At 63, Tony Kaye is plotting another comeback. Although he’s always been an award-winning director of commercials and music videos, his feature career is a study in scorched earth. His last feature was five years ago; before that, he shot “Black Water Transit,” which was never finished. And then there’s his debut, a masterpiece riddled with production woes called “American History X.”
That track record leads to perceptions that it’s impossible to take Kaye seriously — but that would be a mistake.
Studios may view him as a flustered and frustrating eccentric, but Kaye remains a rare breed — an outlaw artist working through one hurdle after another, beaten but not broken, and always ready to rise again. While virtually every American studio movie reflects some kind of compromise, truly unfiltered creative visions are rare. At a time when we could use more committed independents, we don’t hear from Kaye nearly enough.
That’s about to change, and while his characteristic brashness is still evident, he said he’s learned a bit of restraint. “We’ve all got demons inside of us,” he explained in a recent phone interview. “I’ve gotten rid of mine — or got them under control.”
His chosen vehicle to showcase that rehabilitation is “Stranger Than the Wheel,” Kaye’s first feature-length project since 2011’s “Detachment.” Last fall, Kaye announced on Facebook that Shia Labeouf would star in the self-financed film.
He’s wanted to make this movie for decades. In the early ’90s, Kaye was a popular director of commercials and music videos (he won a Grammy for Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” video). But his goal was to make movies. “Stranger Than the Wheel” was one of three scripts he considered for his debut (another one was written by a newcomer named M. Night Shyamalan; the third was “American History X”).
Written by Joe Vinciguerra, “Stranger Than the Wheel” is the story of a young man who struggles to reconnect with his estranged father. “It’s a kind of serial drama about isolation, alienation, and alcoholism,” Kaye said recently, clearly relating — even if he hadn’t lost his father in recent years, Kaye would identify with the character’s alienated state.
In April, Kaye announced the departure of his lead via email, with the subject line “Shia Labeouf Qu!T.” (“Tony and I rolled around and wrestled an idea together,” Labeouf explained by email. “We shot a test. But in the end, we are not making a film together.”) Now the film will star Evan Ross (“The Hunger Games”). Kaye has been shooting test footage, and plans to begin production later this summer, with the stated (if unlikely) goal of finishing the picture in time for the fall festival circuit.
Or, all of this could be a preamble for more of the same. Eighteen years ago, “American History X” was also gearing up for a fall showcase — the Toronto International Film Festival offered it a prime slot — when Kaye flew across the country to meet with festival CEO and director Piers Handling. Claiming New Line Cinema had made changes to the film without his permission, Kaye asked Handling to refuse the studio’s version and show his cut instead.
“He was eccentric, opinionated, and had a very strong sense of what he wanted to do,” Handling recalled, noting that Kaye brought a small digital camera with him to their meeting and recorded the whole conversation. Handling talked to the studio about showing Kaye’s version, but instead, the company pulled the movie from the lineup.
While artistic temperaments are often part of the filmmaker package, Kaye is a breed apart. He’s the kind of Hollywood aberrant whom the corporate-overlord studio system has all but bred out of existence. “Tony doesn’t play that game,” Handling said. “He always wants to do things on his own terms.”
That’s an especially dicey proposition in 2016, an age in which every facet of the entertainment industry is deathly allergic to risk. Anyone concerned about the bottom line would be wary of Kaye’s track record when it comes to managing a responsible production.
During production on “American History X,” Kaye went to war with his star, Edward Norton, declaring him unfit for the part. (He later received his second Oscar nomination.) Kaye hired a priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk to join a meeting with New Line executive Michael De Luca. Editing was a protracted process and, after Kaye completed a cut the studio liked, he demanded eight more weeks to radically reimagine the film.
When New Line refused, Kaye began trashing the movie; he threatened to remove his credit and replace it with “Humpty Dumpty.” (That has since become the title of an unfinished documentary about the production that Kaye hopes to release.) Then came the Toronto showdown.
When it was all over, Kaye had earned the outright ire of New Line, the DGA, and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers; everyone else was confounded. After that, things didn’t get easier. While he won a lifetime achievement award for his advertising work in early 2001, that fall, Marlon Brando hired Kaye to direct a series of acting workshops. The filmmaker showed up dressed as Osama bin Laden, shortly after 9/11, infuriating everyone involved.
A year later, he confessed his major regret in an article for The Guardian. “I thought I was upholding the old movie industry traditions of strutting around, picking fights with the studio and being the fly in everyone’s ointment,” he wrote. “I had passion — you have to give me that. But I was, it has to be said, a spectacular pain in the ass.” These days, he describes his previous setbacks as the result of “desire for self alone.”
Whatever his current emotional state may be, his existing filmography speaks on its own terms. If there’s an overarching theme to Kaye’s work, it’s his ability to deliver achingly real portraits of America’s fractured communities.
Kaye’s antics make it almost too easy to dismiss his filmmaking outright — as this writer did initially, with “Detachment.” The vulgar tale of a disgruntled public high school instructor (Adrien Brody) struck me as a shrill riff on “Half Nelson.” At Kaye’s urging, I took a second look, and found that “Detachment” is more than theatrics surrounding student-teacher relationships: it’s a tender investigation into what it means to feel utterly helpless while battling institutional dysfunction.
But nothing in Kaye’s filmography demonstrates his vision more cohesively than “Lake of Fire,” the haunting black-and-white encapsulation of abortion debate in America that Kaye spent decades assembling. From its visceral imagery of abortion operations to the angry protestors, the film conveys an operatic vision of anger and frustration rendered in expressionistic terms.
Kaye realizes it’s his most coherent achievement to date. “I don’t know how I made that movie,” he said.
“There are some people who don’t really fit into the Hollywood structure,” said Handling. “Tony’s one of those guys. He’s a renegade, an outsider — not unlike Orson Welles.” And like Welles, Kaye’s sensibility extends beyond the fits of ambitious projects, some more polished than others. The man is indistinguishable from his movies.
Kaye has remained an accomplished commercial artist. The money he makes on ads enable him to self-finance his films. He also recently completed work for the virtual reality company Jaunt on a six-part series, “Pure McCartney,” which features McCartney at home discussing his relationship to five different songs. Kaye spoke emphatically about the possibilities of the new technology. “It’s this incredible process of carrying the viewer into a solitary experience,” he said.
Kaye described his current inspirations as ranging from Jackson Pollock to David Lean, whose “Lawrence of Arabia” epitomizes the kind of sprawling drama Kaye hopes to create. “I’ll get there,” he said, and hopes to do it with “Stranger Than the Wheel.”
His new star is thrilled at the prospect. “I’m generally just excited about anything Tony Kaye does,” said Ross, who has already been shooting footage for the project around Los Angeles. “I don’t think I’ve worked with a director like him who can just put incredible things together.”
Kaye shared his vision with IndieWire via multiple emails, showcasing photos of ink-blotted pages filled with fractured images from his planning sessions for the film: a raggedy school bus, some kind of giraffe-bird mashup, an impressionistic sketch of his leading man, the quixotically named Faunce Bartleby.
“I think I am real,” he wrote at one point. At another, he noted that he planned to turn “Stranger Than the Wheel” into a musical — “a dramuzical epic,” as he wrote in an email. At times, he sounded off about his resistance to industry standards, noting his frustration over a recent big studio film he attended with his kids. “These perpetrators of pollution people should not be allowed to work!” he wrote.
Will Kaye succeed in bringing his visions to the world? If not, it won’t be for lack of trying. While he has struggled with a stutter over the years, the impediment was barely discernible in recent conversations. Kaye has no trouble formulating the case for his latest efforts.
“I’ve got something marvelous here,” Kaye said of his new project. “Don’t worry: I want it to be a hit.”
Related storiesTony Kaye Returns With 'Stranger Than The Wheel' Starring Shia Labeouf'American History X' Director Tony Kaye Says He's Still In Director's JailDaily Reads: Going Deep on Mark Wahlberg, How Pop Culture's White Supremacists Validate Lone-Wolf Racism, and More...
That track record leads to perceptions that it’s impossible to take Kaye seriously — but that would be a mistake.
Studios may view him as a flustered and frustrating eccentric, but Kaye remains a rare breed — an outlaw artist working through one hurdle after another, beaten but not broken, and always ready to rise again. While virtually every American studio movie reflects some kind of compromise, truly unfiltered creative visions are rare. At a time when we could use more committed independents, we don’t hear from Kaye nearly enough.
That’s about to change, and while his characteristic brashness is still evident, he said he’s learned a bit of restraint. “We’ve all got demons inside of us,” he explained in a recent phone interview. “I’ve gotten rid of mine — or got them under control.”
His chosen vehicle to showcase that rehabilitation is “Stranger Than the Wheel,” Kaye’s first feature-length project since 2011’s “Detachment.” Last fall, Kaye announced on Facebook that Shia Labeouf would star in the self-financed film.
He’s wanted to make this movie for decades. In the early ’90s, Kaye was a popular director of commercials and music videos (he won a Grammy for Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” video). But his goal was to make movies. “Stranger Than the Wheel” was one of three scripts he considered for his debut (another one was written by a newcomer named M. Night Shyamalan; the third was “American History X”).
Written by Joe Vinciguerra, “Stranger Than the Wheel” is the story of a young man who struggles to reconnect with his estranged father. “It’s a kind of serial drama about isolation, alienation, and alcoholism,” Kaye said recently, clearly relating — even if he hadn’t lost his father in recent years, Kaye would identify with the character’s alienated state.
In April, Kaye announced the departure of his lead via email, with the subject line “Shia Labeouf Qu!T.” (“Tony and I rolled around and wrestled an idea together,” Labeouf explained by email. “We shot a test. But in the end, we are not making a film together.”) Now the film will star Evan Ross (“The Hunger Games”). Kaye has been shooting test footage, and plans to begin production later this summer, with the stated (if unlikely) goal of finishing the picture in time for the fall festival circuit.
Or, all of this could be a preamble for more of the same. Eighteen years ago, “American History X” was also gearing up for a fall showcase — the Toronto International Film Festival offered it a prime slot — when Kaye flew across the country to meet with festival CEO and director Piers Handling. Claiming New Line Cinema had made changes to the film without his permission, Kaye asked Handling to refuse the studio’s version and show his cut instead.
“He was eccentric, opinionated, and had a very strong sense of what he wanted to do,” Handling recalled, noting that Kaye brought a small digital camera with him to their meeting and recorded the whole conversation. Handling talked to the studio about showing Kaye’s version, but instead, the company pulled the movie from the lineup.
While artistic temperaments are often part of the filmmaker package, Kaye is a breed apart. He’s the kind of Hollywood aberrant whom the corporate-overlord studio system has all but bred out of existence. “Tony doesn’t play that game,” Handling said. “He always wants to do things on his own terms.”
That’s an especially dicey proposition in 2016, an age in which every facet of the entertainment industry is deathly allergic to risk. Anyone concerned about the bottom line would be wary of Kaye’s track record when it comes to managing a responsible production.
During production on “American History X,” Kaye went to war with his star, Edward Norton, declaring him unfit for the part. (He later received his second Oscar nomination.) Kaye hired a priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk to join a meeting with New Line executive Michael De Luca. Editing was a protracted process and, after Kaye completed a cut the studio liked, he demanded eight more weeks to radically reimagine the film.
When New Line refused, Kaye began trashing the movie; he threatened to remove his credit and replace it with “Humpty Dumpty.” (That has since become the title of an unfinished documentary about the production that Kaye hopes to release.) Then came the Toronto showdown.
When it was all over, Kaye had earned the outright ire of New Line, the DGA, and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers; everyone else was confounded. After that, things didn’t get easier. While he won a lifetime achievement award for his advertising work in early 2001, that fall, Marlon Brando hired Kaye to direct a series of acting workshops. The filmmaker showed up dressed as Osama bin Laden, shortly after 9/11, infuriating everyone involved.
A year later, he confessed his major regret in an article for The Guardian. “I thought I was upholding the old movie industry traditions of strutting around, picking fights with the studio and being the fly in everyone’s ointment,” he wrote. “I had passion — you have to give me that. But I was, it has to be said, a spectacular pain in the ass.” These days, he describes his previous setbacks as the result of “desire for self alone.”
Whatever his current emotional state may be, his existing filmography speaks on its own terms. If there’s an overarching theme to Kaye’s work, it’s his ability to deliver achingly real portraits of America’s fractured communities.
Kaye’s antics make it almost too easy to dismiss his filmmaking outright — as this writer did initially, with “Detachment.” The vulgar tale of a disgruntled public high school instructor (Adrien Brody) struck me as a shrill riff on “Half Nelson.” At Kaye’s urging, I took a second look, and found that “Detachment” is more than theatrics surrounding student-teacher relationships: it’s a tender investigation into what it means to feel utterly helpless while battling institutional dysfunction.
But nothing in Kaye’s filmography demonstrates his vision more cohesively than “Lake of Fire,” the haunting black-and-white encapsulation of abortion debate in America that Kaye spent decades assembling. From its visceral imagery of abortion operations to the angry protestors, the film conveys an operatic vision of anger and frustration rendered in expressionistic terms.
Kaye realizes it’s his most coherent achievement to date. “I don’t know how I made that movie,” he said.
“There are some people who don’t really fit into the Hollywood structure,” said Handling. “Tony’s one of those guys. He’s a renegade, an outsider — not unlike Orson Welles.” And like Welles, Kaye’s sensibility extends beyond the fits of ambitious projects, some more polished than others. The man is indistinguishable from his movies.
Kaye has remained an accomplished commercial artist. The money he makes on ads enable him to self-finance his films. He also recently completed work for the virtual reality company Jaunt on a six-part series, “Pure McCartney,” which features McCartney at home discussing his relationship to five different songs. Kaye spoke emphatically about the possibilities of the new technology. “It’s this incredible process of carrying the viewer into a solitary experience,” he said.
Kaye described his current inspirations as ranging from Jackson Pollock to David Lean, whose “Lawrence of Arabia” epitomizes the kind of sprawling drama Kaye hopes to create. “I’ll get there,” he said, and hopes to do it with “Stranger Than the Wheel.”
His new star is thrilled at the prospect. “I’m generally just excited about anything Tony Kaye does,” said Ross, who has already been shooting footage for the project around Los Angeles. “I don’t think I’ve worked with a director like him who can just put incredible things together.”
Kaye shared his vision with IndieWire via multiple emails, showcasing photos of ink-blotted pages filled with fractured images from his planning sessions for the film: a raggedy school bus, some kind of giraffe-bird mashup, an impressionistic sketch of his leading man, the quixotically named Faunce Bartleby.
“I think I am real,” he wrote at one point. At another, he noted that he planned to turn “Stranger Than the Wheel” into a musical — “a dramuzical epic,” as he wrote in an email. At times, he sounded off about his resistance to industry standards, noting his frustration over a recent big studio film he attended with his kids. “These perpetrators of pollution people should not be allowed to work!” he wrote.
Will Kaye succeed in bringing his visions to the world? If not, it won’t be for lack of trying. While he has struggled with a stutter over the years, the impediment was barely discernible in recent conversations. Kaye has no trouble formulating the case for his latest efforts.
“I’ve got something marvelous here,” Kaye said of his new project. “Don’t worry: I want it to be a hit.”
Related storiesTony Kaye Returns With 'Stranger Than The Wheel' Starring Shia Labeouf'American History X' Director Tony Kaye Says He's Still In Director's JailDaily Reads: Going Deep on Mark Wahlberg, How Pop Culture's White Supremacists Validate Lone-Wolf Racism, and More...
- 6/14/2016
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
What do you say about Purple Rain that hasn't already been said? Not only is it one of the greatest music films of all time, but it's one of the defining films of the 1980s and earned Prince an Oscar. The soundtrack spent nearly a full half-year at Number One on the Billboard charts, sold 20 million copies worldwide and won two Grammys. But as with all things Prince, that's not the full story. A number of truly excellent books and articles have been written about the making of Purple Rain, and we're here to share some of the best bits of them with you.
- 4/22/2016
- by Alex Heigl
- PEOPLE.com
To mark the 20th anniversary of Kevin Smith's celebrated black comedy Clerks, its grungy, punky soundtrack will be released for the first time ever on vinyl. The original soundtrack's mix of dialogue from the movie ("I'm not even supposed to be here today!") and tunes by some of the leading groups of the alternative era will now play out across three sides of two LPs — the final side will contain an etching— and will be available on November 11th.
The soundtrack features songs by Alice in Chains, Girls Against Boys,...
The soundtrack features songs by Alice in Chains, Girls Against Boys,...
- 9/5/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Soul Asylum will be joining forces with Everclear, Eve6 and Spacehog this summer on the Summerland Tour kicking off on June 13 in Pompano Beach, Fl and commencing on August 9 in Toledo, Oh (full list of date below) tickets go on-sale this Friday, March 7 at 10am local time. For more information on the tour and VIP packages go to http://summerlandtour.net. Soul Asylum is Dave Pirner (guitar/vocals), Michael Bland (drums), Winston Roye (bass) and Justin Sharbono (guitar). The band is currently in the studio wrapping up work on an album of all new material produced by the band and John Fields and due out this year. Soul Asylum also lends the track ‘Little Shiva’s Song’ to a double CD that is out now as part of the Songs For Slim Fundraiser in support of Replacement’s guitarist Slim...
- 3/5/2014
- by Pietro Filipponi
- The Daily BLAM!
Tis the season of giving and we have five signed posters and blu-rays to give away from Randy Miller's flick Cbgb. The posters are signed by Johnny Galecki (Big Bang Theory), Ashley Greene (The Twilight Saga), Joel David Moore (Hatchet) and director Randy Miller.Cbgb looks at New York's dynamic punk rock scene through the lens of the ground-breaking Lower East Side club started by eccentric Hilly Kristal in 1973 originally as a home for "country, bluegrass and blues" (thus the club's name) and which showcased cutting-edge bands through its closing in 2006. The Talking Heads, Patti Smith, The Ramones, Blondie, The Dead Boys, Bad Brains, Green Day, Soul Asylum, The Police, Bruce Springsteen, Everclear, George Thorogood, The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, The Black Crowes, The...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 12/23/2013
- Screen Anarchy
It's been 15 years since the release of "American History X" (on October 30, 1998), and to this day, the movie stands as a riveting and brutal drama about the persistence of white-supremacist racism in America. It cemented Edward Norton's reputation as the premier Method actor of his generation, and it included at least one scene (the infamous curb-stomp sequence) that's been copied by everyone from "The Sopranos" to "Family Guy."
Yet to this day, many viewers still don't know the often even more dramatic story that went on behind the scenes of the film, in which first-time feature director Tony Kaye fought with Norton and distributor New Line over the final cut of the film. He ultimately filed a $200 million lawsuit because he preferred to be credited as Humpty Dumpty rather than allow the studio's cut to be released under his name. Read on to learn more about Kaye's epic and...
Yet to this day, many viewers still don't know the often even more dramatic story that went on behind the scenes of the film, in which first-time feature director Tony Kaye fought with Norton and distributor New Line over the final cut of the film. He ultimately filed a $200 million lawsuit because he preferred to be credited as Humpty Dumpty rather than allow the studio's cut to be released under his name. Read on to learn more about Kaye's epic and...
- 10/29/2013
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Ever wonder how the legendary Cbgb came to be? In the new film, appropriately titled Cbgb, director Randall Miller and co-writer Jody Savin give audiences a glimpse into the world that Hilly Kristal built… a little bar that became the birthplace of American punk music.
Recently, Wamg attended a press day for the film at the famous Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, CA. Participating in the press conference were Johnny Galecki (Terry Ork), Freddy Rodriguez (Idaho), Joel David Moore (Joey Ramone), Director/Co-Writer Randy Miller, and Co-Writer Jody Savin. Check it out below. (Side note: Sorry if it is a bit shaky. I was trying out my new camera.)
Cbgb looks at New York’s dynamic punk rock scene through the lens of the ground-breaking Lower East Side club started by eccentric Hilly Kristal in 1973 originally as a home for “country, bluegrass and blues” (thus the club’s...
Recently, Wamg attended a press day for the film at the famous Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, CA. Participating in the press conference were Johnny Galecki (Terry Ork), Freddy Rodriguez (Idaho), Joel David Moore (Joey Ramone), Director/Co-Writer Randy Miller, and Co-Writer Jody Savin. Check it out below. (Side note: Sorry if it is a bit shaky. I was trying out my new camera.)
Cbgb looks at New York’s dynamic punk rock scene through the lens of the ground-breaking Lower East Side club started by eccentric Hilly Kristal in 1973 originally as a home for “country, bluegrass and blues” (thus the club’s...
- 10/9/2013
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Everyone knows “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “The Wall” are concept albums, but what about those records that don’t jump right out at you with an overriding, pretentious idea that ties all the songs together?
At times, I’ve found it enjoyable to assign a particular concept to albums that were really never meant to have one. These albums may not have characters or even an overarching story per se, but I think you’ll agree that they benefit from attributing a concept to their songs. It actually makes them better.
Here they are, in no order:
5. “Let Your Dim Light Shine” – Soul Asylum
Themes: Frustration/Feeling out of place/Hopelessness
Most people prefer “Grave Dancers Union,” the album before this one that featured the huge hits “Runaway Train” and “Black Gold,” but for my money, “Let Your Dim Light Shine” is Soul Asylum’s magnum opus,...
At times, I’ve found it enjoyable to assign a particular concept to albums that were really never meant to have one. These albums may not have characters or even an overarching story per se, but I think you’ll agree that they benefit from attributing a concept to their songs. It actually makes them better.
Here they are, in no order:
5. “Let Your Dim Light Shine” – Soul Asylum
Themes: Frustration/Feeling out of place/Hopelessness
Most people prefer “Grave Dancers Union,” the album before this one that featured the huge hits “Runaway Train” and “Black Gold,” but for my money, “Let Your Dim Light Shine” is Soul Asylum’s magnum opus,...
- 9/25/2013
- by Michael Perone
- Obsessed with Film
The story of the legendary NYC rock club that spawned bands like Blondie, the Ramones, and the Talking Heads will debut September 5 on the satcaster’s VOD platform. Cbgb, starring Alan Rickman, Donal Logue, Ashley Greene, Johnny Galecki and Bradley Whitford and many others, will air through October 2 on DirecTV Cinema. It opens October 11 in theaters. Here’s the release: El Segundo, Calif., Aug. 29, 2013 – Directv Cinema® is giving customers exclusive access to experience the birth of American punk rock music with the film Cbgb, directed by Randall Miller and starring Alan Rickman (Harry Potter franchise), Malin Akerman (Watchmen), Ashley Greene (Twilight franchise) and Rupert Grint (Harry Potterfranchise). The film will premiere on Directv Cinema Thursday, Sept. 5 and air through Oct. 2, prior to its theatrical release on October 11, 2013. Cbgb looks at New York’s dynamic punk rock scene through the lens of the ground breaking Lower East Side club started by...
- 8/29/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
Check out the trailer for XLrator Media's Cbgb directed by Randall Miller which opens on October 11th, 2013. The film stars Alan Rickman, Malin Akerman, Justin Bartha, Richard de Klerk, Johnny Galecki, Ashley Greene, Rupert Grint, Taylor Hawkins, Stana Katic, Donal Logue, Joel David Moore, Freddy Rodriguez, Mickey Sumner and Bradley Whitford. Cbgb is rated R for language throughout, some sexual content, drug use, and a scene of violence. Cbgb looks at New York’s dynamic punk rock scene through the lens of the ground-breaking Lower East Side club started by eccentric Hilly Kristal in 1973 originally as a home for “country, bluegrass and blues” (thus the club’s name) and which showcased cutting-edge bands through its closing in 2006. The Talking Heads, Patti Smith, The Ramones, Blondie, The Dead Boys, Bad Brains, Green Day, Soul Asylum, The Police, Bruce Springsteen, Everclear...
- 8/23/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Yes, I have too much time on my hands. Here's a new feature that was fun to put together (though quite time-consuming, which makes me worry about my ability to do this every month). I look back at rock, pop, and R&B albums that came out five years ago, ten years ago, etc.
1967
Buffalo Springfield: Again (Atco)
There was much chaos surrounding the creation of this quintet 's second album. Bassist Bruce Palmer, in some ways the soul of the band, was unavailable due to a drug charge deportation, and a string of session players took his place. Stephen Stills, who saw himself as the leader of the group, was feuding with Neil Young, who considered himself an equal, and Young actually quit -- but returned. And that's without getting into the fiasco that was the band's management team.
Nonetheless, it was a quantum leap forward from their debut,...
1967
Buffalo Springfield: Again (Atco)
There was much chaos surrounding the creation of this quintet 's second album. Bassist Bruce Palmer, in some ways the soul of the band, was unavailable due to a drug charge deportation, and a string of session players took his place. Stephen Stills, who saw himself as the leader of the group, was feuding with Neil Young, who considered himself an equal, and Young actually quit -- but returned. And that's without getting into the fiasco that was the band's management team.
Nonetheless, it was a quantum leap forward from their debut,...
- 10/30/2012
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
Top advertising and design show D&Ad has released a list of its all-time top prize winners to mark its 50th anniversary.
The announcement from D&Ad:
On 18 September 2012, D&Ad staged a huge party and awards ceremony to celebrate its 50th Birthday. At the event, the top ranked agencies, studios and people of the last 50 years of D&Ad were recognised with a one-off Award. The 2012 Black Pencil and President’s Awards were also announced.
D&Ad delved into its archive of design and advertising to uncover the businesses and people that have collected the most Pencils. The winning names were honoured with eight special awards: Most Awarded Ad Agency / Design Studio / Production Company / Brand / Art Director / Copywriter / Designer / Director.
The winners in each category are listed below in alphabetical order.
During its 50 year history, D&Ad has set the standard for excellence in design and advertising, championing the...
The announcement from D&Ad:
On 18 September 2012, D&Ad staged a huge party and awards ceremony to celebrate its 50th Birthday. At the event, the top ranked agencies, studios and people of the last 50 years of D&Ad were recognised with a one-off Award. The 2012 Black Pencil and President’s Awards were also announced.
D&Ad delved into its archive of design and advertising to uncover the businesses and people that have collected the most Pencils. The winning names were honoured with eight special awards: Most Awarded Ad Agency / Design Studio / Production Company / Brand / Art Director / Copywriter / Designer / Director.
The winners in each category are listed below in alphabetical order.
During its 50 year history, D&Ad has set the standard for excellence in design and advertising, championing the...
- 9/20/2012
- by Robin Hicks
- Encore Magazine
I was crawling on my hands and knees on a filthy concrete dressing room floor in Tijuana, Mexico. This was not a scene from Papillon; this was me after a gig. It was 1993. My band, Zuzu’s Petals, had just completed the most embarrassing blind-drunk set of our careers, and I was worried that we’d be kicked off our fabulous one-month, high-profile tour -- opening for the dreamy new-wave swashbuckler Adam Ant -- because I was behaving so unprofessionally. Zuzu’s Petals’ stock was finally rising, thanks to our well-received first album. With more people in the crowd, I felt more responsibility to put on a decent show and not be sh*tfaced.
Broken glass embedded itself in my palms and kneecaps as I dragged myself to the toilet, which sat bare and open in the dressing room. After I’d heaved a day’s worth of tequila shots...
Broken glass embedded itself in my palms and kneecaps as I dragged myself to the toilet, which sat bare and open in the dressing room. After I’d heaved a day’s worth of tequila shots...
- 9/6/2012
- by Margaret Wheeler Johnson
- Huffington Post
By Bryant Gilmore
Now that their comeback has been officially sanctioned by Mother Monster herself, No Doubt should not have a problem reclaiming the top of the charts.
The first single, “Settle Down,” from their highly anticipated sixth album, Push and Shove, will be released on July 16 with the album dropping just two short months later, on September 25. To refresh your memory, it’s been almost 11 years since the band released their last studio album, Rock Steady, and in the time since, they've released a greatest hits album, lead singer Gwen Stefani was sweetly inescapable as she embarked on a massively successful solo career and bassist Tony Kanal produced hits for artists including Pink, Shontelle and even Gwen. Guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young settled down and had a couple of children, as did Gwen and Tony, but apparently there are only so many times a rocker can watch...
Now that their comeback has been officially sanctioned by Mother Monster herself, No Doubt should not have a problem reclaiming the top of the charts.
The first single, “Settle Down,” from their highly anticipated sixth album, Push and Shove, will be released on July 16 with the album dropping just two short months later, on September 25. To refresh your memory, it’s been almost 11 years since the band released their last studio album, Rock Steady, and in the time since, they've released a greatest hits album, lead singer Gwen Stefani was sweetly inescapable as she embarked on a massively successful solo career and bassist Tony Kanal produced hits for artists including Pink, Shontelle and even Gwen. Guitarist Tom Dumont and drummer Adrian Young settled down and had a couple of children, as did Gwen and Tony, but apparently there are only so many times a rocker can watch...
- 7/13/2012
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
Patty Schemel is best remembered as the drummer of the alternative rock group Hole, fronted by erstwhile alt-queen rocker, now-notorious loudmouth Courtney Love. For top level context, Schemel laid the thunderous beat on both of Hole’s most popular and well-known records, including 1994’s Live Through This, which was released just four days after frontwoman Courtney Love's husband, Kurt Cobain, was found dead in their home. This is all well-documented. What only the most hardcore of rock aficionados will remember was that Schemel’s drum parts on 1997’s follow-up record Celebrity Skin were replaced by a session drummer at the behest of producer Michael Beinhorn (knob-twiddler for records like Soundgarden's Superunknown, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Mother's Milk and Grave Dancers Union by Soul Asylum).
What isn’t well-documented in the career and life of Hole and Schemel -- and this is what “Hit So Hard: The Life...
What isn’t well-documented in the career and life of Hole and Schemel -- and this is what “Hit So Hard: The Life...
- 4/10/2012
- by The Playlist
- The Playlist
All nerds have their favorite Weird Al Yankovic songs, from "Eat It" to "Yoda". But I've always had a thing for the man's Christmas tunes, which tend to be among his darkest work, focusing as they do on mass murder in the form of a killing spree ("The Night Santa Went Crazy") or just a good old-fashioned armageddon ("Christmas at Ground Zero"). Give both of these classics a listen after the jump. "The Night Santa Went Crazy" is my favorite of Weird Al's Christmas tunes, with its insane take on Soul Asylum's "Black Gold". The reference to Freddy Krueger wins it major brownie points from horror fans, and the homage to Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father...
- 12/8/2011
- FEARnet
We're picking out your finest responses to our My favourite film series, for which Guardian writers have selected the movies they go back to time and again.
Here's a roundup of how you responded in week four, when the selections were Withnail & I, Rushmore, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Backbeat and In Bruges
"You can't ruin a film by quoting it," said magicman of Withnail & I, the pic that opened the fourth week of our series on our writers' favourite films. But, by God, you can try. A full half of the 447 comments that joined Tim Jonze in raising a glass to Bruce Robinson's ragtag comedy reproduced Withnail's wisdom to the letter. Withnail and Marwood fled the city for an accidental holiday again. Uncle Monty made his intentions forcefully clear once more. Camberwell carrots were rolled, fights were weasled out of. Something's flesh remained. It all happened here,...
Here's a roundup of how you responded in week four, when the selections were Withnail & I, Rushmore, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Backbeat and In Bruges
"You can't ruin a film by quoting it," said magicman of Withnail & I, the pic that opened the fourth week of our series on our writers' favourite films. But, by God, you can try. A full half of the 447 comments that joined Tim Jonze in raising a glass to Bruce Robinson's ragtag comedy reproduced Withnail's wisdom to the letter. Withnail and Marwood fled the city for an accidental holiday again. Uncle Monty made his intentions forcefully clear once more. Camberwell carrots were rolled, fights were weasled out of. Something's flesh remained. It all happened here,...
- 11/22/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
In our writers' favourite film series, Paul Owen explains why the Beatles bromance between John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliffe strikes a chord
• Not swayed by this perspective? Twist and shout in the comments below
Backbeat tells the story of the Beatles' pre-fame Hamburg days, focusing on Stuart Sutcliffe, the band's magnetically sexy original bassist, and his relationships with John Lennon and the beautiful and exotic German photographer Astrid Kirchherr. It's a great premise, and director and co-writer Iain Softley tells the tale with all the smart dramatic pacing, period detail and musical verve you might hope for. But, perhaps more surprisingly, he also creates a complex and emotionally sophisticated portrayal of love, friendship and attraction.
Softley hews to received wisdom in his presentation of the Beatles: John is talented, scabrous and aggressive, Paul weak and duplicitous, George third among equals (Ringo makes only a brief appearance). But his portrayal of...
• Not swayed by this perspective? Twist and shout in the comments below
Backbeat tells the story of the Beatles' pre-fame Hamburg days, focusing on Stuart Sutcliffe, the band's magnetically sexy original bassist, and his relationships with John Lennon and the beautiful and exotic German photographer Astrid Kirchherr. It's a great premise, and director and co-writer Iain Softley tells the tale with all the smart dramatic pacing, period detail and musical verve you might hope for. But, perhaps more surprisingly, he also creates a complex and emotionally sophisticated portrayal of love, friendship and attraction.
Softley hews to received wisdom in his presentation of the Beatles: John is talented, scabrous and aggressive, Paul weak and duplicitous, George third among equals (Ringo makes only a brief appearance). But his portrayal of...
- 11/17/2011
- by Paul Owen
- The Guardian - Film News
Soul Asylum in concert at the 34th Annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival Day 2. Photo copyright Miro Vrlik / PR Photos. Soul Asylum in concert at the 34th Annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival Day 2. Photo copyright Miro Vrlik / PR Photos. Soul Asylum in concert at the 34th Annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival Day 2. Photo copyright Miro Vrlik / PR Photos. Soul Asylum in concert at the 34th Annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival Day 2. Photo copyright Miro Vrlik / PR Photos. Soul Asylum in concert at the 34th Annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival Day 2. Photo copyright Miro Vrlik / PR Photos. 09/10/2011 - Soul Asylum -...
- 9/13/2011
- by M&C
- Monsters and Critics
Director of Mysterious Skin and Kaboom is keeping indie pop alive by featuring new music and remixes by his favourite bands
This week sees the DVD release of two films from the singular talent of Gregg Araki: 1993's Totally Fucked Up and Kaboom, his most recent. It's always tempting to look for patterns and themes in a director's work, but in Araki's case, there's little that connects them all. The disenfranchised gay teens of Totally Fucked Up don't share much common ground with the silly stoners of his later comedy Smiley Face; and it's hard to reconcile the serious, subtle Mysterious Skin with the knockabout thrills of Splendor and Kaboom.
But for all the hallucinatory imagery, ambisexual cavorting, drug taking, violence and other shocking facets of Araki's work, there's one element that runs through them all: the music. When he says that "Kaboom is my most autobiographical and personal...
This week sees the DVD release of two films from the singular talent of Gregg Araki: 1993's Totally Fucked Up and Kaboom, his most recent. It's always tempting to look for patterns and themes in a director's work, but in Araki's case, there's little that connects them all. The disenfranchised gay teens of Totally Fucked Up don't share much common ground with the silly stoners of his later comedy Smiley Face; and it's hard to reconcile the serious, subtle Mysterious Skin with the knockabout thrills of Splendor and Kaboom.
But for all the hallucinatory imagery, ambisexual cavorting, drug taking, violence and other shocking facets of Araki's work, there's one element that runs through them all: the music. When he says that "Kaboom is my most autobiographical and personal...
- 8/5/2011
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
The brand new 4-day music and art festival at Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, New Jersey called the Festival for Humanity has announced headliners Good Charlotte, John Popper and the Duskray Troubadours, Third Eye Blind, From Good Homes, The New Pornographers, The Misfits, Sister Hazel, Cracker, Soul Asylum and many more!
The festival has been created and aims to benefit charities of suicide prevention, health and nutrition. Non-Profit organizations and companies participating are: 1-800 Suicide, Mad To Live, PostSecret, To Write Love on Her Arms, Keep-a-Breast, PETA, Invisible Children, American Red Cross, Oxfam, Vet2Vet, Feeding America, Abundant Farm Life, Celebrate The Children, and more. Purchase your tickets for 25% off with special discount code: “Hope”. For tickets and more information, please go to www.festivalforhumanity.com.
Read more...
The festival has been created and aims to benefit charities of suicide prevention, health and nutrition. Non-Profit organizations and companies participating are: 1-800 Suicide, Mad To Live, PostSecret, To Write Love on Her Arms, Keep-a-Breast, PETA, Invisible Children, American Red Cross, Oxfam, Vet2Vet, Feeding America, Abundant Farm Life, Celebrate The Children, and more. Purchase your tickets for 25% off with special discount code: “Hope”. For tickets and more information, please go to www.festivalforhumanity.com.
Read more...
- 4/26/2011
- Look to the Stars
The brand new 4-day music and art festival at Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, New Jersey taking place over Memorial Day Weekend called the Festival for Humanity has announced Good Charlotte as one of the headliners for Saturday, May 28th!
John Popper and the Duskray Troubadours have also been added for Sunday, May 29th. Other headliners include Third Eye Blind, From Good Homes, The New Pornographers, The Misfits, Sister Hazel, Cracker, Soul Asylum, Rebbie Jackson (sister of Michael Jackson) and many more! The festival has been created and aims to benefit charities of suicide prevention, health and nutrition.
Read more...
John Popper and the Duskray Troubadours have also been added for Sunday, May 29th. Other headliners include Third Eye Blind, From Good Homes, The New Pornographers, The Misfits, Sister Hazel, Cracker, Soul Asylum, Rebbie Jackson (sister of Michael Jackson) and many more! The festival has been created and aims to benefit charities of suicide prevention, health and nutrition.
Read more...
- 3/25/2011
- Look to the Stars
Nothing could be more enjoyable than listening to music for a good cause. Unless, the tunes are those of the Beatles. The Minnesota Beatle Project released its second volume, Minnesota Beatle Project, Vol. 2, a 16 track LP on December 7th. The album’s proceeds will benefit art and music education in Minnesota Public Schools. The collection features the sounds of Minnesota born-or-based artists with some special guests. Musicians, such as Soul Asylum, Mason Jennings, Total Babe, P.O.S and Sound of Blackness, sing beside the original quartet’s compositions. The album, consisting of more than 125 musicians, is available in stores and online. The cover tracks can also be obtained by purchasing a limited-edition double [...]...
- 12/18/2010
- by Perri Nemiroff
- ShockYa
It's Friday once again, and that means that it's time to take a look at the marquee and see what's playing at your local cineplex. While many of you are probably already geared up for next week's release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1," there are plenty of excellent options this week to tide you over until you can return to Hogwarts. For example, if you want to watch Rachel McAdams be effortlessly charming as a go-getting morning television producer, then "Morning Glory" can help you out. If you are more into effects-heavy alien invasions, then "Skyline" has got what ails you. If true stories are more your bag, then "Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer" will provide tawdry (and real) thrills. And if you're really, really annoying, go ahead and buy a ticket to "Tiny Furniture."
Of course, there are some of you (most...
Of course, there are some of you (most...
- 11/12/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
"Bought a ticket for a runaway train ... like a madman laughing at the rain." Debuting its Tony Scott-directed Denzel Washington thriller "Unstoppable" in 3,207 theaters in the U.S. and Canada Friday, Fox is hoping more than a few moviegoers whistle that Soul Asylum tune. The PG-13 rated film about a runaway locomotive, which co-stars Chris Pine and was shot in the Rust Belt on a budget of nearly $100 million, is on pace bring in around $20 million during its first weekend, according to pre-release estimates. The film is registering strong 80...
- 11/11/2010
- The Wrap
The world appears to still be amused, confused and fascinated by the meat suit that Lady Gaga wore to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards last weekend. It's easy to get into hyperbole, but the outfit was truly amazing, as it acted as both a shocking piece of wearable art and a complicated piece of couture that designers and stylists have been trying to decipher all week. It got the world talking, which is really all Gaga wanted in the first place. So in addition to her eight wins at the show (including the Moonman for Video of the Year), she also grabbed the biggest and most plentiful headlines.
But where does Lady Gaga rank among the other over-the-top fashion choices at the Video Music Awards? We asked just that question yesterday, and we got thousands of responses. And just as she did this past Sunday (September 12), Gaga emerged the big winner,...
But where does Lady Gaga rank among the other over-the-top fashion choices at the Video Music Awards? We asked just that question yesterday, and we got thousands of responses. And just as she did this past Sunday (September 12), Gaga emerged the big winner,...
- 9/17/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
People are still talking about one of the biggest moments of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, which was Lady Gaga's strange, impressive and logistically confusing outfit made of meat. As the biggest star of the night (she won eight Moonmen, half of the total awards given out), all eyes were on her when she scored the victory for Video of the Year and gave her acceptance speech in said outfit. Her fashion choices are always scrutinized (the meat dress was one of three looks she used last weekend), but this one has set the Internet ablaze for many reasons. Just about everybody has weighed in, including PETA, fashion critics, designers and the Chick-Fil-a cows.
But where does Gaga's fashion choice rank among the most outrageous choices in the history of the VMAs? Check out our nominees and vote in the poll below.
Lil' Kim's Breast-Exposing Outfit
Even if...
But where does Gaga's fashion choice rank among the most outrageous choices in the history of the VMAs? Check out our nominees and vote in the poll below.
Lil' Kim's Breast-Exposing Outfit
Even if...
- 9/16/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
Contrary to what you might think, the name of the movie being advertised here isn't Two Pretty Men. That Is what this poster for Unstoppable seems to be selling even though the movie in question is actually about a runaway train (and not the kind of the Soul Asylum variety). Perhaps Fox, who took a lot of heat for not featuring either Tom Cruise or Cameron Diaz in the Knight And Day posters, decided to try the opposite approach and really feature their two stars. Couldn't they have at...
- 8/24/2010
- by Mike Sampson
- JoBlo.com
Replacements' bassist Tommy Stinson is selling off a collection of rock memorabilia to raise money for the child victims of the Haitian earthquake. The rocker, 43, will hold the auction on his website later in August, with all proceeds going to Timkatec, a charity which houses and educates more than 500 children in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.
The items up for sale include an autographed bass guitar and two of his trademark, custom-made plaid suits, as well as a number of items donated by his rock pals. He tells the Associated Press, "We've got some stuff to auction off that I think will span all three bands I've been in, from Soul Asylum, Replacements, Guns N' Roses..."
"We're just going to try to do our best to raise some money to help in our way, help the kids the best we can." And Stinson hopes to encourage people to continue donating...
The items up for sale include an autographed bass guitar and two of his trademark, custom-made plaid suits, as well as a number of items donated by his rock pals. He tells the Associated Press, "We've got some stuff to auction off that I think will span all three bands I've been in, from Soul Asylum, Replacements, Guns N' Roses..."
"We're just going to try to do our best to raise some money to help in our way, help the kids the best we can." And Stinson hopes to encourage people to continue donating...
- 8/9/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
If you've pumped your fist to a rock song in the past 25 years or so, you probably know the work of Butch Vig. The veteran producer and musician has been responsible for some of the most dynamic, memorable and important rock music of the past few generations, having sat behind the boards on at least three stone cold classics and getting his hands dirty for many more. Vig turns 55 years old today, which means he gets to have any flavor of ice cream he wants.
Vig (real name Bryan) got his start in Madison, Wisconsin where he attended college. His first brush with professional musicianship came when he began contributing soundtrack pieces to low-budget films. He was also a member of a number of bands, including combos with future Garbage bandmates Duke Erikson and Steve Marker. Two of those bands — Spooner and Fire Town — released albums and scored minor success in the indie world,...
Vig (real name Bryan) got his start in Madison, Wisconsin where he attended college. His first brush with professional musicianship came when he began contributing soundtrack pieces to low-budget films. He was also a member of a number of bands, including combos with future Garbage bandmates Duke Erikson and Steve Marker. Two of those bands — Spooner and Fire Town — released albums and scored minor success in the indie world,...
- 8/2/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd is leaving the rest of the guys behind as he releases his first solo album, "The Wild Trapeze." After nearly two decades with the multi-platinum band, Boyd's solo debut is now available exclusively online.
Boyd teamed up with producer Dave Fridmann, who's worked with Mgmt and The Flaming Lips among others, for the album's ten tracks, which are as uniquely melodic as Incubus' best, but refreshingly not quite as polished sounding.
Boyd penned every track and reportedly played nearly every instrument heard on the record. He also designed the album's artwork and co-directed the music video for the track "Runaway Train." (Not a Soul Asylum cover, but just as good.)
"This group of songs was born of a very different process than the many my band and I have been employing for our almost two decades at work now. 'The Wild Trapeze' began as pot induced...
Boyd teamed up with producer Dave Fridmann, who's worked with Mgmt and The Flaming Lips among others, for the album's ten tracks, which are as uniquely melodic as Incubus' best, but refreshingly not quite as polished sounding.
Boyd penned every track and reportedly played nearly every instrument heard on the record. He also designed the album's artwork and co-directed the music video for the track "Runaway Train." (Not a Soul Asylum cover, but just as good.)
"This group of songs was born of a very different process than the many my band and I have been employing for our almost two decades at work now. 'The Wild Trapeze' began as pot induced...
- 7/6/2010
- icelebz.com
Minnesota. Land of 10,000 Lakes. Birthplace of Bob Dylan, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Winona Ryder and John Madden. Site of great accomplishments by Kirby Puckett, Prince, Kevin Garnett and Garrison Keillor. So cold in the winter that going outside is discouraged lest the fluid in your eyeballs freeze. Yes, Minnesota is all this and so much more, and on this day in 1858, the territory officially joined up with the rest of the United States as the 32nd state admitted to the Union.
First explored by Scandanavian adventurers and inhabited by the Ojibwe and Dakota tribes of Native Americans, Minnesota began its formal formation in 1820 with the establishment of Fort Snelling (the area that would eventually morph into the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul). Because it sat at the northernmost point of the Mississippi River, it became an important area for trading as well as hunting and fishing. The railroad boom in...
First explored by Scandanavian adventurers and inhabited by the Ojibwe and Dakota tribes of Native Americans, Minnesota began its formal formation in 1820 with the establishment of Fort Snelling (the area that would eventually morph into the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul). Because it sat at the northernmost point of the Mississippi River, it became an important area for trading as well as hunting and fishing. The railroad boom in...
- 5/11/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
It was a sad Christmas for the friends and family of singer/songwriter Vic Chesnutt, as the artist passed away on Friday (December 25) after spending two days in a coma thanks to an overdose of muscle relaxers. Chesnutt was 45 years old. The Athens, Georgia-based Chesnutt was something of an icon in the indie rock community who wrote spare, darkly comic tunes about love and death. His famous fans included R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe (another Athens native), Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and former Throwing Muses frontwoman Kristin Hersh.
When he was 18, Chesnutt was in a car accident that left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, but he did not let his disability stop him from writing or performing. Stipe discovered him and produced his first two albums Little and West of Rome. He put out a total of 13 records over his career (including two in 2009), though he is...
When he was 18, Chesnutt was in a car accident that left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, but he did not let his disability stop him from writing or performing. Stipe discovered him and produced his first two albums Little and West of Rome. He put out a total of 13 records over his career (including two in 2009), though he is...
- 12/28/2009
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
Blu-ray review: Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
The newly released Kevin Smith three-movie box set contains the popular director’s three most popular films in beautiful Blu-ray quality. Containing his debut Clerks, along with Chasing Amy and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Smith’s new box set captures a lot of crap you missed the first time around.
Kevin Smith is usually a big hit with internet writers thanks in part to his humble origin, legendary (or hyped, depending on who you ask) beginnings and his rather soft physique. He also represents the film/comic book/video game subculture, which has made serious strides to becoming a mainstream, high covered phenomenon on the verge of losing its trademark and sarcasm.
Or he just makes funny movies.
The legend of Kevin Smith is a classic American success story. A film school reject, Smith decided to break away from schools, books and teacher’s dirty looks and make his...
Kevin Smith is usually a big hit with internet writers thanks in part to his humble origin, legendary (or hyped, depending on who you ask) beginnings and his rather soft physique. He also represents the film/comic book/video game subculture, which has made serious strides to becoming a mainstream, high covered phenomenon on the verge of losing its trademark and sarcasm.
Or he just makes funny movies.
The legend of Kevin Smith is a classic American success story. A film school reject, Smith decided to break away from schools, books and teacher’s dirty looks and make his...
- 11/24/2009
- by Erik Buckman
- ReelLoop.com
Chicago – Very few filmmakers provoke the same kind of passionate adoration as the sometimes-great Kevin Smith, a man who has such a following that he can sell out large theaters filled with people who merely want to ask him questions for hours. Smith is a charismatic, interesting, clever filmmaker and his best work reflect his gregarious personality. Three of his best are captured in “The Kevin Smith Collection,” including two films with all-new Blu-Ray material.
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0
If you were designing the Kevin Smith set and could only pick three films, what would you choose? The man has directed eight full-length feature films and we can probably cut “Jersey Girl” from consideration from the beginning, leaving seven to choose from. Personally, I would go with three different periods of his work and choose “Clerks,” “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” and “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” but then that...
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0
If you were designing the Kevin Smith set and could only pick three films, what would you choose? The man has directed eight full-length feature films and we can probably cut “Jersey Girl” from consideration from the beginning, leaving seven to choose from. Personally, I would go with three different periods of his work and choose “Clerks,” “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” and “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” but then that...
- 11/23/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Blu-ray Review
Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
Directed by: Kevin Smith
Rating: R
Due Out: November 17, 2009
Who’S It For? With the fan-based nature of his movies, if you like these titles from writer/director Kevin Smith, then you probably own them already. It’s really up to you if you want to shell out ninety dollars to have their latest incarnation, though none of them really demand a high definition presentation except for maybe the more Hollywood Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. The documentaries about each movie are fun watches, but perhaps you should put this on your wish list before your immediate shopping list.
Movies:
Clerks
Kevin Smith embraces the suckage of work by finding the amusing nature of the weird sh*t that can go on during one shift. Slaving away at a beat down convenience store on...
Kevin Smith 3-Movie Collection (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back)
Directed by: Kevin Smith
Rating: R
Due Out: November 17, 2009
Who’S It For? With the fan-based nature of his movies, if you like these titles from writer/director Kevin Smith, then you probably own them already. It’s really up to you if you want to shell out ninety dollars to have their latest incarnation, though none of them really demand a high definition presentation except for maybe the more Hollywood Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. The documentaries about each movie are fun watches, but perhaps you should put this on your wish list before your immediate shopping list.
Movies:
Clerks
Kevin Smith embraces the suckage of work by finding the amusing nature of the weird sh*t that can go on during one shift. Slaving away at a beat down convenience store on...
- 11/18/2009
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
By Christopher Stipp
The Archives, Right Here
I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right Here for free.
Check out my new column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Live DVD - Review
One of the things that hits you about the midway point when watching this set is that this has to be one of the greatest live “Best Of” compilations ever put to DVD. The luminaries of rock and roll that appear within this presentation is enough to make it a worthwhile purchase for yourself but certainly is something that ought to be considered a solid gift for anyone who appreciates a wide spectrum of music.
The interesting thing...
The Archives, Right Here
I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right Here for free.
Check out my new column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Live DVD - Review
One of the things that hits you about the midway point when watching this set is that this has to be one of the greatest live “Best Of” compilations ever put to DVD. The luminaries of rock and roll that appear within this presentation is enough to make it a worthwhile purchase for yourself but certainly is something that ought to be considered a solid gift for anyone who appreciates a wide spectrum of music.
The interesting thing...
- 10/30/2009
- by Christopher Stipp
First off, sorry this took so long to get up. But here’s your recap of episode two:
This week, we start off with the guys of the gang outside the bar. Frank’s giving Charlie some instructions about wires, and as usual, neither really have any idea what they’re talking about. It’s revealed that they’re planning some kind of trip. Mac is concerned about getting lost, and feels like they should buy a Gps. Dennis doesn’t agree. He wants to do it “old school.”
“Maps…fresh cigarettes, fresh coffee…cooking out on the grill, sleeping in sleeping bags. Old school, baby!”
Sweet Dee pulls up in her new car. She woke up early and went to buy a new car. Frank walks by and reveals that the guys are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon.
“What happened was, Frank told us about a road trip,...
This week, we start off with the guys of the gang outside the bar. Frank’s giving Charlie some instructions about wires, and as usual, neither really have any idea what they’re talking about. It’s revealed that they’re planning some kind of trip. Mac is concerned about getting lost, and feels like they should buy a Gps. Dennis doesn’t agree. He wants to do it “old school.”
“Maps…fresh cigarettes, fresh coffee…cooking out on the grill, sleeping in sleeping bags. Old school, baby!”
Sweet Dee pulls up in her new car. She woke up early and went to buy a new car. Frank walks by and reveals that the guys are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon.
“What happened was, Frank told us about a road trip,...
- 9/30/2009
- by professorstotch
- TVovermind.com
As I was watching last night's Sunny, in which the gang set out on a road trip to the Grand Canyon, I started asking myself who I would most like/least hate to be stuck in a car with for an extended period of time. So now, I ask you. After the jump, a breakdown of each character's pluses and minuses and a poll. Charlie: Plus: He'll see everything with childlike wonder. He still has never been out of Philly and has yet to eat a strawberry or a blueberry. Don't you just want to take care of him? Doesn't mind riding on the hump. Minus: You really would have to watch him like he was child (see: eating his first pear, in its entirety). Absolutely no concept of time or mileage. Mac: Plus: Willing to go out of his way to check things off your bucket list. ("Everybody's dying,...
- 9/25/2009
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
Minneapolis gang’s side projectstill breathes fresh air
Compare Golden Smog to Wilburys if you must, but this alleged supergroup (variously Uncle Tupelo/Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, the Jayhawks’ Gary Louris and Marc Perlman, Soul Asylum’s Dan Murphy, Run Westy Run’s Kraig Johnson, the Honeydogs’ Noah Levy, Big Star’s Jody Stephens and the Replacements’ Chris Mars), never suffered from overproduction—or even much collective fame. Named after Fred Flintstone’s “Golden Smog” parody of Mel Tormé’s “Velvet Fog” nickname, the Smog has, however, rolled out songs so full of multi-tiered harmonies, gorgeous 12-string Rickenbacker chords (is there a sweeter sound in rock ‘n’ roll?) and good-humored looseness, you’ll feel compelled to sing along. “Until You Came Along,” “V,” “Pecan Pie,” “Looking Forward to Seeing You,” “To Call My Own” (with its “tit-tit-tit” nod to the Beatles’ “Girl”)—why these cuts couldn’t work in the guys’ respective bands is unclear,...
Compare Golden Smog to Wilburys if you must, but this alleged supergroup (variously Uncle Tupelo/Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, the Jayhawks’ Gary Louris and Marc Perlman, Soul Asylum’s Dan Murphy, Run Westy Run’s Kraig Johnson, the Honeydogs’ Noah Levy, Big Star’s Jody Stephens and the Replacements’ Chris Mars), never suffered from overproduction—or even much collective fame. Named after Fred Flintstone’s “Golden Smog” parody of Mel Tormé’s “Velvet Fog” nickname, the Smog has, however, rolled out songs so full of multi-tiered harmonies, gorgeous 12-string Rickenbacker chords (is there a sweeter sound in rock ‘n’ roll?) and good-humored looseness, you’ll feel compelled to sing along. “Until You Came Along,” “V,” “Pecan Pie,” “Looking Forward to Seeing You,” “To Call My Own” (with its “tit-tit-tit” nod to the Beatles’ “Girl”)—why these cuts couldn’t work in the guys’ respective bands is unclear,...
- 11/6/2008
- Pastemagazine.com
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