Archive for February, 2009

20 loudest albums of all time

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

Here’s an interesting poll by Q magazine: the 20 loudest albums of all time!!  I own, in whole or in compilation, 11 of these.  How many do you have?

Of course, some of the commentators are right – there can be no list of loudest albums without Guitar Wolf or Swans, and for Sunn 0))), I’d say “Flight of the Behemoth” is louder than “White 1.”  Maybe the Velvet Underground, Neil Young and Led Zeppelin could be left off.  I like how Slayer is on this list but Metallica isn’t.

Other loud bands not on this list: Nailbomb, Masonna, Boris, Sepultura, Skinny Puppy.

Movie Mania!

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

DVD Reviews:

TR2
The Ring 2 – The latest entry in a story that started out as a novel, but has been filmed in Japan (twice), Korea, and the US. Director Hideo Nakata has been involved in most of the projects, shooting the definitive version of the story in 1996. He didn’t make the US version of Ring, but came in for Ring 2 (and now, apparently, is working on Ring 3). The story has its silly points (if Samara has evolved, why does the video tape pop up in the opening sequence), and her power to unleash symbols (burning trees) upon the world seems pretty random, but the plot twists are satisfying. So is the double ending. Rachel Keller still seems to have no luck with men, which is tragic if you’ve ever gotten a good look at Naoko Watts. The scares are pretty wild, and it’s overall one of the more satisfying Ring films (and quite a lot better than Ringu 2, the weakest film of the recent Rings). The DVD has tons of extras, most of which aren’t too interesting, but there is the 16-minute short film called Rings, which is pretty interesting, in that it traces the back story of the high school senior who watched the haunted video tape. He’s dealt with in a brief, superfluous scene at the beginning of Ring 2, when we see the last moments of Day 7, but Rings goes quickly over the history of his Day 1 to Day 7, and the film makers attempt to open up a bit of a new world. Not bad.

RD
Radio Days – I remember this film as very funny, but I think I’m just remembering the awesomely hilarious opening scene that is worthy of Allen’s funniest short stories (such as from “With Feathers” and others). The film is mostly a collection of skits, most of which appear to have been acted out by the cast in a long theatre run in the way that the action flows together in a tight, but somewhat unnatural, way. Some superfluous musical numbers make me wonder if they were included to pad out this rather short film. Julie Kavner, who does the voice of Marge Simpson, has here here biggest role – she’s in about half of the scenes in the film. She’s also in Hannah and her Sisters, but in a smaller role.

Tombston
Tombstone – Tale of the legend of Wyatt Earp and the shootout in the OK Corral. Great staging, great setting, perfect costumes, wild story. Kurt Russel is a bit dry as humorless lawman Wyatt Earp (well, not humorless, but when he tries to be a regular guy we wish he wouldn’t – he’s pretty stiff). Some unnecessary blood and gore at the beginning as the Cowboys shoot up a wedding, but it establishes the Cowboys’ villainy. Val Kilmer stands out as the eccentric, tubercular dentist/gambler/killer Doc Holliday, who is doing everything to make certain that he doesn’t die in a hospice (but he does anyway). Michael Biehn is great as Johnny Ringo, a smart guy who just likes killing. His fight is with Wyatt, but his natural enemy is Holliday, and this makes for great dynamics. The extras are good, and there’s a bit of a documentary on the making of the movie, as well as some history of the real shootout at the OK Corral. Interesting to see Michael Rooker and Thomas Hayden Powell in small roles, and Sam Elliott is fine as Virgil Earp (although he seems to be too much older than his brothers).

WandI
Withnail and I – Strange cult film. Considered highly quotable by the many who have seen it dozens of times, but it comes off as pretty silly throughout. Richard Grant is fantastic as the manic Withnail, while the less impressive Peter McGann plays the uptight “I”, although he’s also called Marwood in the screenplay. Scenes of Withnanil and Marwood battling poverty (although they live in a spacious and well-furnished flat) in 1969, indulging in long drinking binges, and childishly railing at the injustices of society while they don’t seem to have any source of income. They go into the countryside for a “vacation” (not sure what it’s a vacation from), and there are more misadventures, particularly from a flamingly amorous uncle. The best lines are from Ralph Brown, who plays Danny the drug dealer, and from the cop who busts Withnail for drunk driving.

CF
Crazed Fruit – A frightening film of idle youth, desperate brotherhood, lonely virginity, sadistic carnality, hopeless/fanatic/homicidal romanticism. The first scene and the final scene mesh, making it similar to many many many classic films I’ve seen (“Sunset Boulevard” without the narration?). Gorgeous scenes of Kamakura of yesteryear (the 1950s) when smart young Japanese intellectuals were both rich and nihilistic. It sure is different these days (although maybe they’re still rich…).