Desert Island Movies

 Film  No Responses »
Jul 042023
 

As with the DID post, I was hoarding these in a custom MySQL database with some formatting and delusions about keeping images along with the Amazon links with my kickback URL. I can still do that, but keeping it outside of WordPress seems stupid at this point since I have a bunch of other data here. And given the death of my father this year, it’s clear that if you want things to be remembered and accessible, you need to make that easy and in one place. How’s that for old man morbid…but realistic?

So here’s my DIM list as it was in the early 2000s. As with the music, I don’t think I’d change it. I just might add / comment. Which means it’s a pretty good list. There are only 7 because I included the X-Files first season, the Monty Python entire disc set and Beastie Boys anthology and, in retrospect, I think that’s cheating. I need to stick with movies. So I’ll do an addendum post with these 7 and some worthy additions.

  • Jacob’s Ladder – Adrian Lyne – 1990 – This movie works on many different levels. It’s a horror movie but with a spiritual theme. I like that it takes more than one viewing to absorb. The DVD has some cool extras. I consider extras a requirement to be a DID unless I REALLY like the movie.
  • To Kill A Mockingbird – Robert Mulligan – 1962 – One of the few examples where the movie is at least as good as the book. The new collector’s edition includes some nice goodies.
  • Casablanca – Michael Curtiz – 1943 – I don’t think I really need to explain this choice. Bogie is the coolest.
  • Raising Arizona – Joel and Ethan Coen – 1987 – Totally hilarious. I love the Coen brothers. Unfortunately, I can’t include Miller’s Crossing in my list (and it certainly would be included) as it isn’t available on DVD.
  • Unforgiven – Clint Eastwood – 1992 – Eastwood’s final word on westerns. There’s a reason why this won best picture. There are several other westerns that I’d love to include, Wild Bunch, Once Upon a Time in the West, High Noon among others, but I’ll live with this one.
  • The Great Escape – John Sturges – 1963 – This is an epic WWII movie that has been one of my favorites since the first time that I saw it as a kid. Steve McQueen is so cool in this one that they had to work it into his nickname in the film, “The Cooler King.”
  • The Player – Robert Altman – 1992 – Robert Altman’s return after a string of forgettable work in the ’80s. A wonderful satire of the film industry. It’s fun just to watch all of the cameos. I also really enjoyed Short Cuts and Gosford Park.

Current movie follow up.

  • Miller’s Crossing is available on DVD. I’m not sure it ever wasn’t, but I’ll give myself a break. I’d put that on the list. The Big Lebowski is also up there.
 Posted by on July 4, 2023 at 1:54 am

Desert Island Discs

 Music  No Responses »
Jul 042023
 

I’ve been keeping these in a separate MySQL database back when I was trying to code my own PHP website and WordPress was a new thing. I was using PHPNuke and that site got hacked due to a vulnerability in that platform which pretty much pushed me to no more custom coding and trusting WordPress. So anyway, in the interest of keeping things searchable and in one place, I’m going to just do this as a blog post. Here’s the DID list that I made about 20 years ago and to its credit, it hasn’t changed. I’d certainly add to it but I don’t think I’d remove any of them. And some of my comments are dated given what happened later. I’ll add a few footnotes at the end given 20 years of insight.

  • The Shape of Punk to Come – Refused – 1998 – This album is the total package. It’s too bad they broke up before I could see them live. The singer moved on to form International Noise Conspiracy.
  • California – Mr Bungle – 1999 – I had to have something with Mike Patton on it, so I decided on this one. It has a diverse enough sound that I wouldn’t get bored over repeated listenings. As with most of my choices, there’s not a bad song in the bunch.
  • Bone Machine – Tom Waits – 1992 – Again, this was tough. I might have picked Swordfishtrombones or Mule Variations.
  • The Low End Theory – A Tribe Called Quest – 1991 – One of the best hip hop albums ever. Like many other albums, it blended jazz with the rhymes and pulled it off the best, in my opinion. I might have picked the Roots – Do You Want More?!!!??!
  • Blue Train – John Coltrane – 1957 – If I’m gonna be stuck, I’m gonna need something mellow. There are several that I might have chosen, but this is my favorite.
  • Spiderland – Slint – 1991 – One of the many musicians that I played with while living in NYC turned me onto this album and Shellac’s At Action Park. I’ll be forever grateful.
  • In On The Kill Taker – Fugazi – 1993 – This was a tough one. I’d really like to have the entire Fugazi catalog with me. They’re truly an amazing band. Probably one of my top 3 favorite artists.
  • I Against I – Bad Brains – 1986 – This one combines hardcore with reggae and other influences. Can’t compare to anything at the time.
  • The Fat Elvis – Big Boys – 1993 – This is a compilation that was released along with The Skinny Elvis. It encompasses three of their later albums. The greatest band to come out of Austin. Ever.
  • OK Computer – Radiohead – 1997 – Most people seem to pick The Bends as their favorite. This one is mine. I don’t particularly care for the earlier stuff.

As I said, a lot has changed since I wrote that list but it still holds up. I’ll comment on each now that I’m posting them again in 2023.

  • I did end up seeing Refused reunite at Fun Fun Fun Fest with Henry. My YouTube channel has video from that show
  • Mr Bungle is back with Scott Ian and Dave Lombardo in the band. How cool is that? I haven’t had a chance to see that combo live. Tomahawk was probably happening at that time too but they’re amazing. And then that Dillinger Escape Plan album with Mike Patton is genius (Irony is a Dead Scene)
  • Not much from Tom Waits lately, but Mary and I drove to Houston to see him on the Glitter and Doom tour. Totally worth it.
  • Tribe being my hip hop choice is hard to defend because I’m only allowed one. Paul’s Boutique might win now. Or one of the Roots albums. Not sure. Or Madvillain
  • I’ll just say that I like The Bends better than I did at the time that I wrote this but it’s still not better than OK Computer and they did a bunch of great stuff after that.
  • I ended up getting a tattoo of the wolf spider from Spiderland on my right forearm so that tells you how much I like that album. It was a good sign that the guy that I picked to do the tattoo is also a huge fan of Irony is a Dead Scene
  • Fanboy related to Fugazi and Slint, I’ve had social media / email interactions with Ian MacKaye and David Pajo. My photo from the last Fugazi show in Austin at Emo’s on Sixth is the shot that comes up when you google them due to my Creative Commons attribution and wikipedia picking that up. I’ve also contributed to Fugazi’s live archive with ticket stubs and photos.
 Posted by on July 4, 2023 at 1:38 am