Pink Floyd, "Dark Side of the Moon",  released March 1973

I've always been a fan of Pink Floyd, primarily because I like the guitar playing of David Gilmour.  He's one of those players that you know from playing just a few notes. And the work he did on this album is some of his best ever.  I'd definitely recommend the album "Division Bell" if you want to really hear how capable and great he is at guitar.  But aside from his playing, the band always made really interesting music and all were very capable musicians. Richard Wright (piano), Roger Waters (bass) and Nick Mason (drums) are all highly regarded as instrumentalists.  The band used and invented new studio techniques like looping, synthesizers, and multi-track machines to create new and unique music. 

This album features several tracks that are now considered their "greatest hits" and has sold over 15 million albums in the US alone.  At 45 millions records sold nationwide, it is also one of the best selling albums of all time. The album art has become iconic and when you see it, you automatically connect Pink Floyd to the image.

I really enjoyed this album.  I knew all of the tracks with the exception of the few instrumental/transition tracks like "Speak to Me" and "On the Run."  If you've listened to any classic rock stations you've heard most of the hits this album produced ("Money", "Time", "Us and Them" and "Brain Damage" aka Dark Side of the Moon).   Their music has some oddities to it with the electronic sounds and odd screaming and talking parts but if you can get past those, the music is really great.  The lead singing is shared between Gilmour and Waters, both are great but I slightly prefer Gilmour's voice.  The track called "The Great Gig in the Sky" is iconic in it's own right and features a female singer named Clare Torry.  The saxophone solos by Dick Barry are also so incredible and noteworthy. 

If you love classic rock this is an album you've probably already heard. But if you haven't, it's definitely worth listening to from start to finish.  And I do agree with Rolling Stone ranking that this album is worthy of being in the Top 50 of all time.

Additional reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Side_of_the_Moon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd

King Kong, released April 1933

I had never seen the original version of this movie.  I had only ever seen the 1976 remake with Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin and Jessica Lange.  While these older black and white films lack the high quality special effects of today's films, they are no less great.  In fact, in some ways maybe they're better.  To make this film look even partially believable as it does, the filmmakers had to invent new and recently invented techniques, both in film and special effects.  We take for granted how "easy" it is today to create a realistic looking giant gorilla.  So from that standpoint it's great that they undertook the task to make this movie.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong_(1933_film)#Special_effects 

The acting is generally pretty good and Fay Wray is beautiful and believable as a woman fearing her life in King Kong's massive hands.  The amount of screaming she did for this movie must have seriously strained her vocal cords. 

I'm learning to like these older black and white films.  I really haven't seen many in my life but I can understand why older folks like to watch them and why they're still considered some of the greatest ever made.  Once you get past the nostalgia of seeing something in B&W, the films generally feature great writing, acting, and directing.   I would definitely recommend this to everyone.  They consider it a horror picture but it's not that scary considering the quality of the special effects.  It might even be a film you could watch as a family as their isn't any nudity or cursing. 

Additional reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong_(1933_film)

Next Week, #42

The Doors, "The Doors"

Rear Window

Patti Smith, "Horses", released December 1975

Some things are great because they're first, some thing are great because they're just indescribably "great", and the best of the very best happen to be both.  It's my opinion that this album lies somewhere in between all of that.  This was one of the first punk albums to feature a female lead singer and in that role Patti Smith definitely did a very convincing job.  Punk was in its relative infancy in 1975 and Patti Smith is considered one of its pioneers and key influencers. For those reasons, it makes sense that this album is in the Top 50 list.

Her sound on this album has the stripped down, basic punk grit that convinces so many youth that they too can pick up an electric guitar, learn 3 chords, write a few songs (perhaps not as poetically as Smith) and form a rock and roll band. The band sound is pretty great and I actually enjoyed it more than I did the vocals/lyrics.  But I tend to connect to the music before the lyrics when I listen to new albums.  And punk music has never been my favorite genre anyway.  The guitar playing is good but not otherworldly, played by Lenny Kaye.  The other musicians are also very capable and help create a solid sound for Patti to build her vocals around. This is a unique album in that there are sections where she is simply speaking her poems and they merge into a song.  She puts all her emotion into her performance, sometimes for good and sometimes for bad, including maniacal screaming on several tracks. 

Patti Smith has definitely influenced artists beyond her time.  REM, Morrisey, The Smiths, U2 and Courtney Love have all cited her as an influence. As music has primarily been made by men, for women and teenagers it must have been inspirational to see and hear someone with Patti's abilities move to the front of rock music at the time.  I can't say it was my favorite album or even one I'd listen to again, but I can definitely appreciate the music and her effort to play it the way she wanted it to sound. She's obviously a talented artist (literally), poet, photographer and a rock music icon.

Additional reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_(album)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patti_Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QNOPYpIa3Q&list=PLF3f9p4TI4j21qf-DPJiDiDKGbLuGSM67 (one of the tracks that best gives you a feel for the album)

The Birth of a Nation, released February 1915

I'm sure that in 1915 sitting down for a 3 hour silent film was a pleasure looked forward to by those that could afford it.  In theaters, the film was shown into two sections with an intermission in between. Seeing pictures move and put to a story must have been a real thrill. We take this for granted today and I find it hard to know what to compare it to in modern terms.  In 2017, having seen 'modern' films, watching this movie turned out to be an arduous task.  In fact, I had to fast forward through some of the sections just to make it through. 

As I undertook this '50 Weeks, 50 Greats' challenge, I legitimately wanted to watch all of these movies in their entirety.  But watching a silent film is a difficult thing to complete, particularly one of this length.  For me, the storytelling screens can only do so much to explain the story and the odd acting style distracted me to the point of not being able to follow the story completely.  I read the Wikipedia and AFI explanation of the film and I got an understanding of the film and also clarification on why this film is historically controversial.  The inference that the Ku Klux Klan is a heroic force was clearly off base.  And portraying black people as unintelligent and sexually depraved towards white women is why there was outrage at the films release and efforts were made by the NAACP to stop it altogether.  

In 1988, this movie was ranked #44 in the first list compiled by the AFI (American Film Institute).  In the 10 year updated list, this film had completely dropped off the list.  I'm guessing that has something to do with either the general racist content/statement made by the film or by the changing nature of how critics understand and judge modern movies.  The movie has historic significance as it was the first motion picture to be screened at the White House (under Woodrow Wilson).  Sadly, it also sparked a resurgence in Klan participation, It also has film making significance with director D.W. Griffiths pioneering new techniques like "close-ups, fade-outs, and a carefully staged battle sequence with hundreds of extras made to look like thousands.  It also contained many new artistic techniques, such as color tinting for dramatic purposes, building up the plot to an exciting climax, dramatizing history alongside fiction, and featuring its own musical score written for an orchestra."

In summary, silent movies are a unique watching experience in our day and age.  I don't fully understand -and am too lazy to read- why if they could record sound (there is a soundtrack to the film) why couldn't they just record the actors speaking and tell the story that way.  Either way, it was cool to see something that old, something that changed the film industry and I did actually think parts of it were interesting (the war scenes looked surprisingly real).   I'd recommend watching it in parts though as three straight hours for a silent film proved to be difficult.

Additional reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birth_of_a_Nation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birth_of_a_Nation#Significance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birth_of_a_Nation#Ideology_and_accuracy
http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=1826 
 

Next Week, #43

Pink Floyd, "Dark Side of the Moon"

 

 

 

 

 

 

King Kong

The Band, "The Band", Released September 1969 

The Band has two albums in the Top 50 of this all-time greatest list.  This album ranked at #45 and "Music from Big Pink" at #34.  And yet most American music listeners can't name one member of the band.  But I suspect, based upon what I've read and know about them, that's okay with them as they preferred their quiet notoriety.  They first came to prominence as Bob Dylan's backup band.  Clearly, they had immense talent for someone of Bob Dylan's prominence to choose to work with them. 

I've always loved The Band.  With three very capable lead singers and incredible musicianship, their songs are soulful and absolutely great. With Levon Helms (drums), Rick Danko (bass) and Richard Manuel (piano) sharing lead vocal duties there is such variety in the presentation of the songs and the harmonies their voices get are just incredible.  I've always admired a drummer that can sing and in my opinion, no one did it as well as Levon Helm.  His drumming is subtle but that rhythmic shuffle is so distinctively his sound that I've never heard a drummer that can quite mimic him.  Strangely enough, this album was recorded in a pool house of a home owned by Sammy Davis Jr.!  But I have a feeling The Band could have recorded in a outhouse and made it sound amazing. 

This album features a few of their most well-known songs like "Up On Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".  But the rest of the songs are just as great and I really dug "Look Out Cleveland", "King Harvest" and "Whispering Pines" in particular.  It's a great album that combined all the styles of music they enjoyed and in the end created something uniquely their own.  People should dig deeper into The Band and discover all the hits plus all the other great songs that weren't "hits." They are one of America's greatest bands of all time (even though 4 of the 5 are Canadians).  :)

Additional reading/listening:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Band
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Band_(album)

A Streetcar Named Desire, Released March 1952

I wasn't sure what to think as I sat down to this movie. Released in 1952, it is the oldest live action movie (Snow White is older) on the list to this point.  It's shot entirely in black and white, which immediately makes it feel even older in my color oriented mind.  This film was adapted from a play written by legendary playwright Tennessee Williams. 

Because I had some difficulty with hearing the words (inferior sound production in 1952), I watched with the closed captioning on.  In hindsight, this was probably a good thing as reading/listening to the words helped me appreciate how talented of a writer Williams is and why he's considered an American icon.  It's a great story and I can understand why it does so well when produced on a stage. 

All the dialogue is very natural and the actors do such an incredible job "becoming" the characters.  This film was one of Marlon Brando's first and he was nominated for an Oscar Award (lost to Humphrey Bogart).  His performance helped launch his legendary career and today is considered one of the greatest actors of all time.  Vivien Leigh (lead actress), Karl Malden (supporting actor) and Kim Hunter (supporting actress) all won Oscars for their performances.  Vivien Leigh's performance is incredible and she carries so many scenes with the quantity of her dialogue. 

Seeing Brando and Leigh give such memorable and legendary performances was great.  The film is around 2 hours long, which is manageable.  Watching these older films is worth it to see how acting and film making has evolved.  Movies are different now but not necessarily better, especially with regard to the acting and writing.  I'd definitely recommend people see this movie, it's worthy of being in the Top 50 of all time.

Additional reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Streetcar_Named_Desire_(1951_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Williams 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlon_Brando
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivien_Leigh

Next week #44 

Patti Smith, "Horses"

Birth of a Nation 

Bob Marley and The Wailers, "Legend", Released May 1984

I've owned this album for years and have listened to it literally hundreds of times.  Obviously I'm a big fan of Bob Marley and the incredible music he produced in his very short life (died of skin cancer at just 36).  This album was released posthumously, features his best work from prior recordings, and has sold over 33 million records worldwide! 

Marley is probably the only reggae artist most people know, with the possible exception being Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh (part of The Wailers playing on this album).  He made reggae music accessible and popular for generations of listeners that perhaps didn't even realize Jamaica had its own distinct form of music. I'd certainly heard of Marley before I heard this album but I was introduced to his music through the song "I Shot the Sheriff", by Eric Clapton.  Once I heard that song was a Marley cover, I definitely wanted to hear the original and so began my interest in Bob Marley and his music. 

His songs are message driven but don't come across as preachy or sanctimonious because the music is so catchy, melodic and mostly peaceful in nature.   He's pushing his message and beliefs (both moral and religious) forward in such a beautiful way.  In Jamaica, the people revered him.  But the government certainly feared his popularity and his messages of solidarity and empowerment.  The establishment feared that he would lead an uprising and overthrow a less-than-moral government. 

There was an attempted assassination on his life where he suffered minor bullet wound injuries to his chest and arm.  Nonetheless, just two days later he performed a free concert meant to promote peace and unity and told the crowd, "The people who are trying to make this world worse aren't taking a day off.  How can I?"  Certainly a message of note in today's world, regardless of which side you fall.  He seemingly lived with little fear, knowing that his music could have effect change both in Jamaica and around the world. If it meant his life, he was willing to offer it to move the Jamaican/African people forward in their struggle.  Surviving the attempt on his life made him even more beloved in Jamaica but perhaps a bigger target for future attempts. On the advice of his managers and family, he took an extended vacation to England and ended up living there for two years.  This is where many of his biggest hits were produced, including many of the tracks on this album. 

In the years ahead, he would be diagnosed with malignant melanoma (skin cancer), but would continue to work to spread his message of peace and unity.  Sadly, the treatments he received did not eradicate the cancer and it spread to his lungs and brain.  He died in a Miami hospital as he was making his way back to his beloved Jamaica.  According to his son Ziggy, his dying words were "Money can't buy life."   What a beautiful legacy of music, influence and courage he left.  Check out this album, you won't be disappointed.

Additional information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_(Bob_Marley_and_the_Wailers_album)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvNlAZ3xqwI (Trailer for the movie, "Marley", the movie is great)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-5yg7C5o4Q  (Live in concert)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2035116/  (I watched this several years ago. Great doc showing several of his kids attempting to put together a concert in South Africa to honor and celebrate the legacy of their father)

A Clockwork Orange, released February 1972

If you thought "Taxi Driver" was demented and dark, this movie takes it to whole other level.   The early part of the movie features scenes of assault, rape and murder.  Upon release, this movie was rated "X" but director Stanley Kubrick edited approximately 30-seconds out from two scenes to garner an "R" rating for a release months later. Most of the DVD's of this movie are the "X" rated version but carry the "R" rating. It definitely is not a movie for the faint of heart or those easily offended by themes of violence and sexual deviance.

Kubrick was a director that took chances and did things other "mainstream" directors might not, but to me it doesn't come across as gratuitous or pornographic.  The scenes serve the purpose of the story so I certainly think they should be included and shown in all their brutality.  Movies can be either an escape from reality or a forceful showing of the brutal realities of life. I can appreciate both. The second half of the movie isn't quite as graphic, unless you consider the scene where Alex (played by Malcolm McDowell) has his eyes forcefully held open as he goes through a new prisoner reform technique called "Ludovico".  I've seen several Kubrick movies (Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut, The Shining) so I was prepared for the violence and sadistic nature of the film. 


The movie was Oscar nominated for Best Director (Kubrick), Best Film Editing (Bill Butler), Best Picture (Kubrick), & Best Adapted Screenplay (Kubrick) but won none of the awards that year.

Overall, I guess I liked the movie, although I don't think I'd put it in my personal Top 50 list.  The acting is very good and Malcolm McDowell is very believable as the main character Alex.  It certainly set him up as a capable actor and set a foundation for a fairly successful career in Hollywood.  The supporting cast is also very good.  For some reason I can never spot a bad acting performance in films that feature nearly all English actors.  The British must send the best of the best to Hollywood because they're all good, at least in this movie. I also liked the music of the film which features Beethoven symphonies as a central part of the plot. 

I wouldn't recommend the movie for the casual movie watcher.  I think the darker themes will turn many people off.  But it's worth a watch to see a Kubrick film that many (including the people that put together the AFI Top 50 List) consider one of his very best.
 
More information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clockwork_Orange_(film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Kubrick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPRzm8ibDQ8 (original trailer which does a good job selling it's oddness)

Next week #45

The Band, "The Band"

A Streetcar Named Desire