Mr. Gorman
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Posts posted by Mr. Gorman
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@HALLOWS. I've heard BLACK OAK ARKANSAS's snarly version of "Taxman" more times than I can keep track of. That's the version I've listened to for almost 30 years. It's on their compilation album I bought in 1990 (or was it '91?) when I was still in high school ("THE BEST OF BLACK OAK ARKANSAS/Atco"). On a cassette tape. I still have the tape after almost 3 decades. It plays! I don't know when I found out that "Taxman" writer 'G. Harrison' was George Harrison of 'BEATLES' fame or when I finally heard Harrison's original recording. I never followed THE BEATLES growing up or when I became an adult. Nothing personal against THE BEATLES; I just had lots of other music to listen to first. To me, 'G. Harrison' could've been any songwriter.
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Did George Harrison write "Taxman" while he was still a member of THE BEATLES?
Also, has anyone else ever listened to the snarliest version of "Taxman" ever recorded? You'd be hard-pressed to find a nastier version of "Taxman" than what Black Oak Arkansas recorded in 1975. Jim 'Dandy' Mangrum screeching at the end adds a nice touch.
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The first movie that came to mind when I read that Harriet Frank, Jr. had died was the 1972 MGM movie THE CAREY TREATMENT. She co-wrote the script with her husband and the pseudonym 'James P. Bonner' was used on the screen credit. I guess that made sense; Michael Crichton had written the book the movie was based on and he'd used a pseudonym 'Jeffery Hudson'.
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Four of my favorite soundtracks are from the movies WHITE LIGHTNING (1973), GATOR (1976), TRACKDOWN (1976), A SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS (1976). It's no coincidence I like the scores so much; all 4 films were scored by Charles Bernstein. Also, I do believe the song that comes on at the end of WHITE LIGHTNING called "Way Down Under" was sung by Jerry Whitman, who also sang the opening theme "In The City" or "You're In The City" at the beginning of TRACKDOWN.
→ I ♥ the opening theme to SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES by Marvin Hamlisch. I go to YouTube to listen to it.
I very much like Les Baxter's music score for THE BEAST WITHIN (1982). Brings a sense of instant foreboding to the proceedings.
The 1970 Peter Sellers/Sinead Cusack drama HOFFMAN has a music score I fancy + the opening song as vocalized by Matt Munro. I even bought the 45' rpm single for it. Wasn't cheap, either.
And the theme music for the John Carpenter movies HALLOWEEN and ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13.
I can't help but like the cheap musical score provided by Shorty Rogers for the low-budget 1974 movie THE TEACHER with Angel Tompkins and Jay "Dennis the Menace" North. Lounge music score extraordinaire! And then director Howard (Hikmet) Avedis went on to make THE SPECIALIST (1975) and I liked that score, too. With a theme song by Lou Rawls.
And John Cacavas's score for MORTUARY (another Howard/Hikmet Avedis film). Admittedly, Cacavas had used a very similar-sounding score for the 1981 Tv movie suspenser NO PLACE TO HIDE (aka: "Soon, Amy, Soon"). Much like Maurice Jarré used a very similar-sounding score for RYAN'S DAUGHTER (1970) and then 1984's A PASSAGE TO INDIA.
Can't forget NOW, VOYAGER's score, either.
I'm sure I've left some music scores off the list above because they've temporarily slipped my mind. Gotta think some more . . .
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One could also make a good case that Sammy Davis, Jr. was one of the busiest performers of all-time. He didn't slow down. I know that James Brown was/is referred to as "The Hardest-Working Man In Show Business", but there were some other entertainers who stayed very busy. Like Sammy. And David Janssen as well. Janssen worked himself to death at age 48.
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Forget THE BEATLES . . . "The Chinch Bugs" were a better band. They had a big hit with "Eatin' Grass Insteada Smokin' It" and their follow-up song "Don't Bring RAID To Our Concerts" was pretty good, too.
I believe Sammy Davis, Jr. was one of the greatest entertainers of all-time, but I don't know that there's any way to definitively say one particular performer was 'THE BEST'.
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I appreciate the thought, LawrenceA. I didn't go away on purpose. The truth is my computer system was so archaic that I was finally forced to update it. One day quite a while back the Turner Classic Message Boards would simply not come up on my computer in a way that I could type out replies. I cannot explain why. I just don't know. However, about 10 days ago I obtained a new computer and now things are speedier and I can type out replies on TCM's message board among other things. I would've kept using Windows 7 forever if I could have, but it seems that Microsoft was finally stopping security updates. I kept getting these notices that, effective January 14, 2020, Microsoft was ending support for Windows 7 and my heavy tower of a computer unit was not compatible with Windows 10. So I went out and bought a mini-tower that was already loaded up with Windows 10. And here I am.
I have JABBERWOCKY, too, but on an aging RCA/Columbia Home Video VHS tape released in 1984. I watched it a few months ago. First time I'd seen JABBERWOCKY in years. The humble tape still motors along nearing age 36. I suspect the Columbia tape would not look like the Blu-Ray in terms of 'picture'.
TRACKDOWN (1976) never was released on VHS in the USA. It was one of those United Artists releases (like VIGILANTE FORCE and WINDOWS) that never got released here, but did get put out on video in the UK, Australia and Germany in the PAL-format. I have a copy of "Trackdown" from all 3 countries. The UK VHS release from 1986 was edited by order of the BBFC. The scene were Karen Lamm gets severely beaten by the rich guy with the glove was shortened by 35 seconds.
As for HYSTERICAL (1983), the DVD features a scene that I did not see on the Embassy VHS or on HBO. (The first time I saw "Hysterical" was on HBO when I was 11). Years later I snagged a VHS tape from Embassy Home Entertainment. I accidentally messed up the tape several years after that so then I decided to get the DVD if it was reasonably priced. It was at the time. I noted an extra scene lasting several minutes on the disc. The townsfolk who have now turned to zombies (including Clint Walker, Murray Hamilton and Bud Cort) are wearing turtleneck sweaters all dancing and walking around a carnival singing a ditty titled "Zomboogie". In the credits of the old VHS tape this song is still listed and so is an end credit for the 'lead zombie dancer' . . . but the scene isn't there. But it was restored for the disc. I reckon it was a case of a last-minute, pre-release cut thought to speed up the movie's pacing. Anyway, that's my guess as to why that particular scene was edited just prior to release.
STINGRAY . . . the tone of this movie is all over the place. There's comedy, there's cuss words, there's shooting. There's death. And more shooting. And Sherry Jackson sets a guy on fire who makes a pass at her in a bar. Rated [PG] at the time, tho! Probably would not get a 'PG' by the standards of 2020.
I'm always looking for more video goodies to round up. And a few DVD's, too. Like I noticed recently that William Richert's original cut of "A Night In the Life of Jimmy Reardon" was available on disc under its original title "Aren't You Even Going To Kiss Me Goodbye?". I have that on my radar to buy!
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Happy belated birthday to BETTY WHITE. Hope she stays busy as a bee!
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Greetings, speedracer. I hope you enjoy tracking down some of these NYC movies for your viewing enjoyment.
I remember Looking for Mr. Goodbar, speedracer. Tom Berenger was not the innocent young man Diane Keaton thought he was.
One '70s action movie that took place in both NYC and California was THE STONE KILLER (1973). Charles Bronson goes back-and-forth across the country in this violent action movie with a complicated plot.
I forgot these 2 New York City-based movies: WINDOWS (1980) -and- CRUISING (1980). I think THE FAN (1981) also took place in NYC.
Also, from what I've gathered CRUISING was hacked to bits because it was threatened with an [X]-rating by the MPAA multiple times. So the c/u/t/s just kept on coming.
CONNECTION, The (1973-Tvm) C-73m. This was released on VHS by VIDMARK Entertainment.
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ROBERT CULP certainly appeared in enough theatrical films to fill up a day of programming on TCM. And if Turner Classic is not able to get the rights to enough of his theatrical films to fill up 24 hours of programming then there's always his TV movies to fall back on.
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Speaking of busty ladies . . . I thought Joan Blondell was quite well-endowed in the 'upper frontal' department.
Speaking of the 1970 movie COVER ME BABE with Robert Forster. I tried to find that movie on video for years. Still no luck. It was released by CBS/Fox Video in England on a PAL-format VHS tape in 1983. I know someone over there who has it, but he's a flake. Flakier than me. Except I've never run across another person who owns it so I'm still on the hunt.
I like the theme of 'New York In The 1970s' . . . and that got me to thinking about NYC-based movies from 1968-82. TCM can't show all the '70s movies that take place in The Big Apple as there's too many to fit over 1 month of programming one evening a week so I thought to list some others in case anyone reading this is the mood to seek out more NYC-based films from this time period.
TOO SCARED TO SCREAM (1982) Not released until 1985.
STRANGER IS WATCHING, A (1982)
SMITHEREENS (1982)
WOLFEN (1981)
NIGHTHAWKS (1981)
FORT APACHE, THE BRONX (1981)
TIMES SQUARE (1980)
NIGHT OF THE JUGGLER (1980)
HEADIN' FOR BROADWAY (1980-Musical)
FIRST DEADLY SIN, The (1980)
FAME (1980-Musical)
EXTERMINATOR, The (1980)
DEFIANCE (1980) Jan-Michael Vincent versus nasty NYC street gang
WARRIORS, The (1979) Can you dig it?
SLOW DANCING IN THE BIG CITY (1978-Romance) Paul Sorvino portrays a "Jimmy Breslin"-like columnist. Anne Ditchburn plays a ballerina on her last legs. They meet.
KING OF THE GYPSIES (1978)
SHORT EYES (1977-Prison Flick) Shot at The Tombs in NYC.
SENTINEL, The (1977-Icky Horror!)
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (1977) Rated [R]. Also available in [PG]-rated version.
CONTRACT ON CHERRY STREET (1977-Tvm) Starring Frank Sinatra
GOD TOLD ME TO (1976-Horror) (Also known as "Demon").
DEADLY HERO (1976) Don Murray plays an edgy cop with a bad attitude. And he wastes James Earl Jones.
APPLE PIE (1976) → The 1980 movie "Fame" copies the 'Dancing On The Street" sequence from this obscure film. Irene Cara is one of the dancers in this film, btw.
WILLIE DYNAMITE (1974) Last film of Diana Sands (1934-73).
LAW AND DISORDER (1974)
DEATH WISH (1974)
HELL UP IN HARLEM (1973)
COPS AND ROBBERS (1973)
BLADE (1973) John Marley is an aging NYC cop; Jon Cypher is a NYC psycho killer. 'Nuff said.
BADGE 373 (1973)
GODFATHER, The (1972)
GANG THAT COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT, The (1971)
FRENCH CONNECTION, The (1971)
DESPERATE CHARACTERS (1971-Drama)
WHERE'S POPPA? (1970) A politically-incorrect black comedy. There's 2 different endings to this movie, btw. → The KEY VIDEO VHS tape I have has the altered theatrical ending. The MGM VHS tape I also bought as a spare turned out to have the original, un-altered ending to finish the movie. I did not expect that, but there it is.
LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS (1970-Comedy/Drama) Film debut of a freckle-faced Diane Keaton.
MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969) Hard to believe this movie is now over 50 years old . . .
DETECTIVE, The (1968) Frank Sinatra, Lee Remick, Al Freeman, Jr. , Ralph Meeker, Jack Klugman, Lloyd Bochner, William Windom and Jacqueline Bisset.
COOGAN'S BLUFF (1968) Policeman Clint Eastwood goes to NYC from the desert Southwest.
→ SHAMELESS SONG ♠PLUG♠ : The 1975 funk song "New York City Bump" by Black Rock. Runs 6:30. I think it's a great song. There's 2 versions. One version has more NYC background 'sound effects' included on the recording than the other. (I'd recommend listening to both).
Then there's the 1976 disco/funk song called 'GET ON DOWN!' by The East Harlem Bus Stop. I dig this tune. You can't fake the funk!
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I consider myself a good source for classic movies. I own a collection of some 5,000 movies. 95% on VHS and 5% on DVD. Going back over 30+ years. I bought the 1958 movie THE BUCCANEER a couple of weeks ago from eBay. The total cost -- shipping included -- was under $10 bucks. Released on tape in 1986 in a clamshell case on the long-gone KARTES VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS (KVC) label. Anthony Quinn directed this version.
I like watching movies on TCM, but I also like collecting them as my budget allows. And if I can buy up a nice old tape on the cheap . . . then my budget allows that.
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When I think of 'unsung movies' I think of films that are good/pretty good movies that have slipped through the cracks of time. I can think of plenty of 'unsung' bad movies that I like, but trying to come up with decent flicks I fancy that are mostly forgotten isn't so easy. I'll try . . .
MAN WHO HAD POWER OVER WOMEN, The (1970-UK) I know this has aired on TCM at least 1 time.
JABBERWOCKY (1977-UK) Not for all tastes, to be sure! But if one is in the mood for a weird, medieval comedy of sorts well, shucks, have a sit and watch Jabberwocky!
HYSTERICAL (1983) Once again, if one is in the right kind of mood you'll get some laughs from this. Things to remember: "The Library is closing. All white people must leave". And "What difference does it make?"
(P.S. I like Harriet Schock's song "The Calling" that features very prominently in the movie).
WACKO (1981) You must see this movie to dis-believe it.
ADAM AT 6 A.M. (1970) This was Michael Douglas's 2nd starring feature -- the first was 1969's "Hail, Hero" -- and it's most enjoyable. Douglas plays a young professor of semantics at a California college who goes to the Midwest to attend a relative's funeral. He decides to stay over the Summer and his experiences form the crux of the movie. I think it's well worth watching. I bought it new on a CBS/Fox Video many moons ago because I could never find it to rent or find it listed for a showing on the myriad movie channels of the time. I decided to just 'Special Order' it for $29.99 from my local video store after reading the ***-star review in Leonard Maltin's Video Guide that said "Adam at 6 A.M. gives a rare, genuine feeling for the Midwest". (Missouri, in point of fact).
VIGILANTE FORCE (1976) Directed by George Armitage. A very nasty Kris Kristofferson tangles with brother Jan-Michael Vincent in a small California town over 'Law And Order'. Also stars Victoria Principal, Bernadette Peters, David Doyle, Antony Carbone.
TRACKDOWN (1976) The seamy side of '70s L.A. is opened up. Lots of action and death with Jim Mitchum, Erik Estrada, Karen Lamm, Cathy Lee Crosby, Vince Cannon and Anne Archer.
STINGRAY (1978) Filmed in an around St. Louis, Missouri. This is an action/comedy with loads of violence and death. Hard to effectively describe this film! You must watch it and decide just how barmy it is for yourself! ICY CALM! ICY CALM! Starring Chris Mitchum, Les Lannom, William Watson, Sherry Jackson, Bert Hinchman, Cliff Emmich, Sondra Theodore.
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Thought it was CLIFF GORMAN in "The Boys In The Band" -- no relation to me, btw.
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I think the opening credit sequence to the 1975 movie 'THE DEVIL'S RAIN' features paintings from Hieronymous Bosch in the background along with foreboding music and the screech of "LET ME OUT OF HERE!!"
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Laurence Bolivier (!)
(LAURIE BARTRAM [1958-2007] from FRIDAY THE 13th (1980)).
Next: C.K.
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ANNIE (1982)
next: A movie you saw and thought "This could be so much better with better acting!"
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I cannot say exactly why I like this movie so much, but there was no way I was going to miss the TCM premiere of THE MAN WHO HAD POWER OVER WOMEN (1970-UK). I'm amazed TCM found a way to dig it out of the mothballs; I don't believe this movie has aired on any channel in years. I'd seen it 4 or 5 times before tonight's airing because I bought both video releases. Watching it brought back memories of when I used to scour the old Leonard Maltin video guides looking for movie reviews that caught my interest at the time. I then would try and find the movie to rent or buy. God Only Knows what I was thinking back then as to what kind of movies I wanted to watch -- I sure don't remember -- but "The Man Who Had Power Over Women" was one of the films that caught my oddball viewfinder. (Another one was 1976's "Special Delivery")
Anyway, I do not recall ever finding it for 'Rental' at a video store, but somehow I got hold of the 1979 Magnetic Video Corp. release. I've had that tape for so many years I don't remember how I acquired it . . . ? Beats me. But it's still upstairs at 38 years old. What I didn't know after I'd watched the video a couple of times was that Magnetic had used a Tv print. I assumed it was the theatrical version, but it turns out it wasn't. All the topless shots are snipped and so is some of the salty language (which there's not really much of). About 10 years ago I bought another used copy online from Amazon as I wanted a spare but this was the 1986 Embassy Home Video release (with Hi-Fi MONO sound). It was when I watched this tape I noticed why it was rated [R] at the time. The upper frontals of the various ladies were now seen along with the bits of salty language here 'n' there.
When I first noticed just a few days ago "The Man Who Had Power Over Women" was going to air I was really surprised. Then I thought it would be a copy of the VHS Embassy tape. This movie has never been released to DVD, has been out-of-print for 30 years and is mostly unknown. Not many votes on it on the IMDb, btw. I think I guessed right because the presentation of the movie this evening had the Embassy home video logo at the beginning and end + the movie was in 'Full-Frame' and had that old-timey VHS 'look' I grew accustomed to when watching old tapes. So I'd swear the copy came from a VHS source that was transferred to disc and probably put through some kind of machine to 'clean up' the picture and sound as much as possible. And eliminate any 'lines' that might pop up, too!
I do want to thank TCM most heartily for airing this. I wore out my VCR a few years ago from heavy use and I've not replaced it so I was pleased as punch to watch "The Man Who Had Power Over Women" again early this morning. Cheered me right up.
CLIVE FRANCIS played it to the hilt as the spoiled slimeball 'Barry Black' and KEITH BARRON was the kind of 'yes-man' one loves to loathe.
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Now that I've mentioned the name of British actor 'KEITH BARRON' maybe TCM can find a way to get hold of the 1970 British movie 'THE FIRECHASERS'. Looks like it was filmed in and around London. The filmmakers really burned sh!t up, too. They were *firebugs*!
The movie stars CHAD EVERETT as insurance investigator 'Quentin Barnaby'. Co-starring ANJANETTE COMER, the afore-mentioned KEITH BARRON, JOANNE DAINTON, ROY KINNEAR. Alreet then: Who is responsible for setting various fires around London? And why? Chad Everett is enlisted to find out. Not a great movie but quite a decent, watchable one. Directed by Sidney Hayers and runs 100 minutes. Rated [PG], I do believe. → Only problem it has never been released on any homevideo medium in the U.S., but if TCM can transfer PAL-format VHS tapes to NTSC discs I could funnel them my 1982 Australian 20th Century Fox Video tape.
I've not seen a legal DVD release of "The Firechasers" from any country, but maybe there is one by now? Hard to keep track of all the obscure movies that suddenly become available.
Just my little thought that if TCM could find a watchable copy to air of "The Man Who Had Power Over Women" perhaps The Powers That Be in the Turner Classic braintrust can round up a watchable copy of "The Firechasers". There's some groovy shots of a party boat going down a river in the middle of London. Maybe it's the Thames River? Not sure, but it's cool and I dig it.
I've seen Anjanette Comer a few times on TCM over the past year or so in "The Loved One", "Rabbit, Run" and "The Baby". Now bring on "The Firechasers"! It's too much fun to be languishing in obscurity for so long.
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I have a VHS tape of COPS AND ROBBERS (1973) that Mr. Bologna starred in, but I've not got 'round to watching it yet.
His 1974 movie MIXED COMPANY with Barbara Harris has never been released to any homevideo medium. I've never seen it, but I'd like to catch it once.
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I was sad to see he died a few days ago. I remember THE BIG BUS (1976) very well. He starred with Stockard Channing and John Beck. Also saw his 1971 movie MADE FOR EACH OTHER (1971) several times; he hadn't had his teeth fixed yet. He starred with his wife Renee Taylor in this comedy-drama.
TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVERS (1979-Tvm) was another starring role for him. With Lee Remick and George Peppard. (It was based on the Mary MacGregor song, btw).
It would be nice if Paramount would lease out THE BIG BUS to TCM for a reasonable sum so Turner Classic could air it.
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Ye Gods! Those movies look . . . interesting. Yeah. That's it. Interesting.
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Back to the original post mentioning Robert Williams. He didn't even make it to 1932; died Nov. 3, 1931 just after PLATINUM BLONDE was released.
TCM could do an ALICIA SILVERSTONE DAY! Clueless (1995) is her only movie hit I can think of. I know she was in some other theatrical films, but I don't remember the name of any of the others.
(I am kidding about this just in case I came across as being serious!)
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Jeepers! My mental walnuts got excited when I heard Ben mention the late Mr. Osborne's *intro's* -and- *outro's* were available if one joined the TCM PoxLot. Such a deal to go with the $89 bucks a year!
Since the Backlot is 'celebrating' it's 1-Year Anniversary I've noted TCM is pushing hard for viewers to acquire a membership.
I'd rather spend $89 over the course of a year buying up Miles Davis albums. On cassette.
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2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY would be a good movie to watch for insomniacs. I've no doubt it would put them to sleep. Overpraised to the 'nth' degree.
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(P.S. I like Harriet Schock's song "The Calling" that features very prominently in the movie).
Why do we idolize Old Hollywood?
in General Discussions
Posted
I don't know that I idolize 'Old Hollywood', but I just don't find many movies of >TODAY< to be of interest. My folks went to see '1917' a couple weeks ago. They liked it. I didn't see it, tho. I've got plenty of 'War' movies in my video stash.
Also, I do like vinyl records. 45 rpm singles most of all. Cheers.