blue screen, silver screen

A modest journal of movies, television, video, fame, shame, books, arts and entertainment.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Iggy Pop, On 120 Minutes and On Vinyl

Check out Iggy Pop circa 1986, in the Cry For Love video, as played on 120 minutes. I like Ig's answer to Dave Kendall's question at the end there:



Here's the song, from my vinyl collection (as you will soon be able to tell):

Iggy Pop - Cry For Love

Looks like the original album is out of print, but there's a good compilation out if you'd like to buy.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Take Care, My Brother, Take Care


Mrs. West just got a Walker Brothers compilation, which includes the title song from the British film Deadlier Than The Male. The song is great, and it matches the fun, show-bizzy quality of the film. The film is a sort of James Bond knockoff from 1966, featuring female assassins played by Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina. It's a lot of fun, this movie. I was introduced to it while watching Quentin Tarantino's week of programming on the cable channel Trio. That female assassin thing worked out well for him in Kill Bill.

So here's the song:

Walker Brothers - Deadlier Than The Male mp3

Here's the Walker Bros. CD and the DVD of the film if you want to pick them up. Cheers.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Superchunk: Look, Listen, Buy


I love Superchunk. Ever since I heard the Tossing Seeds tape I've been hooked. I especially love their singles. Here's one called Watery Hands. Please proceed to look at the video, listen to the mp3 and then buy the CD.

Look:



Listen:

Superchunk - Watery Hands mp3

It's a funny, interesting video. Is that why MTV didn't show it much? Also, I'm pretty sure David Cross and Janeane Garofalo don't actually play keys on the song. Yeah.

Buy:

Watery Hands [CD Single] [EP]

Friday, May 19, 2006

Captain Kaman and Gnarls Barkley



We've been watching tons of NBA playoff games on TNT and ESPN and ABC. I'm rooting for the LA Clippers. I love their center, Chris Kaman. He reminds me of Captain Caveman. Observe the photos. There's something about the names and the hair.

After the game we watch Inside The NBA on TNT to see what the very opinionated Charles Barkley has to say. This leads to our next feature. Check out the very trippy video for the song Crazy by Gnarls Barkley:

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Fare Thee Well, Gentle Friend...

Goodbye Marissa Cooper. I'm going to miss your big eyes, bad posture and danger-prone lifestyle. Sigh. You were one of the best things about The OC.

By the way, I couldn't help but notice you pawned your pearl necklace in my neighborhood, downtown Torrance (The LAC). Strange. Anyway, best of luck to you in the afterlife.

What will Mischa Barton do next? I'm sure her publicist will let us all know soon. In the meantime, here's a great song about the afterlife. I'm basically an atheist but this song still makes me cry:

Steve Earle - Pilgrim

You can buy the Steve Earle here. Farewell Marissa. Hey, one last thing. You are really dead, right?

Monday, May 15, 2006

A Case Of The Hives


This weekend, while lost in the seemingly random world of HDTV on cable, we were lucky enough to catch the concert special called The Hives, Live From Las Vegas. Great band. Great show. Great suits. It's The Hives circa 2005, rocking like it's 1965. The singer is right: You love The Hives. The new CD is great, but how about a classic track for now:

The Hives - Hate To Say I Told You So

First the Dutch. Now the Swedes. Got mad love for Northern Europe these days.

Friday, May 12, 2006

A Dutch Film, And Yes It's Weird


Last night I watched The Vanishing, a Dutch film from 1988. It's been many years since I've seen it, so it was like watching it for the first time. It's a very good film about a man obsessed with the disappearance of his girlfriend. Years after the event he launches a campaign to find her and to have her abductor step forward so he can understand what happened to her. I won't give away the story in full, but I will tell you the boyfriend and the abductor share the problem of obsession.

In a way this is a horror film, about the horror of uncertainty, meaninglessness, lack of knowing. If the boyfriend could only know what happened to his girlfriend, then he could get over it. There is also a strange kind of horror in watching the abductor joyously research and rehearse the kidnapping. He spends hours each day in fine-tuning his plan, as if he's an ordinary hobbyist.

The Dutch. They bring something special, something new. How do they do it? Perhaps a listen to the Shocking Blue will help us understand. Nirvana covered this song. This is the original:

Shocking Blue - Love Buzz

Tot ziens.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

More Love For Blondie


I'm still on a Blondie bender. Here's a few favorite tracks:

Blondie - Dreaming

Blondie - Union City Blue

Blondie - In The Flesh

If memory serves, the second track above was used well in the Oliver Stone horror film The Hand, circa 1981.

Okay enough film trivia. Now just dig the Blondie.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

I Am In Love With Debbie Harry!

I saw this video on VH1 Classics this weekend. I love Blondie. I love Debbie Harry. She is the pop icon of pop icons. I am totally in love with her coolness, style, poise, voice, everthing. Don't tell my girlfriend!

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Dig On The Brian Jonestown Massacre


A few days ago Mrs. West and I watched a DVD called Dig, about the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols. Dig is a damn good documentary of the two bands and their very different personalities and career choices. BJM chooses independent record labels, self-destruction, violence and very good music while the Dandys choose a major label, careerism, peace and hit-making. Ah but that's an oversimplification. Still, I have to hand it to Brian Jonestown Massacre for doing it their way. They're real rebels, as the lyrics to this song show:

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Wasting Away

I was also fortunate enough to see BJM play a gig recently. Here's a personal account. Dig it.