"The Dukes Of September – Live At Lincoln Centre" on BLU RAY – A Review by Mark Barry Of The 2012 Michael McDonald, Donald Fagen and Boz Scaggs In Concert Release

"…Hey Nineteen…" 

The Dukes Of September Live At Lincoln Centre on BLU RAY

Looking perhaps a bit more portly around the old midriff than one would like – our three ageing heroes take centre stage after the band has warmed up the crowd with a funky James Brown instrumental. And were off…

Filmed November 2012 in Hi Def and from multiple angles (UK released March 2014) – “The Dukes Of September” looks glorious - with the Lincoln Centre surely being one of the most beautiful venues in the world (and ideally sized too). You also begin to notice as the camera pans around the stunning band that the paint on the bass guitar is knackered, the sax is a bit rusted around the gills and the keyboards ‘White Lightning’ McDonald uses has been teleported from 1976 to 2012. In other words – these are real instruments played by real musicians - and it feels like your very own “Aja” band 'live' – a complaint I’ll gladly put up with any day of the week.

First up is a truly classy cover of The Isley Brothers “Who’s That Lady” with Boz Scaggs taking lead vocals and long-time Steely Dan guitarist Jon Herington putting in blistering axework. In fact he becomes one of the heroes of the night – playing all those Jay Graydon, Larry Carlton and Elliott Randall solos we’ve known and loved all these years – not just note for note – but with an added fluidity – like he in fact played them in the first place.

The first real clunker for me is an ill-advised cover of Sam and Dave’s “Sweet Soul Music” (more cod Blues Brothers than a tribute to a classic) and a slightly underwhelming “I Keep Forgettin” also follows. But things explode when Donald Fagen goes into the funky keyboard opening of “Kid Charlemange” from 1976’s “The Royal Scam” - and you can literally hear the entire audience thinking two words – STEELY DAN! The place erupts – because they’ve waited a lifetime to hear this – the real deal – live and in your living room.

It’s followed by a fabulous bluesy cover of “The Same Thing” - a Muddy Waters Chess nugget from 1964 written by the mighty Willie Dixon. It’s followed by another genius choice – Chuck Berry’s infectious “You Never Can Tell” with McDonald playing an Accordion out front to superb effect (uses it instead of a piano for the solo giving the song a slight Cajun feel).

But after crowd-pleasing versions of “What A Fool Believes”, “Hey Nineteen” and a suave take on Teddy Pendergrass’ “Love TKO” – they hit the audience with a lethal triple whammy that slays them in the aisles. We get “Peg” (Fagen on Vocals), “Lowdown” (Scaggs on Vocals) and “Takin’ It To The Streets” (McDonald On Vocals) in a row. To hear Michael McDonald harmonize with Donald Fagen on “Peg” as he did on the 1977 “Aja” original is magical – then Boz gets fabulous and funky with “Lowdown” (people up dancing at this stage) – then a Soulful keyboard solo before McDonald goes into that “Takin’ It To The Streets” opening - and I’m bawling my eyes out like a big girl’s blouse. And as if that isn’t bad enough – Jon Herington then launches into the blistering guitar of Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In The Years” – and resistance is quite literally futile.

There’s also a couple of tasty surprises thrown in: Fagen in the encore doing a fabulously slinky version of “Pretzel Logic” with Boz Scaggs taking the second verse - while midway through the set Scaggs does his own “Miss Sun” – a gorgeous yet forgotten gem from 1980. Boz cleverly duets the lovely melody with Monet Owens (one of the sassy backing vocalists) – she scatting vocals off his guitar licks towards the end. It’s brilliant and more than a pleasant addition. And the band are just brilliant – all of them.

I’m 56 this year and would have given a small gonad to have seen and felt this dream band for real. The music still feels fresh to me – like it was yesterday. But in lieu - this fab BLU RAY will have to do.

And as the camera pans across the senior citizen crowd – like me - you can see that its way past their bedtime. But man – what dreams to savour…

“I have never met Napoleon…but I plan to find the time…yes I do…”

I know what you mean mate.

Set List:

1.         People Get Up And Dance Your Funky Stuff – James Brown cover

2.         Who’s That Lady – Isley Brothers cover

3.         Sweet Soul Music – Sam And Dave cover

4.         I Keep Forgettin’ – Michael McDonald song

5.         Kid Charlemagne – Steely Dan song

6.         The Same Thing – Muddy Waters cover (Willie Dixon song)

7.         Miss Sun – Boz Scaggs song (sings duet with Monet Owens)

8.         You Never Can Tell – Chuck Berry cover

9.         What A Fool Believes – Doobie Brothers song

10.       Hey Nineteen – Steely Dan song

11.       Love TKO – Teddy Pendergrass cover

12.       Peg – Steely Dan song

13.       Lowdown – Boz Scaggs song

14.       Takin’ It To The Streets – Doobie Brothers song

15.       Reelin’ In The Years – Steely Dan song

16.       Lido Shuffle – Boz Scaggs song

17.       Pretzel Logic – Steely Dan song

18.       Them Changes – Buddy Miles cover

19.       People Get Up And Dance Your Funky Stuff/Credits – The Band

THE GROUP

Michael McDonald – Electric Keyboards, Accordion and Vocals

Donald Fagen – Steinway Piano, Vocals

Boz Scaggs – Guitar and Vocals

Jon Herington – Lead Guitar

Michael Leonheart – Trumpet

Walt Weiskopt – Tenor Sax and Flute

Jay Collins – Baritone Sax and Flute

Freddie Washington – Bass

Shannon Forest – Drums

Carolyn Leonheart and Monet Lewis – Backing Vocals

AUDIO SET UP:

Dolby Digital Stereo

Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround

Dolby DTS Master Audio

"Chocolat" on BLU RAY – A Review Of The 2000 Lasse Hallstrom Film

Here is a link to AMAZON UK to get this BLU RAY at the best price (usually below a fiver):

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"…Live A Little!" – Chocolat on BLU RAY

Every one of the dry-as-a-leaf townsfolk in Mayor Comte De Reynaud's sleepy French hamlet "...knows their place in the scheme of things..." And if they forget their Christian values preached to them weekly in the stone cold church - the good Mayor is there to give the new young priest of 5 weeks (Hugh O'Connor) a helping hand with his sermons - and thereby get 'their' obedient flock back on the moral straight and narrow. Reynaud also waits patently and penitently for his wife to return from one of her interminable 'trips' - watched over his devoted secretary Caroline (the beautiful Carrie Anne Moss). But perhaps the hard-working and essentially decent Mayor (a fabulous turn by England's Alfred Molina) should just chill out and "measure goodness by what we embrace" - or maybe even recognize the lovely Caroline's devotion as genuine and worthy. But the Comte is too busy being pious and upright for the entire town - to engage in something that life-enhancing and delicious...

Besides that's the least of his carnal worries - because a sly wind is blowing in from the North - bringing with it a voluptuous woman of independent-mind (Juliette Binoche) who is going to open a decadent nay sinful chocolate parlour in Lent - a time of abstinence, reflection and tranquillity. And when this shop "Choclataire Maya" opens - Mayor Reynaud knows deep down in his starched flannel trousers that it will seduce the town - especially the women. And the next thing you know - they'll be shagging their husbands senseless again - leaving the drunken abusive ones behind (Peter Stormare as Serge) - cavorting with travelling river people who play guitars and talk in odd Irish accents (Johnny Depp as Roux) and generally enjoying all manner of lurid sensory pleasure. "It's important to now one's enemy..." the Mayor muses ominously.

Adapted from Joanne Harris' beloved novel by Robert Nelson Jacobs - Lasse Hallstrom's feature film (he also did "The Cider House Rules" - see separate review) garnished five Academy Award nominations - including one for Best Movie. And it's easy to see why. It has a magical and very visual story with fantastically strong parts for women. And it has chocolate - lots and lots of sweets, biscuits, cake and chocolate. You can get fat just looking at this film.

The cast is varied and uniformly superb: French acting and dancing legend Leslie Caron is an elderly town lady admired and longed for by Monsieur Bierot (a lovely show by England's John Wood). There's Judy Dench in full-on spiky mode as the ballsy old biddy Armande (nominated for Supporting Actress - her dialogue titles this review) who rents out the former patisserie to Mademoiselle Vianne (Juliet Binoche in luminous form). Vianne's dreamy daughter Anouk (a delightful Victoire Thivisol) plays with an imaginary kangaroo - but is tired of wandering from town to town with her rootless mother - prone to leaving in an instant when the wind tells her to go.

But as mum's culinary skills with South American cocoa and the dark evil liquid begins to affect the town folk in positive ways - especially a broken lady called Josephine (Lena Olin - who is Lasse Hallstrom's wife in real life) - the wandering Vianne senses that perhaps this hamlet is where her roots should be planted. In fact perhaps the town and its earnest but lost Mayor need her. And there's also the added enticement of that handsome rogue the Deppster to deal with - all gypsy and sexy shirts and dishevelled hair and guitars and good with fixing doors and making her daughter happy. Easy to resist that...eh...

Defaulted to Aspect ratio 1.78:1 - the BLU RAY picture fills the entire screen (no bars bottom or top) - but is a strange mixture of the ordinary and exceptional. I suspect in order to give the movie that slightly dreamy feel - there is a soft focus on a lot of it - and subtle grain is ever present. But there are also moments that are truly beautiful when you least expect it - down by the river at night, the feast to celebrate a 70th birthday in the garden, Alfred Molina trying to turn Serge into a gentleman in his home. It doesn't ever look bad - it's just not as stunning as you'd expect such a sensuous film to be.

Audio is DTS-HD Master Audio Surround 5.1 and Subtitles are in English and English For The Hearing Impaired (a poor showing fro such an International film frankly). The Extras feature all the principal actors as well as legendary Hollywood Producer David Brown (Jaws, The Verdict, A Few Good Men).

"Chocolat" is a classy piece of filmmaking - a sensory uplifting watch with passion truffles, cups of chilli-flavoured hot chocolate and Nipples of Venus.

Give it a nibble you sinners...

“Everything Must Change / Miss Randy Crawford” by RANDY CRAWFORD – A Review Of Her 1976 and 1977 Warner Brothers Albums - Now Reissued And Remastered Onto 2CDs By Edsel Of The UK In 2013…

This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…Sun Lights Up The Sky…" – Everything Must Change and Miss Randy Crawford by RANDY CRAWFORD

When I worked for Reckless Records in Berwick Street in Central London – Randy Crawford albums were pretty much a no-no – they had little value – and few wanted them. But in the last decade or so - as Soul Boys of all colours have started to look back to those heady days of the Seventies and early Eighties – albums by artists like Patrice Rushen and Candi Staton are getting revaluated all the time. Fans are veering away from the obvious hits and seeking out those tunes hidden in the grooves (both funk and ballad) - and Randy Crawford’s Warner Brothers output is the same.

For years her albums have languished unloved by digital reissue companies – well comes Edsel of the UK doing the job with real class and style. This is the first of four 2CD sets covering her entire output with the monster label (Volume 1 has her 1976 debut and its 1977 follow up).

Released October 2013 - here are the Smooth Soul details for Edsel EDSK 7041 (Barcode: 740155704131)…

Disc 1 (38:19 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 10 are her debut album “Everything Must Change” – released 1976 on Warner Brothers BS 2975 in the USA. It wasn’t released until November 1980 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56328.

Disc 2 (31:37 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 2nd album “Miss Randy Crawford” – released 1977 on Warner Brothers BS 3083 in the USA  - unreleased in the UK until February 1981 on Warner Brothers K 56882.

The outer card wrap gives the whole reissue a quality feel – as does the 20-page booklet which pictures the albums, publicity photos, track by track recording info and exceptionally detailed liner notes by Soul Expert and long-time Edsel Associate TONY ROUNCE.

The remasters by PHIL KINRADE at Alchemy are exceptionally good – but then the original production values of Stewart Levine (Everything) and Bob Montgomery (Miss) were top notch. Both records also used high-class session players like Joe Sample, Larry Carlton, Dean Parks, Jay Graydon, Eric Gale, Ralph McDonald, Don Grusin and Rick Marotta. There’s even a Flugelhorn guest spot for Hugh Masekela on "Only Your Love Lasts".

Her debut opens with a destroyer – one of two ‘live’ tracks done in front of a wildly appreciative Jazz audience and featuring The World Jazz All Star Band. First up is the gorgeous Bernard Ighner ballad “Everything Must Change” which is practically royalty when it comes to cover versions you must do for Soul singers. It’s the kind of hurting haunting melody that virtually screams the word Soul. It first turned up on a Quincy Jones album in 1974 – so Crawford was fast off the mark. The production values are fabulous - warm and tender – and it opens the whole proceedings on a real high (Lyrics from it title this review).

The other live cut is actually the album finisher - a lovely take on Nat Adderley’s “Gonna Give Lovin’ A Try”. In between are a plethora of covers – some like the funked up “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Beatles sort of work - but her take on Paul Simon’s “Something So Right” looses the delicacy that made the CBS original so special. Best of all however is the mid-tempo ballad “I Had To See You One More Time” with lyrics like "Start all your sweet talk...you do so well…" - nice.

The second album is infused with the writing talent of Paul Kelly on “I’m Under The Influence Of You” and “Take It Away From Her (Put It On Me)”. It also features its fair share of covers – Fleetwood Mac’s “Over My Head”, The Eagles’ “Desperado” and best of all – Randy’s gorgeous version of the Harry Warren/Mack Gordon standard “At Last” – spiritually owned by Etta James.

Things went stellar fro Crawford with “Now We May Begin” because The Crusaders came on board after she guested on the huge “Street Life” track in 1979. Then it was onwards to “Secret Combination” - but here is where her success story really started.

I was more than pleasantly surprised at the sheer Soulfulness of these now forgotten albums – which highlight her vocals so well.

A sweet lady – take a punt on this classy reissue…

"Charlie Wilson's War" on BLU RAY – A Review Of The 2007 Mike Nichols Film

Here is a link to AMAZON UK to get this BLU RAY at the best price:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004JRQ126

"…Three Years Learning Finnish!" – Charlie Wilson's War on BLU RAY

It's 6 April 1980 and Charles Nesbitt Wilson is pruning in the bubbling water of a Las Vegas Hotel Jacuzzi with some naked strippers, cocaine and glasses of champagne (standard procedure for an American Congressmen at the time). But something else other than wet areolas catches Charlie's eagle eye. Up on the mounted television set behind the bar is an unshaven Dan Rather of CBS Evening News reporting from the deserts of Afghanistan. A local woman who speaks English tells a turbaned Dan that "America is asleep..." and that if the Russians invade her country - the Gulf is next - and after that - the USA itself. Charlie (Tom Hanks) politely declines an offer to make a tasteful TV Movie with Playboy of the Month and her naked agent for $29,000 and bids them all farewell...

Back at his office in Texas (which oddly enough is peopled with three large-chested women sporting buttons in their blouses that can't seem to be closed) - Charlie makes enquiries with his assistant Bonnie (Amy McAdams) into the covert ops budget for the dirt-country in the Middle East with no real political friends (America included). He doesn't like what he hears and as a Congressman for the House of Representatives - he determines to change all that nonsense by doubling its budget from five million dollars to ten. And so it begins...

Along the way Charlie meets with the 6th wealthiest woman in Texas - the wildly patriotic and determined sexpot Joanne Herring (a stunning Julia Roberts eating up a proper role) and a Greek CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (another genius portrayal from the greatly missed Philip Seymour Hoffman) who has anger issues with his bosses and hasn't been killed across 4 continents in 24 years by people who know how to (dialogue above). So far so funny...

But then it all changes when Charlie visits Afghanistan itself - and sees up close and personal what the Russian war machine is doing to defenceless Muslims. Men are being stacked in human piles and then run over by tanks as their wives are made to watch - children are dismembered with toy mines - and starving people rush grain trucks ripping open sacks in desperation. And as he walks up a hill and looks back at a Biblical scene of refugee tents with huge expanses of humanity being hammered by bullyboys - Charlie sheds a tear. And then a steely look enters his angry gaze...

What makes "Charlie Wilson's War" so good is a trio of things - the alarming and often ridiculous nature of this true modern-war story - a wickedly funny and yet touching Aaron Sorkin script - and a huge posse of Grade-A actors capable of making you chuckle one moment then shed a tear the next. The three principal leads are exceptional - especially Hanks and Hoffman - but there's also quality support from Emily Blunt, Om Puri, John Slattery, Ned Beatty, Ken Stott and Peter Gerety in small but significant roles.

The characters they portray may at times seem utterly ridiculous, meddlesome and even arrogant - but their convictions and above all their love of democracy and freedom knows no bounds. And anything that threatens that (i.e.: murderous Russians slaughtering easy pickings like peasants with pitchforks and old rifles) - is going to get short shift - and high-tech weaponry if that doesn't work.

The problem with all this 'movie entertainment' is that it clouds an obvious and stinging question - why did the CIA arm the Afghans? To give them their country back  - or out of pure self-interest - they get to defeat the Soviets using another country and another people to do it? The film doesn't shirk this thorn to its credit - offering up the plausible response that it was probably a bit of both. And it also points out that in the mid Nineties the American Government lost interest once the war was won and shamefully left with the goal achieved but the 'people' stranded - not investing - not rebuilding - and thereby giving rise to massive Islamic hated towards the West - which of course has had global consequences ever since.

The BLU RAY picture quality is gorgeous throughout - a major production - and filmed in Full Aspect (1.85:1)  - you get that punch of quality across the whole screen and in every shot. Audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Spanish Surround 5.1. Subtitles are in English SDH, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Korean, Latin American Spanish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish, Thai, Turkish and Traditional Mandarin.

Directed by Mike Nichols and adapted from George Crile's book by Aaron Sorkin - "Charlie Wilson's War" seems slight at first - but then bites into your heart - and leaves you mightily impressed.

Did Texas Mascara and a Congressman with etched leather boots (elected to the Ethics Committee when he was clearly a dubious choice for the job) actually bring the Soviet Empire to its knees and defeat Communism? Check out this superb movie and find out...

"Jeopardy / From The Lion’s Mouth / All Fall Down / BBC Live In Concert" by THE SOUND – A Review Of Their 1980, 1981 and 1982 Korova and Warner Brothers Albums - Now Reissued And Remastered Onto 4CDs By Edsel Of The UK In 2014 With A Bonus BBC Live In Concert Disc & Extras…

Here is a link to AMAZON UK to get this remastered 4CD box set at the best price:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I6HI7UY

"…Kick Off This Skin…" 

When you think about how Joy Division, New Order and of course The Cure have been literally deified in the last 30+ years – it’s odd that London’s The Sound don’t hold that same pedestal. Well I’d argue that this brilliant 4CD Edsel Box Set reissue is not only going to change that - but is also a 2014 reissue of the year. There's a shed load on here - so let’s get to the Post Punk details…

UK released 28 April 2014 - "Jeopardy / From The Lion’s Mouth / All Fall Down / BBC Live In Concert" by THE SOUND on Edsel EDSB 4012 (Barcode 740155401238) is a 4CD Clamshell Mini Box Set of Remasters and breaks down as follows…

Disc 1 (74:11 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut album “Jeopardy” – released November 1980 in the UK on Korova KODE 2

Track 12 is “Physical World” – taken from the “Physical World” EP released independently in the UK on Tortch Records TOR 003 in 1979

Track 13 is “Brute Force” – a 1980 non-album B-side to the UK 7” single for “Heyday” on Korova KOW 10

Tracks 14 to 17 are the “Live Instinct” EP – A Dutch-Only Promo-Only release featuring exclusive live versions of Heartland, Brute Force, Jeopardy and Coldbeat

Tracks 18 to 21 are a BBC Session recorded 26 Sep 1980 for the Mike Read Show broadcast between 6^th and 9^th of October 1980 and featuring exclusive versions of Heartland, Unwritten Law, Jeopardy and I Can’t Escape Myself

Disc 2 (76:39 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2^nd album “From The Lion’s Mouth” – released November 1981 in the UK on Korova KODE 5

Tracks 11 and 13 – “Point Of No Return” and ”Coldbeat” - are the non-album B-sides to the UK 7” single of “Sense Of Purpose” released 1981 on Korova KOW 21

Tracks 12 and 14 – “Hot House” and “New Dark Age (Live)” – are the A&B-sides to a non-album 7” single released 1981 on Korova KOW 23

Tracks 15 to 18 are BBC Sessions recorded for The John Peel Show in November 1981 and are exclusive live versions of Fatal Flaw, Skeletons, Hot House and New Dark Age

Disc 3 (69:19 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3^rd album “All Fall Down” – released December 1982 in the UK on WEA 240019-1

Tracks 11 to 14 are BONUSES from the "All Fall Down” Sessions

Tracks 15 to 18 are the “This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal” EP by KEVIN HEWICK & THE SOUND – a 12” single released February 1984 in the UK on Cherry Red Records 12 CHERRY 76

Disc 4 – BBC LIVE IN CONCERT (61:35 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 8 originally broadcast 21 November 1981

Tracks 9 to 15 originally broadcast 15 June 1985

The mini box set has the 3 original vinyl albums in 5” card repro sleeves with a new card for the fourth BBC set. And the chunky 36-page booklet is fantastically detailed – photos of the albums, inners, 7” singles, record labels, industry adverts, lyrics to all three records and exceptionally good liner notes by TIM PEACOCK (of England’s Record Collector magazine) with contributions from band members. It’s a beautifully presented job.

The remasters by PHIL KINRADE at Alchemy are clean, full of presence and power – and really bring out the original production values of Nick Robbins. It’s edgy and full of menace and angst lyrics – love it. And the BBC live stuff in particular has great gusto - the band in full flight and untethered by studio restrictions. 

“Jeopardy” is surely a lost Post Punk classic - opening in high form with “I Can’t Escape Myself” where songwriter Adrian Borland has clearly been listening to Television’s “Marquee Moon” just a little too often (lyrics above).  “Missiles” lets the anger rip and the trashy “Heyday” was an obvious if unsuccessful single – but “Unwritten Law” is brilliant and closest to that Joy Division comparison. Fans will love the non-album B-side “Brute Force” on CD at last – kicking like a mule too.

The remaster of “Winning” sees the bass pop out of the speakers as the Echo & The Bunnymen melody works its way into your subconscious (its even a little like early Icehouse). The drums and gangling guitars of “Skeletons” have muscle now - as does the rattling percussion intro to “New Dark Age” sounding like a jungle clarion call. I’m so reminded of Joe Jackson’s anger on “Possession” (“There’s a devil in me trying to show its face…”) and the sheer gloom of “Silent Air” haunts even now.

By the time it got to “All Fall Down” the misery had only slightly abated to allow something as poppy as “Party Of My Mind” – a great Eighties sound and there’s even tenderness in the moody guitar-chug of “Where The Love Is” (“I want to put that smile on your face…”). Side 2 opens with the delicacy of Max Mayers’ Keyboards on “Song And Dance” while the sophisticated “Calling The New Tune” shows real song maturity and a very definite nod towards Depeche Mode. “We Could Go Far” is superb – Indie yet Mainstream.

The live stuff is so much more powerful and exciting – the band lets rip – full of piss and vinegar – with the BBC boffins taping it properly and well. Pete Drummond introduces both sets to a wildly enthusiastic crowd – “Unwritten Law”, “Winning” and “Golden Soldiers” being highlights.

So why didn’t The Sound make it – too doomy – too bleeding miserable – probably. But its because they stuck to their ‘sound’ that they’ve engendered such cult status and real affection. And although the Joy Division comparisons are obvious - they deserve credit 'cause there’s a lot on here to love.

This is a genius reissue and a fan-pleasing offering – well done to all involved…

"Corman’s World – Exploits Of A Hollywood Rebel" on BLU RAY – A Review Of The 2011 Alex Stapleton Documentary Film...

Here is a link to AMAZON UK to get this great BLU RAY at the best price:

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"…Hassled By The Man!" – Corman's World on BLU RAY

Take a look at this list of Actors – Jack Nicholson, Tommy Lee Jones, Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Bruce Dern, William Shatner, Lee Van Cleef, Dick Miller, Charles Bronson, Vincent Price, Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Harvey Keitel, David Carradine, Pam Grier and Mamie Van Doren… 

Or this list of Directors, Writers and Producers – Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Peter Bogdanovich, John Sayles, Joe Dante, Paul W.S. Anderson, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, Jonathan Demme, Gale Anne Hurd and Francis Ford Coppola…

What have they all got in common? The answer is Producer, Writer, Director, Mentor, Career-Break Giver, Cheapskate and Sordid Exploitation B-Movie Legend - ROGER CORMAN. So why don’t you know this? Well that’s what Alex Stapleton’s 2011 documentary film "Corman's World" is about.

It begins in the late Forties with two horrid years in the American Navy where Cadet Roger William Corman from Detroit, Michigan wilfully goes up against every order and gets a ludicrously high amount of demerits. He cannot stand authority of any kind. Roger then takes a job for 8 weeks reading crappy scripts at 20th Century Fox – says screw this – and decides in 1954 to make a film of his own – a black and white called "Monster From The Ocean". He does everything himself and on a budget of nothing minus zero (they show hilarious footage of his glowing one-eyed monster) and our boy’s off and running. Some decades later and at the sprightly age of 82 - there’s a staggering 384 more films where they came from (and he’s Directed 55 of them). And in between all that our heros has managed to procure a loving and talented wife Julie and four kids…and millions of movie-going admirers (many of whom are now Industry giants).

What’s fascinating about this fabulous story is the huge number of genuine stars Corman knew and gave a break too – and who take time out to acknowledge this. Jack Nicholson in particular - who seems to owe his stunning career to the man – is so witty and self-deprecating that he’s worth the price of admission alone. Ron Howard is characteristically generous too (got his first Director’s spot under Corman) and has hilarious anecdotes about dangerous stunts in borrowed cars. Genius Writers and Directors John Sayles and Peter Bogdanovich give insightful glimpses into Corman’s sometimes cavalier yet utterly driven personality – always sticking it to 'the man'. While "Boxcar Bertha" gave Martin Scorsese and his troop of stunning actors an outing and the maestro his first Director’s Chair.

But what really tickles the funny bones is the endless parade of film clips - exploitation movies you haven’t seen in decades – or not at all. Most were made without safety or permits - where an explosion is pretty much mandatory – where crass is good – and if it can be made for less than the dollar price of Scrooge’s underwear – then that’s even better. Blood spatters, cleavage pops, hoodlums do what hoodlums do, monsters invade from outer space (Lee Van Cleef sorts out a mutant bug with a canister blowtorch), crocodiles chomp on limbs, massively endowed ladies ponce about on the planet Venus with telepathy but very few clothes…and cars eat people…all of it thoroughly delightful.

But in between all this B-Movie/Drive-In fodder are moments of breakthrough – 1962's "The Intruder" – a serious film about racism down South starring a first part for William Shatner that nearly got all involved killed. And while his flicks might have been the wrong side of pump-action nudity drivel – his tastes were for proper art-house films of the European and World schools. So Corman used his distribution company ‘New World Pictures’ to give Fellini, Bergman, Truffaut and Akira Kurosawa movies their only American releases.

Corman also made eight Edgar Allen Poe films with Vincent Price including "The Pit And The Pendulum", "The Masque Of The Red Death" and "The House Of Usher" which are now revered as classics of the Horror genre. He used genuine Hells Angels in the biker movie "The Wild Angels" (the character Heavenly Blues gives the quote that titles this review), spoke to the teenagers of America with the Sixties culture flick "The Trip" (popped LSD to be authentic) and followed that nugget with the biggest independent cult film hit of all time – "Easy Rider" - which made global superstars of Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper.

But not to leave crass behind - for the Seventies - we get the Downton Abbey pleasant "Women In Cages", the University Challenge brain-teaser "Death Race 2000", the very nice boy clean-haircuts of The Ramones in "Rock & Roll High School" and vein nibbling fishy in the artistically fulfilling "Piranha". What a man and what a life!

The 30-minutes of Bonus Features have extended interviews and special messages to the great man. Aspect ratio is Full Screen and of course varies with the Source while Audio is a Basic 2.0. There are no subtitles.

In some respects - to blab and reveal more - is to do you the viewer - an injustice. Suffice to say that "Corman's World" is one of those cool insider peeks at the history of 'alternate' movies and the independent side of Hollywood. But perhaps like the chipper curmudgeon himself – this wonderfully uplifting and funny documentary is largely unknown and criminally under-appreciated.

Juts don’t let this BLU RAY gem go unacknowledged in your household…or we may have to send some killer vixens around with chainsaws and open blouses…