Movie Review: CBGB (2013)

Hilly Kristal(Alan Rickman) isn't known as a great business man but he is known as someone with vision.  Vision to see past bleak walls and empty floor space in a bar located in the Bowery in New York City.  Hilly decides to open up the "CBGB" as he intends to bring in the next big thing in music; Country, Blue Grass, and Blues.  What happens is something a bit different, but does bring in Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers.  The movie plays out much like a comic magazine.  scenes would change by showing what looked like a comic book page with panels and word blurbs.  I liked how it played out and it kept the movie fun and engaging.

"CBGB" does not claim to be one hundred percent historically accurate but it does serve for excellent entertainment and absolutely incredible music.  The film starts out with the founders of "Punk" magazine, John Holmstrom(Josh Zuckerman) and Legs McNeil(Peter Vack), drawing and discussing their vision of their upcoming issues.  This is the one part of the film that I wish would have been explored more.  I would have found it fascinating to see how a magazine in the 1970s would get off the ground from someone's basement.  The two founders do show up throughout the film however to interview different punk music artists.  It was cool to hear quotes from the artists and also see the cartoon artwork from the magazine.

Now back to the club where Hilly is needing to book some musical talent.  This is where Terry Ork(Johnny Galecki) comes in.  He is the agent of a band called "Television" and they are looking for a place to play.  Despite what the initials "CBGB" stand for, "Television" auditions anyway.  Hilly, being the visionary he is, agrees to let the punk band play shows at the "CBGB."  This is where things change.  "Televison" receives a great review and now the "CBGB" is the place to be.  Other bands/singers go on to play the CBGB like; Blondie, The Dead Boys, Talking Heads, The Ramones, Patti Smith and many others.

While I loved the music in "CBGB," I was not a fan of the quality of sound.  These were supposed to be live events inside of a dive bar but every song played was the studio version.  There was a level of rawness that went missing and may have been a large part of why this film did not do well theatrically or with many critics.  There wasn't much of a timeline for this film either.  The news was on at the bar, but unless you really know when those events took place, you may not know what year you're in(unless it all happened within a couple months).

I did enjoy "CBGB" as it is a comical look at a life with ups and many downs.  I was entertained by the rise of a small club that was a beacon for amazing music and it was thanks to Hilly Kristal.  The movie didn't claim to be more than what it was, an entertaining and partially true look at Hilly Kristal's life.  In the credits, at the end there is even a call out of how the filmmakers know Iggy Pop never played the "CBGB" and for the viewers to, "get over it."

There were some interesting casting choices which, for the most part I liked.  Malin Ackerman as Debbie Harry, Taylor Hawkins as Iggy Pop, Justin Bartha as Stiv Bators, Rupert Grint as Cheetah Chrome and Mickey Sumner looked great as Patti Smith.  The casting of Joel David Moore as Joey Ramone was not my favorite.  It was a bit distracting but at least there weren't many lines.

On the scale of up to five Pile Drivers, I am giving "CBGB" four.  A fun movie about an era of music I really enjoy.  The soundtrack alone makes it worth checking out for me.

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Movie Review: New Year's Evil (1980)

The concept is cool. A maniacal killer plans on killing someone in a different time zone from California to New York at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, the concept is all New Year’s Evil has going for it. Except for the unintentional comedy, that is. Come with me, dear reader, and travel across this fine country of ours from the hypodermic needle-laden beaches of the Pacific Ocean all the way to the condom-infested shores of the Atlantic Ocean. We will see the country, the heartland, the major cities and the small towns… or maybe not. The whole while we will listen to Pinky Tuscadero’s punk rock New Year’s Slamdancing Eve Show and party to the sounds of mis-cast victims. Sing with me! May old acquaintance be forgot and hopefully this film, too!

Buy New Years Evil on VHS or the New Year`s Evil Folded Movie Poster!

Movie Review: Punk Vacation (Blu-ray, 1987)

The punk sub-genre had a really nice life during the 80s'. Class of 1984 and Suburbia come to mind as some essentially viewing for anyone interested in that period. Heck, even Return of the Living Dead had an oder of "punk" to the rampant brain-eating shenanigans. Vinegar Syndrome have dug up a punk film that I had no idea existed, a little flick called Punk Vacation from director Stanley Lewis and producer Stephen Fusci and given it the Blu-ray treatment - with an additional disc of goodies!

When a punk gang decides to go on a trip to get away from the congestion of the city they also bring trouble with them. Instead of relaxing, roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories these motorcycle-riding Aqua Net abusers bring their own brand of foolishness with them when they start harassing a convenience store owner and his daughter, Sally (Karen Renee) over 40 cents lost in a soda machine.

Movie Review: Carter Stevens "Teenage Twins" Collection (1976-1977)

After Hours Cinema is back with yet another dose of their “Grindhouse Directors Series”. This time around smut film pioneer Carter Stevens has three of his finest films in a handy dandy collection with the Carter Stevens Teenage Twins Collection – Teenage Twins, Punk Rock and Rollerbabies.

Buy The Teenage Twins Collection on DVD

Teenage Twins is an interesting animal. It’s pretty much a one location sex film produced on a super low-budget. The budget and simple set doesn’t matter here because like other Carter Stevens films - it has a gimmick. This device may not sit well with some folks but it involves the two stars of the film who are identical twin sisters, Brooke and Taylor Young. There really isn’t much of a plot here but it does showcase these very “loving” sisters partaking in a sixty-nine position and one even masturbates with a Bible. Adult film legend, Eric Edwards (a frequent performer in Stevens’ films) is on hand for some of the fun.