The Outlaw (1943): Risque Classic Cinema

     Shot in 1941, The Outlaw wasn't allowed to be shown in theaters until 1943. Even then, it was pulled shortly after it's release, banned, and was not given a decent chance with audiences until after WWII in 1946. What was the problem? The hangup? The reason to be bashful?... quite simply... Breasts! Howard Hughes' fascination with Jane Russell's boobs, and his dedication to capture them perfectly on film, drove the censors crazy. It may seem trivial now, but in the early 1940s, such things were very taboo. The Outlaw is often cited as an example in discussions on the dangers of censorship, and, if for no other reason than that, it has earned a well deserved place in film history.

     Doc Holliday has come to Lincoln, NM is search of his stolen horse. It is soon learned that the thief is none other than Billy the Kid. In a showing of mutual respect, the two become friends (but argue over the ownership of the horse throughout the film). When Billy is shot and wounded by Pat Garrett, Doc takes Billy to his ranch to recuperate. Doc's beautiful girlfriend, Rio, played by Jane Russell,  provides medical care for the wounded Billy despite her hatred for him.

     While Doc is away, the nurse/patient relationship quickly becomes a love affair.

     Upon hearing of the betrayal, Doc is not pleased. The rest of the film carries the characters through a psychological maelstrom as they try to elude Pat Garrett and try to come to terms of trust amongst each other...

The Outlaw- movie trailer

New Portrait Illustration: Tom Rush (Folk Musician)

Tom Rush, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

     I first saw 1960s Folk icon Tom Rush perform about twelve years ago. It wasn't until a few years ago, however, that I actually met him on several occasions and we conversed. Aside from being an amazing musician and songwriter, he's also a hell of a nice guy, with a comedic wit, and a lot of patience.

Tom Rush- Child's Song

Tom Rush- No Regrets

Tom Rush- Remember Song

For more info, visit his website: http://tomrush.com/

Tom Rush, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Tom Rush, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Atom Age Vampire (1960): Classic B Movies

     Despite the misleading title and bad overdubbing, Atom Age Vampire (1960) still has some enjoyable qualities... mainly the honest campy aspects of the production, and the beautiful visage of Susanne Loret, the leading lady. Originally an Italian film, released in 1960, most viewers only know this overdubbed American version, released in 1963. 

     Susanne Loret plays an exotic dancer. Her boyfriend disapproves of her "so called profession" and breaks up with her. Distraught, she loses control and crashes her car on the way home from the club. She survives, but her once beautiful face is now riddled with incurable scars. 

     She is on the verge of suicide, when she is told of a doctor who has a new secret experimental procedure to reverse scarring. 

     She meets the doctor and consents to the treatment, but no one knows she is there as she was instructed not to inform anyone. 

     She is seemingly cured and beautiful again at first. But it becomes immediately apparent that she will require repeated treatments or else her face will return to it's hideous past appearance. 

     Meanwhile the doctor's assistant is falling in love with him. 

     And the doctor is falling in love with his patient. 

     After a while, the treatment serum is depleted and the doctor must obtain hormones from a living female host in order to keep the object of his infatuation lovely. In a strange twist, the doctor turns into a hideous beast at night. He scours around killing unsuspecting female victims in order to extract the elements he needs... 

     exotic dancers and hookers on the waterfront are his main targets... 

     and when it becomes apparent his love is unrequited, he turns on her... 

     Can this beast be stopped? Will the now lovely, restored maiden return to her previously scarred countenance? 

Atom Age Vampire- movie trailer

Joe Buck: Profiles from the Illustrations

Joe Buck, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

     Joe Buck (his real name is Jim Finkley) is a jack of all trades in the music industry. I first met him at a show in 2009, and found him to be a fairly easy going, cool guy, and very interesting to talk to.
     He started out playing in various bands in the 1990's and moved on to become the bass player in the band of Hank Williams III. He worked on the production and engineering of  Hank 3's album "Straight to Hell." Also with Hank, Joe Buck is a member of the metal band, Assjack. As a songwriter and solo act, he goes by the moniker, Joe Buck Yourself and travels all over the U.S. and abroad pounding out his own unique brand of punk/metal music. Every performance he gives is intense, well crafted, driving, pure and true...

Joe Buck- Demon in My Head

Joe Buck Yourself- Evil Motherf*%*er from Tennessee

Joe Buck Yourself- My Country Tis of Thee

Hank 3- Straight to Hell

Hank 3- Pills I Took

Assjack- Tennessee Driver

read more on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joe-Buck-Yourself-/323946857004

listen to music here: http://www.myspace.com/joebuckyourselfmotherfucker

Hank Williams III and Joe Buck, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

The Woman in Green (1945): Classic Sherlock Holmes

     As the film is in black and white, we have to assume that the woman's attire is in fact green. What is more immediately apparent is that The Woman in Green (1945) is another fine installment in the classic Sherlock Holmes series. 

     Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called upon to assist Scotland Yard in investigating a slew of gory murders in London, all the victims female, all of them having their right forefinger cut off post-mortem. 

     Curiosity arises when Holmes spots a nobleman out on the town with a beatiful young lady.

      The next day, that same gentleman is implicated in the murders, but is then murdered himself. 

     Digging further, Holmes discovers that these murders are being committed for the sole purpose of blackmailing innocent rich men, who have fallen under the hypnotic spell of this beautiful woman and her boss. 

     To solve the crime, Sherlock Holmes puts himself in harms way and allows himself to be hypnotized

      and perhaps... become the next victim.

      Will help arrive before it is too late?

The Woman in Green- movie trailer

Please Murder Me (1956): Classic Film Noir

     Endowed not only with a memorable title, Please Murder Me (1956) also delivers a semi-unique storyline that doesn't leave much need for guessing, but is entertaining throughout.

     Raymond Burr plays a lawyer with some difficult news to break to his old War buddy.

     He has fallen in love with his friend's wife (played by Angela Lansbury), and needs to request that they divorce, so he might marry her instead. 

     The friend returns home and is shot and killed by his wife, though she claims it is self defense. Burr as both lawyer and dutiful boyfriend, defends her in the trial. 

     She is acquitted of all charges. 

     Further developments occur along the way, bringing Burr to the realization that she did indeed murder her husband/his friend. He also discovers the evidence of a third lover involved, and the motive of money for the widow. Most hurtful is the fact that she never really loved him, but rather, just needed his expertise in law to get her off the hook for the crime. He plots to even the score. 

     Wrapped in guilt, Burr decides that the only way to get truly even with his former flame, and to make square with his dead friend, is to force her to murder him as well, allowing for a new trial...

modern promo clip for Please Murder Me

Ken Reid: Profiles from the Quiet-D Illustrations

Ken Reid, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

     On Quiet Desperation, Ken Reid plays "Bailey",  a former member of the fake Irish accent hardcore band, Hogan's Hooligans. They were known for their inventive song titles. When he's not reminiscing about his old days with the band, Bailey is out collecting baseball cards with profane inscriptions written on them... so that such obscenities don't fall into the hands of children.

Quiet D episode 5-  Bailey and Hogan's Hooligans

Quiet D episode 18- The Baseball Card Show

     In real life, Ken Reid is amongst those at the forefront of Boston comedy. He found his love for stand-up while living in the U.K. and brought it back to Boston with him. He performs regularly doing his well received one man shows and has a weekly hosting gig at The Comedy Studio in Cambridge, MA.

For more info and a schedule of shows, read more on his website: http://www.ikenreid.com/

Ken Reid- stand-up comedy

Ken Reid- Valuable Facebook time

Ken Reid's Cusack Attack (one man show)

Ken Reid on the Steve Katsos Show

Quiet Desperation #8, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

The Amazing Transparent Man (1960): Classic B Movies

     Made during the Atomic Age, Cold War, Spy era of the late 50s/early 60s, The Amazing Transparent Man (1960) plays off of the paranoia of the time.

     Scientist Peter Ulof is the unwilling participant in the plan of the mad Major Krenner. Krenner is holding Ulof's daughter hostage while Ulof perfects a machine that renders life forms invisible through atomic radiation. Krenner plans to create a whole invisible army and sell the transparent mercenaries to the highest bidder.

     The only problem is... they need more radium to complete the plan in it's entirety. So, Major Krenner manages to break a safecracker, Joey Faust, out of prison with the help of a beautiful female accomplice.

 The hope is that making Faust invisible, he will be able to steal deposits of radium from various vaults.

     Faust has other plans, though. This new invisible state gives him the idea that robbing banks without being seen will be a much more lucrative venture. But despite being invisible, he somehow manages to have an altercation at every attempt.

     Faust sets to double cross Krenner along with his new lovely partner. Their scheme is not inconspicuous enough, though, and Krenner senses there is something amiss.

     Meanwhile, the invisibility formula isn't quite working according to intent (he becomes visible sporadically) and Orlof seriously questions the moral implications involved in his research...

The Amazing Transparent Man- movie trailer

Frank O'Neill: Profiles from the Quiet-D Illustrations

Frank O'Neill, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

     
     On Quiet Desperation, Frank O'Neill plays a diligent Boston Music historian, gladly using other's misfortunes to document their failure on his blog: "The Cold Talons of Failure." He follows Robby and his circle around, hoping to catch a glimpse or just sense that things are about to take a turn for the worse. Basking in schadenfreude, he has a smile on his face the whole time.

Quiet D episode 10- "Fall"

Episode 21- "Worried All the Time" 

     In real life, Frank O'Neill is a gifted actor. Any of the episodes in which he appears is testament to his great humor and comedic timing.

Episode 19- "The WBCN Rumble"

Quiet Desperation #3, 2011. By Travis Simpkins