Today, I’d like to look at a few sites that feature films that aren’t as bad as you (or critics) thought they were. The films that immediately come to mind are Moment By Moment, At Long Last Love, Trog, and The Exorcist II. (Surprise! An “A” film!!!!)
Now, I know you weren’t expecting ME to write my thoughts on all those films (in fact, you know which one I’m going to tackle—and I’d also like to note that all of these films are connected to the Stooges, because of course they are!
Well, how ’bout that?! Apparently, I skipped over day 10 in my “writings.” Meh, I’ll just kill two birds with one stone…but how? What two things can I cover in less than a thousand words that would cover my love of all things 1970s and the last films of famous folks?
Did someone ask for Doctor Death, Seeker of Souls? If you didn’t, too bad! There are no degrees of stoogeration here, because there’s an actual Stooge in it–one Moe Howard (credited as the man in the audience/volunteer). I’ve heard his cameo described as a dirty old man, but the man had been in vaudeville/burlesque! Who wouldn’t be a dirty old man (or woman) after that?! After you read about Doctor Death, check out all the other cool stuff at The Last Drive In!
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, this is the 40th anniversary of the King of Rock and Roll’s death. Whether or not you thought he truly was the King (I think Little Richard, Ike Turner, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny “Guitar” Watson should be deemed Rock and Royalty too!) he had that extra “something” that made him, well, ELVIS!
I liked some of his stuff (Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock, etc.) but the later stuff was waaaay better (Suspicious Minds, In the Ghetto, and yes, Burnin’ Love–also can’t forget A Little Less Conversation and If I Can Dream!) but there were some songs that fell through the cracks that were surprisingly good–there’s one…I think is called “And I Love You So” that was recorded live in 1973 at one concert or another that made me stop in my tracks. I could actually SEE what people were talking about when they said Elvis was a great singer/performer.
Okay, enough of that, here’s the rest of the recycled post from last year. Enjoy!
I could go over the fact that Presley made a lot of movies—pre Army = good; post Army = terrible, but what I’d like to focus on is what the main idea of this blog was supposed to be—a look at the last known films/performances/appearances of various celebrities. With Elvis, we have a humdinger of an “IITLtID!” (If It’s the Last Thing I Do!); his June 26, 1977 performance at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. While not a sell-out (18,000 attended), there was enough energy and excitement from the crowd to make up for any empty seats.
Also Spake Zarathustra (opening) See See Rider I Got A Woman/Amen Love Me Fairytale You Gave Me A Mountain Jailhouse Rock O Sole Mio/It’s Now Or Never Little Sister Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel Release Me I Can’t Stop Loving You Bridge Over Troubled Water (band introductions) Early Morning Rain What’d I Say Johnny B. Goode (solos by band members Larrie Londin: drums, Jerry Scheff: bass, Tony Brown: piano) I Really Don’t Want To Know (solo by the backing Joe Guercio Orchestra) Hurt Hound Dog (Elvis introduces various people from the stage) Can’t Help Falling In Love (closing vamp)
Six Degrees of Stoogeration! 