"Chuck Berry Rocks" aka "Rocks" by CHUCK BERRY - Chess Records US 45-Singles from July 1955 to March 1965 Plus One LP Track - Features Mono and Stereo Original Tapes (November 2011 GERMAN Bear Family CD Compilation Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Dancin' And Hummin' A Rock 'n' Roll Melody…"

With the US reissue label Hip-O Select having filled the marketplace with 3 x 4CD retrospectives in 2005, 2007 and 2009 covering 'all' of Chuck Berry’s Chess recordings – and with endless cheapo Universal double CD sets that will offer the same material and more - this 2011 Bear Family single CD might seem superfluous to requirements. But I'm glad to announce that it isn't. The big draw here for collectors will be Bear's top quality remastered sound and a thoroughly researched booklet. Here are the details…

Released November 2011 - "Chuck Berry Rocks" by CHUCK BERRY (aka "Rocks") on Bear Family BCD 17139 AR (Barcode 4000127171399) is a 32-Track Mono and Stereo CD-only compilation that stretches to a chunky 80:01 minutes. 

All tracks bar one are American (US) Chess 7" 45-singles (most are A-sides except where noted below) - from his legendary first release "Maybellene" on Chess 1604 in July 1955 to "Dear Dad" on Chess 1926 in March 1965. The only exception here is "Betty Jean" which featured on the 1960 LP "Rockin' At The Hops". Most of the Fifties recordings are MONO while the Sixties stuff is in STEREO (neither the booklet nor the outer card wrap indicates which is which). A few of Chuck Berry's Chess 45s were so good ("Sweet Little Sixteen", "Johnny B. Goode", "Back In The U.S.A.", Tennessee" and "Little Queenie"), Bear Family has included their flipsides too. In fact in 1958, Chuck Berry was doing a James Brown (over on King) - practically issuing a hit a month and most rarely went up to three-minutes playing time. Get in, do the business and leave (hear them bells indeed). Here are the details...

1. Maybellene - July 1955, Chess 1604, A-side (2:20 minutes)

2. Thirty Days (To Come Back Home) - October 1955, Chess 1610, A-side (2:23 minutes)

3. You Can't Catch Me - November 1956, Chess 1645, A-side (2:43 minutes)

4. No Money Down - January 1956, Chess 1615, A-side (2:57 minutes)

5. Brown Eyed Handsome Man - September 1956, Chess 1635, B-side of "Too Much Money Business" - see Track 7 for A-side (2:16 minutes)

6. Roll Over Beethoven - May 1956, Chess 1626, A-side (2:24 minutes)

7. Too Much Money Business - see Track 5 for B-side

8. School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell) - March 1957, Chess 1653, A-side (2:42 minutes)

9. Rock And Roll Music - October 1957, Chess 1671, A-side (2:32 minutes)

10. Oh Baby Doll - June 1957, Chess 1664, A-side (2:36 minutes)

11. Sweet Little Sixteen - January 1958, Chess 1683, A-side (3:03 minutes)

12. Reelin' And Rocking - January 1958, Chess 1683, B-side (3:16 minutes)

13. Johnny B. Goode - April 1958, Chess 1691, A-side (2:39 minutes)

14. Around & Around - April 1958, Chess 1691, B-side (2:39 minutes)

15. Beautiful Delilah - July 1958, Chess 1697, A-side (2:08 minutes)

16. Carol - August 1958, Chess 1700, A-side (2:47 minutes)

17. Memphis, Tennessee - May 1959, Chess 1729, B-side of "Back In The U.S.A." (2:14 mins)

18. Sweet Little Rock And Roller - October 1958, Chess 1709, A-side (2:21 minutes)

19. Run Rudolph Run - November 1958, Chess 1714, B-side of "Merry Christmas Baby" (2:43)

20. Little Queenie - March 1959, Chess 1722, A-side (2:41 minutes)

21. Almost Grown - March 1959, Chess 1722, B-side (2:21 minutes)

22. Back In The U.S.A. - May 1959, Chess 1729, A-side - for B-side see Track 17 (2:28 mins)

23. Betty Jean (from the 1960 US LP "Rockin' At The Hops" on Chess LP 1448 in Mono)

24. Let It Rock - January 1960, Chess 1747, A-side (1:45 minutes)

25. Bye Bye Johnny - May 1960, Chess 1754, A-side (2:04 minutes)

26. Jaguar And Thunderbird - October 1767, Chess 1767, A-side (1:50 minutes)

27. Go-Go-Go - September 1961, Chess 1799, B-side of "Come On" (2:33 minutes)

28. Nadine (Is That You?) - February 1964, Chess 1883, A-side (2:33 minutes)

29. You Never Can Tell - July 1964, Chess 1906, A-side (2:42 minutes)

30. Promised Land - November 1964, Chess 1916, A-side (2:23 minutes)

31. No Particular Place To Go - May 1964, Chess 1898, A-side (2:43 minutes)

32. Dear Dad - March 1965, Chess 1926, A-side (2:36 minutes)

"Chuck Berry Rocks" comes in Bear's now standard packaging for this series – a 3-way fold-out card digipak containing a detachable oversized booklet inside (52 pages for this issue). The CD itself repros the "Around & Around" 45 on Chess 1691 with its famous Blue label. Pages 5 to 40 feature an in-depth essay on the American Rock 'n' Roller by noted writer and musicologist BILL DAHL whose affection and awe of Berry’s influence seem to know no bounds (in a typically scholarly way he cites both book and internet 'sources' for his liner notes). Pages 31 to 49 have a full Discography on all 32 recordings by label boss RICHARD WEIZE with contributions from BILL DAHL and FRED ROTHWELL. The text is peppered with black and white photos of the great man doing his trademark 'duck walk' on Television and Live settings, some Tel-Mar Studio shots of recording sessions and one particularly tasty moment where he shares a 'Love You' card from two female British fans at the Lewisham Odeon in London in the Sixties. 

While it's the usual classy act from Bear, I'd have to express extreme disappointment in not seeing any COLOUR photos of either those stunning album sleeves or Berry in action. Apart from one colour photo that begins the Discography – I'd confess that the endless black and white shots give the booklet a rather monotonous look that somehow undermines Dahl's great written work. And Bear's CDs aren't cheap. But that's quickly forgotten once you start playing this baby…

I've raved about JURGEN CRASSER and his mastering work before (see my TAG for him and reviews for the astonishing "Blowing The Fuse" series (16 compilations, individual years from 1945 to 1960) and the "Sweet Soul Music" series (15 discs, individual years from 1960 to 1975). The best way to describe the sound here is 'clean' – Berry’s Chess recordings are for the most part notoriously 'lo-fi' – but here there is very little hiss on any of the tracks. The recordings are still suitably ramshackle and even crude, but there’s a power in them now that 'just' pips the otherwise superlative remasters Erick Labson did for those 3 Hip-O Select tomes (and Universal's "Gold" double CD set).

Another nice aspect to the sound achieved here is that Chuck’s in-house musicians gave his records a certain glorious Rock ’n’ Roll feel – and principal among them is the mighty JOHNNIE JOHNSON. His rattling and fabulous piano playing is now a little more to the fore – and what an audio treat that is (he passed away in 2005 – inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 as one the great sidemen).

Highlights – I loved rehearing the lesser-heard "Dear Dad", "Let It Rock" and "Sweet Little Rock And Roll" (lyrics above) which Rod Stewart covered so well on his underrated "Smiler" album in 1973. The B-sides too like "Go-Go-Go" and "Memphis, Tennessee" (covered by the Faces on their third album from November 1971 "A Nod's As Good As A Blind Horse..." 

And the STEREO takes are particularly alive too – the Leroy Davis and James Robinson brass with Johnnie Johnson piano on "You Never Can Tell" - the wonderful "No Particular Place To Go" which still sounds so totally kicking ("…stole a kiss at the turn of a mile…") His second renaissance in 1964 is represented here in these fabulous Stereo sides and is it any wonder that people still rave about them in their Pop perfection. And on that point – the lyrics – witty, smart, full of cool Americanisms – Chuck Berry really did chronicle the teenage experience (and thankfully no dire "Ding A Ling" from 1972 (a horrible No.1) to pollute the proceedings).

The incomparable Bear Family folks – class and quality - they may cost you – but the best always does.

PS: The "Rocks" Series CD-Only Compilations (released 2002 to 2026) by Bear Family Records of Germany features the following artists (alphabetical order):

1. Hank Ballard (Bear Family BCD 17580)

2. Chuck Berry (BCD 17139 AR) [see REVIEW]

3. Eddie Bond (BCD 17726)

4. Pat Boone (BCD 16933 AR)

5. Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown (BCD 17537)

6. James Brown (BCD 17775)

7. Roy Brown (BCD 17749)

8. Sonny Burgess (BCD 17629)

9. Johnny Burnette (BCD 16992 AR) [see REVIEW]

10. The Cadillacs (BCD 16281 AR)

11. Jimmy Cavallo (BCD 17648)

12. Sanford Clark (BCD 17664)

13. The Coasters (BCD 17526)

14. Eddie Cochran (BCD 17136 AR)

15. Jackie Lee Cochran (BCD 17785)

16. James Cotton (BCD 17651)

17. Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (BCD 17555 AR)

18. Bobby Darin (BCD 16310 AR)

19. Bo Diddley (BCD 17751)

20. Fats Domino (BCD 16825 AR)

21. The Drifters (BCD 17278 AR)

22. Champion Jack Dupree (BCD 17536)

23. Duane Eddy (BCD 17249 AR)

24. The Everly Brothers (BCD 17321 AR)

25. Charlie Feathers (BCD 17688)

26. Narvel Felts (BCD 17594)

27. The "5" Royales (BCD 17522)

28. Connie Francis (BCD 16318 AR)

29. Don Gibson (BCD 16991 AR)

30. Glen Glenn (BCD 16671 AR)

31. Big John Greer (BCD 17743)

32. Bill Haley (BCD 16807 AR)

33. Roy Hall (BCD 16747 AR)

34. Wynonie Harris (BCD 17746)

35. Dale Hawkins (BCD 16826 AR)

36. Ronnie Hawkins (BCD 16873 AR)

37. Screamin' Jay Hawkins (BCD 16687 AR)

38. Wanda Jackson (BCD 16631 AR) [see REVIEW]

39. Etta James (BCD 17750)

40. Sonny James (BCD 16679 AR)

41. Benny Joy (BCD 17645)

42. Buddy Knox & Jimmy Bowen with the Rhythm Orchids (BCD 16872 AR)

43. Sleepy LaBeef (BCD 15981 AR)

44. Brenda Lee (BCD 16886 AR)

45. Jerry Lee Lewis (BCD 16396 AR)

46. Smiley Lewis (BCD 16676 AR) [see REVIEW]

47. Little Richard (BCD 17138 AR)

48. Bob Luman (BCD 16985 AR)

49. Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers (BCD 16545 AR)

50. Mac Curtis (BCD 17719)

51. Carl Mann (BCD 16684 AR)

52. Jimmy McCracklin (BCD 17552)

53. Scotty McKay (BCD 17519)

54. Clyde McPhatter (BCD 17614)

55. Memphis Slim (BCD 17687)

56. Amos Milburn (BCD 16926 AR) [see REVIEW]

57. Roy Milton (BCD 17712)

58. Ella Mae Morse (BCD 16672 AR) [see REVIEW]

59. Ricky Nelson (BCD 16856 AR)

60. Roy Orbison (BCD 15916 AR)

61. Little Junior Parker (BCD 17535)

62. Carl Perkins (BCD 16752 AR)

63. The Platters (BCD 17558 AR)

64. Lloyd Price (BCD 16999 AR)

65. Piano Red (aka Dr. Feelgood) (BCD 16639 AR) [see REVIEW]

66. Jimmy Reed (BCD 17572)

67. Louis Prima (BCD 17318 AR)

68. Charlie Rich (BCD 16513 AR) [see REVIEW]

69. Billy Lee Riley (BCD 17597)

70. Marty Robbins (BCD 17245 AR)

71. Jack Scott (BCD 16841 AR)

72. Ronnie Self (BCD 17656)

73. Shirley & Lee (BCD 15785 AR)

74. Slim Harpo (BCD 17129 AR)

75. The Treniers (BCD 16164 AR)

76. Ike Turner (BCD 17679)

77. Big Joe Turner (BCD 17215 AR) [see REVIEW]

78. Conway Twitty (BCD 16670 AR)

79. Ritchie Valens (BCD 17525)

80. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps (BCD 17134 AR)

81. Johnny Guitar Watson (BCD 17764)

82. Link Wray (BCD 17600)

83. Rusty York (BCD 16543 AR) [see REVIEW]

Series Sampler Compilations from 2024 and 2025

84. Bear Family Records Rocks, Vol. 1 (BCD 17734) 

85. Bear Family Records Rocks, Vol. 2 (BCD 17735) 

The Bear Family "Rockin' Rollin'" Series features:

1. Johnny Horton

2. Marvin Rainwater

3. Marty Robbins Vol.1

4. Marty Robbins Vol.2

5. Marty Robbins Vol.3

"Beautiful Girls". A Review Of The 1996 Film Now Reissued On A 2011 BLU RAY.

"…Let's Walk This World Together…"

A should-be-doing-more-than-this-with-his-life Willie Conway (Timothy Hutton) takes a wad of crumpled notes out of a beer glass - slurps down his last whiskey of the night and closes the lid on the bar's battered upright piano. With his dollar tips firmly wedged in his pockets, he then trudges through the cold streets of New York heading for the Port Authority building on 6th Avenue.
Onboard the Greyhound bus and bound for his hometown in Massachusetts, he looks out through the neon-reflected glass and ponders what lies ahead. First will be his slightly loony family (Robert Bright and David Arquette play his monosyllabic Dad and simpleton brother) and worse – a high-school reunion full of memories, achievers and awkward questions. The big city boy who left Hicksville in the dust finally returns triumphant...or maybe not…

But while the seasons change in snowbound Knight's Ridge – it seems little else does. Willie is met at the other end by his sorry-assed crew of former college buddies. Paul obsesses over his ex-vegetarian girlfriend Jan who is are now dating a meat-cutter (Michael Rapaport and Martha Plimpton) while his best buddy Tommy pushes a snow plough in suburban driveways which he quickly follows with some pushing of another man’s wife (Matt Dillon and Lauren Holly). Watching all of this from the sidelines is Maz Perlich as the permanently squinting hat-wearing Kev who doesn’t seem to want much from life except maybe a beer with his mates and a good hot meal - while the unexciting but steady Michael (Noah Emmerich) is a genuinely nice guy trying to hold down his job and keep his marriage together. Even Willie’s 13-year neighbour (a cleverly cast Natalie Portman) acts weird towards him – developing an instant crush on the thirtysomething to the point where she asks him to wait 6 years until she's 18 and they can "...walk the world together…" Willie is so confused about his place in life and women in general - at one point - it’s an offer he seriously considers…

Then there are the other side of the relationship coin – the town’s long-suffering women. Michael’s wife is Sarah (a lovely Anne Bobby) - who is ever understanding and supportive. In fact most of the ladies of the town seem to exude stoical patience - they simply sigh and put up with their men’s shortcomings and immaturity. Miro Sorvino’s character Sharon loves Matt Dillon’s character Tommy - but dies inside just once too often as he deposits his cockiness in someone else’s bed. Michael Rapaport’s character Paul festoons his walls with pictures of lingerie models because he is convinced they represent some kind of love nirvana – ladies who can do no wrong and bring only joy into your life simply because they’re "…beautiful girls".
The scene where Rosie O’Donnell bawls out the boys in a supermarket about obsessing over these fake fantasies in glossy magazines – is both brilliant and ball-breakingly funny. She makes a good point too. The boys do need to "...get a grip!"

And into this heady mix is thrown some genuine temptation – a visiting Uma Thurman who effortlessly knocks all the boys for six (even the faithful ones) as she wanders into their regular waterhole Stinky’s bar (Pruitt Taylor Vince). The habitual womaniser Tommy and smooth musician Willie fancy their chances with her – while the less-attractive boys just fancy her but would never have the nerve to do anything about it. There later follows some delicious dialogue moments - Hutton’s character half-heartedly wooing Thurman in the bar and ice-hut afterwards – and especially when Hutton is sparring with Natalie Portman about how she will grow up anyway and have a great life with her own memories to savour (even at 13 she showed extraordinary star quality and acting chops).

But when Willie's classy girlfriend Tracy finally flies in from New York to meet his family – she quietly wows them all. In fact they want to touch Willie to see how in God’s name he got this lucky – she’s a lawyer, she’s warm-hearted, she’s got the ‘boob thing’ going – Tracy is a catch and the clan Conway knows it (a lovely turn from Annabeth Gish). So Willie finally has to be mature now and decide…and on it goes to a wholly satisfying ending…

Directed by TED DEMME and written by SCOTT ROSENBERG - as you can see from the names above – this 1996 movie featured an extraordinarily good ensemble cast – and each of them given real meat to work with. It was popular at the time – effortless hip too – and is a smart choice for reissue on BR.

Transfer-wise - the BLU RAY picture is defaulted to fit the entire screen and is a vast improvement over the DVD (even if the opening credits to David A Stewart’s score contain a few scratches and glitches). Once it gets to the snowbound town – day or night – the clarity is lovely and blemish free and really adds to the film’s homely vibe. The outdoor sequences on the ice-rinks are particularly clear and eye-catching. It’s a damn shame there’s no extras though – a real let down.

To sump up - “Beautiful Girls” doesn’t really seem to be about anything in particular, but nonetheless you enjoy its company immensely. It’s like a good night out with the boys – or girls – or preferably both. “Beautiful Girls” is like life itself – enjoyable one moment – heartbreaking the next. It’s just working out which one to side with…

Recommended.

PS: Blink and you’ll miss it cameo is by JOHN SCURTI as a Greyhound Bus Ticket Dispenser at the beginning of the movie (barely gets 2 lines). He later became the leading character Kenny Shea in Denis Leary’s superlative “Rescue Me” TV series about New York firemen post 9/11.

“Breakfast At Tiffany’s”. A Review Of The 2011 BLU RAY Reissue.

Beautiful Blu Ray Picture Quality - But A Dreadfully Dated Film - Even With The Ethereally Beautiful Audrey Hepburn...

If you're a fan of "Breakfast At Tiffany's" then this 2011 BLU RAY reissue will knock your socks off. For the most part, the fully restored print is glorious to look at - even in the scenes where too much sepia shading is placed on the leads for effect. The outdoor sequences with Peppard and Buddy Epstein are faultless, full of colour and incredible detail (clothing, scenery) - and look like they were filmed yesterday. There's decent extras too (interviews with Director Edward Blake, members of the cast) and the dreadfully washed out old stock print used in the "Making Of" segment gives you a very good comparison as to just how improved the restored version really is.

But for me - that's where the good news ends. I watched this with my wife - and even with Audrey Hepburn exquisite throughout (especially on the balcony-outside-her-window scene where she is strumming her guitar and singing Mancini's famous theme song "Moon River") - the film is staggeringly dated - and at times terribly leaden. The party sequence in her New York apartment is awful - with square types trying to be cool. And the amount of times the word "darling" and "baby" is said will make you cringe and not giggle with affection. I can't help but think that Capote's novella about a socialite/hooker got seriously watered down into forced farce because that was an easier sell. And while George Peppard looks the handsome leading-man part - there's little real bite in him. The Chinaman impression by Mickey Rooney (even by Edwards own admission) is a derogatory mistake that rankers even to this day. But it's the vapid pointlessness of it all that leaves you cold. OK - Hepburn could light up any shot - even when she was overdoing the “darling” dialogue. But quite why this Sixties tosh is considered a classic is beyond me - because re-watching “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” in 2011 is a painfully strained experience – and not nearly as loveable or as romantic as you remember it to be.

The bottom-line is this - if you're a fan - or have any love for this 1961 kooky movie - then you NEED to own it on BLU RAY.

But if you're undecided - then I'd say rent it first – before a nostalgia urge costs you a purchase you’ll look at once and never watch again…

"Go For Your Guns" by THE ISLEY BROTHERS (2011 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  

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Big Break Records of the UK (part of Cherry Red) have a huge number of CD reissues focusing entirely on quality versions of Seventies and Eighties Soul, Funk, Disco and Fusion albums. I’ve reviewed over 30 (see list below) and each has been a revelation in terms of sound quality, presentation and bonuses - all top class. And this overlooked funky gem of an album from 1977 by the mighty Isley Brothers is no exception. Let’s gun for the details...

UK released 24 October 2011 – "Go For Your Guns" by THE ISLEY BROTHERS on Big Break Records CDBBR 0086 (Barcode 5013929038622) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster of the 1977 T-Neck Records LP with Three Bonus Tracks added on and plays out as follows (47:13 minutes):

1. The Pride (Part 1 & 2)

2. Footsteps In The Dark (Part 1 & 2)

3. Tell Me When You Need It Again (Part 1 & 2)

4. Climbin' Up The Ladder (Part 1 & 2)

5. Voyage To Atlantis

6. Livin' In The Life

7. Go For Your Guns

Tracks 1 to 7 are the album "Go For Your Guns" released March 1977 in the USA on T-Neck Records PZ 34432 and April 1977 in the UK on Epic Records EPC 86027. It reached Number 1 on the US R 'n' B charts (Number 6 on Pop) and hit Number 46 in the UK albums charts too.

BONUS TRACKS:

8. Voyage To Atlantis (Alternate Version)

9. The Pride (Part 1) (Single Version)

10. Voyage To Atlantis (Single Version)

The album produced 3 singles in the USA (2 in the UK) at the time of release and this CD (along with its predecessor "Harvest For The World") will allow fans to sequence those tracks as follows:

1. The Pride (Part I) b/w The Pride (Part II)

(USA – February 1977, T-Neck ZS8 2262

UK – May 1977, Epic S EPC 5105)

2. Livin' In The Life b/w Go For Your Guns

(USA - May 1977, T-Neck ZS8 2267

UK - March 1974, Philadelphia International S PIR 2178)

3. Voyage To Atlantis b/w So You Wanna Stay Down

(UK – July 1977, Epic S EPC 5443

USA – October 1977, T-Neck ZS8 2270

Note: USA B-side is "So You Wanna Stay Down" from the "Harvest For The World" album (1976), but the UK B-side is "Tell Me When You Need It Again (Part 1 & 2)" which is on the "Go For Your Guns" album)

The 12-page booklet has an informative interview conducted by SHELLEY NICOLE with Ernie and Ronald Isley featuring recollections by the late Marvin Isley. There is a track-by-track breakdown and the text is peppered with pictures of US 45's on T-Neck, colour photos of the band and a discography/credits section at the rear. It's very well done and the jewel case is one of those new rounded-corner affairs - very tasty. But the really great news is the SOUND...

As with other BBR releases - this remaster uses the 'original tapes' and has been carried out by WAYNE A. DICKSON at the BBR Studios with STUART WEST assisting in the Audio Research. The results are wonderful. Everything on here sounds amazing.

To the album itself... It's predecessor "Harvest For The World" from 1976 was all mellow and Soulful and even Gospel in its overall feel – "Go For Your Guns" basically wanted to boogie – party a bit – and then make its way back to your shagpad afterwards for a serious session between the sheets. So as a long-playing record "Go For Your Guns" has everything fans love about the band – great loverman ballads combined with funky floor fillers.

It opens with the Rock-Soul bass-slapping Funk of "The Pride" and it's irresistible (topped the R&B charts in the USA). Having had your dancing shoes scuffed, they then hit with the real deal – the nugget on this album – the gorgeous slow groove of "Footsteps In The Dark" (lyrics above). "The Pride" opener sounds huge – but its on "Footsteps" that you begin to really notice how good the remaster is – everything so clear – warm and properly soulful. It amazes me to this day that T-Neck didn’t release it as a single at the time – surely a Top 5 if not Number 1 contender? It finally turned up in 45-form in the US and UK - but as a B-side to "Groove With You" in 1978. Speaking of 45s…

As with so many of these expanded BBR editions – the inclusion of the 7" single edits are a genuine bonus. I often feel that too many Seventies Soul LPs had songs on them they knew to be winners – so they’d stretch them to seven, eight, nine, ten minutes…often overstaying their welcome. The single edits gave you the concise version – and delivered a far better punch. Though in honesty with both "The Pride" and "Voyage To Atlantis" – BOTH the album versions and single cuts are superb. You can also hear why the 'Alternate Version' of "Voyage To Atlantis" was canned – it's very good – but the released cut is far better – especially with Ernie's stunning guitar intro more pronounced.

To sum up – this is a superlative release and I can only hope that BBR tackle more on the T-Neck, Philly and CBS labels output – especially when they add on those 7" edits for collectors...

(BBR) Big Break Records CD Remasters I’ve reviewed to date:

1. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

2. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

3. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

4. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

5. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

6. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

7. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

8. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

9. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

10. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

11.  I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]

12. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

13. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

14. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

15. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

16. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

17. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

18. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

19. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

20. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

21. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

22. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

23. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

24. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

25. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

26. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

27. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

28. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

29. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

30. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

31. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

32. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

33. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

34 Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

35. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971)

36. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"The Cider House Rules" - A Review Of The 1999 Film - Now Reissued On A 2011 Studio Canal BLU RAY.

"…She Was Killed By Secrecy…She Was Killed By Ignorance…"

Lasse Hallstrom's 1999 adaptation of John Irving's 1985 book (of the same name) is a rather lovely little film - that's genuinely been upgraded by BLU RAY. It's not note-perfect as a transfer by any means (soft focus here and there, a bit of grain and blocking too) - but when it's good (which is a lot of the time) - it's really gorgeous to look at.

You notice the improvements especially when the story gets to the home and lands of Olive Worthington and her son Wally (great casting in Kate Nelligan and Paul Rudd). She’s an estate-owning boss and he’s a dashing young Airforce Pilot who is waiting for overseas action in the Second World War. Even the indoor scenes in the live-in hut where all the apple pickers live (the 'Cider House' mentioned in the title) are very clear and at times amazingly so. The faces and clothing of the actors are razor-sharp too (superb cast choices in Delroy Lindo, Erykah Badu, Evan Park, Heavy D, and K. Todd Freeman). So too when Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire’s character) is out walking with Wally’s beautiful and vivacious fiancé Candy Kendall (Charlize Theron) while Wally’s away at war – the shots by the Sea and the nearby lobster fishing port are beautiful to look at.

Acting-wise - there is so much to savour here. A huge part of the film’s heart has to go to touching performances from children - Erik Per Sullivan as the bronchial Fuzzy, Kieran Culkin as the troubled Buster and Paz De La Huerta as the young teenage girl who fancies Homer way too much for her own good. Throw in Kathy Baker and Jane Alexander as elderly nurses with an abundance of unconditional paternal heart - and it feels good the second it opens. The story then moves as Homer does away from the snowbound hills and rivers of Maine to the sunny fields of working orchards in South Carolina.

But the movie belongs to its two principal leads - Michael Caine as Dr. Wilbur Larch and Tobey Maguire as the emotionally stilted orphan boy – Homer Wells (named after a cat and someone whose deep). First up is Caine who is simply sensational. Moving like a force of benevolent kindness amid the cold wooden rooms of “St. Clouds” (a 1930’s and 1940’s Orphanage he runs) – he is pragmatic and practical to the visiting pregnant women who don’t need judgement (dialogue above) but an operation that is illegal. Describing himself as “…a caretaker to many, father to none…” – he mother hen’s over a lively cast of young children abandoned in the big house with an almost casual cruelty. Each hurt child of course longs to be genuinely wanted – to be taken away by childless parents who occasionally come to visit and adopt. The scene where one pretty girl appeals to a couple - so they take her – but leave the rest behind – is heartbreaking. Caine imbibes so many of these difficult moments with a huge humanity - he’s an actor capable of conveying extraordinary compassion and anger – sometimes one after the other. The film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards and won 2 – one for Caine as Best Supporting Actor and the other for Best Adapted Screenplay by John Irving.

Tobey Maguire excels too – his performance is full of quiet acceptance at first – but then moves into a longing for a more varied life outside of his mentor’s ‘doctoring’ requirements. Homer’s journey to his own ‘purpose in the world’ is long but convincing. Maguire is very, very good here. Charlize Theron too – not just beautiful - but accomplished. Watch out also for John Irving the Author (adapted the Screenplay too) in a tiny cameo as a Station Master at the beginning (doing his Hitchcock).

The “Making Of” interviews all the principal actors - as well as John Irving on adapting his own book, Stephen King (the Author) on Irving’s writing and Lasse Hallstrom the Director on shooting such a huge book. Its default aspect is 1.2:35 so it has bars top and bottom of the screen - but even stretched to full screen – it still looks great.

“The Cider House Rules” is a warm film – and one I thoroughly enjoyed re-watching. But more importantly - if you’re a fan and have love for this movie’s combined cruelties and charms – then you need to see/own it on BLU RAY.

Highly recommended.

ASPECT:
1.2:35:1 Ratio
SUBTITLES:
English for the Hard-Of-Hearing
EXTRAS:
Making Of “An American Classic”
Deleted Scenes
Trailer