R.I.P. Chris Penn

Chris Penn was found dead in California. No word, as of yet, of the cause. I just heard about this (9:34 PM central time). It's a shock. His IMDb page.

In several of his films, he typically played the main character's best friend, or something similar, so I felt like I knew him. He had a likeable, harmless quality. My favorite film of his is the excellent At Close Range. He of course plays the brother of Sean Penn in that one. He was also good in a very small role in the underappreciated Coppola film Rumble Fish (Stewart Copeland's soundtrack is awesome).

Bedazzled on MP3 "Sharing" Sites

There's a bit of an ongoing a debate happening at Bedazzled (of all places) over file sharing, and MP3 blogs, specifically. If you're interested, go check it out. He makes some excellent points.

It has me a little worried about the limited sound and video files here. I have no idea if anyone ever clicks on my "LEND ME YOUR EARS" thingamabop, I mean, I sure hope people do. Those are songs I love, and songs I want others to hear. But, I in no means intend for people to "steal" those songs. To me, it's like when you have people over, and there's a song you're dying for them to hear, or a movie you think they'll love. You simply want to share something you really like with other people. That's my thinking on this. I've paid for any music or video displayed, and now, I'm sharing it with the few of you who share my tastes.

But again, the Bedazzled post has me a little concerned. I know I'm very much small time, and will never gain much attention, or notoriety. But, from this point on, I will include a link to where people can purchase the music and video I include in my posts. That way, I suppose, people who really like the things I "share" will have the option of purchasing their own copy, rather than stealing it from wittle ol' Exquisitely Bored in Nacogdoches.

I'm curious to see what visitors think. Why don't you post a comment (anonymously, even)?

I can't believe the Beatles (Apple Corp.) haven't sued me, yet.

John Lennon does his Bob Dylan imitation

I'd planned to post this a little later in the week, but then I saw this at Laugh It Up, Fuzzball, and decided to strike while at least one iron was hot.


When I saw Help! on a big screen at the 1981 Houston Beatlefest, I was hooked. To a teenager living in an era twenty years removed from Beatlemania, it still looked like a lot of fun to be a Beatle. They seem very close in Help!. The stories of what was going on behind the camera abound. John Lennon is in what he later called his "Fat Elvis" period.



On this song, "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", Lennon is doing his very best Dylan. You can hear the birth of something like "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" from Rubber Soul in Lennon's voice, and the instrumentation.

Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World

Danny & Dave

While the concepts behind most of Albert Brooks' films don't always hold up over the course of an entire movie, they are almost always interesting. One can tell that Brooks attempts to give his audience food for thought, along with laughs. His latest is called Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World.

Here is IMDb's plot outline: "To improve their relations with Muslim countries, The U.S. Government assigns comedian Albert Brooks to find out what makes the Muslim people laugh."

NPR'S Terry Gross interviews Albert Brooks: "Good Morning Pakistan: Albert Brooks on the Move" (Real Player and Windows Media file)

Morning Edition interview with Albert Brooks: "Albert Brooks, Searching for Islam's Laugh Track" (Real Player and Windows Media file)

Official Site

Trailer

Lady in Cement cont.

The lady in cement leads Tony Rome on a wild goose chase through the dark underbelly of 1968 Miami.

Dan Blocker of Bonanza fame plays a character who hires Rome to investigate the disappearance of his girlfriend, who later turns out to be the lady in cement. But before he hires him, Blocker throws him around a bit.



Rome finds a swizzle stick clue:

Jilly Rizzo was a close pal of Sinatra's in real life.


Unlike in real life, the Jilly's in the movie is a seedy strip joint.

Dig what the band is playing: "Jilly's Joint"


You'd never guess who that brunette on the right is.


It's Lainie Kazan, in only her second movie role. Sinatra can't keep his eyes off her breasts. Maybe it's just me, but I think it's hilarious. He tries extremely hard, yet he just can't do it. I admire his effort. Poker face throughout. Bravo Frank, bravo.






Up walks her boss/pimp/drug pusher/big daddy.

He tells her to, and I'm quoting: "Get up there and move your fatty tissue."


That's Frank Raiter, who, according to IMDb, cornered the market on roles requiring "tough gay males".

He would play a similar character, literally listed in the cast of characters as "Tough Homosexual," in Sinatra's The Detective. He's calling Rome names like "Sweety" and "Dreamboat" in this scene. It's pretty strange. It's 1968.


Frank falls back on the tried and true finger point.


The "Tough Homosexuals" simmer and stew. Grrr.

Here's a picture of Frank Raiter from a production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang he was in recently. You've got to wonder what the parents of those kids might think if they saw him in Lady in Cement or The Detective. Perhaps then they'd not want them in anything involving Frank Raiter with the word "bang" in the title. I'm just sayin'...



part 3

It's a gas, gas, gas

Here's the promotional video the Stones did for "Jumpin' Jack Flash". This version is from an excellent documentary about them called 25x5: The Continuing Adventures of the Rolling Stones. The last bit includes commentary by Keith Richards about the Satanic label placed on the Stones at around the time of this video. For better or worse (no doubt worse), Keith Richards was one of my roll models. I survived.

If kids today are curious about what a rock and roll band is supposed to look like, here you go. Prepare to be schooled (with a strap right 'cross your back).

Matt Damon!!

Hey, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, we all love Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and recognize it as the classic it is. But just because you have the ability to make and star in a remake doesn't mean you should. Just leave it alone.

Here's Robert Redford's opinion:

Asked about rumors that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck may be remaking "Butch Cassidy," Redford said he finds that "depressing."

"There is no shortage of good, original ideas, and there's just no point to remakes. Why do they have to mess with things that were perfect the first time around?" he said with a groan.

Amen brother, amen.