To thine own self be true

Midwich, like The Day of the Triffids was a U.K. SF novel about “one problem” and its variant magnifications out of control. In the case of the former, aliens put a quaint English village to sleep and impregnate all the child-bearing women who all give birth, at the same time, producing strange, advanced-intelligence blond-haired kids with glowing eyes.

In 1960, director Wolf Rilla took a crack at adapting the original fairly closely with simple, but thoughtful scenes and effects. (spoiler: The only one that doesn’t work involves a fake model house!)

Veteran actor George Sanders played the village professor who outwits the kids in the climax. The kids do come across as menacing, particularly Martin Stephens as the gang’s scene-stealing leader. (He would later appear as the menacingly ambiguous Miles in The Innocents, a good Deborah Kerr based on Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw.

The print of the above DVD pic is clean as a whistle, nicely remastered. The black-and-white and village location scenes both work well. Hard to believe the film was criticized by some critics for its ‘unsavoury’ subject matter. There is also a nice commentary track which covers the adaptation, the filming, its techniques, the actors, and special effects.

Long before Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, The Boys from Brazil, and The Omen, there were Village of the Damned and its sequel Children of the Damned (1963), two entertaining ‘little’/B features from across the pond. Recommended for Wyndham readers, UK film buffs, SF fans, and Hammer-movie followers.

Growing up in the ’50s, you could not miss Elvis Presley’s sensational start in live performing, television, movies, and recording. I can still recall his first appearances on Sunday’s Ed Sullivan Show. My favorite songs that influenced my early interest in pop and rock included:

“All Shook Up” 1957
“Blue Christmas” 1964
“Can’t Help Falling in Love”–1961–I still sing/play
“Good Luck Charm” 1962
“Don’t Be Cruel” 1956
“It’s Now or Never” 1960–my 1st Elvis 45 rpm
“Little Sister”1961
“Love Me Tender”–1956–I still sing/play
“His Latest Flame”–1961–I still sing/play
“Return to Sender”–1962–my wife’s 1st 45 rpm
“She’s Not You”–1962
“Suspicious Minds”–1969
“Teddy Bear”–1957

Elvis was blessed in having so many fine songwriters and the strong backup of The Jordanaires. The various live and video performances on DVD help bring back why he was such a sensation. Definitely, a cool, likable person/a and you can see and hear why he was such a major star.

Francis Ford Coppola has made 4 masterpieces: The Godfather Trilogy, Apocalypse Now, and The Conversation. Godfather II is one of the few movies I have to watch to the end if I accidentally bump into it being broadcast on tv. A fantastic sense of atmosphere, story, and flow.

A laissez-faire director who let his actors improvise–why they loved him. Short Cuts and Gosford Park are also among his best. Large casts and use of microphones to pick up the chatter of minor characters in the background. A maverick auteur unafraid to experiment, who made his unconventional films without studio interference.

The great Sid I saw speaking at the Jubilee Auditorium about a decade ago. I was a fan from To Sir with Love and In the Heat of the Night onward. He paid his dues many years before those films–Lillies of the Field, Blackboard Jungle, and Cry the Beloved Country. A fine voice–check him out on his hard-life bio CDs and his out-of-print ’60s jazz LP with philosophical readings. A neat, cool guy.

The genius director of painfully honest relationships films. He has made more classics than you can shake a stick at: The Seventh Seal, Persona, Wild Strawberries, Autumn Sonata, Fanny and Alexander, Scenes from a Marriage, Cries and Whispers, et al. A real loner who started famously directing theatre, then transitioned seamlessly to film. The above intimate documentary is very revealing about his sensibility, life, and art.

The greatest living British actor at this point. Caine gave us numerous classics: Alfie, Sleuth, Get Carter, Zulu, Educating Rita, The Cedar House Rules, Hannah and Her Sisters,  X, Y, and Zee, The Man Who Would Be King, California Suite, Little Voice, The Quiet American, Last Orders, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He has played many famous people too, including Jack the Ripper to Scrooge. Great Cockney voice–his Elephant to Hollywood CD review of his life is splendid listening.

Olivier was the most impressive stage actor who transitioned to film, both acting and directing. Strong roles included Hamlet, Henry V, Othello, Wuthering Heights, The Entertainer, The Boys from Brazil, Marathon Man, King Lear, and Sleuth. Always acted with memorable flair and humor.

The greatest living American actor known for his quirky energy and realistic passion. Loved him in The Godfather, Godfather II, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Sea of Love, Glengarry Glen Ross, Looking for Richard, The Merchant of Venice, Insomnia, SIMONE, Donnie Brasco, Heat, and Scarecrow. He has a better track record than de Niro, methinks.

Old Blue Eyes was nominated numerous times for the Academy Award. A very likable guy as epitomized by his Butch Cassidy character. Other films of his I really like include: The Verdict, Nobody’s Fool, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Paris Blues, The Prize, Cool Hand Luke, The Hustler, Absence of Malice, Slap Shot, Sometimes a Great Notion, Hud. He also directed his wife Joanne Woodward in The Glass Menagerie and Rachel, Rachel. He led a full life driving race cars and using his salad dressing to make millions for charity. Another neat guy.

Tony was a wild Welsh actor-drunk until he got to Hollywood and conquered his demons, becoming a star in the ’80s. Creepy Hannibal is his most memorable role, but I prefer him in A Doll’s House, Magic, 84 Charing Cross Road, Howards End, The Remains of the Day, Shadowlands, and Nixon. He has played many famous people including Picasso, Hitchcock, Nixon, and Hitler. Touted as a ‘successor’ to Olivier onstage, he chose to do films instead.

‘Bud’, the original vagabond of film. Montgomery Clift, Paul Newman, and James Dean all lived in his shadow to begin with in their careers. Brando started in theatre with director Elia Kazan and did A Streetcar Named Desire on film, after which all the famous films followed: The Men, Viva Zapata!, Julius Caesar, The Wild One, On the Waterfront, The Teahouse of the August Moon, The Young Lions, Bedtime Story, One-Eyed Jacks, The Chase, Reflections in a Golden Eye, The Night of the Following Day, The Godfather, Last Tango in Paris, Apocalypse Now. Brando remains the most famous Method actor and galled Hollywood by turning down a Best Actor award to being attention to native causes. He also co-led Civil Rights marches. Considered by many to be the all-time great American actor.

‘Hitch’ made over 50 films, many of which are classics. I’ve written about him at length in an earlier blog entry. A good example of an auteur director.

The famous passionate acting couple of the ’60s; they could never stay apart or live together for any length of time. Burton had one of the best voices of stage and screen. His best includes Woolf, Look Back in Anger, Becket, The Night of the Iguana, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, The Taming of the Shrew, Where Eagles Dare, Anne of the Thousand Days, Equus, Wagner, and Nineteen Eighty-Four. Taylor’s best includes Jane Eyre, National Velvet, Giant, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Suddenly Last Summer, Butterfield 8, Cleopatra, Woolf, The Taming of the Shrew, and X, Y, and Zee.

Orson I have covered in a previous blog entry. A Boy Wonder genius actor and director who made one of cinema’s most famous films– Citizen Kane.

Epic director David Lean I have also covered in a previous blog entry. Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on the River Kwai, and Dr. Zhivago were his big three films.

A hugely underrated actor, Peck is perhaps more unsung than he should be. A memorable matinee idol who played a cornucopia of plum roles in: The Keys of the Kingdom, Spellbound, The Macomber Affair, Gentleman’s Agreement, Twelve O’Clock High, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Roman Holiday, Moby Dick, The Big Country, Pork Chop Hill, On the Beach, The Guns of Navarone, To Kill a Mockingbird, Cape Fear, Arabesque, The Omen, MacArthur, The Boys from Brazil, Old Gringo. A nice, likable guy in person with movie-screen charisma.

My favorite comic film actor. Sellers delighted millions with his Inspector Clouseau and the first Pink Panther movie is the ideal place to start. Of his previous UK films, his The Battle of the Sexes, Waltz of the Toreadors, and The Mouse That Roared are classics. My favorites include Being There, What’s New Pussycat, Dr. Strangelove, and The World of Henry Orient.  His post-Goons Rhino CD boxset produced by George Martin is a hoot. He is quite funny spoofing “Can’t Buy Me Love” and doing voice background on The Hollies’ “After the Fox”. He was naturally funny to look at and listen to.

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BTW/Other movie actors I have enjoyed include: Ingrid Bergman, Jane Fonda, Katherine Hepburn, and Deborah Kerr.

A nice biography of this artist’s life and work, focusing on on exhibition of his late works after he lost his wife, young mistress, and went bankrupt.

Film features his early historical work with mythical and biblical subject matter. The portraits of this exhibition are sprinkled throughout–each time one comes up, it is gone into extended, close-up detail.

I particularly enjoyed seeing someone demo his dry-brush etchings and another person demo his ‘free’-style late-painting techniques. Interesting to see his palette-knife scrapings and scratchings and his moshing chalk into white paint to add texture.

He is the great portrait master who was working in the 1600s after Shakespeare died and when Amsterdam had become prosperous. A critic toward the end of the documentary figures Descartes influenced the many self-portraits he has left us.

Overall, an impressive painter who is compared to Raphael, and was influenced by Ruebens and Caravaggio, but very much his own master. Recommended for anyone who wants to view a definitive portrait of the man and his work.

“…each day is like a year.
A year whose days are long.”
–“The Ballad of Reading Gaol”

My tastes have long been eclectic to put it mildly. Jazz and classical probably occupy about 40% of my mix, with  folk another 20%, and rock/pop another 40%. (I’ve also, incidentally, met many of the following in person and gotten their autographs.)

Peter, Paul, and Mary were an inspiration with their beautiful, sensuous three-part harmonies. Their In the Wind album is their best: many Dylan songs and haunting harmonies. They helped to popularize Dylan’s music when he was starting out. I followed them from their first album to Album 1700 which contained their playful folk-rock hit “I Dig Rock and Roll Music”.

The Cream were the first British super rock group. Each of their songs inevitably featured three interesting parts played on guitar, bass, and drums. “Sunshine of Your Love”, “White Room”, and “Spoonful” sum it up. The late Jack Bruce did most of their vocals and his ‘lead’ bass-playing was a revelation.

A ’60s folk rock group who produced catchy hits like “Daydream”, “Nashville Cats”, and “Summer in the City”. I still play many of them today. John Sebastian’s vocals and songs propelled them to popularity.

I grew up in Winnipeg going to see Lenny. He was, in many people’s opinions, the great jazz guitarist. I wrote a proposal which helped his daughter get the Bravo documentary. He had to invent a 7-string guitar to play what he heard in his imagination. Sadly he died young–was mysteriously murdered in L.A.

My favorite native performer since 1967. Numerous classics like ‘Until It’s Time for You to Go” and “Love Lift Us Up”. Has constantly kept up with changes in the music scene. Her last albums are simply powerhouse knock-outs in support of native peoples. And she still plays “Cripple Creek” on mouthbow! Been to a few of her incredibly entertaining concerts over the years, last ones at Winspear and Festival Place.

One of my favorite British Invasion groups with the haunting voice of Colin Blundstone and the energetic keyboards of Rod Argent. “Time of the Season”, “Tell Her No”, and “She’s Not There”. Saw them at Century Casino; fab show.

Her Wildflowers album in 1967 was extremely tasteful with its “Both Sides Now” hit. Saw her in early 1968 at UMSU at U of M. Her ethereal voice, guitar, and piano work impressed me from the get-go. (Above a precious signed book.) Her voice was its soaring highest and best on the Who Knows Where the Time Goes? album.

Fans still talk about their classic Great Speckled Bird album and Ian’s “Four Strong Winds”. Hugely underrated Canadian songwriters, both. A piercing vocal duo a cappella BTW. Best male-female duo of the Hootenany era. Ian’s later career is legendary. Saw them several times going back to 1967 at UMSU, U of M.

Terrific high voice and myriad radio hits. “Southern Nights”, “Galveston”, “Wichita Lineman”. He also played a mean guitar. His 12 string electric on the “William Tell Overture” was a wonder. A sad dementia finish, but he was still wondrous on his last family tours, having fun with his kids who supported him.

“Light My Fire”, “When the Music’s Over” and “Riders of the Storm” made me a big fan of their vocals, keyboard solos, and guitar work. L.A. Woman was one of their best LPs. Too bad Jim exited early as this album was released. The group sallied on after that, but were never as popular sans him.

I joined the Donovan fan club with “Catch the Wind” around ’66. Who can forget “Mellow Yellow” and “Sunshine Superman”? Donovan personifies the Summer of Love era and remains a solid live performer.

Hard to find a hit of his that wasn’t strong and memorable. Liked him all the way back to the First Edition songs “Ruby” and “What Condition My Condition Was In”. Kenny had a nice way with live audiences; made them feel at home. Great love ballads.

Canada’s first master songwriter of the ’60s and ’70s. “Canadian Railroad Trilogy”, “Sundown”, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”–he wrote for/of Canada. I go back to Gordie’s “Spin, Spin, Spin” 45 rpm single. Lightfoot bravely continues performing these daze though his voice has lost its old strength. He will die with his boots on.

Recently died. My favorite international performer, from South Africa. Saw him several times–a fun entertainer who wrote his own powerful songs. He honoured Nelson Mandela with one of his tunes. He put his unique stamp on South African music, especially in his solo career after Juluka.

Bruce and I go back to album 1 and my seeing him in the U of A neighborhood church in 1971 I vividly recall watching him re-tune a piano for some of his numbers from the first two albums. I included his work in my textbooks and got to meet him and tell him about that. He was Canada’s top folk singer of the ’70s through to now. A terrific guitarist; the best in folk I’d say.

Janis Ian finally came to Edmonton after 2000 and she gave a memorable show at Festival Place. A gracious, fantastic songwriter. “At Seventeen” is a song I used in an early textbook. She has quite the catalogue of honest relationship songs like “Jesse”.

Unfortunately, Garfunkle’s voice gave out before they reached Edmonton on their last tour. They were incredibly popular from “Sounds of Silence”, “Homeward Bound”, and “I Am a Rock” onward. Best and most successful folk duo of the ’60s and ’70s. Simon has had a long, very successful career which includes “Graceland”. They influenced me to sing with other guys in folksy duos in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

The UK group, The Animals, were essentially Eric Burdon’s unique blues voice and cool persona. He, too, has had a long followup career, mostly reprising the early hits. I was sitting at a front table in ye olde Sidetrack Cafe for his intimate show there. What a treat! A superb blues voice. “Spill the wine, take that girl!”

I got into The Hollies because of “Bus Stop”, “Stop!Stop! Stop!” and their sublime three-part harmonies. I still play “I Can’t Let Go” and “Bus Stop” to this day. Alan Clarke was their first and best lead singer. Graham Nash started in the Hollies as his sidekick. They were UK Everlys harmony-wise.

The Godfather of British Blues. Blues from Laurel Canyon is his best album, a blues concept album about his trip to L.A. Saw him rocking UMSU in winter of ’67-68. Same lineup as on Canyon. Teenage lead guitarist Mick Taylor played slide and the Stones soon picked him off. Still love his blues voice. Nothing fake about Mayall.

Saw Joanie here finally in Edmonton at the Winspear. She was in fine, mature voice and played her best songs including “Diamonds and Rust” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”. One of my favorite female folk singers from 1967 on. Her Baptism concept album incorporated famous poets and music. Has had several comebacks.

A Kinks fan from “You Really Got Me” in 1965. Saw them a couple of times and Ray, finally, in person, row 1 at Winspear. Ray’s new songs are very strong, but his catalogue is long and deep. “Lola”, “A Well-Respected Man”, “Sunny Afternoon”–I still play these. His autograph on a solo album meant a lot to me. I used to read the “R.Davies” songwriter credits on the Kinks’ 45’s and wonder! Six degrees of kindred spirit separation for sure.

Phil, I’ve already documented. Love the voice and its modulations. He is the best folk song writer along with Simon, Cohen, and Dylan. Splendid company. Wrote wicked satires about ’60s Americana.

An acquired taste, Loussier’s trio blend famous classical composer pieces with modern jazz sounds and adaptations. An impressive CBC Stereo staple. No one has ever done this hybrid style as well and as smartly as Loussier.

The first two versions of the Trio I have documented on the blog earlier. Followed them from “Tom Dooley” to “Ally-Ally Oxen” breakup days. Dave Guard was good, but John Stewart added more songs and an unusual quavery voice. (I have a rare signed concert book by the original trio which is a rare treasure.)

Lenny, of course, from his poetry (I have signed copies) transition to his albums. He remains greatly revered. The concerts on DVDs are the best way to re-experience him now. There you get his voice, his persona, and self-deprecating humor. He was one of Canada’s and Montreal’s fantastic exports.

There are many jazzers I like (I’ve written about Stan Getz and Miles Davis elsewhere in the blog). Brubeck is considered a legend for one song and album, Take Five. Totally unique time signatures are explored and then there is the fine, tasteful work of saxophonist Paul Desmond.

The guy who invented jazz around 1900. A memorable voice and trumpet. This is the vintage album to own of his first recordings. It’s pronounced ‘Lew-is’ BTW.

My aunt had Jimmie’s hits album in the ’50s and I never recovered from his bouncy tunes like “Honeycomb” and “Kisses Sweeter than Wine”. I still followed him and his tv show through his folk-rock days (“Child of Clay”) about the time of his near-death beating on a California highway. In the past decade, I wrote back and forth to him, and our correspondence has been very special and meaningful, evoking my first hearing him in the ’50s.

Been to a couple of Billy’s shows, which would make anyone a fan. I first connected with his “Allentown” hit and stayed a fan through the ’80s into the ’90s. An excellent songwriter and vocalist who has spanned several genres including classical!

Rich, Ken, and Ronnie started in Calgary and hit paydirt with “Sweet City Woman”. Several more hits followed and they rivalled The Guess Who as Canada’s top band in the ’70s. They still tour and I saw them 2 x in the past decade. A very strong rock trio who sound impressively full in concerts.

The Legend of the ’60s who got his dynamic start at the Monterey festival. I can remember buying one of his records in 1967 after George Harrison did “Within You, Without You” on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; he was a huge Ravi fan. I got to see him at the Winspear before he stopped touring. His daughter Anoushka is a strong sitar player, too. Ravi brought Indian music to the world.

Ray remains my favorite black singer of all-time. What a voice! I was a fan of his since “I Can’t Stop Loving You” in the ’60s. A super pianist and a legendary voice. I saw him at the show on the above DVD. He had more fun than anyone else on the stage! Authentic and powerful.

The Searchers were my other favorite vocal group ogf the British Invasion. Saw them twice here in the 200os. They had a fab catalogue–“Needles and Pins”, “When You Walk in the Room”, “Sweets for My Sweet”, “Love Potion #9” and “Bumble Bee”–which I asked them to play at Century Casino. Surprised them! They had thought no one would request it, but played it well. “Bzzz”.

Another memorable Canadian. Still considered the most popular classical pianist in the world. His interpretations of Bach made his reputation. He was a very quirky guy wearing winter overcoats in summer, popping pills for every condition, and retiring young from concert-performing. Two albums of “The Goldberg Variations” alone made his fame.

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The Beatles, of course, I’ve done entries on including Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison.

Chicago is my favorite big band horn group. Seen them live a few times, once in row 1 at Winspear. (Have I said I’ve been a lucky man?) “25 or 6 to 4” and “Saturday in the Park” are among their best known songs. Multiple lead singers over the years and great players have succeeded the original awesome group.

The Yardbirds I have also saluted. Another British Invasion group of note who were ahead of their time and had three of rock’s greatest guitarists–Beck, Clapton, and Page.

Jazz guitarist Mike Stern is the only other jazz guitarist who could hold a candle to Breau and Stern worshipped him. Seen Mike a few times–man, can he play hot!

Stan Getz is my favorite jazz saxophonist. His People Time and first Bossa Nova album (featuring “Girl from Ipanema”) remain big favorites.

Miles Davis is my favorite cool jazz trumpeter. He changed the course of jazz music more times than Louis. He is the only jazz artist I have a massive CD boxset of.

With May trees coming into bloom followed by lilacs, it is a fragrantly sensory time for noses. Easily my favorite time of spring.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man–James Joyce

To the Lighthouse–Virginia Woolf

Pride and Prejudice–Jane Austen

Return of the Native–Thomas Hardy

your choice of Heart of Darkness, The Secret Agent, or Lord Jim–Joseph Conrad

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland–Lewis Carroll

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde–Robert Louis Stevenson

Frankenstein–Mary Shelley

Brave New World–Aldous Huxley

The Razor’s Edge–Somerset Maugham

Brighton Rock–Graham Greene

Nineteen-Eighty-Four–George Orwell

Middlemarch–George Eliot

Lord of the Flies–William Golding

A Passage to India–E.M. Forster

Great Expectations–Charles Dickens

In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter asks “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” but this is never answered in the book.

In the fall of 1969, at University of Winnipeg, in a course on 20th century British Literature, we were starting with a study of Carroll’s book as an allegory for modern times. The curly-headed prof sat Cheshire cat-like in Lotus position on a desk at the front and suggested an answer I’ve never forgotten: “Poe wrote on both”.