It was a beautiful partly cloudy day, with the temperature barely scooting past the 70 degree mark on the thermostat. I awoke several times throughout the night but finally dragged myself out of bed at half past eight, just barely missing the obnoxious alarm clock. I didn’t think I would have a problem waking up, but I wasn’t taking any chances today.
I hopped into the shower, just like my normal routine, except a few hours later in the day than normal. Usually I’m out in less than ten minutes (five if I’m running late) but today I take my time. I tinker with the new gadget that I’ve recently installed: a fog-free mirror that attaches to the shower head. I adjust the lever and water flows through the mirror, keeping it at the same temperature as the shower. Low and behold… no fogging!
I slowly emerge from the shower thirty minutes later, slightly pruned yet refreshed for the day ahead of me. After throwing on some shorts and a t-shirt, I walk into the guest room and grab a hold of Ryan's foot that's sticking out from under his blanket. Then, just like my dad did to me a thousands times, I gently shake it, pulling him out from his quiet slumber.
After a few minutes, Ryan jumps in the shower as I sit down in the living room and go over my “honey do” list that needs to be taken care of before heading out to the reception cite and then the church. As I looked over the list, I hoped that I would receive a text message in time from my soon-to-be wife, so we wouldn't need to go through with the U-haul rental for storage of the tables and chairs once the festivities were over for the evening. No such luck just yet.
As Ryan flopped onto the chair next to me, I expressed to him that I really didn't have much of an appetite but I knew I needed to eat something. I really didn't know where I was going to go for breakfast, but there wasn't much in the alternative compared to the heavy and greasy southern-fried restaurants. However, after a few moments, I came to the conclusion of Donut Country (a must for any donut connoisseur well past the newness and “not really that special“ Krispy Kreme). Nothing too heavy there, unless you considered eating your weight in glazed and jelly-filled donuts.
We were off to Donut Country shortly after my revelation, sinking our teeth into the best apple fritter this side of the Mississippi. Even the apple fritter had a hard time seducing me with its perfectly glazed crunchy exterior and soft and doughy apple-filled interior. I couldn't finish it. However, the upcoming events outweighed the delicious donut, so I tossed the remaining carcass in the garbage and headed out to run some errands.
As I stopped by the bank to make a withdrawal, I receive a text message that a U-haul truck will not be needed. I practically shout for joy, quickly headed to the rental office to cancel our reservation. Walking into the office, I see a line of at least a dozen people, all waiting to get their truck on a Saturday morning around nine thirty in the morning. I didn't have another hour to waste, so I opted for the less painful route: calling them from home to cancel the reservation.
Ryan and I took our time relaxing around the house until it was time adorn our penguin suits and head up to the church. We picked up the two cakes and ever-so-gently placed them in the back the SUV we borrowed from Lisa's uncle and darted off to our last detour -- Cedars of Lebanon National Park. Trying to avoiding visual contact from of my bride-to-be, we passed each other on the road and dropped off the cakes and a dozen cases of bottled water. As I drove off, I couldn't wait to go back there, knowing that all the pressure would soon melt away coming back to where our reception was being held.
Time started to quickly blur past me soon after I arrived at the church. Ryan and I paced every square inch of the establishment before being summoned to the sactuary for pictures. After several family photos, I waited patiently as Lisa entered into my sights. She was the most stunning and beautiful woman I had ever known and she was now walking down the aisle towards me. It was hard to hold back the tears. Pictures were snapped, and we were rushed out of the sactuary in order to start ushering in our guests waiting outside.
Once the butterflies had passed, I suddenly had gained the will to eat again and found myself down in the church kitchen, with my bride, cramming a couple of ham sandwiches into my face. Thankfully, no mustard was spilled and I was eventually escorted to a hallway behind the sactuary; waiting to be given the signal to enter. I waited patiently, for what seemed like an eternity. I was told several stories by our minister as we waited; one involving a very nervous groom who at the very last moment, proceded to decorate Fred's dress robs with his recently consumed lunch. I nervously swallowed and then entered the sactuary.
Now as far as I can recall, and as well as you can read, I had no problem remembering everything that lead up to the cerimony. In fact, I remember most of what happened afterwards. The problem I have, and I know I'm not the only one, is that I can't really remember the cerimony. There are FLASHES, but that's it. FLASH: Lisa walking down the aisle. FLASH: We light our candle. FLASH: I place the ring on her finger. FLASH: We kiss. FLASH: "I would like to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Nathan and Lisa Eddy."
I remember wanting to get to the reception more than anything in the world. However, before we could get there, I had to make a Coke run for my wife at a gas station en route. And there are pictures to prove it, when half of people attending your wedding are following like a caravan right behind you.
The rest of the evening was a little less of a blur as we went from table-to-table-to-table chatting and catching up. I could almost recall what the food had tasted like, if I hadn't eaten it so quickly. I hadn't been that hungry in the first place, so it wasn't that much of a loss. Once we got to the toasts, I was ready to crash. Giving a best man speech isn't easy. Trust me, I know from personal experience. Ryan succeeded in many ways... and then he told everyone there that we had met on eHarmony - in which I responded sarcastically with, "we're shooting the commerical next week!"
After Ryan came Tanya, who proceeded to give her speech over the course of the next ten minutes. Our photographer, who will be remain nameless, and who couldn't seem to take much of anything of value, snapped away while she babbled on and on. Ryan refilled his drink at least twice during her speech, parched from being so nervous only moments before.
The evening winded down as my friends floated the keg. I held Lisa close as we danced to our song, probably putting my hands in inappropriate places -- but I didn't care. The remainder of the night was spent on the dance floor dancing in groups to songs we all loved. We laughed, we cheered and we cut-up with each other until it was time to go.
As we said our goodbyes, hugs and kisses were given around the room. As I watched our family and friends break down the tables and chairs, we strolled out to the car. I'm not sure how many people actually witnessed us leaving. It didn't matter. All we wanted to do was get to the hotel room and crash.
After ordering room service, which arrived to our room cold, all we really wanted to do was sleep. We had a long day ahead of us: cleaning laundry and packing and two sit-down meals with both sides of the family. I laid my head down on the pill and thought: "I'm going to wake up happy and to the most beautiful woman for the rest of my life and can't imagine anything better."
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Top 20 Soundtrack Moments
You know when you're listening to the radio, or watching television and a song starts to play and that song instantly makes you think of a specific movie?
Well, I've created a list of my Top 20 most memorable soundtrack moments. This list is dedicated to the songs, that when heard, instantly pop an image into my brain of a specific movie. Additionally, my only intention was to mention songs that had already been recorded, before they were placed in the movie (and on the accompanying Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Outside of number 20, I believe I achieved that goal.
--#20--
THE SONG: "King of Wishful Thinking"
THE FILM: Pretty Woman (1990)
THE ARTIST: Go West
Directed by Gary Marshall
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Credits - Edward (Richard Gere) gets lost driving his friend's Lotus Esprit through Hollywood and runs into Vivian (Julia Roberts), a prostitute. (I know, I know... you're thinking "this doesn't fit his profile about being a film snob", but honestly, I really like this movie.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch the horribly dated music video.
--#19--
THE SONG: "It's Your Thing"
THE FILM: Out of Sight (1998)
THE ARTIST: The Isley Brothers
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening/Closing Credits - The song bookends the film, perfectly reflecting the spirit and attitude of the main protagonist, Jack Foley (George Clooney).
Click here to hear the song.
--#18--
THE SONG: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)"
THE FILM: Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
THE ARTIST: Stevie Wonder
Directed by Stephen Herek
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Glen Holland (Richard Dreyfuss) attempts to teach one of his students (then unknown Terrance Howard) how to keep rhythm.
Click here to hear the song.
--#17--
THE SONG: "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)"
THE FILM: Wall Street (1987)
THE ARTIST: Talking Heads
Directed by Oliver Stone
SCENE DESCRIPTION: End Credits (It's such and odd little number, but for some reason the song just stuck with me after all of these years.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch the Talking Heads live in concert.
--#16--
THE SONG: "Lust For Life"
THE FILM: Trainspotting (1996)
THE ARTIST: Iggy Pop
Directed by Danny Boyle
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Scene - Renton (Ewan McGregor) and Spud being chased down the street by the police. (A brilliant introduction of the four main characters.)
Click here to see the opening scene.
--#15--
THE SONG: "Sister Christian"
THE FILM: Boogie Nights (1997)
THE ARTIST: Night Ranger
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Dirk Diggler (Mark Walberg) sits with his buddies through a very nerve-racking drug deal, while Rahad (Alfred Molina) talks about how he makes his own mixed tapes and a young Asian male randomly sets off firecrackers. (It's one of the most silly-yet-tense scenes I've ever witnessed on film.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch the horribly dated music video.
--#14--
THE SONG: "Your Nobody Till Somebody Loves You"
THE FILM: Swingers (1996)
THE ARTIST: Dean Martin
Directed by Doug Liman
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Credits - Montage of still photographs of people enjoying the nightlife in Los Angeles. (This was the only song that I couldn't find on youtube.com as the right version played in the film.)
--#13--
THE SONG: "Where Is My Mind?"
THE FILM: Fight Club (1999)
THE ARTIST: The Pixies
Directed by David Fincher
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Final Scene/Ending Credits - As Tyler Durden expresses to Marla that she's met him during a "very strange time in my life," buildings off in the distance detonate one-by-one.
Click here to hear the song.
--#12--
THE SONG: "Fortunate Son"
THE FILM: Forrest Gump (1994)
THE ARTIST: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) and Bubba are dropped somewhere in the middle of South Vietnam by a UH-1 Huey helicopter. (The 32 song double-disc soundtrack is just fantastic.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch some disturbing videos of H-bomb detonations.
--#11--
THE SONG: "Blinded By The Light"
THE FILM: Blow (2001)
THE ARTIST: Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Directed by Ted Demme
SCENE DESCRIPTION: After sealing the deal with Pablo Escobar, a photo slideshow flashes across the screen of George Jung (Johnny Depp) and the thousands upon thousands of drug deals that take place afterwards. (I honestly can't go more than a week to ten days before I end up hearing this on the radio.)
Click here to view the scene.
--#10--
THE SONG: "Six Blade Knife"
THE FILM: Desperado (1995)
THE ARTIST: Dire Straits
Directed by Robert Rodriguez
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Scene - Steve Buscemi enters a bar, drinks "piss warm" beer and proceeds to tell the the bartender, along with all the patrons about the mysterious Mariachi. (This mostly unknown Dire Straits song sets the mood perfectly for this scene.)
Click here to view the scene. -NSFW
--#9--
THE SONG: "In Your Eyes"
THE FILM: Say Anything... (1989)
THE ARTIST: Peter Gabriel
Directed by Cameron Crowe
SCENE DESCRIPTION: "In Your Eyes" plays on the radio after Lloyd (John Cusack) and Diane have sex in the back of his car; Lloyd plays this song again, standing outside of Diane's house, holding a boom box over his head, trying to change her mind about their relationship.
Click here to hear the song... and watch the vintage "80s" video.
--#8--
THE SONG: "I'm Shipping Up To Boston"
THE FILM: The Departed (2006)
THE ARTIST: Dropkick Murphys
Directed by Martin Scorsese
SCENE DESCRIPTION: This song over-powers your senses as we watch Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) transform into an undercover Massachusetts State Police Officer while in a state prison. (After I heard this song I had to go out and buy the Dropkick Murphys CD that had this song... and I then proceded to play it about a dozen times on my way home from work.)
Click here to hear the song.
--#7--
THE SONG: "Oh Yeah"
THE FILM: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
THE ARTIST: Yello
Directed by John Hughes
SCENE DESCRIPTION: End Credits - Principal Rooney gets a ride back to his office on a crowded school bus, after his unsuccessful attempt at catching Ferris Beuller all day. (Honestly, who doesn't think of this film when they hear this song?)
Click here to hear the song... and see the rather twisted music video.
--#6--
THE SONG: "Tiny Dancer"
THE FILM: Almost Famous (2000)
THE ARTIST: Elton John
Directed by Cameron Crowe
SCENE DESCRIPTION: After a tumultuous night, band members from Stillwater, along with their traveling companions, sing along to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" while riding on the bus en route to their next destination.
Click here to watch the scene.
--#5--
THE SONG: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
THE FILM: Wayne's World (1992)
THE ARTIST: Queen
Directed by Penelope Spheeris
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Wayne (Mike Meyers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) head-bang to this Queen tune while driving with some of their buddies in the back seat of Garth's AMC Pacer. (One of my favorite rock songs of all time.)
Click here to view the scene.
--#4--
THE SONG: "Jungle Boogie"
THE FILM: Pulp Fiction (1994)
THE ARTIST: Kool & the Gang
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Credits which lead into the second scene - "Jungle Boogie" oozes from the car radio as Vincent (John Travolta) discuss with Jules (Samuel L. Jackson)legalities the of marijuana in Amsterdam, frequenting a McDonald's while there, and the metric system. (This was a hard choice to make, since every song on this soundtrack makes me think of this film.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch Kool & the Gang's performance on Soul Train.
--#3--
THE SONG: "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"
THE FILM: The Big Lebowski (1998)
THE ARTIST: Kenny Rogers & the First Edition
Directed by Joel Coen
SCENE DESCRIPTION: The Dude (Jeff Bridges), after being drugged, succumbs to quite an elaborate dream sequence, where he's starring in his own porno entitled "Gutterballs." (The perfect blend of 1920s spectacle, neo-noir and bowling.)
Click here to view the scene.
--#2--
THE SONG: "Stuck In the Middle With You"
THE FILM: Reservoir Dogs (1992)
THE ARTIST: Stealers Wheel
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
SCENE DESCRIPTION: The sadistic Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) tortures a captured police officer while dancing a little jig. He then proceeds to cuts off his ear with a straight razor. (This scene haunted me for quite some time. Now I really enjoy the brilliance of Tarantino's direction.)
Click here to view the scene. -NSFW
--#1--
THE SONG: "Layla"
THE FILM: Goodfellas (1990)
THE ARTIST: Derek and the Dominos
Directed by Martin Scorsese
SCENE DESCRIPTION: The bodies start to pile up when Jimmy (Robert De Niro) doesn't want to share any the money from the Lufthansa robbery with gangsters who help him do the job. (You almost forget that there's two parts to Clapton's masterpiece; it's almost as if they're two completely different songs.)
Click here to view the scene (approx. 2:40 in). -NSFW
Please feel free to reply and post your favorites as well... or if you think that I might have forgotten one.
Well, I've created a list of my Top 20 most memorable soundtrack moments. This list is dedicated to the songs, that when heard, instantly pop an image into my brain of a specific movie. Additionally, my only intention was to mention songs that had already been recorded, before they were placed in the movie (and on the accompanying Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Outside of number 20, I believe I achieved that goal.
--#20--
THE SONG: "King of Wishful Thinking"
THE FILM: Pretty Woman (1990)
THE ARTIST: Go West
Directed by Gary Marshall
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Credits - Edward (Richard Gere) gets lost driving his friend's Lotus Esprit through Hollywood and runs into Vivian (Julia Roberts), a prostitute. (I know, I know... you're thinking "this doesn't fit his profile about being a film snob", but honestly, I really like this movie.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch the horribly dated music video.
--#19--
THE SONG: "It's Your Thing"
THE FILM: Out of Sight (1998)
THE ARTIST: The Isley Brothers
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening/Closing Credits - The song bookends the film, perfectly reflecting the spirit and attitude of the main protagonist, Jack Foley (George Clooney).
Click here to hear the song.
--#18--
THE SONG: "Uptight (Everything's Alright)"
THE FILM: Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
THE ARTIST: Stevie Wonder
Directed by Stephen Herek
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Glen Holland (Richard Dreyfuss) attempts to teach one of his students (then unknown Terrance Howard) how to keep rhythm.
Click here to hear the song.
--#17--
THE SONG: "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)"
THE FILM: Wall Street (1987)
THE ARTIST: Talking Heads
Directed by Oliver Stone
SCENE DESCRIPTION: End Credits (It's such and odd little number, but for some reason the song just stuck with me after all of these years.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch the Talking Heads live in concert.
--#16--
THE SONG: "Lust For Life"
THE FILM: Trainspotting (1996)
THE ARTIST: Iggy Pop
Directed by Danny Boyle
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Scene - Renton (Ewan McGregor) and Spud being chased down the street by the police. (A brilliant introduction of the four main characters.)
Click here to see the opening scene.
--#15--
THE SONG: "Sister Christian"
THE FILM: Boogie Nights (1997)
THE ARTIST: Night Ranger
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Dirk Diggler (Mark Walberg) sits with his buddies through a very nerve-racking drug deal, while Rahad (Alfred Molina) talks about how he makes his own mixed tapes and a young Asian male randomly sets off firecrackers. (It's one of the most silly-yet-tense scenes I've ever witnessed on film.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch the horribly dated music video.
--#14--
THE SONG: "Your Nobody Till Somebody Loves You"
THE FILM: Swingers (1996)
THE ARTIST: Dean Martin
Directed by Doug Liman
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Credits - Montage of still photographs of people enjoying the nightlife in Los Angeles. (This was the only song that I couldn't find on youtube.com as the right version played in the film.)
--#13--
THE SONG: "Where Is My Mind?"
THE FILM: Fight Club (1999)
THE ARTIST: The Pixies
Directed by David Fincher
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Final Scene/Ending Credits - As Tyler Durden expresses to Marla that she's met him during a "very strange time in my life," buildings off in the distance detonate one-by-one.
Click here to hear the song.
--#12--
THE SONG: "Fortunate Son"
THE FILM: Forrest Gump (1994)
THE ARTIST: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) and Bubba are dropped somewhere in the middle of South Vietnam by a UH-1 Huey helicopter. (The 32 song double-disc soundtrack is just fantastic.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch some disturbing videos of H-bomb detonations.
--#11--
THE SONG: "Blinded By The Light"
THE FILM: Blow (2001)
THE ARTIST: Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Directed by Ted Demme
SCENE DESCRIPTION: After sealing the deal with Pablo Escobar, a photo slideshow flashes across the screen of George Jung (Johnny Depp) and the thousands upon thousands of drug deals that take place afterwards. (I honestly can't go more than a week to ten days before I end up hearing this on the radio.)
Click here to view the scene.
--#10--
THE SONG: "Six Blade Knife"
THE FILM: Desperado (1995)
THE ARTIST: Dire Straits
Directed by Robert Rodriguez
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Scene - Steve Buscemi enters a bar, drinks "piss warm" beer and proceeds to tell the the bartender, along with all the patrons about the mysterious Mariachi. (This mostly unknown Dire Straits song sets the mood perfectly for this scene.)
Click here to view the scene. -NSFW
--#9--
THE SONG: "In Your Eyes"
THE FILM: Say Anything... (1989)
THE ARTIST: Peter Gabriel
Directed by Cameron Crowe
SCENE DESCRIPTION: "In Your Eyes" plays on the radio after Lloyd (John Cusack) and Diane have sex in the back of his car; Lloyd plays this song again, standing outside of Diane's house, holding a boom box over his head, trying to change her mind about their relationship.
Click here to hear the song... and watch the vintage "80s" video.
--#8--
THE SONG: "I'm Shipping Up To Boston"
THE FILM: The Departed (2006)
THE ARTIST: Dropkick Murphys
Directed by Martin Scorsese
SCENE DESCRIPTION: This song over-powers your senses as we watch Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) transform into an undercover Massachusetts State Police Officer while in a state prison. (After I heard this song I had to go out and buy the Dropkick Murphys CD that had this song... and I then proceded to play it about a dozen times on my way home from work.)
Click here to hear the song.
--#7--
THE SONG: "Oh Yeah"
THE FILM: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
THE ARTIST: Yello
Directed by John Hughes
SCENE DESCRIPTION: End Credits - Principal Rooney gets a ride back to his office on a crowded school bus, after his unsuccessful attempt at catching Ferris Beuller all day. (Honestly, who doesn't think of this film when they hear this song?)
Click here to hear the song... and see the rather twisted music video.
--#6--
THE SONG: "Tiny Dancer"
THE FILM: Almost Famous (2000)
THE ARTIST: Elton John
Directed by Cameron Crowe
SCENE DESCRIPTION: After a tumultuous night, band members from Stillwater, along with their traveling companions, sing along to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" while riding on the bus en route to their next destination.
Click here to watch the scene.
--#5--
THE SONG: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
THE FILM: Wayne's World (1992)
THE ARTIST: Queen
Directed by Penelope Spheeris
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Wayne (Mike Meyers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) head-bang to this Queen tune while driving with some of their buddies in the back seat of Garth's AMC Pacer. (One of my favorite rock songs of all time.)
Click here to view the scene.
--#4--
THE SONG: "Jungle Boogie"
THE FILM: Pulp Fiction (1994)
THE ARTIST: Kool & the Gang
SCENE DESCRIPTION: Opening Credits which lead into the second scene - "Jungle Boogie" oozes from the car radio as Vincent (John Travolta) discuss with Jules (Samuel L. Jackson)legalities the of marijuana in Amsterdam, frequenting a McDonald's while there, and the metric system. (This was a hard choice to make, since every song on this soundtrack makes me think of this film.)
Click here to hear the song... and watch Kool & the Gang's performance on Soul Train.
--#3--
THE SONG: "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"
THE FILM: The Big Lebowski (1998)
THE ARTIST: Kenny Rogers & the First Edition
Directed by Joel Coen
SCENE DESCRIPTION: The Dude (Jeff Bridges), after being drugged, succumbs to quite an elaborate dream sequence, where he's starring in his own porno entitled "Gutterballs." (The perfect blend of 1920s spectacle, neo-noir and bowling.)
Click here to view the scene.
--#2--
THE SONG: "Stuck In the Middle With You"
THE FILM: Reservoir Dogs (1992)
THE ARTIST: Stealers Wheel
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
SCENE DESCRIPTION: The sadistic Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) tortures a captured police officer while dancing a little jig. He then proceeds to cuts off his ear with a straight razor. (This scene haunted me for quite some time. Now I really enjoy the brilliance of Tarantino's direction.)
Click here to view the scene. -NSFW
--#1--
THE SONG: "Layla"
THE FILM: Goodfellas (1990)
THE ARTIST: Derek and the Dominos
Directed by Martin Scorsese
SCENE DESCRIPTION: The bodies start to pile up when Jimmy (Robert De Niro) doesn't want to share any the money from the Lufthansa robbery with gangsters who help him do the job. (You almost forget that there's two parts to Clapton's masterpiece; it's almost as if they're two completely different songs.)
Click here to view the scene (approx. 2:40 in). -NSFW
Please feel free to reply and post your favorites as well... or if you think that I might have forgotten one.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
MJV - A Life in Videos
Since Michael's passing, I've come across several sites that are listing his best music videos. For those reading this that grew up watching MTV when they actually played music videos for more than 45 minutes a day, then you'll understand the importance of them and how they revolutionized the music industry.
With that being said, Michael Jackson's videos were about 12 levels above almost anyone elses, since a majority of them were mini-movies, or better stated, short films. MTV wasn't really tolerated in my house (and for a very good reason). But that didn't mean I wouldn't watch it when my parents weren't around.
Whenever Michael Jackson premiered a new music video, the broadcast always became a major event. In the 1980s, the world stopped what they were doing, gathered around the television, and waited to see what wonderful sights and sounds Michael was going to present to them.
So, in honor of the "King of Pop" passing, I'm going to share with you my favorite Michael Jackson music videos.
One additional note before I proceed: I have only selected a few to show you. The reasoning behind this is that as much as I am a fan of his early material, some of his videos, as spectacular as they may be, felt too corny upon revisiting them.
Smooth Criminal was Michael Jackson's seventh single release from his album Bad (1987). It was watching this video that I realized how brilliant a physical performer Michael Jackson could be. Everyone was amazed when they first saw him "moonwalk" on stage for the first time, but this video transended his physical abilities way beyond what I could comprehend. This was, however, where I first started to notice the the downward slide in quality performances by Michael (screaming while firing a tommy gun, for example), as well as any other big celebrity name they got to star along side him.
Bad was Michael Jackson's first single release from his 1987 album of the same name. An 18 minute short film written by Richard Price (Clockers) and directed by Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas) that stars Michael portraying a androgynous-looking (which was kind of a new image for him, and something that he unfortunately never got away from after this video) high school-aged kid returning home to the projects after completing a semester at a private school. He comes to discover that his old "gang" of friends have turned to a life of crime. Almost every Michael Jackson video features an entire section dedicated to his dance choreography, and this one isn't any different. It's too bad Scorsese wasn't as good with the whole music part of the music video, since it's really difficult to see Michael Jackson as anything but bad.
Billie Jean was the second single released off of Jackson's 1982 Thriller album. Considered by many as the video that brought MTV, an unknown music channel, into mainstream attention. It was also the first video by a black artist to be aired by the channel, as they felt that most "black music" wasn't "rock" enough. It's probably one of Jackson's shortest music videos, where he didn't get the taste of lengthy musical celluloid until the release of his single, Thriller, at the end of 1983. What fascinated me most about this video was how they illuminated almost everything that came into contact with Michael, especially the concrete beneath his feet. Simple by today's standards, but still rather effective.
Thriller was the sixth single release off of Jackson's 1982 album release of the same name. A true masterpeice in it's own right and considered by many as the greatest music video ever made. Directed by John Landis, Thriller follows Michael and his date, Ola Ray, at the movie theater. His date isn't thrilled at all with the horror movie their watching, so she storms out. As Michael chases her down, and begins to tease her with the opening verses of the song. I don't really remember catching the "World Premiere" of this video, but I sure do remember seeing it dozens upon dozens of times as it played on MTV endlessly, eventually being reduced to under a running time of 5 minutes.
In closing, I've selected the words of one of my close personal friends who said it best:
"Michael Jackson, no matter your feelings on the mans private life and legal troubles, was an amazing man. His music, charity and presence touched millions and millions of people all over the world. He adored children, which in case caused some of the trouble he ran into. He felt the pain and did millions of things to end suffering and starvation of people and children all over this world. From his appearance and the first time he did the moonwalk on stage to his last appearance and plans for a new tour, the man defined the Motown experience and defined pop music."
With that being said, Michael Jackson's videos were about 12 levels above almost anyone elses, since a majority of them were mini-movies, or better stated, short films. MTV wasn't really tolerated in my house (and for a very good reason). But that didn't mean I wouldn't watch it when my parents weren't around.
Whenever Michael Jackson premiered a new music video, the broadcast always became a major event. In the 1980s, the world stopped what they were doing, gathered around the television, and waited to see what wonderful sights and sounds Michael was going to present to them.
So, in honor of the "King of Pop" passing, I'm going to share with you my favorite Michael Jackson music videos.
One additional note before I proceed: I have only selected a few to show you. The reasoning behind this is that as much as I am a fan of his early material, some of his videos, as spectacular as they may be, felt too corny upon revisiting them.
Smooth Criminal was Michael Jackson's seventh single release from his album Bad (1987). It was watching this video that I realized how brilliant a physical performer Michael Jackson could be. Everyone was amazed when they first saw him "moonwalk" on stage for the first time, but this video transended his physical abilities way beyond what I could comprehend. This was, however, where I first started to notice the the downward slide in quality performances by Michael (screaming while firing a tommy gun, for example), as well as any other big celebrity name they got to star along side him.
Bad was Michael Jackson's first single release from his 1987 album of the same name. An 18 minute short film written by Richard Price (Clockers) and directed by Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas) that stars Michael portraying a androgynous-looking (which was kind of a new image for him, and something that he unfortunately never got away from after this video) high school-aged kid returning home to the projects after completing a semester at a private school. He comes to discover that his old "gang" of friends have turned to a life of crime. Almost every Michael Jackson video features an entire section dedicated to his dance choreography, and this one isn't any different. It's too bad Scorsese wasn't as good with the whole music part of the music video, since it's really difficult to see Michael Jackson as anything but bad.
Billie Jean was the second single released off of Jackson's 1982 Thriller album. Considered by many as the video that brought MTV, an unknown music channel, into mainstream attention. It was also the first video by a black artist to be aired by the channel, as they felt that most "black music" wasn't "rock" enough. It's probably one of Jackson's shortest music videos, where he didn't get the taste of lengthy musical celluloid until the release of his single, Thriller, at the end of 1983. What fascinated me most about this video was how they illuminated almost everything that came into contact with Michael, especially the concrete beneath his feet. Simple by today's standards, but still rather effective.
Thriller was the sixth single release off of Jackson's 1982 album release of the same name. A true masterpeice in it's own right and considered by many as the greatest music video ever made. Directed by John Landis, Thriller follows Michael and his date, Ola Ray, at the movie theater. His date isn't thrilled at all with the horror movie their watching, so she storms out. As Michael chases her down, and begins to tease her with the opening verses of the song. I don't really remember catching the "World Premiere" of this video, but I sure do remember seeing it dozens upon dozens of times as it played on MTV endlessly, eventually being reduced to under a running time of 5 minutes.
In closing, I've selected the words of one of my close personal friends who said it best:
"Michael Jackson, no matter your feelings on the mans private life and legal troubles, was an amazing man. His music, charity and presence touched millions and millions of people all over the world. He adored children, which in case caused some of the trouble he ran into. He felt the pain and did millions of things to end suffering and starvation of people and children all over this world. From his appearance and the first time he did the moonwalk on stage to his last appearance and plans for a new tour, the man defined the Motown experience and defined pop music."
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Flea Market Photo Safari
My apologies for not staying updated on my current review series. I've recently tripped over a rather large writer's block that had been sitting right in the middle of the living room, so I'm tending to my wounds as we speak.
My wife coined the phrase of this blog title when she shared some of the same pictures on her FaceBook page. Lisa, Christina (my sister for those of you who are not aware) and I went to the Nashville Flea Market that takes place once a month at the Tennessee State Fair Grounds.
We brought our camera along with twenty bucks to see exactly what we could find. Outside of obtaining a cheap, "Made in China" camo bucket hat, a DVD that I had been searching years for, and some tube socks, the three-hour-trek produced several pictures that I wish to share with you.
My wife coined the phrase of this blog title when she shared some of the same pictures on her FaceBook page. Lisa, Christina (my sister for those of you who are not aware) and I went to the Nashville Flea Market that takes place once a month at the Tennessee State Fair Grounds.
We brought our camera along with twenty bucks to see exactly what we could find. Outside of obtaining a cheap, "Made in China" camo bucket hat, a DVD that I had been searching years for, and some tube socks, the three-hour-trek produced several pictures that I wish to share with you.
Today's flea market is brought to you by the letter "A." (Photo by Lisa)
(Photo by The Dude)
(Photo by The Dude)
(Photo by The Dude)
(Photo by Lisa)
(Photo by The Dude)
(Photo by Lisa)
(Photo by The Dude)
(Photo by Lisa)
(Photo by Lisa)
(Photo by The Dude)
My original intentions were to comment on each photograph, but then decided to let them speak for themselves. Hope you all enjoyed them as much as we did taking them.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The 'Burbs
Part Two of Lost & Forgotten Film Treasures of the 1980s.
The 'Burbs (1989)
Directed by Joe Dante
Written by Dana Olsen
Running time: 101 minutes
“Our neighbors are murdering people. They're chopping them up. They're burying them in their backyard.”
The ‘Burbs is a delightfully dark comedy about the normality of life in middle-America suburbia. I was introduced to this film, more than likely, during one of its many broadcasts on cable television after its theatrical release. Ever since then, it’s become a staple in my movie collection and is pulled out quite often when I feel the need for a good laugh.
Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is your average everyday guy who has become a little concerned with his new neighbors, the Klopeks. Their house and yard are in shambles; they dig in their backyard in the middle of the night, and keep their neighbors up with the weird noises emanating from their basement. As Ray so simply states his observation one night, “I've never seen anybody drive their garbage down to the street and bang the hell out of it with a stick. I-I've never seen that.”
Now without the support from some of his other neighbors, Ray Peterson probably would have just let sleeping dogs lie. Unfortunately, living in the neighborhood are Art (Rick Ducommun), Ray’s gluttonous slacker next door neighbor, who is way too nosey and has too much time on his hands, and Rumsfield (Bruce Dern), an ex-military nut living across the street, who is just as concerned about the Klopeks as he is about a neighborhood dog crapping on his lawn. The more suspicious the events that take place on their cul-de-sac, the more these three are intent on snooping and spying on the Klopeks.
As expected, things take a turn for the worse. Walter, the elderly gentleman with the best kept lawn on the block and the owner of the lawn-pooping bandit, Queenie, has suddenly gone missing. The events following Walter’s disappearance will keep you laughing, as well as guessing, till the very end.
The ‘Burbs has always been one of my favorite Tom Hanks films, comedic or not. Hanks portrays the reigning everyman, who is pushed to his limits by his neighbors (especially Art) and his wife, Carol, portrayed by the adorable Carrie Fisher (of Star Wars fame). Rather than being simply a meddling prick like Art, Ray is truly concerned about the disappearance of his neighbor, Walter. His sincerity makes his performance so amusing yet so honest.
What I love is how relatable this film is to my life, to anyone who has lived in a neighborhood. We all know the weirdo who never mows his lawn, the family you never ever see coming or going, the angry “Get the hell off my lawn” old man. My cousin and I could have easily been misperceived by our neighbors with the last home I owned. They rarely, if ever, spoke to us and probably thought we were the “gay couple” living next door with the overgrown lawn. They were wrong, but I can imagine what conversations they had at the dinner table because we were probably having similar ones about them. It’s these kinds of normal neighborhood misinterpretations that bring this movie home, the main cause for the hilarious ride Joe Dante takes us on.
Joe Dante, whose other previous films include the horror-comedy Gremlins, and the quirky sci-fi comedy, InnerSpace (which I will cover soon), expertly executes the fine line between paranoia and paranormal. While the script is expertly riddled with bitingly hilarious dialogue, I believe the genius of the plot is that it never leaves their street, Mayfield Place. Where some directors might shy away from this possible hindrance, Dante takes advantage of it by not allowing his characters to leave the neighborhood.
Jerry Goldsmith provides the brilliantly overlooked score, where he takes advantage of every musical cue he can by parodying his other works (listen for remnants of Patton whenever Rumsfield dominates a scene) along with other great composers like Ennio Marricone and his score from Once Upon A Time In The West (when Ray and Art dare each other to go “say hi” to the Klopeks near the beginning of the picture). Goldsmith purposefully uses over the top musical clichés, so much so it almost becomes a character unto itself. I adore the heavy handed pipe organ reminiscent of old silent films when showing the Klopek's decrepit house or the sacharine sweet happy-perfect-neighborhood-all-is-well music he uses in contrast to show the purity and innocence of the cul-de-sac.
More than anything, I like this movie so much because Ray, Art and Rumsfield are like three neighborhood children, whose antics are not far from how I played with my friends when I was a kid. They’re supposed to be adults, but their behaviors are much more consistent with that of eleven-year-old boys who can’t disconnect from playing make-believe long enough to sit down and have dinner with their family. So much so, that Ray acts like a child who mentally shutdowns after a horrible nightmare, while Art and Rumsfield fail to persuade Carol to let him “come out and play.” The scene plays out like a mother and her grounded child rather than that of a husband and wife, and boy do I remember the numerous times when I was kept at bay, unable to go out and conquer the world.
The ‘Burbs is a great picture that honestly makes fun of the normalcy that comes with settling down and making a life for yourself in the suburbs. It also makes you reassess your living conditions and that anyone, if not everyone, can be suspect. After watching this film, you’ll probably never look at your neighbors the same way again.
The 'Burbs (1989)Directed by Joe Dante
Written by Dana Olsen
Running time: 101 minutes
“Our neighbors are murdering people. They're chopping them up. They're burying them in their backyard.”
The ‘Burbs is a delightfully dark comedy about the normality of life in middle-America suburbia. I was introduced to this film, more than likely, during one of its many broadcasts on cable television after its theatrical release. Ever since then, it’s become a staple in my movie collection and is pulled out quite often when I feel the need for a good laugh.
Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is your average everyday guy who has become a little concerned with his new neighbors, the Klopeks. Their house and yard are in shambles; they dig in their backyard in the middle of the night, and keep their neighbors up with the weird noises emanating from their basement. As Ray so simply states his observation one night, “I've never seen anybody drive their garbage down to the street and bang the hell out of it with a stick. I-I've never seen that.”
Now without the support from some of his other neighbors, Ray Peterson probably would have just let sleeping dogs lie. Unfortunately, living in the neighborhood are Art (Rick Ducommun), Ray’s gluttonous slacker next door neighbor, who is way too nosey and has too much time on his hands, and Rumsfield (Bruce Dern), an ex-military nut living across the street, who is just as concerned about the Klopeks as he is about a neighborhood dog crapping on his lawn. The more suspicious the events that take place on their cul-de-sac, the more these three are intent on snooping and spying on the Klopeks.
As expected, things take a turn for the worse. Walter, the elderly gentleman with the best kept lawn on the block and the owner of the lawn-pooping bandit, Queenie, has suddenly gone missing. The events following Walter’s disappearance will keep you laughing, as well as guessing, till the very end.
The ‘Burbs has always been one of my favorite Tom Hanks films, comedic or not. Hanks portrays the reigning everyman, who is pushed to his limits by his neighbors (especially Art) and his wife, Carol, portrayed by the adorable Carrie Fisher (of Star Wars fame). Rather than being simply a meddling prick like Art, Ray is truly concerned about the disappearance of his neighbor, Walter. His sincerity makes his performance so amusing yet so honest.
What I love is how relatable this film is to my life, to anyone who has lived in a neighborhood. We all know the weirdo who never mows his lawn, the family you never ever see coming or going, the angry “Get the hell off my lawn” old man. My cousin and I could have easily been misperceived by our neighbors with the last home I owned. They rarely, if ever, spoke to us and probably thought we were the “gay couple” living next door with the overgrown lawn. They were wrong, but I can imagine what conversations they had at the dinner table because we were probably having similar ones about them. It’s these kinds of normal neighborhood misinterpretations that bring this movie home, the main cause for the hilarious ride Joe Dante takes us on.
Joe Dante, whose other previous films include the horror-comedy Gremlins, and the quirky sci-fi comedy, InnerSpace (which I will cover soon), expertly executes the fine line between paranoia and paranormal. While the script is expertly riddled with bitingly hilarious dialogue, I believe the genius of the plot is that it never leaves their street, Mayfield Place. Where some directors might shy away from this possible hindrance, Dante takes advantage of it by not allowing his characters to leave the neighborhood.
Jerry Goldsmith provides the brilliantly overlooked score, where he takes advantage of every musical cue he can by parodying his other works (listen for remnants of Patton whenever Rumsfield dominates a scene) along with other great composers like Ennio Marricone and his score from Once Upon A Time In The West (when Ray and Art dare each other to go “say hi” to the Klopeks near the beginning of the picture). Goldsmith purposefully uses over the top musical clichés, so much so it almost becomes a character unto itself. I adore the heavy handed pipe organ reminiscent of old silent films when showing the Klopek's decrepit house or the sacharine sweet happy-perfect-neighborhood-all-is-well music he uses in contrast to show the purity and innocence of the cul-de-sac.
More than anything, I like this movie so much because Ray, Art and Rumsfield are like three neighborhood children, whose antics are not far from how I played with my friends when I was a kid. They’re supposed to be adults, but their behaviors are much more consistent with that of eleven-year-old boys who can’t disconnect from playing make-believe long enough to sit down and have dinner with their family. So much so, that Ray acts like a child who mentally shutdowns after a horrible nightmare, while Art and Rumsfield fail to persuade Carol to let him “come out and play.” The scene plays out like a mother and her grounded child rather than that of a husband and wife, and boy do I remember the numerous times when I was kept at bay, unable to go out and conquer the world.
The ‘Burbs is a great picture that honestly makes fun of the normalcy that comes with settling down and making a life for yourself in the suburbs. It also makes you reassess your living conditions and that anyone, if not everyone, can be suspect. After watching this film, you’ll probably never look at your neighbors the same way again.
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