by Riz Ortolani (1980)

I’ve yet to see the movie Cannibal Holocaust (I know, I know, it’s a exploitation classic) but even without firsthand knowledge, this is certainly not the soundtrack I expected from it. Featuring amazing song titles like Adultresses’ Punishment – which sounds like Hammer style dread in outer space, Cameraman’s Recreation – a groovy porny song that leads into a childlike romp, the video game sounding Massacre of the Troupe, and the surprisingly melodic and catchy theme, it’s more than a mere novelty but something quite listenable, unique and enjoyable.

True, at times it treads close to calls to mind muzak from the seventies (see Drinking Coco) – which in turn calls to mind the kind of wall paper that use to have bits of mirrored gold in it – something from my childhood perhaps – I think ice cream was involved… but I digress.

Overall though, this album is so much more interesting and nice to listen to than it needed to be. I mean, it’s a soundtrack for a film that caused outrage over its killing of actual animals on screen which was banned in many countries for indecency and extreme gore. And yet, I have been playing the soundtrack for my baby for days.

All the praise for the music goes to Riz Ortolani, a composer of mostly b-movies and genres flicks who obviously put his heart into even the most unusual of jobs. I have friend and weird movie connoisseur Matthew to thank for this soundtrack making the rounds in my iphone. Several others have been released and I am sure I’ve be writing about them soon enough.

See more: Albums 1980s Instrumental Soundtracks

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Posted on November 28, 2010

Singer Songwriter

If one had to demonstrate what a “voice like velvet” was, they’d only need to play a song by Roy Orbison. Personally, I’d opt for “In Dreams“, which has since it’s crooner beginnings, become a soundtrack forever associated with the best creepy imaginings of David Lynch.

Not only was Orbison’s music legendary and beautiful, one has to give credit to the man’s style. Working with what was given him, admittedly algebra teacher looks with a Frank Sinatra siren song, Orbison made the most of it with a simple pair of dark glasses, an equally dark and well tailored wardrobe, and a stage persona that was at once vulnerable and mysterious in it’s stillness.

Click here for the rest of Roy Orbinson

See more: Style Icons: Male Musicians

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Posted on November 27, 2010

Every Sentence of Jack Kerouac’s On The Road, Retold for Bros.

Most of you may have already seen On The Bro’d, an ingenious retelling of On the Road for today’s bro: Full of references to Bud Light Limes, Axe Body Spray, Big Dog tees, and beer bongs.

The author, Mike Lacher, is featured in McSweeney’s, The Huffington Post, and more and his web design is just as funny as his prose (see the The Geocities-izer). His other work can be found here – where you too can become an instant fan.

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Posted on November 23, 2010

directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1950)

All About Eve (in no way associated with All About Steve) is a classic. Delving into the egocentric world of theater people, it studies the paranoia that accompanies success and the cut throat viciousness of those that yearn for it. Bette Davis, never afraid to look bedraggled, aged or drunk is the star of the show, mixing charm and an acid tongue to play Margo Channing, a revered actress growing older and less pleased by the fact daily.

Surrounded by a small team of friends and a lover that appreciate her for all her faults, Margo let’s a young, sycophantic admirer named Eve into her inner circle. Initially working as an assistant, Eve eventually draws out the venom in Margo, throwing the star into what seem like fits of jealous unfounded paranoia. Like a self fulfilled prophecy, however, everyone soon learns that Eve may not be as temperate and sweet as she seems.

Davis is excellent here and though it always feels strange to critique a classic, Anne Baxter as Eve doesn’t quite deliver. She’s plenty creepy in her obsessive excessive kindness but lacks fire when she shows her true colors – making it hard to understand how she could have threatened anyone in the first place. It’s a talkie movie with lots of grand monologues, leading me to assume it was adapted from a play – but it comes from a short story by Mary Orr and was only adapted for the stage years after the film.

It’s generally considered one of the best American films made.

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Posted on November 21, 2010

Known as the “King of Hollywood”, Clark Gable was the definition of dapper.. a role that will be taken over by our own little baby Van:

Gable’s career of romantic leads, my favorite of which being the under shirtless wit in It Happened One Night, mirrored his real life love for Carole Lombard. Even as he remarried after her terribly tragic death, those close to him say he was never the same without her.

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Posted on November 20, 2010