Maggotron - Computer Pop

Maggotron - Computer Pop (1984)

Here we go with the electro jamz once again... a whole lotta funky fun including on trend vocoder vocals and scratching. It's the Future and you're in it!

More On Movies... The Return Part VI

House On Straw Hill aka Trauma aka Exposé (1976)

Mostly notable for being on the video nasty list and for featuring Linda Hayden, the controversial star of Baby Love (1969) and Blood On Satan's Claw (1971). Rural horror with much onanism, deranged sex, violence, sexual violence, bad acting and a terrible script. Along with the splendid rural depiction of 70s Britain the other saving grace here is the top hauntological score from Steve Gray, this guy apparently played piano on soundtracks by John Barry, Lalo Schifrin, Henry Mancini, Jerry Goldsmith amongst many others.  

Cherry Falls (2000)

A 90s teen slasher with Twin Peaks vibes directed by the dude who did Romper Stomper. This gets insane and insanely hilarious by the end. Much maligned at the time but for post-Scream irony teen slashers it isn't that bad. Perhaps it was a bit of a hack gimmick to make the victims virgins instead of the usual punishment of promiscuity but that was a red herring anyway. The main star is the troubled now dead Brittany Murphy and she appears to be off her face on drugs in every scene and this definitely wasn't part of her character's mo. A lot going on here, this movie is a bit of a mess, like three unfinished films in one. A real curio of the era. Future cult movie if it isn't already one.

Live & Let Die (1973)

It's hard not to like Roger Moore as this incredibly fun Jim Bond in 1973. This one's all about the magnet watch unzipping the dress of the incredibly cute Solitaire (Jane Seymour), the insane virtuosic speed boat/car chase and the brilliant alligators as stepping stones sequence. There are elements of blaxsploitation and hick-sploitation amongst the usual Bond action, super villains and of course underground bunkers. Peak 20th century pop culture. 

The Black Windmill (1974)

A Don Siegel movie that maybe not everybody's seen. It's definitely not top tier Siegel, this ain't no Dirty Harry or Charley Varrick. Worth a watch if you're a Michael Caine or Donald Pleasance fanatic though. MI6 agent Major Tarrant's (Michael Caine) son is kidnapped and held for ransom. Will he get his boy back alive or die trying?  The best thing here is the cinematography of 70s Britain and Roy Budd's excellent brooding score. Be warned Michael Caine ditches his cool 60s black rims for a pair of what would become known as classic serial killer glasses. I'm a fan of both spectacle designs so it doesn't bother me but some may be triggered by this fashion choice.

The Ipcress File (1965)

Now we're talking... a proper cold war spy thriller depicting a rather drab and incompetent British bureaucratic intelligence agency. This is dingy-London and these spies are not really all that swinging. The recalcitrant cockney Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) might be just what this ineffectual department needs to solve the case of the missing scientist Dr Radcliffe. More importantly can the form guide checking Palmer's skills at plunging a coffee and cracking an egg help snare him the foxy bird (Sue Loyd) at the office? 

 

The Mummy (1959)

The tomb of Egyptian Princess Ananka is opened by some British archeologists. Soon those involved end up murdered by Kharis, a very muddy mummy, the revived boyfriend of the princess. He's a wee bit upset that her tomb was desecrated. Indestructible monsters are compelling viewing even if they're kinda ludicrous and Christopher Lee brings a particular gravitas to the role in his brief portrayal here. Surprisingly atmospheric and melancholy. 

Get Carter (1971)  

Jack Carter (Michael Caine) infiltrates the seedy gangster underbelly of early 70s Newcastle to get revenge for his brother's death. He chucks Alf from Coronation Street off a high rise building. Grime-y, gritty and grim. 

The Steel Trap (1952)

A boring bloke who works in a bank decides the mundane life is no longer for him. He plans to take a million bucks from the bank vault and head to Brazil. Excellent nail biting stuff.

The Loophole (1981)

An unemployed American architect in England finds himself unwittingly applying for the job of masterminding a bank vault robbery. They end up using the storm water drain as the access point to the bank. What could go wrong? Good lil' heist movie starring Martin Sheen, Albert Finney, Johnathon Pryce, Susannah York...

Curse Of Frankenstein (1957)

Baron Frankenstein goes to deadly lengths to assemble a monstrous creation from an array of body parts. Curse Of Frankenstein was the beginning of a new gothic strain of British cinema, Hammer Horror, now for the first time in glorious Eastman colour starring the immaculate Peter Cushing and the imposing Christopher Lee. All the sickly science and murderous mayhem is supremely entertaining stuff. Historic.

The Revenge Of Frankenstein (1958)

Spoiler alert Baron Frankenstein didn't actually meet his demise by guillotine at the end of the previous year's movie. Here he reinvents himself as Dr Stein so that he can once again play the mad scientist and create another monster. Uh oh... things start going awry again. Can Stein get away with with his depraved ethics and monstrous human experiments or will the authorities finally catch up with him. Peter Cushing personifies Stein with aplomb. I think if you're an aspiring thespian the go to role model would still be Peter Cushing. He's just impeccable in everything he does, his mannerisms, inflections, restraint etc. He's the best. 

Crazy Horses · The Osmonds

[1972]

Insanely heavy Page/Iommi damaged guitars, obnoxious synth hook, drivin' rhythm and ace r&b horn arrangement. I always assumed The Osmonds were probably like a white Jackson 5 who played pale saccharine bubble gum slop for pre-teenyboppers but Crazy Horses is an undeniable (head)banger for anybody of any age! 

The Breakup Song · The Greg Kihn Band

[1981]

Indeed they don't write 'em like that anymore. 

Even though there's a jolly defiance about this song there's also an underlying melancholy aspect which just grows and grows the further in time we go. 

The further in time we go the more the song by the live band and the song on the juke box in The Breakup Song become this actual song. 

It's the song we used to know. 

It's the song they don't write anymore.

Joe Jackson - It's Different For Girls

[1979]

More sounds from the adult radio world from before I was a teenager.

I never knew what Joe was ever specifically on about in his songs. I still don't. All I knew was he was searchin' for something and possibly not always coming up with right answers. It felt like there was something taboo about his disconcerting perceptions, maybe even more so today in the post-liberal era.

Maybe I'm giving him too much credit perhaps he's just a self serious po-faced c*** who probably deserved a punch in the face. I mean...

David Essex - Gonna Make You a Star

[1974]

I always thought David Essex did like three singles then died in some kind of tragic motorcycle accident. But he's got over twenty five albums and was in Eastenders a few years back. 

The funny thing is he released eleven singles before releasing his first single Rock On in 1973 when I wasn't even two years old yet. So Gonna Make You A Star was his fourth proper single and some say shoulda been his last. Gonna Make You A Star is unusually produced glam almost yacht rock with synth breaks straight out of a BBC sports theme. Very strange, very emotional and very affective. Jolly good then.

Cliff Richard - Carrie

[1980]

Speaking of Cliff on Kenny Everett. Here he is doin' an old wave into new wave sophisticated sub Steely Dan jam. 80s Saxophone break included. Possibly Cliffford's finest moment. The sound of the radio back then all seemed so adult... it also seemed like there were a lot of songs about where people lived, who lived next door and who had moved away...

Cliff Richard - the girl can't help it

[1970]

Surprisingly convincing slow burning raunchy r&b from our wholesome Clifford. Brilliant funky arrangement from Mike Leander oozing sophisticated sleaze. 

*Sure my dad had old school 1950s Cliff singles but he will always be the really normal for a pop star guy with the cheese-y American teeth from The Kenny Everette Show for me.  

Slade - Coz I Luv You

[1971]

Has there ever been a more threatening love song? Coz I Luv You is a controlled detonation of a tune where Slade really pile on the tension with that persistent menacing throb, the unsettling mayhem of those electronic handclaps, insane violin and underlying stompiness as Noddy gets whipped into a maelstrom all in the name of love or perhaps lust.

MORRICONE - Copkiller (l'assassino dei poliziotti)

[1983]

Morricone rarely rocks out in a jock-rock manner. He might have some twangin' guitars on the spaghetti western soundtracks or have some wah-wah and fuzz infected psychedelic freak-outs on his giallo scores but here the finale is almost a conventional anthemic hard rock lead break. Anyway it's not just about the rockin' last 30 seconds, this track, which I assume is some kind of edited suite, has got all sorts of disparate elements going on - the atmospheric tension of the strings and horns, the haunting harpsichord, an array of swirling sinister bass, ominous drums, disorientating jazz noir lulls and that aforementioned bombastic rock out. A symphonic crime funk masterpiece. 

 

The entire original 1983 vinyl edition of this top ranking Morricone soundtrack. Funnily enough the rock guitar version of Cop Killer is not on here. It's only on the reissue cd from 2002. Some Morricone soundtracks are hard to sit through from go to woah as they are often repetitious variations on a theme. This record however works well as a home listening LP.