nick Lowe.
So, well, I went.
Yesterday, during the day, I called the Strand and found out that I could get a refund for my tickets. I was really close to cancelling my reservation and taking the refund, but something was holding me back. Yeah, I didn;t want to wait for hours to make sure I had a seat, and I didn't want to stand for the whole event. And I was feeling let down, having learned that I wouldn't be able to get a picture with Nick. But I still really wanted to go. Nick is a natural raconteur, and Will Birch has proven himself a really good storyteller. So when the events guy on the phone said he could reserve two seats for me (Ethan would be tagging along as my plus-one), well, that sealed the deal.
And I'm really glad I went.
I didn't know if this was to be a Q&A, or a simple reading, or what. In the end, it was kind of a conversation guided by Alison Stewart. Nick and Will both displayed the easy humor of longtime friends who are willing to share ideas and tease each other good-naturedly. My favorite moment was when Nick mentioned that he wasn't sure if something made it into the book, and Will asked in a faux-accusatory tone, "So you haven't read it?"
Nick talked about various aspects of his life and career, attributing a lot of his success to luck, or at least the ability to cling to that which would help elevate him.
In answer to an audience question, Nick said that he and Dave Edmunds aren't in touch. He noted that Edmunds is a bit of a recluse (something which has become quite obvious to observant fans). He also said that Edmunds seems displeased with him, but he doesn't know why. I'm not terribly surprised, but it does sadden me. That said, it doesn't sound like the kind of blood feud that some fan sites describe.
But perhaps the most interesting parts of the conversation were when they talked about the process of putting it together. It seems as though Nick might not have agreed to cooperate if he had known the project would make it to fruition. And yet he had enough honesty to allow himself to be portrayed warts and all.
After the conversation, Nick performed "Cruel to Be Kind" and "Love Starvation." That alone was worth the price of admission.
(video by Nancy Laub)
But the big surprise was that Nick came out to chat with the fans, sign whatever was thrust his way, and even pose for pictures. And that's another reason I'm really glad I went. If I had cancelled my plans, based in part on word that he would not be posing for pictures, I would have been really pissed off today when I saw the fan page on Facebook filled with pictures from the event. Also, while waiting to meet Nick, I happened to meet Dave Edmunds' ex-wife. For whatever that's worth.
After Ethan took a bunch of pictures of Nick and me, Nick did a pretty good job of sizing up the obvious dynamics. "Hey, Ethan," he said, "I'm really sorry you had to come to this."
Always too honest for his own good, Ethan replied, "It wasn't so bad."
Nick concluded by noting that his son, Roy, would have responded similarly.
My only regret is that, having found that one of the stars of the evening was willing to go beyond what was promised, I didn't have the presence of mind to see if I could get a picture with Will Birch. Between his books, the songs he's written, the records he's produced, and (of course) the music he made aa a member of the Kursaal Flyers and of The Records, it would have been great to have gotten a picture with him.
For today, I'm actually going with a top-40 hit: Nick Lowe's "Cruel to Be Kind," in honor of Will Birch's new book, Cruel to Be Kind: The Life and Music of Nick Lowe. The book was actually release late last month, but I don't have a copy yet. Will Birch and Nick Lowe are scheduled to do a book event at the Strand in downtown Manhattan this evening. Ethan and I have tickets -- I ordered two tickets that come with an autographed copy of the book -- for less money, tickets are available that don't come with a copy of the book. But we won't be there.
I was really looking forward to this, but then this past weekend I got an email from the Strand with the rules for the event.
Nick Lowe won't be signing the book (since he didn't write it). No pictures with Nick Lowe, or with Will Birch (though you can take candids of the latter while he talks. Will Birch will not sign anything except his book. Nick Lowe will not sign anything. Now, I actually get all of this. These guys are entertainers, but they don't owe us anything. If they go down the road of taking photos and signing anything, then they'll be there forever. Still and all, the curt email put a sour taste in my mouth.
But the big thing is the seating -- or, should I say lack of seating. The email noted that there will be limited seating, with most attendees standing. Had I known that, I wouldn't have bothered reserving a spot in the first place. If I am standing through the event, I will be uncomfortable and won't enjoy it. To avoid standing, I need to go early and have a good place in line. But I don't want to waste an hour or two waiting around. The email did include an email address for those who need a seat for medical reasons. But framing my discomfort with standing as a medical need? Maybe I'd be able to get away with it; I doubt they'd require certification. But I just can't do that in good conscience.
Anyway, I won't enjoy that.
Blair made a call for me, and learned that if I don;t show up I have a week to pick up the autographed book. If I don't, then they'll refund my money. So I ordered the book on Amazon, and in a week I'll get a refund from the Strand. Two lucky fans who cares more about autographs than I do will get to buy those autographed copies.
I'll admit that there's part of me that feels bad about this. Nick Lowe is one of my favorite musicians. I could go on and on about what I like about his (and Birch's) songwriting, production, and music. And I have one of Birch's previous books, No Sleep Till Canvey Island. He is a first rate raconteur, so I'll bet the talk will be interesting.
But the standing.
I've been to lots of book signings, readings, Q&A's, etc. In a lot of venues (though admittedly never at the Strand). I have never had to stand through any of them. I'm not interested in doing it now. And if that's what one is in for at the Strand, then I won't be making reservations at any of their events in the future.
Finally, just to be clear, this should not be read as a protest or a boycott. I still like Nick Lowe's music, and I fully expect to enjoy the book. If you're OK with standing, then by all means go to this event or events like it. But it's not for me.
Session: I Want my Mummy, Week 4* Movie: Dawn of the Mummy (1979) Directed by Frank Agrama
As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL
Plot: A bunch of Americans visiting Egypt for a photoshoot find themselves chased by some zombie-like mummies. Hilarity ensues. Reaction: The defining thing about Dawn of the Mummy is that it's really a zombie movie dressed up as a mummy movie. In fact, Keith warned us in advance that it was a ripoff of 1978's Dawm of the Dead. Now, I never saw that particular zombie movie But, well, yeah...the mummies in Dawn (the one we just saw) are essentially zombies in an Egyptian setting and with a mummy backstory. And that's not the only way that this movie had an identity problem. As the prologue begins, the movie looks and sounds like a spaghetti western. Then it feels like a porn, before settling down as a slow-moving horror film. And that's another problem; too much time goes by with too little action. Eventually, it does pick up, and there's a lot going on at the climactic scenes. But at that point there's too much going on and the fast cuts make it hard to focus on anything. All that isn't to say that there's nothing to like; the movie does have some good moments, though they're generally backloaded to the end of the film. And there are two actors who look like third rate Adrians Zmed. The class was in general agreement about the movie being somewhat lacking. Joe in particular was clear about not liking it. So please see the footnote regarding his rating
Ratings:
Me: 6 Dave: 8.5 Ethan: 6
Joe: 9** Sean: 2 out of 4
*Sadly I missed week 3, which was The Mummy's Shroud. **In Joe's rating system, in-genre movies start at 9. This, a truly horrendously bad horror movie gets a 9.
In honor of September, I present "September Gurls" by Big Star. This song is better known by The Bangles' cover version, and I prefer that done by The Searchers.But I figured I'd go with Big Star's version since it was their song.
Now, if someone can explain to me why they spelled "girls" with a "u"...
