Dick Cheney [1941] is the current 46th Vice President of the United States. You can love or hate this guy, there's hardly any in-between [I think he is amazing]. The Washington Post [free registration] is always pretty serious journalism and just had four very good and free stories. For when you're interested in modern history and USA politics.
You must have guessed by now, my blog is about great women. This entry is a little tribute to Amélie Mauresmo [1979]. She is not only a top-10 tennis player [and a great looking woman] but also a declared lesbian. And let's not forget Martina Navratilova [1956]; two amazing big & strong female role models
Paolo Nutini [1987] is a singer/songwriter from Scotland. His father's family is of Italian descent. Besides that he is a gorgeous looking guy, he can sing some good songs too [popular rock, acoustic guitar]
Here is Bob's "Blowin' in the Wind" with background vocals from Joan Here is Joan Baez in a Latin song [sounds Portuguese, Brazilian] Here is the full 1963 Newport Folk Festival album [the evening sessions, 16-track, 68MB.]
Rosie Thomas is a singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington. She plays a modern, cool, easy, and sensitive type of country-rock. Her sound is backed by a great tradition going back to Joan Baez.
Syd Barrett [1946-2006] was kicked out of the band in 1968 for erratic drug-related behavior. He was a co-founder and the genius of the band in the early years. David Gilmore was more-or-less his replacement.
There is an all-Syd tribute post earlier on this blog. The band didn't forget him. The 1974 "crazy diamond" song is a tribute to Syd. Here is the 2002 diamond song from David Gilmore on acoustic guitar.
The Pompeii movie starts with great visual impact and the "Echoes Part-I" track. David Gilmore is already coining the new sound. Here are the first 13:00 [90MB.] minutes of this impressive film.
Here are the .mp3 versions of Echoes Part-I and Part-II from the Pompeii album.
Some critics hold that Kowalski is not the main character. He is hardly a character, though there are some flashbacks into his complex past. The main character could well be the white Dodge Challenger.
Frank Zappa [1940-1993] was a very productive rock/jazz musician and a good guitar player. His early period with the Mothers of Invention was pretty freaky, making fun of other musicians.
Their first 1966 album "Freak Out" in 2x70MB. splits [1] and [2]
Their 1968 album "We're Only In It For The Money" in 1x60MB. file
This is one of the most hypnotic films you will ever see. It stays in your mind for weeks. Like Sergio Leone, Federico Fellini and Sam Peckinpah are joining forces to make a mystical, existential and spiritual western - and you are close to this masterpiece.
There are many things to admire in this film; the story, the editing, the music, the pictures, the strange characters, the ending. Be warned though; some of the images are pretty extreme, especially for a 1970 film.
The film is pretty symbolic [religious?] but it has a clear story. Our hero is sent on a quest in the desert for beating four legendary gunmen. After accomplishing his tests, he is betrayed by the [lesbian?] women who urged him to the quest. El Topo is then found and nursed by a group of Fellini-type people that live in an underground world. His next quest is to dig a tunnel for them to the surface world. He succeeds but with horrible consequences.
Here is the 1:40min. intro of the film [9MB.] "You are seven years old. You are a man. Bury your first toy and your mother's picture". A 2004 review of the film is here.
Maria Callas [1923-1977] was a great Italian soprano opera singer and a beatifull dark eyed woman too. Here she sings in La Sonnambula, a 1831 Italian opera from Vincenzo Bellini. These are good recordings from 1957. Track-1 gives you a fair impression of her wonderful voice.
Black Sun [Man Behind the Sun 4] is a 1995 Hong Kong cat-III shocker about the 1937 Nanking Massacre. It may look like an anti-Japanese propaganda film, but the depicted historical events are pretty accurate. This is not a movie that you watch for pleasure. It has a semi-documentary style that makes it very disturbing. The film is a historical story in the first place that is not told very often about Japanese attrocities in China during WW-II.
It was produced in Hong Kong but directed by Taiwanese director Tun Fei Mou. He is a committed Chinese nationalist which explains his almost uncontrollable anger in this film. Tun Fei Mou also directed Man Behind the Sun 1. Here is a written interview with the director.
Zoë Bell at the Cannes Film Festival [France, june 2007] photo (c) by Christophe Karaba
Zoë Bell is a female stunt double from New Zealand. She is an actress now. She is the woman on the hood in Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof". She playes herself and [of course] she did all the stunts.
Tarantino came close of cancelling his Kill-Bill project, after he grew disappointed by the karate stand-ins who auditioned for him. The project was saved by Zoë Bell. This is a little tribute to this great woman.
Here is the hood scene - you don't fool around with these women. Notice the haunting music that mixes with the roaring sounds of the V8 engines [put up the volume]. About 65MB. / 5:45min. http://rapidshare.com/files/38258414/bigwhite.avi
A nice to know: The second part of Quentin's movie is all a big quotation of the 1971 "Vanishing Point" movie.
Just compare this [25MB.] 1971 clip. It has the same white Challenger, the same haunting music, the same V8 engine roars. Quentin is all about Quoting [in case you did not know allready].
I made an earlier entry on this blog. Remind me that I should post the full movie.
Traci Lords [born in 1968 as Nora Kuzma] is an amazing adult movie icon. She was 16 or 17 when she played in her first 1984 movie, faking her age and causing major mayhem in the industry. She ran away from home and began nude modeling at age 15, then into adult films a year later. Very little of her can be found because it is all marked as underage and illegal. She just made exactly one legal adult movie - "Tracy, I love You" [1987] which was filmed in Paris on her 18th birthday.
Traci did not had a happy childhood - but ah, most great people didn't. [Nora sounds like Norma]. She has a pretty decent life now and works as a serious actress.
I don't know whether I will call this culture or crap but with the right kind of [cheap] liquor it sounds fantastic. A few walzes and polkas from Johann Strauss [1825-1899].
The first and most dyonisian track [Spring Voices] is here.
Italian Monica Bellucci [1964] was a law student, a model for Elite and she still is a very beautiful and talented actress. She became known and popular with English-speaking audiences following her 2000 lead role in Giuseppe Tornatore's much acclaimed Malèna; a little boy's wet dream come true. In 2002 she portrayed a rape victim in Gaspar Noé's highly controversial Irréversible. You have to go back to early Marlon Brando movies to find better hi-impact acting.
Ten sweeping entries [Opera Overtures]. The overture's are mostly the best and iconic part of the opera. Without listening hours and hours you can pick up some education here.
This is a pretty sick [1977] Nazi flick, because it is psycho drama. It hits you hard in all your week spots. Gestapo's Last Orgy from italian director Cesare Canevari has all the usual gore and sexploitation but the movie has also a story. Nazi sadist Conrad von Starker is a secret masochist and he picks on Jewish Lise Cohen for his psycho torture project. This movie is aka "Caligula Reincarnated as Hitler" but that is too cheap a title.
This movie is called "Under Wetness and Piano". I had to DL this one from my own links because I didn't know anymore what it was about and I could not find any clue on the internet. Now I remember. This was one of the few movies that were banned in Japan for extreme sex and violence. The story is about a crazy gang, taking hostage an average family, raping and terrorizing them. Not a very pleasant sight but it is some unique Asian footage [date and director unknown].
Ben Webster [1909-1973] was a great jazz saxophone player with a cool and silky sound. He played with virtually all the jazz-celebs. In his later years he lived and died in Amsterdam.
Here is the "My Romance" track [5MB.] Here is the "My Romance" album [60MB.]
Diary of a Serial Killer [Guang Zhou sha ren wang zhi ren pi ri ji] by Otto Chan is a 1995 Cat-III Hong Kong shocker. It is based on actual events that took place in Guangzhao's, Wong Po village. During five years of terror Li Wenxian raped and murdered thirteen women, mostly prostitutes. Li told the authorities he was seeking revenge for a prostitute who cheated him. Lau Shu-bill (Chan Kwok-Bong) is the serial killer. He murders prostitutes in very nasty ways. He wants to dispatch these filthy women, releasing them from their misery and giving them a better shot in the next life. This Hong Kong sickie is very well made and has some rather unpleasant scenes of sexual violence and butchery. There is also plenty of sleazy sex to satisfy fans of exploitation cinema. Chan Kwok-Bong is frighteningly realistic as the sicko killer. The film is not for everyone, but if you're into extreme Asians, this is a must-have.
This is a collection of short movies from David Lynch. It features six short films spanning his career, from early experiments to more fully realized visions. "Six Men Getting Sick", "The Alphabet", "The Grandmother", "The Amputee", "The Cowboy and the Frenchman" and "Lumiere". Each film is preceded by an introduction from the director.
Manitas de Plata ["Little Hands Of Silver"] is a great Spanish flamenco guitar player and singer. He is from 1921; you might call him a living legend [when you're into this kinda stuff]. Here is his "A La Corrida" album Here is a joyfull sample song
Tip: use a headphone, the Sennheiser PX100 seems to be good and cheap.
Kraftwerk ["Power Station"] is an influential German music group. Their uncompromising electro sound was revolutionary in the early 1970's and influenced new-wave, techno, dance and hip-hop styles. Their fifth [1974] album "Autobahn" was their break-trough in the USA. I remember that I was pretty impressed when I heard them for the first time.
Here is the 22:00min. Autobahn track Here is the full 1974 Autobahn album
Here is their 2003 album "Tour de France '03" Here is the first track from this album
Backpacking college students seek the ultimate vacation through sex, drugs and unforgettable experiences. When friend Oli informs the two of a hostel in Slovakian Bratislava that offers the most beautiful and promiscuous women in all of Europe, they go and find that hostel there. When they arrive in Bratislava, they find that the hostel was everything and more of what they expected. The events that follow are sure to deliver the unforgettable vacation that they were looking for. Mystery, suspense and fear push this film to its bloody ending.
Here is a nice multi-media site about the movie. Here is the trailer on YouTube.
A nice to know: Takashi Miike played a small part in this Quentin Tarantino production; they are good friends. Quentin plays a small part in Miike's latest film Sukiyaki Western Django. This movie is to hit the cinema in September 2007. Here is a trailer on YouTube.
Iva Nova is an all-female quintet that has been formed in St.Petersburg, Russia in 2002. Introducing: singer Nastya Postnikova, Inna Lishenkevich on guitar, Elena Zhornik on accordion, Ekaterina Grigoryeva on bass, and Katherina Fyodorova on drums. They have been called all kind of names; rock, ska, punk, folk, world-music and the lot. Their music is inspired by their native culture. They write original songs, rooted in traditional Russian and Slavic music. It is fast, fun, and very danceable. One of the most exciting things from Russia in quite some time.
Ива Нова "Ведьма" [Iva Nova "The Witch"], a 2007 live performance
A hot Spanish-like song in Russian language is here An 11-track compilation of their music is here Their website is here
This is a top-rated all-time classic movie from 1968. It is nice to see that Takashi Miike is quoting this one in his latest movie and that Quentin Tarantino used some Morricone music in his Grindhouse - Death Proof [see one of the next blogs].
Here is just the soundtrack album with the iconic harmonica song.
Ani DiFranco [1970] is a declared lesbian singer/songwriter and feminist icon, she plays a hell of a guitar. She made her fans wondering when she bared a child. She gave birth to a 7-pound, 8-ounce daughter, Petah Lucia, at her Buffalo home early Saturday morning, January 20, 2007.
Women in Cell Block 9 [Frauen fuer Zellenblock 9] is another [1977] over-the-top [big-laugh] WIP sleazer from Jess Franco. Clearly made with the sex & gore crowd in mind, completely lacking any story or plot. Nude women are imprisoned, raped, tortured, raped, tortured, raped, tortured ... The Rodent-in-Pussy torture scene is one of the greatest ever in sleaze cinema.
The Pekinel Sisters [Turkish identical twins] are a piano playing duo of good looking women. And they play very cool jazzy Bach interpretations. Here is a sample.
Eat the Schoolgirl aka Osaka Telephone Club is a 1997 Japanese shocker. Director Naoyuki Tomomatsu is probably best known for his 2001 Stacy movie. This movie has great pictures but still is a very nasty flick. The movie starts out with a sexy young girl having phone sex, culminating in the scene where the girl desperately tries to stuff her intestines back into her belly.
Another incomprehensible movie from Jupiter, uh ... Japan.
Rasputina is a varying collection of cellists playing alternative rock. The band officially began in Brooklyn, New York in 1992, when Melora Creager put out an advertisement requesting members to form an all-cello band. Cellist Julia Kent responded and the two formed what was dubbed the Traveling Ladies' Cello Society.
Salon Kitty [1976] is another Nazi sick-flick from Italian sleaze director Tinto Brass. There is not much to say about this Ilsa-type of movie [see the previews], exept that Tinto Brass has some reputation of making better movies.
Barbed Wire Dolls [1975] is another Jess Franco WIP flick. This is one for the real deranged sex maniacs out there. There's virtually no plot just one flimsy excuse to show helpless women being sexually tortured and degraded. Plenty of laughs, though. One outrageous scene has Jess Franco playing in-mate Lina Romay's father who attempts to rape her in slow motion, only trouble is they actually act (very badly) in slow motion live rather than slow down the actual film. Franco's worst? Hardly, It's actually one of his filthy sadistic best as there is no time to get bored for a change (a rarity with his movies). Wild and crazed as only Franco could do, he out-viles the ILSA series with ease here.
The Audition is a [1999] award winning psycho-drama from Takashi Miike. A casting director guy decides to take up family life again after his wife died. He falls in love with one of his would-be actresses. This was not a good idea; she is not the girl that she seemed to be.
The Velvet Underground was a 1964/1966 product of the Andy Warhol factory [New York]. A niche influential band with Lou Reed and John Cale as founding members members. Here you can find some rare and early "raw-tracks" [not my links, 5xcd] - download is slow/medium.
Snuff Army is rare and sick Japanese gore. The flick is from the same director as the previous Crime post. Very few hits and pics with google, so I had to invent a pic. The story [if you can call it a story] is about dirty warfare in a forest guerrilla situation [looks like Vietnam] with a lot of executions, killing and raping going on [about 170 females KIA - I didn't count them]. This is just plain filth, too crappy to be taken serious. But if you like horror, you could take a look at this one. A preview picture sheet of the movie is here
Nine Inch Nails [or NIN] is an award winning American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio, that is already 20 years in business. They play several styles, but I love their blow-your-brain-out music. This is the first track from their March of the Pigs album at RS [27MB.]
Day of the Woman [1978] from Meir Zarchi is a rare and notorious rape-and-revenge flick. It is better known as I Spit On Your Grave, which better describes its gloomy atmosphere. An aspiring writer is repeatedly gang-raped, humiliated, and left for dead by four men whom then she systematically hunts down to seek revenge. This is definitely no crap for a 1978 film. It is made in a documentary style that enhance the disturbing and perverse scenes.
They were mates, David and Iggy, that's for sure. Two icons of early 1980's pop/rock music. Here is the Lust for Life song. And Ziggy sounds very much like Iggy [making love with his ego].
Many links in my blog are dead for aging reasons (hey, that sounds like me). My new policy is to splatter YouTube links in my blogs. That looks like a safe bet. Enjoy and God bless you.