Hi Mom ( ***) Robert De Niro Gerritt Graham ..1969...directed by Brian DePalma
Imagine Taxi Driver directed by Woody Allen. ..This film is as close as you can get. The DVD box credits 1970 but the film credits say 1969. The significance? Young De Niro made this film with young " social satarist?" Brian De Palma in the summer of 1969 in Greenwich Village. At that time the Greenwich Village director with whom DeNiro would forever be associated, Martin Scorcese was 100 miles upstate as a cameraman at the Woodstock Festival. De Niro and De Palma made 3 films together . The other two being, Greetings ( 68) and The Wedding Party ( 69) . All 3 are social satires. De Palma shows a black comic side that would not be evident in his later work which includes Carrie, Scarface, and The Untouchables.
In Hi Mom Robert DeNiro foreshadows characters we would get to know years later; King Of Comedy's Rupert Pupkin and Taxi Driver's Travis Bickel. Radical street theater is used to flesh out hipocracy. Black power and the Viet Nam war are topical and in your face.If you ever walked down La Guardia Place or Bleeker St. in Greenwich Village in 1969 you will enjoy this film. Three years before Mean Streets, four years before The Godfather .
You will see some surprises..from Charles Durning to Gerritt Graham to Alan Garfield.
Garfield was featured in many social satires in that period including Putney Swope and Bananas and those two films have a kindred spirit for different reasons.
At one point we find De Niro's character reading The Urban Guerilla and quoting a passage that suggests that : "no radical organization can exist because they have all been infiltrated by the man..the only course left for radical action..is the individual."...at that point the look on his face is almost a comic outtake from Taxi Driver.
I found this DVD at the Big Lots Dollar Store in Poughkeepsie for $3. A real find.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Last Of The Record Retailers In memorium for Jack Goldberg
Last of The Record Retailers..Goodbye Jack Goldberg.. 1-09-10
By Stan Beinstein
Jack Goldberg died this week at the age of 66. I did not see him often. I did not know him well, but we understood each other to the core because I once had an interest in a record store in New Paltz. Jack owned two record collector stores. Rhythms Of Woodstock and Jack’s Rhythms of New Paltz. The Woodstock store closed several years ago and that was the signpost for me that everything had changed. Woodstock no longer had a record store. Part of the adventure of shopping at Rhythms of Woodstock was that you could not only pick up something rare, you could pick up something dropped off by the artist. Be it John Herald or John Sebastian, Artie Traum , John Platania or Eric Andersen. You could also talk music; any kind of music. That was Jack's magic.
In John Barry’s news item / obituary in the Poughkeepsie Journal (1-6-2010) Barry quotes John Lefsky ,who recently took over Rhythms of New Paltz. In memory of Jack Goldberg ,Lefsky said : “ turn off the lousy radio station or TV. Put on The Replacements , Doug Sahm, John Coltrane.” …. As I read this I was deeply saddened and cut to the quick. I am the advertisng sales manager of one of those “ lousy “ radio stations. WDST / Radio Woodstock, my station is better than most but I understood John Lefsky’s frustration. No radio station can do what a guy like Jack could do in a record store; interact with people about music.
I began my record store career at 16. It was the Summer of Love 1967. Taking the #20 bus from Jerome Avenue in The Bronx to the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers where I worked at Sam Goody’s. One of my slightly older co-workers Mike Winfield , taught me all about jazz and blues .I soaked it up like a sponge. Mike talked in a be bop cadence that I had only witnessed in movies and he was the most amiable guy on the planet.
Mike and I only had a few months together at Sam Goody. He was a bass player about to launch The Colwell Winfield Blues Band on Verve Forecast records, the same label as The Blues Project. He invited me invited backstage at The Café Au Go Go on Bleeker St in Greenwich Village. This was the club that housed the NYC premier of Cream and The Dead. A low ceiling basement with no more than 150 seats . Mike Winfield and Bill Colwell would move to Woodstock where Van Morrison would lift half of their band for his Moondance band. I would like to thank Michael Winfield for teaching me how to talk to customers about music. He could make anyone feel comfortable, from a know nothing to a know it all. He taught me about Muddy, and Wolf and Coltrane and Miles, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells and so much more. As I stocked the shelves with Cream’s Wheels Of Fire I was getting an education on the precursors Willie Dixon and Freddie King.
After Mike Winfield left Sam Goodys for fame and fortune I became the manager of the blues department. All 6 bins of it .Room for about 50 titles. If a kid like Eric Clapton with John Mayall I made him listen to Freddie King. If a kid liked Paul Butterfield I made him listen to Junior Wells or Little Walter. actually met Sam Goody once ( ne: Goodman). We were all on our best behavior as he visited the Yonkers store and we all shook his hand.
It was at that same store that I made my stand for Jimi Hendrix.the day his first album …Are You Experienced... was released… That Saturday morning I opened a copy without asking permission and put it on the portable Webcor stereo in the front of the store . I then made sure that the speakers were separated by at least 8 feet ( they usually sat four feet apart). Stereo was still new ....Sgt. Pepper was ringing in our heads. From the first notes of Purple Haze I was inside the music. Unbeknownst to me, the classical manager made a B- line for the store manager and had “ that crap” taken off. I told the store manager that this album was important and being played today in its entirety…if I have to wait until the end of the day. I jeopardized my job and got my way later in the afternoon when the store was crowded with young people.
I understand John Lefsky’s frustration with radio. In a record store you play music for people and you look at their faces and you wait for customers to say. “what is that?” ..good or bad ..you get to watch them react... The more independent the store the more likely to share esoteric music. Sam Goody’s was not the place for esoterica. At a place like Jack's youy never knew if you were walking into Sun Ra or The Carter Family .
During college at New Paltz I worked at The Book and Record Store in 1971. It was a chain of about 8 stores throughout the Hudson Valley big on gifts , cards, Russell Stover candies and books.. We had to be judicious in our musical choices..but we had more leverage in the New Paltz store with all the college kids. My customers included the late Dr. William Abruzzi. Dr. Bill was the head Dr. at the original Woodstock Festival and also Dr. at the infirmary at SUNY New Paltz . I turned Dr. Bill onto Frank Zappa at The Book and Record. It was the Flo and Eddie period and he loved it. ..in turn he turned me onto Bill Evans and Dave Brubeck .The Book and Record was also not a place for esoterica. That would come to New Paltz later.
I returned to New Paltz in the fall of 1974 to find a new establishment. The Spindle Spot in the middle of Main St. about 6 stores uphill from where Jack would settle years later. I partnered up with Stu Johnstone. The “used” record business had my attention. You made an offer based on condition and your judgement of sellability . You could make more on used albums than on new ones. We knew the handwriting was on the wall for new albums when Springsteen’s Born To Run came out in 1975. Our wholesale price from went up to from $3.25 to $3.52 and Barker’s Department Store up the road was selling it retail as a loss leader for $3.49.
Years later I would shop with Jack Goldberg at both of his stores periodically. I knew he had no money to advertise on any of my radio stations. I would stop to just talk music. I remember when CD s were new and there were two artists that I was passionately seeking on disc, Fred Neil and Moby Grape. We talked about different music, recordings, performances all aspects of music. Jack was a native of Boston, me NYC and we compared notes on the classic dives of the 60s from the Cafe Au Go Go to Club 47.We would talk about obscure bands like Earth Opera. I told Jack about the store in New Paltz that was halfway up the block on the same side of the street years earlier. At one point I didn’t see Jack for nearly a year. If I dropped in one store he would be in the other, …and when I did finally see him he said.. “got some Fred Neil for you!” …That’s what I mean about a record store man..he knew his customers… and you NEVER knew what you were going to hear when you went in there. The magic of was always the lack of predictability. Mingus? Mink Deville? Dave Van Ronk? ...I told Jack that I came from a planet where BECK was Jeff and MOBY was Grape.
Here’s to the independent stores on Fordham Rd. in The Bronx. Cousins and The Spinning Disc where you could ALWAYS find hipper stuff than at Alexander’s …but more importantly you could find people to talk about the music with. ....Thank you Jack Goldberg for remembering how much Fred Neil meant to me.
By Stan Beinstein
Jack Goldberg died this week at the age of 66. I did not see him often. I did not know him well, but we understood each other to the core because I once had an interest in a record store in New Paltz. Jack owned two record collector stores. Rhythms Of Woodstock and Jack’s Rhythms of New Paltz. The Woodstock store closed several years ago and that was the signpost for me that everything had changed. Woodstock no longer had a record store. Part of the adventure of shopping at Rhythms of Woodstock was that you could not only pick up something rare, you could pick up something dropped off by the artist. Be it John Herald or John Sebastian, Artie Traum , John Platania or Eric Andersen. You could also talk music; any kind of music. That was Jack's magic.
In John Barry’s news item / obituary in the Poughkeepsie Journal (1-6-2010) Barry quotes John Lefsky ,who recently took over Rhythms of New Paltz. In memory of Jack Goldberg ,Lefsky said : “ turn off the lousy radio station or TV. Put on The Replacements , Doug Sahm, John Coltrane.” …. As I read this I was deeply saddened and cut to the quick. I am the advertisng sales manager of one of those “ lousy “ radio stations. WDST / Radio Woodstock, my station is better than most but I understood John Lefsky’s frustration. No radio station can do what a guy like Jack could do in a record store; interact with people about music.
I began my record store career at 16. It was the Summer of Love 1967. Taking the #20 bus from Jerome Avenue in The Bronx to the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers where I worked at Sam Goody’s. One of my slightly older co-workers Mike Winfield , taught me all about jazz and blues .I soaked it up like a sponge. Mike talked in a be bop cadence that I had only witnessed in movies and he was the most amiable guy on the planet.
Mike and I only had a few months together at Sam Goody. He was a bass player about to launch The Colwell Winfield Blues Band on Verve Forecast records, the same label as The Blues Project. He invited me invited backstage at The Café Au Go Go on Bleeker St in Greenwich Village. This was the club that housed the NYC premier of Cream and The Dead. A low ceiling basement with no more than 150 seats . Mike Winfield and Bill Colwell would move to Woodstock where Van Morrison would lift half of their band for his Moondance band. I would like to thank Michael Winfield for teaching me how to talk to customers about music. He could make anyone feel comfortable, from a know nothing to a know it all. He taught me about Muddy, and Wolf and Coltrane and Miles, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells and so much more. As I stocked the shelves with Cream’s Wheels Of Fire I was getting an education on the precursors Willie Dixon and Freddie King.
After Mike Winfield left Sam Goodys for fame and fortune I became the manager of the blues department. All 6 bins of it .Room for about 50 titles. If a kid like Eric Clapton with John Mayall I made him listen to Freddie King. If a kid liked Paul Butterfield I made him listen to Junior Wells or Little Walter. actually met Sam Goody once ( ne: Goodman). We were all on our best behavior as he visited the Yonkers store and we all shook his hand.
It was at that same store that I made my stand for Jimi Hendrix.the day his first album …Are You Experienced... was released… That Saturday morning I opened a copy without asking permission and put it on the portable Webcor stereo in the front of the store . I then made sure that the speakers were separated by at least 8 feet ( they usually sat four feet apart). Stereo was still new ....Sgt. Pepper was ringing in our heads. From the first notes of Purple Haze I was inside the music. Unbeknownst to me, the classical manager made a B- line for the store manager and had “ that crap” taken off. I told the store manager that this album was important and being played today in its entirety…if I have to wait until the end of the day. I jeopardized my job and got my way later in the afternoon when the store was crowded with young people.
I understand John Lefsky’s frustration with radio. In a record store you play music for people and you look at their faces and you wait for customers to say. “what is that?” ..good or bad ..you get to watch them react... The more independent the store the more likely to share esoteric music. Sam Goody’s was not the place for esoterica. At a place like Jack's youy never knew if you were walking into Sun Ra or The Carter Family .
During college at New Paltz I worked at The Book and Record Store in 1971. It was a chain of about 8 stores throughout the Hudson Valley big on gifts , cards, Russell Stover candies and books.. We had to be judicious in our musical choices..but we had more leverage in the New Paltz store with all the college kids. My customers included the late Dr. William Abruzzi. Dr. Bill was the head Dr. at the original Woodstock Festival and also Dr. at the infirmary at SUNY New Paltz . I turned Dr. Bill onto Frank Zappa at The Book and Record. It was the Flo and Eddie period and he loved it. ..in turn he turned me onto Bill Evans and Dave Brubeck .The Book and Record was also not a place for esoterica. That would come to New Paltz later.
I returned to New Paltz in the fall of 1974 to find a new establishment. The Spindle Spot in the middle of Main St. about 6 stores uphill from where Jack would settle years later. I partnered up with Stu Johnstone. The “used” record business had my attention. You made an offer based on condition and your judgement of sellability . You could make more on used albums than on new ones. We knew the handwriting was on the wall for new albums when Springsteen’s Born To Run came out in 1975. Our wholesale price from went up to from $3.25 to $3.52 and Barker’s Department Store up the road was selling it retail as a loss leader for $3.49.
Years later I would shop with Jack Goldberg at both of his stores periodically. I knew he had no money to advertise on any of my radio stations. I would stop to just talk music. I remember when CD s were new and there were two artists that I was passionately seeking on disc, Fred Neil and Moby Grape. We talked about different music, recordings, performances all aspects of music. Jack was a native of Boston, me NYC and we compared notes on the classic dives of the 60s from the Cafe Au Go Go to Club 47.We would talk about obscure bands like Earth Opera. I told Jack about the store in New Paltz that was halfway up the block on the same side of the street years earlier. At one point I didn’t see Jack for nearly a year. If I dropped in one store he would be in the other, …and when I did finally see him he said.. “got some Fred Neil for you!” …That’s what I mean about a record store man..he knew his customers… and you NEVER knew what you were going to hear when you went in there. The magic of was always the lack of predictability. Mingus? Mink Deville? Dave Van Ronk? ...I told Jack that I came from a planet where BECK was Jeff and MOBY was Grape.
Here’s to the independent stores on Fordham Rd. in The Bronx. Cousins and The Spinning Disc where you could ALWAYS find hipper stuff than at Alexander’s …but more importantly you could find people to talk about the music with. ....Thank you Jack Goldberg for remembering how much Fred Neil meant to me.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Hangover
The Hangover ( **) 2009..I don't know the cast ..I don't know the director... Everyone said this was a very funny movie... I was in the mood for a very funny movie..i was in the mood for comic actors whose reactions i could not predict. I love stoopid.... I can live stoopid...this was not good stoopid....it was just dumb and poorly timed...
Why does this only happen when I buy retail with high expectations....$17...
Why does this only happen when I buy retail with high expectations....$17...
Angeks and Demons
Angels and Demons ( ***) 2009 Tom Hanks directed by Ron Howard.
Both of these film icons have resisted the Saturday serial format but this sequel to The Da Vinci Code could clinch Robert Langdon as the 007 or Dick Tracy of symbologists. As you could easily expect the book is much better..but...... Ron Howard did an amazing job at recreating the Vatican in startling and breathtaking detail without having access to it because it was off limits.
Rome and The Vatican are the stars of this film. Having been to the Vatican, it is amazing to see the detail that was put into the recreation of the Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Square, The Pantheon and more. The special feature on the making of the film is an incredible lesson in special effects and sets..
Surprised to already find it in the 3 for $20
Both of these film icons have resisted the Saturday serial format but this sequel to The Da Vinci Code could clinch Robert Langdon as the 007 or Dick Tracy of symbologists. As you could easily expect the book is much better..but...... Ron Howard did an amazing job at recreating the Vatican in startling and breathtaking detail without having access to it because it was off limits.
Rome and The Vatican are the stars of this film. Having been to the Vatican, it is amazing to see the detail that was put into the recreation of the Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Square, The Pantheon and more. The special feature on the making of the film is an incredible lesson in special effects and sets..
Surprised to already find it in the 3 for $20
The Soloist
The Soloist ( ****) 2009 Jamie Foxx Robert Downey Jr. directed by Joe Wright.
A tour de force based on a true story exploring the pain of mental illness Both actors are at the absolute top of their craft. A must see. Jamie Foxx deserves an academy award.
Easy to find in the 3 for $20 bin
A tour de force based on a true story exploring the pain of mental illness Both actors are at the absolute top of their craft. A must see. Jamie Foxx deserves an academy award.
Easy to find in the 3 for $20 bin
Star Trek
Star Trek ( *** 1/2) John Cho, Ben Cross, Leonard Nimoy, directed by JJ Abrams.
I am not a treky yet I found myself on the beach my last vacation reading William Shatner's Autobiography. The book was very funny. This film is a great look into the origins of Kirk and Spock. The effects and space travel are as good as have ever been accomplished in Star Trek or Star Wars and the inclussion of Nimoy was very touching as his time travel self. ...( wonder why Shatner took a pass?) Cranks well thru the sound system. Buckle yer seat belts and get ready for a fun ride with a decent plot. Should be in the 3 for $20 bin by February. I actually payed $18 ..A rarity for me.
I am not a treky yet I found myself on the beach my last vacation reading William Shatner's Autobiography. The book was very funny. This film is a great look into the origins of Kirk and Spock. The effects and space travel are as good as have ever been accomplished in Star Trek or Star Wars and the inclussion of Nimoy was very touching as his time travel self. ...( wonder why Shatner took a pass?) Cranks well thru the sound system. Buckle yer seat belts and get ready for a fun ride with a decent plot. Should be in the 3 for $20 bin by February. I actually payed $18 ..A rarity for me.
Benjamin Button
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. ( ****) Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett directed by David Fincher. I was told this was too long and slow but I absolutely loved it. Based on an unfinished short story by F Scott Fitzgerald it plays out like a classic episode of the Twilight Zone . Lost Horizon in reverse.. ..a life lived in reverse....fascinating and touching.
An easy find for five bucks
An easy find for five bucks
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