Au Hasard Balthazar (1966)
Contains Spoilers
Au Hazard Balthazar is only my third entry for Criterion Month but thanks to this film and Umberto D. I have already discovered the recipe for misery:
Criterion Month Day 13: Au Hasard Balthazar
John Otteni
Criterion Month Day 5: The Wages of Fear
The Wages of Fear (1953)
MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW
Last February, Sean, Colin, and myself watched William Friedkin’s criminally underrated 1977 classic Sorcerer. Adapted from Georges Arnaud’s 1950 French novel “The Salary of Fear”, Sorcerer is a high stakes adventure film with stunning South American vistas and unforgettable action set pieces. But it wasn’t the first adaptation of the novel. It wasn’t even the second.
There was a loose American version of the story in 1958 titled “Violent Road” and before that Henri-Georges Clouzot’s classic The Wages of Fear (1953). Though this is supposed to be my take on The Wages of Fear, I feel it’s important to bring up Sorcerer. Because even after a single viewing I would put Sorcerer among the twenty or thirty best films I’ve ever seen.
Criterion Month Day 3: Umberto D.
Umberto D. (1952)
What would you do if you lost everything? Imagine being old too, ill with tonsillitis, and aimlessly roaming the streets of post war Italy. Not much fun, huh? In the immortal words of Nas “…life’s a bitch and then you die” which could easily be the title of this 1952 neorealism classic from Vittorio de Sica. It’s like playing the Game of LIFE and landing on every bad space and drawing every wrong card. At that point you have to ask yourself, is life even worth living?
C.A.T.: The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys – The Beach Boys Today (1965)
Is there anything more appropriate than Brian Wilson’s 75th birthday being on the first day of summer? Nope. In honor of Brian’s milestone here is a quick review of one of his and his buddies best albums.
Rokk Talk Ep. 09: Live Forever
Maybe I don’t really wanna know, how your garden grows cos I just want to listen to Rokk Talk. Some pretty interesting things have been going on across the pond, lately. So let’s roll back to a simpler time… the 90s! Listen as John and Colin reassess the biggest Britpop bands of the time. Who knows what they will uncover? “Just because you sell lots of records it doesn’t mean to say you’re any good. Look at Phil Collins.” Bless you, Noel Gallagher.
C.A.T.: Eat a Peach
The Allman Brothers Band – Eat a Peach (1972)
We’ve been losing a lot of prominent musicians from the 1970s, lately–considered by many today as rock’s golden age. Last Saturday, it was Allman Brothers Band frontman, Gregg Allman. A talented songwriter and keyboardist, I think it will be Gregg’s voice that will be remembered best. A soulful southern drawl inspired by early R&B pioneers like Ray Charles. As Gregg himself said “Ray Charles is the one who taught me to just relax and let it ooze out. If it’s in your soul, it’ll come out.”
Freaky Fridays: Southern Comfort
Southern Comfort (1981)
Powers Boothe has died and I’m sad I haven’t heard much about it. I get it, so many actors and musicians die so frequently. It’s impossible to properly honor them all. Therefore, I thought I’d try my best by talking about my favorite Powers Boothe performance in the grossly underrated 1981 survival thriller Southern Comfort.