http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:40:00 GMT http://bandzoogle.com http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=3662952 I recently purchased the Criterion Collection edition of On The Waterfront (1954). I am very impressed. The film is a masterpiece. I have seen it a couple of times over the years, but it really hit home this time. The bonus features are great as well. They include a wonderful interview with Martin Scorsese and an hour long documentary on director Elia Kazan. IMDB Storyline: Terry Malloy dreams about being a prize fighter, while tending his pigeons and running errands at the docks for Johnny Friendly, the corrupt boss of the dockers union. Terry witnesses a murder by two of Johnny's thugs, and later meets the dead man's sister and feels responsible for his death. She introduces him to Father Barry, who tries to force him to provide information for the courts that will smash the dock racketeers. Malloy is played masterfully by Marlon Brando in what might be his best performance (at least from what I've seen). The supporting is fantastic too! Karl Malden, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint and one of my favourites Lee J. Cobb.  I think it's fair to say this movie was very influential and opened the door for more progressive movie makers including Scorcese and Coppola. I also believe that the Malloy character is an influence on DeNiro's Jake Lamotta in Raging Bull (1980)  and Stallone's Rocky Balboa in Rocky (1976).  Highly recommended!!! I recently purchased the Criterion Collection edition of On The Waterfront (1954). I am very impressed. The film is a masterpiece. I have seen it a couple of times over the years, but it really hit home this time. The bonus features are great as well. They include a wonderful interview with Martin Scorsese and an hour long documentary on director Elia Kazan.

IMDB Storyline: Terry Malloy dreams about being a prize fighter, while tending his pigeons and running errands at the docks for Johnny Friendly, the corrupt boss of the dockers union. Terry witnesses a murder by two of Johnny's thugs, and later meets the dead man's sister and feels responsible for his death. She introduces him to Father Barry, who tries to force him to provide information for the courts that will smash the dock racketeers.

Malloy is played masterfully by Marlon Brando in what might be his best performance (at least from what I've seen). The supporting is fantastic too! Karl Malden, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint and one of my favourites Lee J. Cobb. 

I think it's fair to say this movie was very influential and opened the door for more progressive movie makers including Scorcese and Coppola. I also believe that the Malloy character is an influence on DeNiro's Jake Lamotta in Raging Bull (1980)  and Stallone's Rocky Balboa in Rocky (1976). 

Highly recommended!!!
]]> Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:40:00 GMT 5E0AE25C75B51D789C2A70860BF56EA8 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=2649308 After some spirited debate with a friend last night I have arrived at my Top Ten Classic Film Actors and Actresses lists... They are in no particular order - it was hard enough coming up with the lists. And, they would constantly change depending on what movie I watched last.  Not to mention, there are several other fantastic actors not on the lists! How's that for a cop out? Top 10 Actors: 1. Humphrey Bogart 2. Cary Grant 3. Burt Lancaster 4. Peter Lorre 5. Richard Widmark 6. Tony Curtis 7. Marlon Brando 8. Fred Astaire 9. Montgomery Clift 10. Jack Lemmon Top 10 Actresses: 1. Barbara Stanwyck 2. Grace Kelly 3. Rita Hayworth 4. Lauren Bacall 5. Ginger Rogers 6. Elizabeth Taylor 7. Shirley MacLaine 8. Marilyn Monroe 9. Mary Astor 10. Ingrid Berman Next, I will attempt to make my Top Ten Classic Films list! God help me! After some spirited debate with a friend last night I have arrived at my Top Ten Classic Film Actors and Actresses lists...

They are in no particular order - it was hard enough coming up with the lists. And, they would constantly change depending on what movie I watched last.  Not to mention, there are several other fantastic actors not on the lists! How's that for a cop out?

Top 10 Actors:

1. Humphrey Bogart
2. Cary Grant
3. Burt Lancaster
4. Peter Lorre
5. Richard Widmark
6. Tony Curtis
7. Marlon Brando
8. Fred Astaire
9. Montgomery Clift
10. Jack Lemmon

Top 10 Actresses:

1. Barbara Stanwyck
2. Grace Kelly
3. Rita Hayworth
4. Lauren Bacall
5. Ginger Rogers
6. Elizabeth Taylor
7. Shirley MacLaine
8. Marilyn Monroe
9. Mary Astor
10. Ingrid Berman


Next, I will attempt to make my Top Ten Classic Films list! God help me!

]]> Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:55:00 GMT F20DFE83C277BB4549811CAD9A9B556C http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=2649170 Last night, I watched Night and the City (1950) again. I've only seen it a couple of times, but I have to say it's become one of my favourite Noir films.  IMDB Synopsis: A small-time grifter and nightclub tout takes advantage of some fortuitous circumstances and tries to become a big-time player as a wrestling promoter. Richard Widmark is fantastic as Harry Fabian, the small-time grifter. The film also features great performances from Herbert Lom (Dreyfuss from the Pink Panther movies) and Gene Tierney. I've talked about Richard Widmark before. I believe he is a vastly underated actor. Check out one of earlier blog entries for some more Widmark suggestions! And definitely check out Night and the City! Last night, I watched Night and the City (1950) again. I've only seen it a couple of times, but I have to say it's become one of my favourite Noir films. 

IMDB Synopsis:
A small-time grifter and nightclub tout takes advantage of some fortuitous circumstances and tries to become a big-time player as a wrestling promoter.

Richard Widmark is fantastic as Harry Fabian, the small-time grifter. The film also features great performances from Herbert Lom (Dreyfuss from the Pink Panther movies) and Gene Tierney.

I've talked about Richard Widmark before. I believe he is a vastly underated actor. Check out one of earlier blog entries for some more Widmark suggestions! And definitely check out Night and the City!
]]> Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:25:00 GMT DB9B834A9D07D15343098C832175C691 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=2085261 Last night I had the wonderful opportunity of attending a TIFF Master Class with Guillermo Del Toro. Del Toro introduced Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943) then led a Q&A after the movie. Even though Guillermo was not feeling well I found him to be an absolute treasure chest of information. He brilliantly assessed the movie, gave great thought to all the questions asked of him and also displayed a great sense of humour. Shadow of a Doubt is one of my favourite Hitchcock movies having seen it several times. I thought I knew the movie pretty well. Boy, was I wrong! Guillermo took me to school. It turns out I was missing a great deal. Small details I completely overlooked became huge talking points. I will never see the movie the same way. In fact, I plan on watching it again tonight. If you haven't seen Shadow of a Doubt, you really should. It truly is a masterpiece! As for Del Toro, definitely check out his work. I was a big fan of his heading into the master class and an even bigger fan heading out! Last night I had the wonderful opportunity of attending a TIFF Master Class with Guillermo Del Toro. Del Toro introduced Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943) then led a Q&A after the movie. Even though Guillermo was not feeling well I found him to be an absolute treasure chest of information. He brilliantly assessed the movie, gave great thought to all the questions asked of him and also displayed a great sense of humour.

Shadow of a Doubt is one of my favourite Hitchcock movies having seen it several times. I thought I knew the movie pretty well. Boy, was I wrong! Guillermo took me to school. It turns out I was missing a great deal. Small details I completely overlooked became huge talking points. I will never see the movie the same way. In fact, I plan on watching it again tonight.

If you haven't seen Shadow of a Doubt, you really should. It truly is a masterpiece!

As for Del Toro, definitely check out his work. I was a big fan of his heading into the master class and an even bigger fan heading out!

]]> Thu, 17 May 2012 00:25:00 GMT 73946506238A767340B2B814DD18C704 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1987590 I recently had the pleasure of performing at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener, Ontario with a wonderful singer named Mary-Catherine McNinch-Pazzano. It turns out that she's a huge classic movie fan too! Check out her blog at <a target="_new" href="http://classicmoviemoments.blogspot.ca/">classicmoviemoments.blogspot.ca/&nbsp; And, you can check out her music at <a target="_new" href="http://www.marycatherinemp.com/">www.marycatherinemp.com/ I recently had the pleasure of performing at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener, Ontario with a wonderful singer named Mary-Catherine McNinch-Pazzano. It turns out that she's a huge classic movie fan too! Check out her blog at classicmoviemoments.blogspot.ca/ 

And, you can check out her music at www.marycatherinemp.com/]]> Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:17:44 GMT 2EB569AB388CD7775B053926B48F04EA http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1981754 Wow! Am I ever behind on my blog posts? Shame on me! Let's get back on track! I recently watched a fantastic movie called The Defiant Ones (1958) starring Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis. IMDB Plot Summary: Joker Jackson and Noah Cullen are two convicts (one black and one white) on a chain gang who hate each other. After a truck prison accident, they flee and are pursued by the police. While they're chained, the two are dependent on one another. When they eventually get rid of their chains, their hostility has been changed into fellowship and respect. The Defiant Ones features fabulous performances by both Poitier and Curtis. Both received Oscar nominations for Best Actor, losing to David Niven in Separate Tables. The racial tension may not be as intense as No Way Out (1950), also starring Poitier, but it's certainly there. It's very interesting to watch the two convicts work their way through one racial stereotype after another, only to realize there's not much difference between them. This is one of Tony Curtis' best performances. He is one my favourite actors. He was also great in Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Boston Strangler (1968). His autobiography is also a must read. Some classic stories!!! Wow! Am I ever behind on my blog posts? Shame on me!

Let's get back on track!

I recently watched a fantastic movie called The Defiant Ones (1958) starring Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis.

IMDB Plot Summary:
Joker Jackson and Noah Cullen are two convicts (one black and one white) on a chain gang who hate each other. After a truck prison accident, they flee and are pursued by the police. While they're chained, the two are dependent on one another. When they eventually get rid of their chains, their hostility has been changed into fellowship and respect.

The Defiant Ones features fabulous performances by both Poitier and Curtis. Both received Oscar nominations for Best Actor, losing to David Niven in Separate Tables. The racial tension may not be as intense as No Way Out (1950), also starring Poitier, but it's certainly there. It's very interesting to watch the two convicts work their way through one racial stereotype after another, only to realize there's not much difference between them.

This is one of Tony Curtis' best performances. He is one my favourite actors. He was also great in Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Boston Strangler (1968). His autobiography is also a must read. Some classic stories!!!


]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2012 10:45:55 GMT 6E76AE64D06B6720D27FB955EEB94639 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1756739 Frank Sinatra stars in this film noir from 1954. Sinatra plays would be assassin John Baron. Sinatra made this film just a year or so after his Academy Award winning role as Maggio in From Here To Eternity (1953). I think it was a brave choice on Sinatra's part. This is an edgy role and&nbsp;Sinatra's performance is quite good. John Baron (Sinatra) is hired to assassinate the President, whose train is scheduled to stop in the small town of Suddenly. Baron and his &quot;associates&quot; trap the Benson family in their own home along with the local sheriff, played by Sterling Hayden.&nbsp; Baron believes their hilltop home near the railroad station will make the ideal location to take his shot. Rumour has it that Lee Harvey Oswald watched this movie a few days before the assassination of JFK. Suddenly is definitely worth&nbsp;a watch. Frank Sinatra stars in this film noir from 1954. Sinatra plays would be assassin John Baron. Sinatra made this film just a year or so after his Academy Award winning role as Maggio in From Here To Eternity (1953). I think it was a brave choice on Sinatra's part. This is an edgy role and Sinatra's performance is quite good.

John Baron (Sinatra) is hired to assassinate the President, whose train is scheduled to stop in the small town of Suddenly. Baron and his "associates" trap the Benson family in their own home along with the local sheriff, played by Sterling Hayden.  Baron believes their hilltop home near the railroad station will make the ideal location to take his shot.

Rumour has it that Lee Harvey Oswald watched this movie a few days before the assassination of JFK. Suddenly is definitely worth a watch.

]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:54:16 GMT D6B85204E6217ABB10980EB657554336 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1474497 Confession time. My name is Jason Raso and I love musicals. I'm not ashamed to admit it. One of my favourites is Guys and Dolls (1955). It really is a fabulous movie. Seeing Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra together in their prime is a sight to behold. Guys and Dolls has a great cast, a great story and a great soundtrack. In addition to Brando and Sinatra, the cast included Jean Simmons, Stubby Kaye and Vivian Blaine. The soundtracks includes some fabulous songs&nbsp;like &quot;Luck Be A Lady&quot; (sung by Brando!), &quot;If I Were a Bell&quot; and &quot;Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat&quot; (my personal favourite). The movie looks great too! The set and costume design is awesome. Movies like this are the reason I have such an affinity for the style of the 50's. Highly recommended! IMDB Synopsis: In New York, a gambler is challenged to take a cold female missionary to Havana, but they fall for each other, and the bet has a hidden motive to finance a crap game. Confession time.

My name is Jason Raso and I love musicals. I'm not ashamed to admit it.

One of my favourites is Guys and Dolls (1955). It really is a fabulous movie. Seeing Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra together in their prime is a sight to behold. Guys and Dolls has a great cast, a great story and a great soundtrack. In addition to Brando and Sinatra, the cast included Jean Simmons, Stubby Kaye and Vivian Blaine. The soundtracks includes some fabulous songs like "Luck Be A Lady" (sung by Brando!), "If I Were a Bell" and "Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat" (my personal favourite).

The movie looks great too! The set and costume design is awesome. Movies like this are the reason I have such an affinity for the style of the 50's. Highly recommended!


IMDB Synopsis:

In New York, a gambler is challenged to take a cold female missionary to Havana, but they fall for each other, and the bet has a hidden motive to finance a crap game.

]]> Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:20:00 GMT 0F5AC83EDAE68673AD17D40DAA1F311D http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1284621 Inspired by a recent Jazztimes article in which a&nbsp;musician&nbsp;picks 10 of his or her favourite tracks by one of their &nbsp;favourite artists, I decided it was time to&nbsp;write about Grant Green!! Grant Green is one of&nbsp;&nbsp;my favourite guitar players. He's certainly had the biggest influence on my guitar playing. His playing can be super funky and he can swing like hell! He's everything I want to be as a musician. Here are my 10 tracks in no particular order... 1. My Funny Valentine - Grantstand (1961) - Grant Green was a beautiful ballad player. I've always loved this tune and hearing him play it is a real treat. 2. Cool Blues - Born to Be Blue (1962) - You can really hear Charlie Parker's influence on Green here. Green's phrasing is killer. 3. Just A Closer Walk With Thee - Feelin' The Spirit (1962) - One of my favourite Green albums. This track grooves for miles. I love the way Green delivers a melody. He makes it his own without straying too far from the original idea. 4. Joshua - Feelin' The Spirit (1962) - This is the first tune that comes to mind when I think about Grant Green. This would be the first tune I would play for someone who's never heard Green. 5. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top - Blues For Lou (1963) - I have always loved this tune. Such a great melody. I just love&nbsp;how Green and organ player John Patton approach the head. 6. Idle Moments - Idle Moments (1963) - Such a beautiful ballad written by pianist Duke Pearson. I love the instrumentation on this album. Green's playing on this track is beautifully melodic. 7. Django - Idle Moments (1963) - Another great tune handled deftly by Green. The rhythm section of Bob Cranshaw (b), Duke Pearson (p) and Al Harewood (d) really swings on this track. 8. I Wish You Love - Street Of Dreams (1964) - Another of my favourite Green albums. How could you go wrong a Quartet featuring Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Larry Young on organ, Elvin Jones on drums and Green on guitar? This track is beautiful. Some of Green's finest playing, in my opinion. 9. Freedom March - Sunday Mornin' (1961) - Green's phrasing is certainly on fine display on this track. 10. Down Here On The Ground - Alive! (1970) - An anthem for funky jazz guitar players. Green kills it! Inspired by a recent Jazztimes article in which a musician picks 10 of his or her favourite tracks by one of their  favourite artists, I decided it was time to write about Grant Green!! Grant Green is one of  my favourite guitar players. He's certainly had the biggest influence on my guitar playing. His playing can be super funky and he can swing like hell! He's everything I want to be as a musician.

Here are my 10 tracks in no particular order...

1. My Funny Valentine - Grantstand (1961) - Grant Green was a beautiful ballad player. I've always loved this tune and hearing him play it is a real treat.

2. Cool Blues - Born to Be Blue (1962) - You can really hear Charlie Parker's influence on Green here. Green's phrasing is killer.

3. Just A Closer Walk With Thee - Feelin' The Spirit (1962) - One of my favourite Green albums. This track grooves for miles. I love the way Green delivers a melody. He makes it his own without straying too far from the original idea.

4. Joshua - Feelin' The Spirit (1962) - This is the first tune that comes to mind when I think about Grant Green. This would be the first tune I would play for someone who's never heard Green.

5. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top - Blues For Lou (1963) - I have always loved this tune. Such a great melody. I just love how Green and organ player John Patton approach the head.

6. Idle Moments - Idle Moments (1963) - Such a beautiful ballad written by pianist Duke Pearson. I love the instrumentation on this album. Green's playing on this track is beautifully melodic.

7. Django - Idle Moments (1963) - Another great tune handled deftly by Green. The rhythm section of Bob Cranshaw (b), Duke Pearson (p) and Al Harewood (d) really swings on this track.

8. I Wish You Love - Street Of Dreams (1964) - Another of my favourite Green albums. How could you go wrong a Quartet featuring Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Larry Young on organ, Elvin Jones on drums and Green on guitar? This track is beautiful. Some of Green's finest playing, in my opinion.

9. Freedom March - Sunday Mornin' (1961) - Green's phrasing is certainly on fine display on this track.

10. Down Here On The Ground - Alive! (1970) - An anthem for funky jazz guitar players. Green kills it!
]]> Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:20:00 GMT 4A737BDD9016B38DB37C9CDEE37A2FAE http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1240398 It's 12:55am on a Saturday night. I'm tired and should probably go to sleep. I make the mistake of turning on TCM. I see that a movie I have been wanting to see is starting in five minutes. Should I stay up? The answer is no. Do I? Yes. This happens all the time. Damn you TCM! This week it was No Way Out (1950) starring Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier. Plot summary courtesy of IMDB... &quot;The Biddle brothers, shot while robbing a gas station, are taken to the prison ward of the County Hospital; Ray Biddle, a rabid racist, wants no treatment from black resident Dr. Luther Brooks. When brother John dies while Luther tries to save him, Ray is certain it's murder and becomes obsessed with vengeance. But there are black racists around too, and the situation slides rapidly toward violence.&quot; Written by Rod Crawford First of all, I have to say that I was kind of shocked by the subject matter of this film given the year the film was produced. Sidney Poitier and Richard Widmark deliver fine performances. As does Stephen McNally and Linda Darnell. In my opinion, Richard Widmark is a very underated actor. His portrayal of the racist Ray Biddle made me feel very uncomfortable. I was also taken back by the very strong language used in the movie. The racial slurs used by Ray Biddle are tough to listen to. I've seen Widmark play some horrible people in movies before, but this one was something else. He played a terrible person in The Street With No Name (1948) but I actually sided with him in that movie. Definitely not the case here. He has become one of my favourite actors. I imagine this movie made quite an impact when it was released. If it didn't, it certainly should have. I strongly recommend this movie. It stands as a bold statement against racism. I'm glad I stayed up to watch it. It's 12:55am on a Saturday night. I'm tired and should probably go to sleep. I make the mistake of turning on TCM. I see that a movie I have been wanting to see is starting in five minutes. Should I stay up? The answer is no. Do I? Yes. This happens all the time. Damn you TCM!

This week it was No Way Out (1950) starring Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier.

Plot summary courtesy of IMDB...

"The Biddle brothers, shot while robbing a gas station, are taken to the prison ward of the County Hospital; Ray Biddle, a rabid racist, wants no treatment from black resident Dr. Luther Brooks. When brother John dies while Luther tries to save him, Ray is certain it's murder and becomes obsessed with vengeance. But there are black racists around too, and the situation slides rapidly toward violence." Written by Rod Crawford

First of all, I have to say that I was kind of shocked by the subject matter of this film given the year the film was produced. Sidney Poitier and Richard Widmark deliver fine performances. As does Stephen McNally and Linda Darnell. In my opinion, Richard Widmark is a very underated actor. His portrayal of the racist Ray Biddle made me feel very uncomfortable. I was also taken back by the very strong language used in the movie. The racial slurs used by Ray Biddle are tough to listen to. I've seen Widmark play some horrible people in movies before, but this one was something else. He played a terrible person in The Street With No Name (1948) but I actually sided with him in that movie. Definitely not the case here. He has become one of my favourite actors.

I imagine this movie made quite an impact when it was released. If it didn't, it certainly should have. I strongly recommend this movie. It stands as a bold statement against racism. I'm glad I stayed up to watch it.]]> Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:45:48 GMT BDDCC78F1D632D95D687195629B023E6 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1187504 I just finished watching Hitchcock's North By Northwest (1959) again. I've seen it countless times. Everytime I watch it I love it more. It's like a classic album that you just can't listen to enough. Everytime I watch it I want to be Cary Grant. Or at least the persona of Cary Grant. I watched a biography on his life (special features) and it turns out there were some issues there! But hey! Who doesn't have issues? I'd gladly take his issues if I could be even remotely that handsome and charming! Cary Grant and the term &quot;movie star&quot; go hand in hand! I just love him. He's sophisticated, glamourous, talented and super-funny! He was one of a kind. Hell, even Cary Grant wanted to be Cary Grant! My favourite Cary Grant movies... North By Northwest (1959) To Catch a Thief (1955) Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) Notorious (1946) His Girl Friday (1940) I just finished watching Hitchcock's North By Northwest (1959) again. I've seen it countless times. Everytime I watch it I love it more. It's like a classic album that you just can't listen to enough. Everytime I watch it I want to be Cary Grant. Or at least the persona of Cary Grant. I watched a biography on his life (special features) and it turns out there were some issues there! But hey! Who doesn't have issues? I'd gladly take his issues if I could be even remotely that handsome and charming!

Cary Grant and the term "movie star" go hand in hand! I just love him. He's sophisticated, glamourous, talented and super-funny! He was one of a kind. Hell, even Cary Grant wanted to be Cary Grant!

My favourite Cary Grant movies...

North By Northwest (1959)
To Catch a Thief (1955)
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Notorious (1946)
His Girl Friday (1940)
]]> Sat, 13 Aug 2011 11:00:04 GMT DAACEF341D27DFF3D809C3B459B93D7C http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1129257 I recently watched two Film Noir classics. Brute Force (1947) and The Street With No Name (1948). Brute Force stars one of my all-time favourite actors Burt Lancaster along with Hume Cronyn. The movie is a about a prison break gone wrong. I was amazed at how violent the movie was given the year it was made. Lancaster plays an inmate who is abused by an over zealous guard played by Cronyn. Lancaster and cellmates plan an escape. However, one of his cellmates gives up the plan to Cronyn. The escape goes terribly wrong resulting in a riot and the death of both Lancaster and Cronyn's characters. Lancaster is&nbsp;great as usual and Cronyn, who usually played more likeable characters is also quite good. The Street With No Name was obviously intended to be a public image boost for the FBI. I've seen a few other movies like this. The idea is to portray the FBI agents as heroes! It totally backfired in this film. The Street With No Name stars Mark Stevens as an undercover FBI agent infiltrating Richard Widmark's gang. Unfortunately, Stevens is a complete stiff and Widmark is brilliant. I instantly sided with Widmark. After some research, it turns out I wasn't the only one to feel this way. At the time of release, audiences also gravitated towards&nbsp;Widmark. Widmark's character is a mean and terrible hypochondriac, but you can't help but love him. It's worth watching this film for his performance alone. Widmark could very well be Noir's poster boy. He was a brilliant villain! Check out Kiss of Death (1947) and Road House (1948) for more proof! Richard Widmark I recently watched two Film Noir classics. Brute Force (1947) and The Street With No Name (1948).

Brute Force stars one of my all-time favourite actors Burt Lancaster along with Hume Cronyn. The movie is a about a prison break gone wrong. I was amazed at how violent the movie was given the year it was made. Lancaster plays an inmate who is abused by an over zealous guard played by Cronyn. Lancaster and cellmates plan an escape. However, one of his cellmates gives up the plan to Cronyn. The escape goes terribly wrong resulting in a riot and the death of both Lancaster and Cronyn's characters. Lancaster is great as usual and Cronyn, who usually played more likeable characters is also quite good.

The Street With No Name was obviously intended to be a public image boost for the FBI. I've seen a few other movies like this. The idea is to portray the FBI agents as heroes! It totally backfired in this film. The Street With No Name stars Mark Stevens as an undercover FBI agent infiltrating Richard Widmark's gang. Unfortunately, Stevens is a complete stiff and Widmark is brilliant. I instantly sided with Widmark. After some research, it turns out I wasn't the only one to feel this way. At the time of release, audiences also gravitated towards Widmark. Widmark's character is a mean and terrible hypochondriac, but you can't help but love him. It's worth watching this film for his performance alone. Widmark could very well be Noir's poster boy. He was a brilliant villain! Check out Kiss of Death (1947) and Road House (1948) for more proof!


Richard Widmark]]> Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:20:35 GMT D18CBD97E239D1CE66BCDCEDEC19F1A7 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1093542 Ok, so I'm a bit behind on my blog posts! I've had every intention of keeping up to date. I've seen some great movies in the last month. I'll do my best to catch up. For this post, I'll stick with the most recent movie I've seen, Silk Stockings (1957). Silk Stockings is a remake of Ninotchka (1939) which starred Greta Garbo. I have not seen the original but I will track it down soon. Silk Stockings is a musical take on the film, starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. The supporting cast includes one of my all time favourites, Peter Lorre. Cole Porter wrote the songs for this movie including the standard &quot;All of You&quot;. The music in the film is great. I love Fred Astaire. He's great as usual in this film. I didn't realize until I watched the bonus features that he was 57 years old when he made the movie. I would have never guessed it. His dances sequences are great. My favourite is &quot;Ritz, Rock and Roll&quot;. It's funny to see Astaire in his trademark top hat and tails dancing to a rock and roll tune. In a way it kind of signals and end to an era. The musicals Astaire pioneered were about to give way to Elvis and company. You could tell they knew it here. At the end of the sequence Astaire crushes his top hat! The plot centres around a russian commissar (Charisse) sent to Paris to retrieve a russian composer who wants to stay and compose the music for an American film being produced by Astaire's character. Three Russian operatives (including Lorre) have already been sent to find him but have fallen in love with the Paris nightlife. Charisse's job is track everybody down and bring them back to Russia, but she ends up falling in love with Astaire's character. It's fairly interesting to see how the Russian culture is portrayed here. There are most certainly anti-communist&nbsp;overtones throughout the film. Overall, I really enjoyed Silk Stockings and would highly recommend seeing it. Ok, so I'm a bit behind on my blog posts! I've had every intention of keeping up to date. I've seen some great movies in the last month. I'll do my best to catch up.

For this post, I'll stick with the most recent movie I've seen, Silk Stockings (1957). Silk Stockings is a remake of Ninotchka (1939) which starred Greta Garbo. I have not seen the original but I will track it down soon. Silk Stockings is a musical take on the film, starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. The supporting cast includes one of my all time favourites, Peter Lorre. Cole Porter wrote the songs for this movie including the standard "All of You". The music in the film is great.

I love Fred Astaire. He's great as usual in this film. I didn't realize until I watched the bonus features that he was 57 years old when he made the movie. I would have never guessed it. His dances sequences are great. My favourite is "Ritz, Rock and Roll". It's funny to see Astaire in his trademark top hat and tails dancing to a rock and roll tune. In a way it kind of signals and end to an era. The musicals Astaire pioneered were about to give way to Elvis and company. You could tell they knew it here. At the end of the sequence Astaire crushes his top hat!

The plot centres around a russian commissar (Charisse) sent to Paris to retrieve a russian composer who wants to stay and compose the music for an American film being produced by Astaire's character. Three Russian operatives (including Lorre) have already been sent to find him but have fallen in love with the Paris nightlife. Charisse's job is track everybody down and bring them back to Russia, but she ends up falling in love with Astaire's character. It's fairly interesting to see how the Russian culture is portrayed here. There are most certainly anti-communist overtones throughout the film.

Overall, I really enjoyed Silk Stockings and would highly recommend seeing it.]]> Sun, 10 Jul 2011 01:20:00 GMT BA6169BF39F9E9F3E742084DD2698CDE http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1025116 Thanks to my good friend Enio DiReto I recently had a chance to see Al Pacino live in Niagara Falls. It was essentially a live interview a la &quot;Inside The Actor's Studio&quot; with James Lipton. Richard Brown from NYU was the host. I loved Al before this night and love him even more now. He spoke in depth about some of his great roles, including The Godfather (1972) and Scarface (1983). He also spoke of his love for theater and delivered a monogue from The Iceman Cometh. His love for Shakespeare was cleary evident. For someone so successful I was amazed at how genuinely passionate he still is after all these years. He clearly still has a fire in his belly. Pacino talked about his struggles as a young actor including being fired from a play, contemplating a music career, and almost being fired from The Godfather. He was very open and very inspiring. I love Al Pacino. In preparation for this event I watched Dog Day Afternoon (1975) in which Pacino plays &quot;Sonny&quot;,&nbsp;a bankrobber trying to get enough money to pay for his boyfriend's sex change operation. It's truly a great performance. I found some spots to be quite funny. Other spots were quite serious and genuinely sad. Pacino is a pleasure to watch in this movie. After the event, I watched Donnie Brasco (1997)&nbsp;&nbsp;with Pacino and Johnny Depp. Pacino plays an aging mob hitman. I think Pacino is very good in this movie. There's an underlying sadness in his character &quot;Lefty&quot;. &quot;Lefty&quot; bemoans his station in the mob but you get the feeling he knows he's the one at fault for not being further ahead. He's a murderer but you really feel sorry for him. Last night I started watching Pacino as &quot;Shylock&quot; in The Merchant of Venice (2004).&nbsp; I was too tired to finish the movie, so I'll comment on this another time!! Thanks to my good friend Enio DiReto I recently had a chance to see Al Pacino live in Niagara Falls. It was essentially a live interview a la "Inside The Actor's Studio" with James Lipton. Richard Brown from NYU was the host. I loved Al before this night and love him even more now. He spoke in depth about some of his great roles, including The Godfather (1972) and Scarface (1983). He also spoke of his love for theater and delivered a monogue from The Iceman Cometh. His love for Shakespeare was cleary evident. For someone so successful I was amazed at how genuinely passionate he still is after all these years. He clearly still has a fire in his belly. Pacino talked about his struggles as a young actor including being fired from a play, contemplating a music career, and almost being fired from The Godfather. He was very open and very inspiring. I love Al Pacino.

In preparation for this event I watched Dog Day Afternoon (1975) in which Pacino plays "Sonny", a bankrobber trying to get enough money to pay for his boyfriend's sex change operation. It's truly a great performance. I found some spots to be quite funny. Other spots were quite serious and genuinely sad. Pacino is a pleasure to watch in this movie.

After the event, I watched Donnie Brasco (1997)  with Pacino and Johnny Depp. Pacino plays an aging mob hitman. I think Pacino is very good in this movie. There's an underlying sadness in his character "Lefty". "Lefty" bemoans his station in the mob but you get the feeling he knows he's the one at fault for not being further ahead. He's a murderer but you really feel sorry for him.

Last night I started watching Pacino as "Shylock" in The Merchant of Venice (2004).  I was too tired to finish the movie, so I'll comment on this another time!!]]> Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:16:10 GMT 223F4CFCB2FAEE1B361E983F716BB8E7 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=1000787 I've never been overly drawn to westerns. I'm certainly not the rugged outdoor-sy type! Westerns just aren't my style. Or so I thought. Over the last few years I've changed my view on westerns a bit. My friend Donnie has suggested a few that turned out to be really good. So has my Dad. I still haven't seen many of the classic westerns but I now plan to! Here are a few that I have seen that I have enjoyed... Rio Bravo (1959) with John Wayne and Dean Martin. Great performances by Wayne and Martin. The Professionals (1966) with Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster. Seriously kicks ass! Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) with Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson. Directed by Sergio Leone and a great score by Ennio Morricone. Valdez Is Coming (1971) with Burt Lancaster. Burt is great as usual. High Noon (1952) with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Let's be honest, anything with Grace Kelly in it is worth watching. But this movie is really good too!! I've never been overly drawn to westerns. I'm certainly not the rugged outdoor-sy type! Westerns just aren't my style. Or so I thought. Over the last few years I've changed my view on westerns a bit. My friend Donnie has suggested a few that turned out to be really good. So has my Dad. I still haven't seen many of the classic westerns but I now plan to! Here are a few that I have seen that I have enjoyed...

Rio Bravo (1959) with John Wayne and Dean Martin. Great performances by Wayne and Martin.
The Professionals (1966) with Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster. Seriously kicks ass!
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) with Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson. Directed by Sergio Leone and a great score by Ennio Morricone.
Valdez Is Coming (1971) with Burt Lancaster. Burt is great as usual.
High Noon (1952) with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Let's be honest, anything with Grace Kelly in it is worth watching. But this movie is really good too!!


]]> Mon, 30 May 2011 21:39:42 GMT 70DD159D2CAD6423E1538FB5EE3C040F http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=954574 Classic movies aren't always easy to find. Video stores like Blockbuster and Rogers Video don't carry many, if any. Stores like HMV or Cinema 1 have classic movie sections but the DVD's are quite often over-priced in my opinion. So where to do you find them? I have really good luck at Steve's TV in Kitchener. There classic movie rental section is quite good and I've found some fantastic movies there. I've also had great luck at Zeller's. They often have some great classics on sale for $6.99 - $9.99. The Guelph Public Library is also a great source. Sometimes I'll scope out Amazon.ca for deals too! Casanova Brown (1944) is a recent library find of mine. It stars Gary Cooper in the title role. It also stars Teresa Wright and Frank Morgan (the Wizard in Wizard of Oz). Essentially, Casanova Brown is a romantic comedy. I really enjoyed it. Gary Cooper is quite good in this comedic role. Teresa Wright, who also starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943), is quite good too. Frank Morgan's performance in Casanova Brown is priceless. I just love him. On the eve of his wedding, Casanova Brown discovers he may be a father of a child from his very short first marriage. He decides to find out for sure. He confides in his soon-to-be father-in-law Frank Morgan. Soon enough, they find out that he is indeed the father and that his ex-wife is planning to give the baby up for adoption. Casanova Brown wants no part of giving up the baby up for adoption and takes matters in to his own hands by kidnapping his own baby while leaving his bride-to-be at the altar. Craziness ensues! Casanova Brown is charming and funny and definitely worth seeing. The acting performances are strong and the story is quite entertaining. It's also easy to see why Gary Cooper is considered one of Hollywood's greatest leading men. Classic movies aren't always easy to find. Video stores like Blockbuster and Rogers Video don't carry many, if any. Stores like HMV or Cinema 1 have classic movie sections but the DVD's are quite often over-priced in my opinion. So where to do you find them? I have really good luck at Steve's TV in Kitchener. There classic movie rental section is quite good and I've found some fantastic movies there. I've also had great luck at Zeller's. They often have some great classics on sale for $6.99 - $9.99. The Guelph Public Library is also a great source. Sometimes I'll scope out Amazon.ca for deals too!

Casanova Brown (1944) is a recent library find of mine. It stars Gary Cooper in the title role. It also stars Teresa Wright and Frank Morgan (the Wizard in Wizard of Oz). Essentially, Casanova Brown is a romantic comedy. I really enjoyed it. Gary Cooper is quite good in this comedic role. Teresa Wright, who also starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943), is quite good too. Frank Morgan's performance in Casanova Brown is priceless. I just love him.

On the eve of his wedding, Casanova Brown discovers he may be a father of a child from his very short first marriage. He decides to find out for sure. He confides in his soon-to-be father-in-law Frank Morgan. Soon enough, they find out that he is indeed the father and that his ex-wife is planning to give the baby up for adoption. Casanova Brown wants no part of giving up the baby up for adoption and takes matters in to his own hands by kidnapping his own baby while leaving his bride-to-be at the altar. Craziness ensues!

Casanova Brown is charming and funny and definitely worth seeing. The acting performances are strong and the story is quite entertaining. It's also easy to see why Gary Cooper is considered one of Hollywood's greatest leading men.

]]> Sat, 07 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT 1C944D42925D5ACACB9B7F083EFB7F57 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=919607 I was fascinated by Jaco Pastorius before I ever heard a note. I had read that he had changed the face of bass playing. He was notorious. He seemed larger than life. However, I had no idea what I was in for. I had no idea the impact Jaco Pastorius would have on my life. When I finally heard Jaco play I was completely shocked. It wasn&rsquo;t at all what I expected. I thought it would be love at first listen, but it wasn&rsquo;t. I kept listening though. My favourite players at the time all praised Jaco. I knew I must be missing something. &ldquo;I must not be hip enough to catch it&rdquo;, I thought. I wasn&rsquo;t. I persisted. Still nothing. Then one day it struck me. I tried to learn one of Jaco&rsquo;s lines. I don&rsquo;t recall which one but I recall the devastation it caused. It was so beyond my abilities. I was in way over my head. It wasn&rsquo;t until I really started studying his music that I really understood his genius. I dug into the music hard. Too hard. Everything revolved around Jaco. I had no style of my own. This had happened to me before with other players, but not like this. It was too much. I learned his licks, emulated his tone and became a Jaco clone. Even worse, I was a Jaco clone with no theory behind it. I had learned his patterns blindly. When I finally came to my senses I had to step away from Jaco. He had become a blessing and a curse to me. I learned so much from him, but I did not want to be known as a clone. I knew he would never fully leave me. When a player has such a strong original style it&rsquo;s hard not to want to emulate it. Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix come to mind. I avoided Jaco for years, worried I would get sucked back into the Pastorius vortex. I worked on my playing, writing and performing. Jaco was still there but now as one of many influences. I felt like I had finally found my voice. In November of 2009 I received a phone call from Robin Munro from the Barrie Jazz and Blues Festival. He proposed a retrospective on the music of Weather Report and Jaco Pastorius. I thought it was a fabulous idea, not realizing he wanted me to perform it. When I finally clued in I jumped at the opportunity. I said yes. When I hung up the phone all of my worries came back. As I sorted through possible material my worries began to subside. I felt confident. I understood the theory behind the pieces. I wasn&rsquo;t going in blind this time. I arranged the pieces based on my strengths. I didn&rsquo;t want to lose myself this time. Of course the fabulous musicians I&nbsp;performed with helped tremendously. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Brent Rowan, Rob Hannam and Domenic Di Nino. Jaco&rsquo;s life was brilliant, tragic and short. His battles with substance abuse and mental illness were legendary, directly resulting in his death at the age of 35. He was a brilliant musician. Jaco Pastorius changed my life. Even his troubles taught me great lessons. I never met Jaco or heard him play live. In fact, he passed away before I even starting playing, but I feel like I know him. I call him Jaco, like he&rsquo;s my friend. His music will always be with me. It&rsquo;s jazzy, funky, brilliant and beautiful. It&rsquo;s bold, adventurous and heartfelt. It&rsquo;s Jaco, baby! I was fascinated by Jaco Pastorius before I ever heard a note. I had read that he had changed the face of bass playing. He was notorious. He seemed larger than life. However, I had no idea what I was in for. I had no idea the impact Jaco Pastorius would have on my life.

When I finally heard Jaco play I was completely shocked. It wasn’t at all what I expected. I thought it would be love at first listen, but it wasn’t. I kept listening though. My favourite players at the time all praised Jaco. I knew I must be missing something. “I must not be hip enough to catch it”, I thought. I wasn’t.

I persisted. Still nothing. Then one day it struck me. I tried to learn one of Jaco’s lines. I don’t recall which one but I recall the devastation it caused. It was so beyond my abilities. I was in way over my head. It wasn’t until I really started studying his music that I really understood his genius. I dug into the music hard. Too hard. Everything revolved around Jaco. I had no style of my own. This had happened to me before with other players, but not like this. It was too much. I learned his licks, emulated his tone and became a Jaco clone. Even worse, I was a Jaco clone with no theory behind it. I had learned his patterns blindly. When I finally came to my senses I had to step away from Jaco. He had become a blessing and a curse to me. I learned so much from him, but I did not want to be known as a clone. I knew he would never fully leave me. When a player has such a strong original style it’s hard not to want to emulate it. Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix come to mind.

I avoided Jaco for years, worried I would get sucked back into the Pastorius vortex. I worked on my playing, writing and performing. Jaco was still there but now as one of many influences. I felt like I had finally found my voice.

In November of 2009 I received a phone call from Robin Munro from the Barrie Jazz and Blues Festival. He proposed a retrospective on the music of Weather Report and Jaco Pastorius. I thought it was a fabulous idea, not realizing he wanted me to perform it. When I finally clued in I jumped at the opportunity. I said yes. When I hung up the phone all of my worries came back. As I sorted through possible material my worries began to subside. I felt confident. I understood the theory behind the pieces. I wasn’t going in blind this time. I arranged the pieces based on my strengths. I didn’t want to lose myself this time. Of course the fabulous musicians I performed with helped tremendously. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Brent Rowan, Rob Hannam and Domenic Di Nino.

Jaco’s life was brilliant, tragic and short. His battles with substance abuse and mental illness were legendary, directly resulting in his death at the age of 35. He was a brilliant musician. Jaco Pastorius changed my life. Even his troubles taught me great lessons. I never met Jaco or heard him play live. In fact, he passed away before I even starting playing, but I feel like I know him. I call him Jaco, like he’s my friend. His music will always be with me. It’s jazzy, funky, brilliant and beautiful. It’s bold, adventurous and heartfelt. It’s Jaco, baby!
]]> Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:00:29 GMT D710AE113933705DB55B27037EFDCC04 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=893368 Jazz and Classic&nbsp;Film have a rich history together. Jazz musicians were featured prominently in many classic films. Countless film scores featured a jazz edge. Bio-pics were even made about famous swing musicians. The combination of jazz and film can be brilliant at times and quite awful at other times. But it's almost always interesting. It's still cool to see Louis Armstrong in any film, even if the film isn't very good. Here's a small list of some great and some not so great combinations... Blues in the Night (1941) was a decent film noir. The story revolves around a jazz band that get caught up with a slimy club-owner. The star of the film is Richard Whorf, who gets on my nerves a bit in the film. The rest of the cast is quite good though. Jack Carson turns up again. A very young Elia Kazan also stars. It also features Ella Fitzgerald. It's definitely worth checking this film out. There's also a great short film titled &quot;Jammin' The Blues&quot; (1944) included in the bonus features of the DVD. Check it out here... <a target="_new" href="http://youtu.be/2v_Y3Pbiims">youtu.be/2v_Y3Pbiims High Society (1956)&nbsp;is a great movie starring Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly. It also stars Louis Armstrong. He's great in the movie. He has a few numbers. Armstrong and Crosby do a cool number called &quot;Now You Has Jazz&quot;. Check it out here...<a target="_new" href="http://youtu.be/dC3VTBG0tRc">youtu.be/dC3VTBG0tRc Sweet Smell of Success (1957) is one of my all-time favourites. It stars two of my favourite actors, Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster. Lancaster plays a powerful columnist whose sister gets romantically involved with a jazz guitarist. Lancaster runs a &quot;smear&quot; on the guitarist with the help of Curtis' character. The jazz band is played by the Chico Hamilton Quintet. The soundtrack is quite good. A must see! A Song is Born (1948) is a pretty bad movie. It's a remake of Ball of Fire (1941) which stars Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper. I didn't really enjoy that one either. A Song is Born stars Danny Kaye. He plays a professor at a music research institute who is sent out to study jazz. He falls in love with a jazz singer who is on the run from her gangster boyfriend. She goes into hiding at the institute. The jazz part of the movie is quite cool though. It features Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Mel Powell, Tommy Dorsey, and Louie Bellson. Benny Goodman stars as one of the other professors. Here's a cool scene...<a href="http://youtu.be/t8pUW2RXOCI">youtu.be/t8pUW2RXOCI Cabin in the Sky (1943) was an interesting movie. Certainly one of the first, if not the first studio picture to be made with an all black cast. God and the devil compete for the soul of a compulsive gambler. It stars Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Eddie Rochester. There are many other examples... To Have and Have Not (1944) starring Humphrey Bogart featured Hoagy Carmichael. Frank Sinatra plays a heroine addict jazz drummer in The Man with the Golden Arm (1955). Young Man with a Horn (1950) is loosely based on the life of Bix Beiderbecke. Second Chorus (1940) stars Fred Astaire features swing era star Artie Shaw. Pete Kelly's Blues (1955) is another story about a troubled jazz musician. There are also quite a few more modern jazz movies... New York New York (1977) features Robert DeNiro as a swing era sax player. Mo' Better Blues (1990) stars Denzel Washington and Wesley Snipes as jazz musicians. It also stars drummer Jeff &quot;Tain&quot; Watts, famous for his work with Branford Marsalis. Directed by Spike Lee. Sweet and Lowdown (1999) stars Sean Penn as a jazz guitarist / con-man who obsessed with Django Reinhardt. A classic movie. Directed by Woody Allen. His movies almost always feature a jazzy score. Woody is also a clarinetist! Forest Whitaker stars as Charlie Parker in Bird (1988). Directed by Clint Eastwood, who is also a big jazz fan. 'Round Midnight (1986) stars Dexter Gordon as an aging jazz musician struggling with alcoholism. Dexter gives a great perfomance. You should also check him out in Awakenings (1990). It's also amazing how many jazz standards were originally written for movie scores. Countless standards by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Rodgers &amp; Hart, Jerome Kern and many others were debuted in films. It's amazing how many standards debuted in Fred Astaire films alone. I'm sure I've missed some other great movies. Feel free to suggest more! Jazz and Classic Film have a rich history together. Jazz musicians were featured prominently in many classic films. Countless film scores featured a jazz edge. Bio-pics were even made about famous swing musicians. The combination of jazz and film can be brilliant at times and quite awful at other times. But it's almost always interesting. It's still cool to see Louis Armstrong in any film, even if the film isn't very good.

Here's a small list of some great and some not so great combinations...

Blues in the Night (1941) was a decent film noir. The story revolves around a jazz band that get caught up with a slimy club-owner. The star of the film is Richard Whorf, who gets on my nerves a bit in the film. The rest of the cast is quite good though. Jack Carson turns up again. A very young Elia Kazan also stars. It also features Ella Fitzgerald. It's definitely worth checking this film out. There's also a great short film titled "Jammin' The Blues" (1944) included in the bonus features of the DVD. Check it out here... youtu.be/2v_Y3Pbiims

High Society (1956) is a great movie starring Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly. It also stars Louis Armstrong. He's great in the movie. He has a few numbers. Armstrong and Crosby do a cool number called "Now You Has Jazz". Check it out here...youtu.be/dC3VTBG0tRc

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) is one of my all-time favourites. It stars two of my favourite actors, Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster. Lancaster plays a powerful columnist whose sister gets romantically involved with a jazz guitarist. Lancaster runs a "smear" on the guitarist with the help of Curtis' character. The jazz band is played by the Chico Hamilton Quintet. The soundtrack is quite good. A must see!

A Song is Born (1948) is a pretty bad movie. It's a remake of Ball of Fire (1941) which stars Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper. I didn't really enjoy that one either. A Song is Born stars Danny Kaye. He plays a professor at a music research institute who is sent out to study jazz. He falls in love with a jazz singer who is on the run from her gangster boyfriend. She goes into hiding at the institute. The jazz part of the movie is quite cool though. It features Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Mel Powell, Tommy Dorsey, and Louie Bellson. Benny Goodman stars as one of the other professors. Here's a cool scene...youtu.be/t8pUW2RXOCI

Cabin in the Sky (1943) was an interesting movie. Certainly one of the first, if not the first studio picture to be made with an all black cast. God and the devil compete for the soul of a compulsive gambler. It stars Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Eddie Rochester.

There are many other examples...

To Have and Have Not (1944) starring Humphrey Bogart featured Hoagy Carmichael.

Frank Sinatra plays a heroine addict jazz drummer in The Man with the Golden Arm (1955).

Young Man with a Horn (1950) is loosely based on the life of Bix Beiderbecke.

Second Chorus (1940) stars Fred Astaire features swing era star Artie Shaw.

Pete Kelly's Blues (1955) is another story about a troubled jazz musician.

There are also quite a few more modern jazz movies...

New York New York (1977) features Robert DeNiro as a swing era sax player.

Mo' Better Blues (1990) stars Denzel Washington and Wesley Snipes as jazz musicians. It also stars drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, famous for his work with Branford Marsalis. Directed by Spike Lee.

Sweet and Lowdown (1999) stars Sean Penn as a jazz guitarist / con-man who obsessed with Django Reinhardt. A classic movie. Directed by Woody Allen. His movies almost always feature a jazzy score. Woody is also a clarinetist!

Forest Whitaker stars as Charlie Parker in Bird (1988). Directed by Clint Eastwood, who is also a big jazz fan.

'Round Midnight (1986) stars Dexter Gordon as an aging jazz musician struggling with alcoholism. Dexter gives a great perfomance. You should also check him out in Awakenings (1990).

It's also amazing how many jazz standards were originally written for movie scores. Countless standards by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, Jerome Kern and many others were debuted in films. It's amazing how many standards debuted in Fred Astaire films alone.

I'm sure I've missed some other great movies. Feel free to suggest more!
]]> Sat, 09 Apr 2011 01:25:00 GMT AC4A9FE35A619A0A8F8F9C577151D347 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=884705 I guess it was only a matter of time before Elizabeth Taylor showed up on my classic movie radar. Truth be told, I had only seen her in Giant (1956) along side Rock Hudson and James Dean and in A Place in the Sun (1951) with Montgomery Clift. I really enjoyed both movies and thought Taylor was quite good. Taylor's death on March 23rd, 2011 inspired to check out more of her work. So, I got in the car and headed to Steve's TV in Kitchener, which has quite a good classic movie rental section. I was hoping to find Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) for which Taylor won her second Academy Award as Best Actress. They didn't have it. So, I settled on BUtterfield 8 (1960). Taylor won first Academy Award for BUtterfield 8. I also picked up Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). I heard quite a bit about this movie and seen a scene or two here&nbsp;and&nbsp;there. First up was Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, based on the&nbsp;play by Tennessee Williams. What a great movie and a great cast. Taylor stars with Paul Newman along with Burl Ives and Jack Carson (I mentioned Carson in my last entry). Both Taylor and Newman were nominated for Oscars, with Taylor losing out to Susan Hayward for I Want To Live and Newman losing to David Niven for Separate Tables. Their scenes together are very good. Taylor was a hell of an actress. Something that may have been over-shadowed by the Hollywood gossip that surrounded her. I guess getting married 8 times will do that to you. Taylor was also a very beautiful woman and I can't help but wonder if that diminished her reputation as a serious actress. Burl Ives' performance as &quot;Big Daddy&quot; is brilliant. He really made the movie for me. But, there's no denying the sexual tension between Newman and Taylor. What a beautiful on-screen couple. Next up was BUtterfield 8. Taylor stars with Laurence Harvey. She plays Gloria, a character of questionable...uh...character. Taylor was quite good in this movie. Good enough to win the Academy Award? Well, they gave it to her. I actually thought she was better in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. But, you have to factor in the competition every year. Some actors don't win for their best performances. Either way, her performance as the &quot;less than virtous&quot; Gloria is very good. Taylor's then husband Eddie Fisher also stars. Apparently, he hated the movie and referred to it as &quot;BUtterball 4.&quot; While I didn't hate the movie, I certainly didn't love it either. Having said that, it's worth watching for Taylor's performance alone. On a side note, Taylor won her Oscar for BUtterfield 8 the same year one of my favourite actors, Burt Lancaster won for Elmer Gantry. I guess it was only a matter of time before Elizabeth Taylor showed up on my classic movie radar. Truth be told, I had only seen her in Giant (1956) along side Rock Hudson and James Dean and in A Place in the Sun (1951) with Montgomery Clift. I really enjoyed both movies and thought Taylor was quite good. Taylor's death on March 23rd, 2011 inspired to check out more of her work. So, I got in the car and headed to Steve's TV in Kitchener, which has quite a good classic movie rental section.

I was hoping to find Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) for which Taylor won her second Academy Award as Best Actress. They didn't have it. So, I settled on BUtterfield 8 (1960). Taylor won first Academy Award for BUtterfield 8. I also picked up Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). I heard quite a bit about this movie and seen a scene or two here and there.

First up was Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, based on the play by Tennessee Williams. What a great movie and a great cast. Taylor stars with Paul Newman along with Burl Ives and Jack Carson (I mentioned Carson in my last entry). Both Taylor and Newman were nominated for Oscars, with Taylor losing out to Susan Hayward for I Want To Live and Newman losing to David Niven for Separate Tables. Their scenes together are very good. Taylor was a hell of an actress. Something that may have been over-shadowed by the Hollywood gossip that surrounded her. I guess getting married 8 times will do that to you. Taylor was also a very beautiful woman and I can't help but wonder if that diminished her reputation as a serious actress. Burl Ives' performance as "Big Daddy" is brilliant. He really made the movie for me. But, there's no denying the sexual tension between Newman and Taylor. What a beautiful on-screen couple.

Next up was BUtterfield 8. Taylor stars with Laurence Harvey. She plays Gloria, a character of questionable...uh...character. Taylor was quite good in this movie. Good enough to win the Academy Award? Well, they gave it to her. I actually thought she was better in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. But, you have to factor in the competition every year. Some actors don't win for their best performances. Either way, her performance as the "less than virtous" Gloria is very good. Taylor's then husband Eddie Fisher also stars. Apparently, he hated the movie and referred to it as "BUtterball 4." While I didn't hate the movie, I certainly didn't love it either. Having said that, it's worth watching for Taylor's performance alone. On a side note, Taylor won her Oscar for BUtterfield 8 the same year one of my favourite actors, Burt Lancaster won for Elmer Gantry.


]]> Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:25:00 GMT 316354A7F001E7DAEDB821131C877BB7 http://jasonrasomusic.com/blog.cfm?feature=2230360&postid=862628 Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is one of&nbsp;my two favourite channels. (The other being the NHL Network) I dream of one day of sitting down with host Robert Osborne and discussing classic movies. The man knows everything. Tonight I watched one of the &quot;Essentials&quot; with Osborne and co-host Alec Baldwin. Don't get me wrong, I like Alec, but I want him to get fired so I can replace him. Is that wrong? No, it's Hollywood - it's a cut throat business, and besides, isn't Baldwin busy enough with 30 Rock? C'mon, commit to TCM or move aside. Anyway... Tonight's &quot;Essential&quot; was Mildred Pierce (1945). I was very interested in seeing this movie because I just finished reading the novel by James M. Cain. Actually, I just finished reading three of his novels. Double Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Mildred Pierce. I really enjoyed all three. I didn't find his writing too fluffy and filled with useless stuff. He seemed to get to the point. I appreciate that. Normally, I'm not much of a fiction reader. I prefer biographies. But after reading the book I was eager to see the movie. I saw the movie adaptations of both versions of&nbsp;The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946, 1981) and Double Indemnity (1944) before I read the books and they stayed quite faithful to the novels. I enjoyed the novels and the movies in all three cases. I'll talk about those movies later. As for Mildred Pierce, there were quite a few big differences from the novel. Mildred is played by Joan Crawford in the movie. She won the Academy Award for her role. She was quite good as Mildred. The supporting cast was very good too. I especially like Jack Carson. I've seen him in some other movies like Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) and Blues in the Night (1941). The movie adaptation is a really a crime drama. That element is not evident at all in the novel. Now, like I said before, I'm not much of a fiction fan. I'm not one of those &quot;that was pretty good but the book was better&quot; kind of people. I'd rather watch a movie than read a book any day. I'm also full of contradictions. I think the movie was good but I think I liked the book better. Oh no!&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe I am one of those people. Having said that, I think they made the right decision. The book was good and stands up on it's own, but I don't think it would have made a great movie if they stuck to a faithful adaptation. This was certainly a &quot;film noir&quot; and I'm a big fan, I like a good murder in my movies. The movie was directed by Michael Curtiz who made Casablanca (1942). His movies always look beautiful. I love black and white. It's moody. The lighting and shadows just do something for me. So check out Mildred Pierce. The movie and the book. Also, apparently there is a Mildred Pierce mini-series starring Kate Winslet in the works. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is one of my two favourite channels. (The other being the NHL Network) I dream of one day of sitting down with host Robert Osborne and discussing classic movies. The man knows everything. Tonight I watched one of the "Essentials" with Osborne and co-host Alec Baldwin. Don't get me wrong, I like Alec, but I want him to get fired so I can replace him. Is that wrong? No, it's Hollywood - it's a cut throat business, and besides, isn't Baldwin busy enough with 30 Rock? C'mon, commit to TCM or move aside. Anyway...

Tonight's "Essential" was Mildred Pierce (1945). I was very interested in seeing this movie because I just finished reading the novel by James M. Cain. Actually, I just finished reading three of his novels. Double Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Mildred Pierce. I really enjoyed all three. I didn't find his writing too fluffy and filled with useless stuff. He seemed to get to the point. I appreciate that. Normally, I'm not much of a fiction reader. I prefer biographies. But after reading the book I was eager to see the movie. I saw the movie adaptations of both versions of The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946, 1981) and Double Indemnity (1944) before I read the books and they stayed quite faithful to the novels. I enjoyed the novels and the movies in all three cases. I'll talk about those movies later.

As for Mildred Pierce, there were quite a few big differences from the novel. Mildred is played by Joan Crawford in the movie. She won the Academy Award for her role. She was quite good as Mildred. The supporting cast was very good too. I especially like Jack Carson. I've seen him in some other movies like Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) and Blues in the Night (1941). The movie adaptation is a really a crime drama. That element is not evident at all in the novel. Now, like I said before, I'm not much of a fiction fan. I'm not one of those "that was pretty good but the book was better" kind of people. I'd rather watch a movie than read a book any day. I'm also full of contradictions. I think the movie was good but I think I liked the book better. Oh no!  Maybe I am one of those people. Having said that, I think they made the right decision. The book was good and stands up on it's own, but I don't think it would have made a great movie if they stuck to a faithful adaptation. This was certainly a "film noir" and I'm a big fan, I like a good murder in my movies. The movie was directed by Michael Curtiz who made Casablanca (1942). His movies always look beautiful. I love black and white. It's moody. The lighting and shadows just do something for me.

So check out Mildred Pierce. The movie and the book. Also, apparently there is a Mildred Pierce mini-series starring Kate Winslet in the works.

]]> Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:59:55 GMT EEE4D7FF3ED728FD5A8AD5D7AC22D35D