At The Cinema: Breakdancing as Far as the Eye Can See

In addition to a whole mess of anime and Katt Williams specials, i somehow found myself watching the original Breakin' movie about three times whilst resting up the past couple of weeks. OK, i feel asleep while it was on more than actually, intently watching it, but it's really only about three or four dance scenes anyway, right? And while the cable channels apparently think it's fine to taunt viewers with Epi One, only to NOT show Breakin' II: Electric Boogaloo, i personally find it borderline criminal. And while i'm not going to be hosting the entirety of either flick here at LET, that doesn't mean i can't post a few tracks for the community's enjoyment.

Essentially, it's the story of a couple of street dancers hooking up with a rich, white chick who helps the troubled, inner city youth take their moves to the next level of acceptance in the dance community. No, there's no confusion over Oscar overlooking any Thesbian talent here, but there are some dope moves, so you take the cheesey acting as the price of admission. Of particular interest to me is the fact that there's virtually no hip hop at all on either of these soundtracks, just a lot of dance heavy R&B. It's all good, though, because the movie does mark the first appearance of one Mr. Ice-T, so it's not all goofy BS. Which is nice.

Incidentally, i also caught Planet B-Boy this past weekend on a friend's recommendation. Whereas the Breakin' franchise was pure fiction (though we all wanna be Turbo, Ozone or Special K), Planet B-Boy was a documentary about the annual Battle of the Year breakdance dance-off held in Germany. At least according to this movie, it's the high water mark for breakdancers the world over. And get this, the U.S. isn't even a top three contender in these things. Anyway, not a bad look at the contest and the teams that made up that particular year, but it suffered badly from the whole reality TV phenomena wherein more focus is given to the teams than the actual dancing. i'd have preferred to see a lot more locking and popping and a lot less talking and jiving about living in South Korea, but to each, their own, i suppose. Unfortunately, i do not have any music to share from Planet B-Boy, but you inquisitive minds can find something, i'm sure.

So bust out your cardboard, load these tracks onto a cassette tape, blast the boom box, and let's get freaky, y'all.

mp3: Reckless (Chris "The Glove" Taylor and Ice-T from Breakin' OST)

mp3: There's No Stopping Us (Ollie & Jerry from Breakin' OST)

mp3: Body Work (Hot Streak from Breakin' OST)

mp3: Din Daa Daa (Original Mix) (George Kranz from Breakin' II: Electric Boogaloo OST)

mp3: I Don't Wanna Come Down (Mark Scott from Breakin' II: Electric Boogaloo OST)

Well, shit, i guess we do have time for a couple of Breakin' moves.

At The Cinema: Joy Division

I saw a preview for “Joy Division” while watching my DVD copy of Control for the first time. Naturally, I felt compelled to watch the documentary version of the dramatic version of the true story of Ian Curtis and Joy Division. Finally, it arrived in my Netflix queue. And it was so good, I kept it two nights, instead of my usual “watch it and return it” process.

Where the drama starring pretty young things was pretty bloody great, so too is the doc featuring the genuine articles.

We begin with a Marshall Berman quote (from All That Is Solid Melts Into Air), stark white text on a black screen: “To be modern is to find ourselves in an environment that promises us adventure, power, joy, growth, transformation of ourselves and the world – and at the same time that threatens to destroy everything we have, everything we know, everything we are.” These words ring true of so many, undoubtedly, but for our purposes, they certainly apply to Ian Curtis. But this film, unlike Control, is not just about Ian Curtis.

It’s as much about the city of Manchester as it is about the musicians she spawned: a “story of a city” as they say in the opening seconds. Vintage photos and news footage shape the impression of Manchester in the 70s as a grim, grimy, desolate modern wilderness, caked with the soot of industry and left to ruin, with giant apartment blocks going up one after the next adding to the soulless feel. It’s no wonder one of the greatest post-punk bands (and so many great, yet moody bands) emerged from the crumbling city.

Interspersed with tales of Manchester are the threads of the Joy Division story. The Sex Pistols gig did indeed inspire Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner to start a band, which they called Warsaw. Ian was next to join, followed by drummer Stephen Morris. The band was renamed Joy Division after something Sumner read in World War II-related book House of Dolls. Hearing these stories come from the mouths of those who were there really gives life to the legend, and additional testimony is added from Very Important Persons in the saga of Joy Division like Tony Wilson and Ian’s Belgian gal pal Annik Honoree. There’s tons of vintage footage from Joy Division gigs and TV appearances to hit home just how good a band this was. All in all, “Joy Division” is a touching, visually-stunning, important film about the doomed pioneers of post-punk, and a valentine to the musical legacy of Manchester.

At the Cinema: The Verve - This Is Music: The Singles 92-98

I've already mentioned my hunka hunka burning love for the Verve several times, so I'll try to gloss over being too gushy (though I make no promises).

"The Verve - This Is Music: The Singles 92-98" was released back in 2004, but I've been watching so much of it lately I figured I ought to tell you what makes it so appealing. Well, other than the Verve's hauntingly beautiful storm clouds of spacey shoegazing rock, that is.

The DVD includes 13 videos, arranged in seemingly random order (I've gotta admit, I would have preferred chronological, it would have made their progression visually much more interesting) and two audio-only tracks from the Best Of CD of the same name. But still, you get to see it all, from the early, Verve EP and A Storm in Heaven days of long-haired and crazy-eyed Mad Richard (Ashcroft) to the trendily-shorn Captain Rock years (Noel Gallagher's nickname for Ashcroft) of A Northern Soul and Urban Hymns.

Seeing all these videos in one collection reveals some interesting things, the first being that the band is basically the highlight of all the videos. Meaning, Richard, Nick, Simon, and Pete (and sometimes the other Simon) make up the vast majority of what you're looking at. Whether that's narcissism of happenstance isn't really the issue, but I did find it a bit unusual. The second major thing I noticed, because until I bought the DVD I hadn't ever seen older Verve videos, is that the really, really old ones (and to a certain extent the videos from A Northern Soul) recycle shot after shot after shot. I lost count of how many times certain scenes showed up, but perhaps they were just being budgetarily-minded and reusing the shots was justifiable that way.

On the other side of the coin, this is a pretty great DVD, especially if you're a little on the fanatical side (example: me). The videos aren't works of music clip genius, but there are several that really encapsulate the Verve: the older videos for "Slide Away", "She's A Superstar", and "Blue" are definitely some of the standouts. A little goofy in that early 90s way, these three videos are old Verve to the core. They're swirling, disjointed, sprawling, and occasionally over-saturated. And that's pretty much exactly how they ought to be. And the video for "On Your Own", the song that made me cry the first time (and many times after that) I heard it, is very well illustrated by its video, a very gloomy, muted affair. While I don't love most of the videos off of Urban Hymns, the band's last effort before their split in 1998, the video for "Bittersweet Symphony" will always be one of the most striking videos I've ever seen. There's nothing quite like watching a particularly gaunt Richard Ashcroft glaringly strut down a London street, scornfully ignoring everyone he happens to bump into on his jarring jaunt in his Clarks.

The Verve - This Is Music: Singles 92-98 is a must-have for Verve fans, and a worthwhile watch for even the most casual observer. When it comes right down to it, the thing about the Verve has always been that they've been more about the music than anything else. These videos are just another way to experience their divine musical presence.

At the Cinema: The Rolling Stones - Rock and Roll Circus

It's no secret, I'm a Stones gal all the way. Thusly, it should surprise absolutely not a single one of you to see that I'm writing about something to do with said most awesome band to ever walk the face of the Earth (in my humble opinion, of course). The only surprise is that it's taken me this long to write about a Stones-related flick. But here we go, ladies and gentlemen, at long last, with the one, the only, "Rock and Roll Circus".

My first thought upon watching the intro to the Circus, when the performers parade out performing a circus march amongst a group of acrobats and clowns and what have you was "gee, it sure would have been swell to be around in 1968". This isn't really the kind of thing the kids are throwing together these days, and certainly not involving bands of this caliber (in addition to the Stones, the Rock and Roll Circus features performances by Jethro Tull, the Who, Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and the Dirty Mac).

See Roger Daltrey's amazing fringed outfit! Marvel at Pete Townshend's blue, blue eyes and silly faces during his closeups! Gaze at the dapper figure cut by your ringmaster, Mick Jagger! Stare in awe at the macrame sweater worn by Eric Clapton!

The performances are all pretty darned good, but especially impressive are Jethro Tull's "Song for Jeffrey", Taj Mahal's "Ain't That a lot of Love", and every single song done by the Stones (with Brian Jones), particularly "No Expectations". The Dirty Mac, super sideproject, also nailed "Yer Blues", but I'll admit I could have done without the Yoko howling in their second number.

It's a bold, colorful, delightfully lo-fi one ring circus. Musical performances are peppered with actual circus routines (bar acrobatics and playing with fire, anyone?). The audience is a representation of Swinging London, decked out in satin orange and yellow robes and having a grand ole time, especially the far out dancers during "Jumpin' Jack Flash". The camera shots are frequently choppy and sometimes flat out silly. And it's perfect. There was some kinda magic going on in December of 1968, and it's lucky for those of us that weren't there that someone caught it on camera.

At the Cinema: Across the Universe

Since my good partner, Ms. Terrible, opted to write about a Beatles-inspired-though-not-actually-featuring-any-Beatles movie, I thought, hell, I can name that tune, too. So let's talk about Julie Taymor's Across the Universe. The movie itself has nothing to do with the Beatles themselves, but the entire soundtrack is composed of Beatles songs, so there's your link right there.

ATU aspires to be a musical of the old fashioned sort, with characters breaking into song for no particular reason at any and all moments, in seemingly unlikely locations. If you've seen any of Taymor's other works, either on-stage or on-screen, you probably know that you're going to get elaborate sets, big numbers and a whole lot of oddity that never quite resolves itself. Don't expect many deviations from that track record here.

The story focuses primarily on three characters, conveniently named after various characters in assorted songs from the Fab Four's catalogue, namely Jude, Max, and Lucy. And then there are the secondary characters, Sadie, Prudence, and a variety of others. The plotline follows this motley crew throughout the turbulent 60s, blah, blah, blah. The main storyline follows Max getting drafted, Jude escaping to the US to become an artist and avoid actually growing up, and Lucy becoming a war protester. The subplotlines deal with Prudence dealing with being a lesbian, Sadie and Jo-Jo dealing with stardom and their interracial romance, and a bunch of stuff involving various drugs throughout. Essentially, Taymor hits on all the stereotypical figures of the 60s. As a fully realized story, this flick is a bit of a miss. It's really more of a series of character sketches, but we're not here to talk about the movie itself, are we? Hells no, here at LET, we're all about the tunes. Or some such thing.

A couple of the actors have truly phenomenal voices, particularly Jim Sturgess (Jude), Martin Luther (Jo-Jo) and T. V. Carpio (Prudence). Of course, Luther and Carpio are only given a song or two each, but what can you do? They arguably are the best songs on the soundtrack. Sturgess does the amazing and actually sounds British when he sings. I've often wondered why nobody in England sings in an English accent. And now I know they can. I'm torn over the vocal stylings of Dana Fuchs (Sadie). She has a strong, coarse voice, and it's no surprise she once played Janis Joplin off-Broadway. If anything, she may have a bit too much grit for the songs she's given, but there's no doubting that she has one helluva set of pipes on her.

Did you want cameos by famous people? Well, ATU has those, too. Selma Hayek has a "so quick you'll miss it if you blink" role as a nurse in an apparent acid-induced fever dream. Bono plays a Timothy Leary knock off, Dr. Robert (natch), and is given the closing credits number, too. Most surprising, though, is a miscast Eddie Izzard as Mr. Kite, apparently the Ken Kesey counterpart. My god, the man is funny as all get out, but cannot carry a tune in a bucket. Interestingly enough (or not), he's also the only character allowed to add some improvised lines to his titular song. Hands down, though, the cameo highlight is Joe Cocker alternately playing a pimp and a bum while cranking out "Come Together." Sadly, Joe nailed the bum look. Still it's nice to see the genius still can belt 'em out, and that he's getting occasional work.

Is this a movie you need to rush out and see? Meh. Your call. If you do, while LET does not encourage drug use, I certainly couldn't argue that it wouldn't increase your enjoyment of this one. The soundtrack, however, does deserve a listen or two, particularly the tracks/singers highlighted above.

At the Cinema: The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour Memories

Hello, my name is Megan, and I’m a sucker for rock docs.

The latest installment in this mild infatuation of mine is the nostalgia-laden look at one of rock history’s most unusual roadtrips, “The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour Memories”. And while it’s well known that I prefer the Stones in musical realms, there’s no denying the overwhelming power of the Beatles when it comes to myths and legends and lore.

Sure, this documentary isn’t a big-budget affair. You’re not going to see the surviving Beatles sitting down for candid interviews about their “Magical Mystery Tour” experiences. But instead, it’s full of what you might never have thought of - the memories of others: press officers, family, journalists, and locals who found themselves in the fantastical path of that wacky yellow bus and those four legendary Liverpudlian boys. You’ll hear from Paul’s brother about the beginnings of the movie, and the local eggman of Newquay who had his van photographed by the Beatles.

It’s also an informative flick: I for one never knew where and why the name Death Cab for Cutie came from, but now I (and you) can rest easy. It’s a song by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, chosen to be in the “Magical Mystery Tour” movie by John Lennon. Either that, or the DCFC boys saw the same vintage true crime mag that inspired the Bonzo boys. Either way, it all appeals to the music history nerd in me.

Through rarely seen images and video clips, and radio interview segments, the film draws a clear picture of the experience not only for the band, but more so for those along for the ride. The one thing that could have been bettered would be the music, as the original versions of the songs were not used (I’m guessing because the price was too high). It’s a small point, though, and all in all, the doc is yet another thing for all you Beatles fans to sink your teeth into.

At the Cinema: Control

"Control" is a band biopic, a love story, a tragedy. It is uber director Anton Corbijn's homage to and interpretation of the myth of Joy Division, a stark black and white opus powerful in its bleak austerity. Mostly, it is the story of Ian Curtis, whose tragically brief story is fairly well-known at this point, though Corbijn's thoughtful flick gives new insight into the troubled, doomed Curtis.

"Control" is a fitting name for the film, because in addition to the song "She's Lost Control" being one of Joy Division's best-known songs, the theme of control is central. Be it Ian's control over his destiny, his lack of control over his health and his fate, the control Curtis' familial obligations have over him as his story unfolds, and ultimately the lack of control anyone has in saving Curtis from himself.

We first see Curtis, played brilliantly by Sam Riley, as a teenager, nicking pills from elderly ladies and swanning about in his bedroom to David Bowie. After proposing in a sun-dappled pastoral scene, young Ian marries his school sweetheart Debbie (Samantha Morton), and they move into a small house together. At this point, the movie sunlit and bright, as was Curtis' future. Inevitably, darkness begins creeping in with Ian's diagnosis of epilepsy and subsequent prescription-related problems. Cracks also appear in Ian and Debbie's marriage, despite the birth of a daughter. Curtis meets and falls in love with Belgian fanzine writer Annik, who seems to represent the opposite of Ian's safe, predictable life in gray Macclesfield. As with most, this love triangle doesn't end well.

It's all there, Joy Division's first television appearance, the contract with Factory Records written in blood by Tony Wilson, the announcement of the U.S. tour, and Curtis' dark final few hours watching Werner Herzog. But in addition to what we already knew, Corbijn deftly presents a portrait of an artist as a young man, a troubled soul in turmoil, and a gifted singer with incredible talent. It's an incredibly sad story, and the glimpses of happiness are rendered that much more acute when pitted against so much gloom and doom. It's perfectly acted, perfectly shot, and just about flat-out perfect. "Closer" is a must for anyone who loves Joy Division, and pretty much anyone who likes great movies. If you're anything like me, though, make sure you've got some tissues handy.

At The Cinema: Oasis – Morning Glory: A Classic Album Under Review

There was a period in my life (1995-1997) when Oasis was It for me. The sun rose and set with the Gallaghers, and I was certain that “Wonderwall” was the best song I’d ever heard. Sometimes I look back on that era fondly; the tracksuits, Cool Britannia, the nastiness with Blur, the Wibbling Rivalry.

Oasis – Morning Glory: A Classic Album Under Review, gives an in-depth look at the making, and myth, behind the most famous Oasis album. It’s narrated by a panel of experts, including a pair of musician peers (Clint Boon of the Inspiral Carpets and Nigel Clark of Dodgy) and a handful of music scribes from NME, Q, Mojo, etc;. I would have loved to see input from Creation Records guru (and He Who Signed Oasis) Alan McGee, or from A-list contemporaries of the Britpop oeuvre.

The structure of the DVD follows as you might expect. First, the scene is set, with the panel members and narrator guiding us through the aftermath of debut album Definitely Maybe and setting the scene in a historical sense. The album is then dissected, track-by-track. In addition to the panel interviews, the documentary includes some pretty good live footage of the band in various concerts, playing bits of the track being discussed.

I even learned something new while opening track “Hello” was discussed, in terms of production; Morning Glory used a production technique called “brickwalling” or “soundwalling,” wherein every instrument is turned up as high as possible. The panel opines that this type of production, perfected by producer Owen Morris, was quite helpful for the Oasis sound. And while the “Roll With It” versus Blur’s “Country House” singles battle was largely a hype machine production, it’s well known that the two leaders of the respective bands (Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn) genuinely don’t like each other.

During a discussion about “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” the talk turns to Noel’s well-known propensity towards borrowing from others, in this case John Lennon’s “Imagine.” It wasn’t the first time, and it wasn’t the last time. Some attention is given to the famous Oasis A-side B-side thing; Gallagher had a stockpile of songs that could very well have been A-sides, but he stuck them on singles as B-sides. The strongest examples of these are the beloved tracks “Acquiesce” and “The Masterplan.”

I was pleased to see the inspiration for the song “Cast No Shadow” wasn’t ignored. Noel famously dedicated that song to the Verve’s frontman Richard Ashcroft in the album’s liner notes, and had at one point dubbed Ashcroft “Captain Rock.” In my opinion, Gallagher might have had the greater success, but Ashcroft wrote the better songs. Title track “Morning Glory” evidently has a more American sound, and was thusly released as a single on these shores. There are some nifty extras on the DVD, including a segment called “Oasis Meet Blur – The Joint Interview,” and “The Hardest Interactive Oasis Quiz in the World Ever.” The interviewer is ridiculous, but overall it’s hilarious.

Sure, the documentary tends to feel a bit low-budget, especially when stock video footage of rolling studio tape or mixing boards are used, and with the lack of Big Name panel members. For the most part, however, the use of lots of period photos, snippets of radio interviews, and the live footage make up for scrimping elsewhere. It’ll take you back to the time when Oasis was top of the heap and the Gallaghers were the feudal lords or Britpop. If you were an Oasis completeist who insisted on buying those ridiculous, Benson & Hedges carton shaped singles boxes (which I'm guilty of), this one’s for you. Put on your tracksuit jacket, your slightly baggy jeans, and Lennon sunglasses, and enjoy.