Imagine being approached to make a film, and only having the title as your jumping off point. Sound a bit crazy?

Well back in the 1940’s, Val Lewton was approached by RKO Motion Pictures to produce nine horror movies, and all he was given to work with was the names of each picture. The first being 1942’s Cat People starring Simone Simon.

Taking place in New York, Serbian immigrant Irena Dubrovna, (Simone Simon) meets young and handsome marine engineer, Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), and instantly falls in love. The two marry, but Irena’s fears of an old Serbian superstition about evil witches turning into cats causes major friction between the lovebirds. So much so, that Oliver’s coworker, Alice (Jane Randolph) makes a move on the married man. Oliver asks Irena for a divorce, leading her to terrorize the man she loves and anyone who gets in her way.

It’s all a giant metaphor for a woman’s burgeoning sexuality.

I’m not reading too much into this.  The film makes it very clear from the beginning. A quiet and shy girl who’s never had a friend meets and falls head over heels with a good ol fashioned red blooded american boy, but when the wedding night falls upon her, she gets cold feet and begs him to wait. Later, she loses the man she loves to a woman who’s more in control of her sexuality. Only when tossing her cares away and becomes a bit of a b word—for lack of a better term—does she become empowered and in control.

For the hour and thirteen minute long film, it takes a while for the plot to really get going. The film makes up for it though by moving fast enough that you don’t mind. I wasn’t fully engrossed with the movie, but it did hold my attention.

The real jewel of the movie has to be Simone Simon as Irena. Playing up the pure and naive aspect of the girl’s personality, Simon does her best with a character that could have come off as incredibly annoying. She almost plays it too well. I really hated her husband for leaving her for Alice, and Irena is suppose to be the bad guy.

One moment that really speaks to Simon’s acting is when Irena plays with her pet bird.  It seems sweet and comedic until she accidentally kills it, then feeds it to a panther at the local zoo. Ms. Simon’s face after realizing what she’s done goes through so many layers of denial, sadness, regret, then acceptance of what she is, and what she has done. All the little things that Simon puts into her role are what really sell her as Irena. The icy daggers she shoots at Alice, the chipperness she uses as a mask to hide all the pain inside, I admit I choked up a bit at the little wave she gives to Oliver as she escapes near the end of the film, which he doesn’t see.

Another amazing moment of the movie is the stalking scene. Irena, after seeing Oliver and Alice run into each other, gets suspicious and follows the couple down a dark alley. Alice leaves Oliver, and it’s just now her and Irena. The whole film we’ve been teased of what could happen to Irena if she becomes mad or jealous. Now we’re starting to get some payoff. We watch Alice as she walks alone, all the while hearing Irena’s high heels clicking far behind her. Suddenly, the heels stop. Alice, along with us, becomes weary. We wait in silence to hear the heels again, but nothing. A faint noise of what can only be described as a cat lurks in the darkness, but it’s suddenly juxtaposed by an extremely loud bus. A very well done jump scare. Just like Alice, we want to get out of the situation as fast as possible.

The ending, however, was lackluster to say the least. I don’t want to give the final moments away, but it really left a bad taste in my mouth. I was angry that Irena was treated so horribly by everyone in the film.

Yet after spending some time away from the movie, I realized that no one in the film was really all that innocent. They all dealt with some sad and hard decisions. Irena’s dark past kept her from living a life she wanted. Oliver tried his best to love someone that just could not be saved. Alice had to watch the man she loved marry another and then watch him slowly fall apart when it didn’t work out. Everyone’s a sinner, and no one is a saint.

The film’s minor characters are laughably bad. They are so indicative of the time that there is a character whose lines almost all consist of, “Gee whiz” and “Dearie”. Then again, with how some of the dialogue is written, I don’t think the actors had much to work with. It is bad enough though, that it’s kind of endearing. It’s the kind of bad that you can get a giggle out of just because they seem so serious, but sound so ridiculous.

The cinematography definitely has it’s moments, especially whenever Irena is in her cat form. The last fight of the film is done beautifully, playing with shadows rather that flat out showing all the gorey details.

Costuming is fine, as I am not a big fan of 40’s clothes or their shoulder pads. I do have to hand it to the film. There is some seriously subtle costume changes for Irena. Her clothes get darker and darker throughout the film, and it’s a little on the nose that her coat oddly enough looking like panther fur.

It is a very cheap looking film. Almost all the action goes back and forth from two different sets: Irena’s apartment and the zoo. I don’t hold it against the film though as it works with what it has.

My main problem with the film is not exactly the film’s fault. I’m talking about the time period in which the film came out. The idea of divorce or annulment was almost blasphemous to talk about in a 40’s picture. Even today, it’s still a little problematic; therefore, I applaud the film for addressing it. My issue is that back in the 40’s, there were certain rules in film that kept the bad guy from having a happy ending. (That’s why in the original Italian Job, the film literally ends on a cliffhanger.) They couldn’t show the bad guys getting away with their ill gotten gains. I hoped that Irena would not be seen as the bad guy, and in the last five minutes of the film, the story tricked me into thinking that I would be right. Alas, it was not meant to be. Irena still gets a sad ending to her sad life. Now, if her character were in a modern film, she might be spared such a tragic ending as she is a likeable character. Therefore, I submit my honest opinion:

I think this film should be remade.

Yes, it’s already been done as in 1982. RKO changed up parts of the story to make it a bit more interesting. Along with giving it a killer theme song done by the late and always great, David Bowie. And the newer film wasn’t that bad. It’s wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad.

The idea can still have another great rendition if put into the right hands. Perhaps, instead of making the film about sexuality, it could be an allegory for depression.  A young woman who hates her own existence and tries to move on from her troubled past and find happiness, but only to spiral downwards into self-hatred and despair? In the ‘42 version, you definitely read that Irena is depressed, and may have thought of suicide to end her cursed existence. I know it’s a bit harsh, but it could work.

The film still holds up pretty well. It definitely has it’s hokey moments. It looks a little cheap, the writing is really dated, and the message may not be read too well for a modern audience. A woman who is afraid of what she’ll become if she enters into a sexual relationship and becomes an evil murderous beast when she fully accepts herself and her sexuality? I don’t know. It’s a little mean spirited towards women; however, the film still has something about it that makes it worth a watch.

So dim the lights and settle in for a chilling night, go enjoy Cat People.

3.5 out of 5 Black Cats

The post Cat People: Dated, yet Ahead of It’s Time appeared first on SCAD Radio.

When a group of strangers witness a car wreck, they learn from the dying man of a treasure buried under a “W.”  The next three hours follows the ensemble racing each other to reach the money first.  So, here’s a map to help you follow the many storylines of It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

“Smiler” Grogan (Jimmy Durante)

It all begins with Smiler, a thief who crashes his car at the beginning of the movie.  As he lies on the rocks, surrounded by the strangers who witnessed his wreck, he tells them of $350,000 buried beneath a “W” in Santa Rosita Park.  Unknown to the witnesses, he’s wanted for a tuna factor robbery, and had been tailed by the police for years.

The Highlight

He literally kicks a bucket when he dies.

Captain T.G. Culpeper (Spencer Tracy)

At the end of his career, he’s leading the search for Smiler Grogan.  While trying to keep tabs on the witnesses as they lead him to the buried treasure, he struggles with keeping the peace between his angry wife and daughter.

The Highlight

With an exasperated and exhausted look, he holds two phones up to each other.  One line is his angry wife, the other is his crying daughter.

J. Russell Finch (Milton Berle), Emmeline Marcus-Finch (Dorothy Provine), and Ms. Marcus (Ethel Merman)

As great as Milton Berle is as the timid, “bad driver,” Russell, Ethel Merman steals every scene as his loud-mouthed mother-in-law, Ms. Marcus.  She can be summed up in a single Buddy Hackett line as Benjy, “May you just DROP DEAD!” Ms. Marcus is obnoxious, loud, forceful, and cutting. They hitch a ride with Lt. Col. J. Algernon Hawthorne (Terry-Thomas) who’s studying desert fauna, and together, the four make up what is possibly the funniest pairing of the movie.

When Ms. Marcus and Emmeline leave the men to go off on their own, they enlist the help of Emmeline’s brother and Ms. Marcus’ son, the mama’s boy, speedo-sporting, Sylvester (Dick Shawn).

The Highlights

Sylvester, speeding down a hill, his car soaring, wiping away tears and crying, “I’m coming Mama!”

Russell and Lt. Col. Hawthorne’s fist fight.  It’s not often that you see two people who have never been in a fight before fight each other.  Here’s a sneak peek: Milton Berle accidentally kicks a rock instead of kicking Terry-Thomas.

Melville Crump (Sid Caesar) and Monica Crump (Edie Adams)

On their second honeymoon, dentist Melville Crump and Monica Crump are the couple you would hate to meet on a cruise.  Flaunting his dentist credentials, Melville Crump is always trying to be in charge. Whether it’s creating a convoluted system of splitting the money between the witnesses, or trying to break out of a basement, Melville Crump is never the hero he wants to be.  At least he has a doting wife. I guess.

The Highlight

After paying a man to fly them to Santa Rosita in a rickety plane, Melville Crump nearly destroys the plane mid-flight while trying to kill a bug.  It starts out funny, but when his feet fall through the floor, it’s hilarious.

Dingy (Mickey Rooney) and Benjy (Buddy Hackett)

A pairing for the ages, the two friends were on a trip to Vegas when they got side tracked.  Their downfall? They decide to fly to Santa Rosita in a drunk millionaire’s plane. When they accidentally knock out the millionaire, it’s their job to keep the plane in flight.  Both Rooney and Hackett are comedy geniuses as they try to land the plane for what feels like—and probably is—the majority movie.

The Highlight

Air Traffic Control struggling to explain how to land the plane.  With the mic cable wrapped around him, the controller falls out of the tower, dangling by the cord, still trying to direct Dingy and Benjy to the runway.

Lennie Pike (Jonathon Winters)

The only witness working alone, he was driving a moving truck when the race began.  With the greatest character arc of the movie, we watch him transform from a reserved driver looking for some cash into a raving lunatic.  His first mistake was asking for the help of Otto Meyer (Phil Silvers), who abandoned Lennie after he was told of the treasure. His second mistake was confronting Otto Meyer at the gas station.

The Highlight

What started as an attempt to beat up Otto Meyer, quickly turns into a maniacal tirade as Lennie Pike destroys an entire gas station while trying to catch up to the two geeky attendants.  It’s entirely unmotivated with no context. It makes no sense. But oh God, it’s side-splitting funny. Just watch it, because you will never see a man lose it as badly as Lennie Pike.

It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a classic because it’s still, after all these years, it’s still a riot.  The cameos might not hold the same thrill as they once did, but that doesn’t matter. (Although, The Three Stooges cameo still gets me.)  It’s a farce, a comedic look at greed. Everyone’s insane, and everyone wants the money, but most importantly, there’s a little bit of all of us in the characters.  It gives us a chance to laugh out ourselves, which is a good thing.

The post A Map Map Map Map to “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Meat Loaf was born Marvin Lee Aday.  You may recognize him as Bob from Fight Club or Eddie from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  And if you like Rocky Horror, then you’d love this album, because “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul” sounds like it could come right form Bat Out of Hell.  Meat Loaf’s second album, Bat Out of Hell, was released in 1977.  It’s the first of a trilogy with Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose following suit.  I promise, this isn’t Syfy’s latest horror trilogy.  With the songs by Jim Steinman and sung by Meat Loaf, the album grew from Steinman’s musical, Neverland, a futuristic retelling of Peter Pan. 

Bat Out of Hell

The first song off of the album, it was intended to be the world’s most extreme car crash song.  It begins with a young man who wants to leave a small town with his girlfriend, “Like a bat out hell, I’ll be gone when the morning comes,” but crashes before he can.  “Then I’m dying at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun, torn and twisted at the foot of a burning bike.”  And while the lyrics may sound gruesome, the almost 10 minute long song feels huge, dramatic, theatrical, and wild.  With a motorcycle engine at the 6 minute mark and a crash at 7 minutes, the stage has been set: this album will feel like a vivid, wild and exciting movie.  By the end of the song, you’re drained.  But this is just the beginning.

You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)

“You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth” didn’t chart very high, mostly because of the introduction.  Beginning with a dramatic spoken intro, one man asks, “On a hot summer night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with red roses?” He and the woman speak of what sounds like a sacrifice, a thematic introduction to a song about a first kiss.  And once again, it’s a vivid story.  “We were lying together in a silver lining by the light of the moon.”  The chorus doesn’t leave your head.  I swear.  “You took the words right out of my moth, oh it must’ve been while you were kissing me,” just may be the sweetest thing I’ve heard about a first kiss.

Heaven Can Wait

Originally from the Jim Steinman’s Peter Pan musical, Neverland, “Heaven Can Wait” is easily the simplest song on the album.  As the third track on the album, it’s almost an intermission.  The song is just piano and vocals.  “Heaven can wait and all I got is time until the end of time.” It’s sweet and pretty.

All Revved Up with No Place to Go

Instead of young love, “All Revved Up” is more about young lust.  “I was nothing but a lonely boy looking out for something new.”  In typical Meat Loaf fashion the song’s fun with the piano and sax swinging through the stages of the song, picking up towards the end, rapid fire.  Then stopping, leaving suddenly, all revved up with no place to go.

Two Out of Three (Ain’t Bad)

While listening to this in the car, my mom said, “When Meat Loaf sings, you feel it.”  Every song off this album is theatrical, but none of them makes you feel the song’s pain like this one.  “I want you, I need you, but there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you.  Now don’t be sad, cause two out of three ain’t bad.”  While it may be my most common shower song—it’s great to belt out—it may be the saddest song off of the album.  Meat Loaf takes your hand and walks through someone’s break up with great emotional honesty.  “There ain’t no Coupe de Ville hidin’ at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box.”  And by the end, you learn about him.  You learn that those same words were told to him, and he’s been unable to love ever since.  It’s beautiful, sad, honest, and so much fun to sing.

Paradise By the Dashboard Light

This is the first Meat Loaf song I’ve ever heard.  And I was much too young to understand it.  I’d sing it with my mom in the car, ask her what it was about, and she’d fumble over her words, concluding I’ll know when I’m older.  But now I’m 22 years old, so it’s time.  “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” tells the tongue-in-cheek story of a couple’s first time.  “I never had a girl looking any better than you did, and all the kids at school, they were wishing they were me that night.”  The song bounces back between Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley, building and building to a baseball game at 4 minutes.  The announcer cries I think he’s going to make it!  And Ms. Foley shouts “Stop right there!”  It’s the most fun you’ll have the whole album: Ellen Foley asks if he loves her, to which Meat Loaf replies, “Let me sleep on it, I’ll give you an answer in the morning.”  The song builds and builds until he caves, “I’ll love you ’til the end of time.”  And now he’s praying for the end of time, because he’ll never break his promise or forget his vows.  “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” is a raucous good time.  Its wild, it’s theatrical, and it’s easily one of the best songs off of the album.

For Crying Out Loud

Jim Steinman’s favorite song off of the album, “For Crying Out Loud,” is about sex and love.  The most dramatic, with the greatest crescendo, “For Crying Out Loud,” is the perfect ending to the wild ride that is Bat Out of Hell.  Beginning with a simple piano, it builds to a full orchestra as Meat Loaf sings, “For crying out loud, you know I love you.”  It is the perfect balance of theatrics, honesty, and humor.  The song ebbs and flows throughout a hearty 8 minutes and 45 seconds.  By the end, you believe what Meat Loaf has been saying this whole time. 

Bat Out of Hell is an exciting, high-energy, wild ride.  It’s worth it to listen from start to finish without shuffle.  It’s great for singing in the shower, or road trips.  And while many of the songs near the 10 minute mark, there is no waisted time, no dull moment.  It’s a classic for a reason.

I have been saying for years that I want to see a Bat Out of Hell musical.  And when I say years, I really mean it.  I was singing “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” since fourth grade.  Now that there’s one opening at the Manchester Opera House April 29 and then moving to London in June, I’m going to start praying that it will come to Broadway.  (I mean, it has to.  I don’t know what I will do if it doesn’t.)  But since I’m not going to be able to fly out to England anytime soon, someone tell me how many American dollars £19.99 is, because I’m about to drop it on a hat.

The post Bat Out of Hell is the Most Fun You’ll Have Listening to an Album appeared first on SCAD Radio.

I enjoy a film that has a sense of style. Film has the capability to diverge from reality as much as it wants. Anderson exemplifies this with his trademark visual effects in The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and The Grand Budapest Hotel (which is my favorite film). Directors who implement a particular style in their work without adhering strictly to its conventions often grab my attention.

This is where Brian De Palma comes in.

Best known for hits like Carrie, Scarface, and The Untouchables, Brian De Palma directed and wrote the film Phantom of the Paradise early in his career, as a loving send up to all things scary and sweet-sounding. This 1974 movie follows aspiring composer and singer Winslow Leach (William Finley) as he struggles to get his rock opera produced. He makes a deal with record producer Swan (Paul Williams), who then steals the music without crediting Winslow. After attempting to take his music back, Winslow is badly disfigured by Swan’s goons, and decides to exact revenge. He dons a mask and cape and terrorizes Swan’s music hall as the titular phantom. In this role, Winslow finds a new muse in the beautifully talented singer Phoenix (Jessica Harper). Their relationship, and the feud between Winslow and Swan, culminates in a bloody, musical rendition of Goethe’s Faust.

But that only scratches the surface. This is not simply an homage to horror, and it is apparent within the first ten minutes that a great deal of time and effort went into this film. It references many classic horror films, among them, Psycho and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. The opening narration is even done by Rod Serling of The Twilight Zone fame.

Paul Williams shines especially bright in his role. His acting may be a bit hokey, but the style of the film, along with the fact that many of his fellow actors are even worse, works in his favor. Still, it’s a better performance than when played the orangutan Virgil in the original Battle for the Planet of the Apes. It’s also funny to see the 5 foot two inch actor stand next to the six foot four inch William Finley. It’s an ironic statement: the little man has all the power.

Not only does Williams play the dastardly villain, Swan, he also composed and sang most of the music for the film. Listen to the closing credits music, “The Hell of It.” It is amazing. The whole soundtrack is dark and catchy, in a similar vein as The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

My biggest problem with the film is definitely the editing. As this is one of De Palma’s earlier works, there are a lot more mistakes than his newer films contain. Costumes change in-between frames; some scenes look like they were inserted just for the hell of it, or to give the film a better flow. Many of them achieve the latter effect, but it’s still a bit off-putting to see Paul Williams change clothes in between entering and leaving a room.

Another problem is the pacing. Parts of the film happen so fast that if you blink, you’ll miss important details, while other moments seem to drag on for about five seconds too long. That’s a minor criticism, though. Phantom is still enjoyable throughout the hour-and-a-half run time.

And here’s a fun fact: Sissy Spacek (who would star in the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie two years later) was the set dresser on the film.

If you are interested in watching this film, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s gory, goofy, and good for the eyes and ears. I also highly recommend the Blu-Ray Collector’s Edition. I first watched the film on DVD, and it looked like a typical ‘70s film: grainy, and a bit muted. I was able to watch a few clips of the Blu-Ray, and the quality was infinitely improved. In addition to the higher resolution, the saturation of colors and the contrast in values is much greater. It no longer resembles a ‘70s film so much as it does a feature from Hammer Horror.

If you love The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you’ll love this rock-pop creature feature.

4 out of 5 Phantoms

The post A Classic, Revisited: Phantom of the Paradise appeared first on SCAD Radio.

My history with the group is hardly unique. I’ve listened to them from a very young age. In fact, I was basically raised on “1”, a collection of their greatest hits. When I reached high school, I received Rubber Soul as a gift from my Mom. I was shocked. I hadn’t heard of any of these songs. These weren’t their biggest hits. Where was “Hey Jude”? What about “Eight Days a Week”?

There was a whole new world of music waiting for me. Sure, I had already heard a bunch of songs off of The White Album and Abbey Road (among others), but I had significantly underestimated their discography.

Now, these aren’t the objective 10 most underrated songs by the Liverpudlian quartet (there are simply too many people out there and too many great songs to compile a definitive list), but these are a few that I wanted to shout out. These also aren’t my favorite Beatles songs by any means (although a few of these would sneak onto that list). Anyway, let’s get on with it. These are in release order. Please enjoy:

1. Till There Was You (from With the Beatles)

When it comes to the lead singers, John brought the Dylan-esque introspection, George brought the Indian flair, and Paul brought the rest of Europe. Yes, it’s an oversimplification, but the fact remains: Paul frequently repurposed dance-hall numbers from his childhood, and was quite fond of continental European music. Arguably the least known of these experiments is “Till There Was You.” It’s achingly pretty, and it transports you to a sun-soaked, idyllic European countryside. The lyrics are simple, yes, but the imagery is powerful and the unconventional instrumentation (for the time) gives it a wonderful atmosphere.

2. If I Fell (from A Hard Day’s Night)

This is one of the very best harmonies ever recorded by the Fab Four. It’s just gorgeous. And this song is a love ballad, which they were often critiqued for eschewing in their early days. Although this is credited to Lennon-McCartney, this is a John song through and through. The early signs of their musical breakthrough on Rubber Soul can be found here.

3. I’m Happy Just to Dance With You (from A Hard Day’s Night)

Next we have the song that directly follows “If I Fell” on A Hard Day’s Night. It’s a pretty simple song, but there’s something about the rolling rhythm of the song that gives a hypnotic quality. The lyrics are as basic as ever, and John and Paul didn’t really rate it that highly, which is why they gave it to George to sing. This is really all about the interplay between the guitar and the drums. It meshes together in a way I don’t have the music theory knowledge to articulate

4. Tell Me Why (from A Hard Day’s Night)

Here’s another one from A Hard Day’s Night, which I think is certainly their best pre-Rubber Soul work, thanks to songs like this one. It’s amazing to me that this didn’t become a bigger hit, because it’s incredibly catchy (“Tell me wwhhhhhhyyyyy you crrryyyy/and why you llliiieeee to mmmeee”) and it’s no worse than a number of their chart-topping singles from this time period. I guess you can only have so many hit songs at once. This is definitely one that got a little overlooked.

5. Rain (from Past Masters, Vol. 2)

Listen to this song, and then tell me that Ringo can’t drum. Then consider the fact that the track was actually slowed down. Yes, he’s playing faster than that, and he’s already carrying the entire song. Of course, Rain is much more than just a display for Ringo’s drumming, but I believe it deserves a spot on this list for that alone. It’s got a wicked bassline and some nice backwards vocals (which were a happy studio accident). It’s the first great psychedelic song the group made. And we might have to blame the Fab Four for killing the radio star: The Beatles made three promotional videos for “Rain,” widely thought to be one of the earliest music videos.

6. The Inner Light (from Past Masters, Vol. 2)

The last of three Indian-based songs George wrote for The Beatles (the first two being “Love You To” and “Within You Without You,” no “Norwegian Wood” doesn’t count) and easily the least well known, “The Inner Light” was actually the B-side to the hit single “Lady Madonna,” released in the interim period between Magical Mystery Tour and The White Album. It’s got some lovely transcendental and meditative lyrics, and although it’s not one of their best songs, I think it deserves a little more love. Oh, and there’s a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode named after it, so that’s pretty cool.

7. I Will (from The Beatles (The White Album))

This is the first of a trio of picks from The White Album, the Beatles’ sprawling 1968 release. It’s really a compilation of three solo albums (and one Ringo-composed song!), as the band was incredibly fractured at this point. However, this ditty is Paul through-and-through. It’s not even two minutes long, and it contains more sweetness and genuine emotion than most albums. This track definitely has its fans, but its absolutely overshadowed by some of the heavy hitters on the first LP. The vocal bassline, the twangy guitar interludes and the wistful lyrics all add up to make one of my favorite Beatles songs. It sounds like nostalgia.

8. Long, Long, Long (from The Beatles (The White Album))

In general, I much prefer the first LP of the White Album to the second, but this is just such a wonderful song. The track placement didn’t do it any favors (it’s right after “Helter Skelter”), and it’s incredibly quiet for some reason. However, in terms of the actual quality of the song, that doesn’t matter. Like many Harrison songs, it’s unclear whether the song is talking about his lover or God, but it’s a perfect mix of esoteric and personal lyricism. He has since confirmed that it’s directed towards God, but the lyrics work both ways. It’s a hushed and deeply spiritual song, and George’s voice fits it perfectly.

9. Good Night (from The Beatles (The White Album))

Speaking of voices fitting songs perfectly, there’s perhaps no better example of this in the entire Beatles catalog than this song. Ringo’s always had a little bit of a grandfatherly timbre to his voice, so it’s only natural that he would sing a lullaby. John actually wrote this song for his son Julian, and the love shines through in Ringo’s voice. The George Martin-conducted orchestra sounds a lot like “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins, yet it also reminds me of the opening song from Lady and the Tramp. Whatever the influences are, it’s just wonderful. It’s also the perfect way to end the album, as it acts as a palette cleanser after the madness that is “Revolution 9.”

10. You Never Give Me Your Money (from Abbey Road)

I’ll get this right out of the way: this track contains one of my favorite moments in any Beatles song (I won’t leave you in suspense: it’s the “Ooh, that magic feeling” bit). It’s approximately twenty-five seconds of bliss and brilliant songwriting. That section alone would put it on this list. However, this song also has some added significance. It kicks off the medley that runs throughout the rest of side two, but it also stitches together a number of songs in its own right. It’s complex, beautiful and highlights all four members’ talents. This song just rules. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.

So, yeah. Those are a few of my picks. For the past two weeks on my radio show, 20th Century Rocks, I’ve been doing a retrospective of The Beatles. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much. I’m continuing with it this Monday, April 17th at 8PM ET on our website and the RadioFX app! I hope you’ll be there.

The post 10 Underappreciated Beatles Songs appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Yet, we must remind ourselves that what we see on the screen, is not what we see in real life. The twenty foot giants that glide on our movie screens are not our best friends, our boy/girlfriends, or our family. They present us with a fantasy, and we accept it.

We should ask ourselves a lot of questions about which fantasies are good and which ones are harmful, but many can agree that the realm of cinema is a bit of a mixed bag. Films can inspire change, influence generations to come, and open up new ways of thinking.

Film is still one of the best forms of fantasy for the modern person. It’s a one to two hour long realm of escapism, free to be whatever the realm dictates itself to be. With that said, what is a more iconic fantasy, than a beautiful brunette in a black cocktail dress staring into the window of Tiffany & Co.?

Based on Truman Copote’s novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is about a down on his luck writer, Paul Varjak (George Peppard), who moves to New York City. By a moment of chance, he meets his downstairs neighbor, Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn). The wild and eccentric call girl flips his life upside down as the two deal with Holly’s crazy clientele, suitors of the foreign and rich variety, and a ghost of Holly’s shadowy past, all while the two deny a budding love for one another.

Now, before I talk this film any further, I feel I must address the issue that plagues this classic. Mickey Rooney donning yellowface as Mr. Yunioshi.

As I watch Mickey Rooney:

Ellen: What am I looking at? Who said yes to this?

It is a gross miscasting that remains a black spot on an otherwise perfect film. Is he a throw away character who only shows up in one scene? No. He’s a recurring character throughout the whole film. Supposed to be the comedic relief, he’s a clumsy man who constantly knocks into the items of his heavily japanese decorated home. It’s “Ha ha! He wouldn’t have knocked into that paper lamp if it was hung there. But since he has to have his home in the traditional japanese fashion, we can make fun of him when he knocks into stuff because it’s his fault his home’s like that.”

Thankfully he is in the film for less than ten minutes so you don’t have to look at him for so long. The majority of the film is spent on our two main leads, Holly and Paul.

In her most well known role, Hepburn is mesmerizing as Holly Golightly, despite Truman Capote’s lack of faith. (Just remember that Stephen King hated Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of The Shining. The author is not always right.)

She does act a bit more melodramatic than I am used to as I’ve been more acquainted with method and Shakespearean trained actors. Her reactions are more theatrical compared to more modern movies, but that’s a minor problem with the film.

Her chemistry with Paul works great. They are close, but always at a distance. Her flirtatious nature with every man she meets is playful and harmless. However, I think her best relationship is with her cat, Cat. Appropriately named. “A couple of no-named slobs…” Holly says. She pretends that she doesn’t care about anything, even her own pet, sending it out into the cold rain to prove a point. Yet she comes to her senses and runs back to him in the end.

Peppard’s Paul is alright, just a plain main character who learns half of the information of the film along with the audience. Most of his performance is a reaction to Holly’s decisions. That is made up for, however, when we learn that [SPOILERS] he is having an affair with an older woman. Interesting. He’s at first a boring and flawed character, but after a while, you learn that he has some heart and deserves to get a happy ending with the original Manic Pixie Dream Girl.

The side characters of the film also work to it’s advantage. Let’s just ignore Mickey Rooney and proceed onward. Holly’s two suitors, Rusty and José are both funny and memorable in their own ways. One of my favorite characters was Doc Golightly, a man who wants to help the woman he loves, but knows what’s right and what’s wrong.

Blake Edwards’s directing and George Axelrod’s screenplay go hand in hand as the script reads like an 80’s soap opera, but still carries enough weight and charisma that you genuinely care for the characters.

The cinematography done by Franz F. Planer and Philip H. Lathrop (uncredited) is serviceable, while editing (Howard Smith) is done as well as to be expected in the studio system of Hollywood. It’s good, clean and simple. Not as experimental as say an Orson Welles’ project.

One aspect about the film that I could gush over for hours is the Edith Head designed costumes. Nominated for twenty five Oscars, winning seven, Edith Head’s designs for the film have gone down in movie legend. The black dress worn in the first five minutes of the film has become one of the most recognizable pieces of clothing ever to hit the big screen. Every look that Holly wears, I want to rip out of the television and put in my closet.

The film’s run time is about one hundred and fifteen minutes, but the pacing of it makes it feel even longer. The story is just a jumble of random events that happen over a long period of time, but they feel like they just happen out of the blue. I have no issue with that, but for people who like quick and painless films, and not ones that kinda wander around aimlessly for a while, then this might not be the one for you.

What can I say, I do love this film. It’s funny, it’s sad, it knows when to be loud and when to be quiet. It’s characters are fleshed out, even though the story may not be at times. Great actors, writers, editors and direction went into this film and it will not leave you disappointed.

Curl up with your favorite cat and enjoy, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

4.5 out of 5 cats

The post A Classic, Revisited: Breakfast at Tiffany’s appeared first on SCAD Radio.