December 2007 Archives

George Lucas is rarely a man of small ideas. In 1992, Lucas decided to transfer the character of Indiana Jones, popularized in three mega-successful films, on to the small screen. Conceived as The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, the series began as an hour-long drama but surprisingly poor ratings forced George Lucas to revamp his idea into a series of periodic movies instead. When The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles began, our hero was a young child. As the series moved along, Indy was shown as an archaeologist in his late teens and early adulthood. While the Indiana Jones movies focus on an older man fighting off countless enemies, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles serves to show him learning various skills and meeting countless historical figures.

Ben Stiller's quick to DVD version of The Heartbreak Kid is a prime example of why Hollywood sometimes needs to think twice about doing a remake. The Heartbreak Kid was originally done by Elaine May back in 1972 in a funny, sympathetic manner but in 2007, Ben Stiller and the Farrelly brothers have made an unsympathetic film devoid of real humor. Admittedly, trying to judge any movie against the genius of the previous Farrelly/Stiller vehicle There's Something About Mary is somewhat unfair, so rarely does lightning in a bottle strike twice.

As a card carrying member of Red Sox Nation, I suffered many years before that magical season in 2004, when my beloved team finally won a championship after eighty-six years of disappointments. Even though I’ll never forget that night in October 1986, when that slow roller down the first base line went through Bill Buckner’s legs, after two championships in three seasons, that all seems like a distant memory.

Though Judy Garland died a few years before I was born, I have been a fan of hers most of my life. I watched The Wizard of Oz just to hear her sing “Over the Rainbow.” Garland’s 1954 version of A Star is Born remains one of my favorite films. In my adult life, I began collecting some of her CDs.

One day, sometime in 2001, I was flipping through the Judy Garland section at a local music store when an older man standing beside me said, “You have to buy Judy at Carnegie Hall, her voice is mesmerizing.” With a smile, he handed me the CD, and walked away. From my first listen, Judy at Carnegie Hall: The Fortieth Anniversary Edition would become one of my favorite albums.

Sonic Underground, which debuted in 1999 was the third cartoon series based on Sega's popular video game character, Sonic the Hedgehog. Underground finds Sonic as one of three siblings--also including Manic and Sonia--who has joined the others to form the rock group Sonic Underground. The band members are also the children of Aleena, queen of Mobius, who hid her kids away at an early age to keep them safe from the evil dictator who overthrew her: Sonic's enemy since birth, Dr. Robotnik.

Jars of Clay was formed back in 1993 at Illinois' Greenville College by singer/songwriter Dan Haseltine and keyboardist Charlie Lowell; they were joined by fellow music major Stephen Mason on guitar and Matt Bronleewee later joined the band as second guitarist. The Christian band had an interest in releasing a holiday themed album from the start of their recording career. To that end, in 1995, Jars of Clay released the Little Drummer Boy EP. However, the group remained frustrated because their record label at the time didn’t want them to release a full-length Christmas album.

Christmas is almost here and gift giving is in the air. How about giving someone a cool gift and benefiting a great charity at the same time? The people at www.charityfolks.com have 12 signed guitars--and other gear currently up for auction.

Patty Duke was born Anna Marie Duke in Elmhurst, Queens, New York to an Irish American father, John P. Duke, and an Irish-German mother, Frances McMahon. Her father was an alcoholic, and her mother suffered from clinical depression and was prone to periods of prolonged depression. When Duke was 6, her mother threw her father out. When she was 8, her mother essentially turned Duke's care over to her managers, John and Ethel Ross, who recognized her talent and promoted her as a child actress.

The Rosses' methods were somewhat unscrupulous. For instance, they consistently billed Duke as two years younger than she was, and padded her resume with some false credits. It was Ethel Ross who gave the sweeping name-change order, "Anna Marie is dead, you are Patty now." This would have painful repercussions for Duke in the decades to come. Her professional name was chosen because the Rosses wanted her to achieve the success of another child actress, Patty McCormack, who found success in movies like The Bad Seed.

Chip Davis, better known as Mannheim Steamroller, once wrote advertising jingles with Bill Fries and helped him create the popular C.W. McCall character, the man behind the 1976 hit “Convoy.” Shortly after that, Davis started recording what he called "18th century classical rock" -- classical music performed on electric bass and synthesizers. He eventually came up with the name Mannheim Steamroller to promote himself and as they say, the rest is history.

From the Ike Turner Website:

To all whom who loved and cherished Ike, those who were fortunate to know Ike, the many of you who have supported Ike and connected with Ike through the music it is with sadness and a heavy heart that we announce that Ike passed today at the age of 76.

Like in life, Ike entered the stage played in by his "Kings of Rhythm" band who were with him playing Ike's favorite gospel music in his final moments. But the notes will carry on in his music, the lives that he has touched and inspired and his children and family who will miss him greatly.

In Remembrance of Ike Turner

The Turner Family asks that in lieu of flowers that you donate to the music department of your local school in Ike's name so the music lives on.

For those of you who would like to share your best wishes with the Turner Family,

We have set up a online memorial for you to easily share with Ike's family and help to provide them comfort in this difficult time.

http://ike-turner-love.last-memories.com

Born Marie Dionne Warrick on December 12, 1940 in East Orange, New Jersey, she started singing gospel as a very young girl at the New Hope Methodist Church in East Orange. Dionne sang her first solo at six years old. Dionne's mother, Lee Drinkard Warrick, was the manager of the family gospel group and RCA recording artists The Drinkard Singers in East Orange, New Jersey. Dionne regularly appeared with The Drinkard Singers. Dionne's aunt Emily (Cissy) Drinkard Houston and Dionne's sister Delia (Dee Dee) Warrick also performed with the group.

Born Rosita Dolores Alverio, in Humacao, Puerto Rico on December 11, 1931, actress Rita Moreno was the first performer to win an Oscar, Emmy, Tony and a Grammy. Moreno and her mother moved to New York City in 1937. Rita got her first taste of show business at the tender age of eleven, when she started dubbing Spanish-language versions of American films. On November 11, 1945, she made her Broadway debut, co-starring with Arthur Keegan and Eli Wallach.

I'm starting to wonder if Barry Manilow ever sleeps. Since 2005 alone, the man born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943 has released three best selling albums, while starring in his own Las Vegas stage show, Manilow: Music and Passion. Despite his busy schedule, Manilow found the time to record In the Swing of Christmas, Hallmark's 2007 Christmas album.

On the heels of Barry Manilow’s successful Las Vegas show Music and Passion and his hit albums The Greatest Songs of the Seventies and The Greatest Songs of the Sixties, Rhino has released a five DVD set, Barry Manilow: The Early Television Shows. The set consists of The First Barry Manilow Special (1977), The Second Barry Manilow Special (1978), The Third Barry Manilow Special (1979), One Voice (1980) and Big Fun on Swing Street (1988).

Director Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 film Apocalypse Now is one of the most studied and discussed movies in motion picture history. Scholars and fans alike have discussed the nuances of the Vietnam War themed story adnauseam. Adding to the legend of Apocalypse Now are the well documented difficulties that Coppola encountered in his unwavering drive to complete the project. When Paramount released Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier last year, most critics agreed that not including Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocalypse was a glaring omission.