The Offbeat Marquee: Film and TV Reviews

INTRODUCTION It's probably best that we dial things down and finally get around to talking about something I mention in the description of this godforsaken blog: TV! Namely 80s British children's programming! There's one major reason why I've chosen this unnaturally specific arena of the small screen...I grew up on it. Through the power of the internet, DVDs, and even syndicated broadcasts in the US in some instances, I was able to experience what kids from London to Lancaster watched during the days of Thatcher and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. And I ate that stuff right up as a tot. There was something unique about English programming in general at the time. There was a certain homeliness to it. It was as if you return to your house or flat, turn on the tube, but it was catching an episode of Last of the Summer Wine or Only Fools & Horses that truly made you feel like you were at home. When it comes to kid's programming, I find that the UK is

INTRODUCTION Akira Kurosawa is likely one of the most important filmmakers of the 20th century. Through his feudal films, we saw the works of Shakespeare reborn and new tales that have been told for decades. Through his modern day exploits, we looked into the heart of humanity at the time, peering into the souls of many. In his 1985 latter-day masterpiece Ran , we saw the best of both worlds. This is likely one of the most powerful pieces of film I've ever seen. I simply can't fathom one word against it. So I am going to bring you all on a tour of the elements of Ran , and how they are absolutely astonishing in execution and affect. Now this review will delve into mild spoilers, nothing too serious, but I highly recommend that you all watch this masterful film prior to reading. But if you do read through this, I hope it compels you to watch this gargantuan marvel of a motion picture, or heck, even rewatch it on account of this. STORY Akira Kurosawa's Ran is a 198

INTRODUCTION If there was ever a niche genre of film that I could simply watch whenever I want, without needing to be in a certain mood, it would have to be the iconic Japanese genre of  daikaijū   eiga. I love the emphasis of practical visual effects, the raucous musical scores, and the pure surrealistic qualities of the concepts presented in these films. One of the titans of the genre is Toho, the company behind the legendary Godzilla franchise. Begun and initially helmed by producer Tomoyuki Tonaka, director Ishirō Honda, special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya, and composer Akira Ifukube, this long-running science fiction franchise became the international face of the genre. But these men were also at work on other projects in the genre that weren't attached to the Big G. In 1966, the crew at Toho would produce one of the most unique  daikaijū   eiga committed to celluloid, the tale of two Frankenstein monsters (yeah, you read that right) wreaking havoc across Japan know

INTRODUCTION When I first saw The Hustler  on TCM, the 1961 pool hall drama starring a young Paul Newman alongside legends like Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, and George C. Scott, I was rather impressed. I loved its mustiness, Kenyon Hopkin's snazzy score, and the knockout performances by all, and I shall hopefully get around to taking a stab at The Hustler at a later date. So when I learned of a sequel, decades later, but helmed by the one, the only, the cinematic titan Martin Scorsese, my curiosity was more than just peaked. And so I come today to divulge my thoughts on the story of Paul Newman, back at it again as now former hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson, his surprise protégé Tom Cruise, and Cruise's girlfriend, the fiery Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, in Scorsese's 1986 flick, The Color of Money . PROS So there's is a lot to unpack with this film. Does Newman still have it in him to bring back to life the "Fast Eddie" Felson character? H

INTRODUCTION  I must say this: I'm a fan of Ralph Bakshi, and I'm a fan of music. So put the two together, and that's a recipe for one happy me. And here to deliver the goods is the 1980 animated opus, American Pop , a tale of four generations of talent where only one comes out on top. THE PROS Okay then, where to begin with a piece like this? How about something along the lines of, "My God was that freaking amazing!" Those words were the first out of my mouth after having watched it, and those are words I stand by. I was blown away by this piece for how unashamedly ambitious it was. Conceptually, Ronni Kern's screenplay is an ingenious one, telling the tale of four men whose lives are intertwined with that of the music of their time, showing how sometimes honest-to-God hard work can all be for not, and success can sometimes come from what could be viewed as an "undignified" gateway. The stories are all reasonably developed, at least

Well then, this is new... INTRODUCTION So I am an insane fan of Bernard Herrmann. I will watch a crap film just to hear one of his scores, and I can be sucked into a brilliant film even deeper through his brilliant sense of "musical psychology," an odd term I'll use to describe how Herrmann suggested ideas and spun narratives solely through the power of the film score. And to celebrate the legend's birthday, I thought we would tackle the big score of Herrmann's iconic collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock, Vertigo . I call this one the biggie as, while Psycho definitely is a masterpiece in and of itself, Vertigo is one of the most complex and highly regarded film scores ever. And, it serves as just one of the great elements of the twisted tale of obsession woven in such a way as to create one of the most highly regarded films of all time. The man of the hour, American composer Bernard Herrmann BACKGROUND First, I believe setting the stage migh