Niagara (1953): Classic Marilyn Monroe

     Made when she was just a fledgling star (which many consider her best period), Niagara (1953) captures all of Marilyn Monroe's voluptuous beauty in stunning Technicolor. Containing some elements of Film Noir and Hitchcockian subject matter and style, the film is both thrilling and intriguing. And, of course, Niagara Falls provides a wonderful natural setting for the events to play out.

     A young couple honeymooning in Niagara have the misfortune of crossing paths with Mr. and Mrs. Loomis (Joseph Cotten and Marilyn Monroe). Mr. Loomis seems to have some mental and emotional problems, and Mrs. Loomis is discontent in her marriage... 

     The young couple soon discovers that Mrs. Loomis is having an affair with a younger guy, but dismiss it as none of their business... 

     It is understandable, as everyone is enchanted by Mrs. Loomis' ravishing beauty... 

     The affair turns to conspiracy, however, when she convinces her lover to murder her husband. The plan backfires... Now Mr. and Mrs. Loomis have bigger problems than mere marital discord...

Niagara- movie trailer

The Prestige (2006): Magic in Modern Cinema

     The Prestige (2006) was released around the same time as The Illusionist, also a film about magicians.  As a result, the two films sort of cancelled each other out in audiences collective memories. Of the two, The Prestige is probably the better film, based on the surprise ending and it's stellar cast... Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johanssen, Michael Caine and David Bowie.

     Two feuding magicians (Bale and Jackman) are not only competing for the most impressive trick, their rivalry has brought about a desire for revenge and sabotage on both sides. 

     With the help of his advisor (Caine) and his lovely assistant (Scarlett Johanssen), Jackman tries his best to one-up his competitor...

      However, the grudge gets serious when Bale comes up with a new amazing transporting man trick. Jackman, convinced it is real, finds himself journeying to the laboratory of Nicola Tesla (David Bowie) to have a machine built that will make him vanish and reappear...

      Tesla's experiments in electricity  are astounding enough to believe anything is possible... 

     Tesla builds the machine, but the consequences are more than any of them bargained for...

The Prestige- movie trailer

CLOSE UP: Sarah Heggan

Sarah Heggan, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Sarah Heggan- Stand-up comedy

Quiet Desperation Act 2- Episode 4 featuring Sarah Heggan

For more info, visit: http://www.sarahheggan.com/

Strangers on a Train (1951): Classic Alfred Hitchcock

     One of Hitchcock's better works, Strangers on a Train (1951) is perhaps best known now as the inspiration for the film, Throw Mama From the Train, starring Billy Crystal and Danny Devito. Full of suspense, with typical Hitchcock style and a nail-biting climax, Strangers on a Train is inventive and memorable.

     Farley Granger and Robert Walker play two strangers who meet on a train. Each one of them has a person in their life that is causing them strife. Farley's wife is extorting him, and Walker's father doesn't appreciate him. In a sick twist, Walker throws out the idea that they swap murders, each man kills the other's nemesis. That way there is no connection, no motive. 

     Granger dismisses this as idle, hypothetical crazy talk. His world is put in turmoil, however, when Walker does in fact murder his wife for him. 

     Now Walker expects Granger to fulfill his end by killing the father. He refuses and Walker stalks him...

      threatening to derail his future life and happiness by framing him... 

     An unforgettable climax ensues...

Strangers on a Train- movie trailer

Tim Mason: Profiles from the Illustrations

Tim Mason, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

     Born in the Midwest, Timothy Mason's family traveled around until settling in Salt Lake City, Utah.  New England has been his home for the past three decades, mainly Cambridge and Worcester, MA. He holds degrees from The University of Utah and Antioch University. An empathetic soul, Tim has worked extensively in human services and counseling, but his strongest passions are in poetry and music.

Timothy Mason- "Peace"

Tim Mason, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

     Tim is a prolific poet, having published a number of volumes of his work, but his style is intended to be performed, read aloud, and his poetry is often accompanied by music. His performances have brought him all over, and his roles at various venues have been diverse... presenting Folk music at such places as Club Passim in Cambridge, bringing renown to the Old Vienna Kaffeehaus and organizing events at Hezekiah Stone's Coffeehouse in central MA. He is also Director of the New England Folk Music Archives.

Timothy Mason at GAWF

Timothy Mason

Timothy Mason circa 1991

Tim Mason, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

For more info, visit: http://www.timothydmason.com/

David Massengill: Art and Music (Songs that Inspired the Illustrations)

David Massengill, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

David Massengill and Travis Simpkins, 2012.

Riders on an Orphan Train

WCUW Frontroom Concert

David Massengill, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

My Name Joe

On the Road to Fairfax County

Number One in America

David Massengill, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

For more info, visit: http://www.davidmassengill.com/

Chris Goodwin: Profiles from the Quiet-D Illustrations

Chris Goodwin, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

     On Quiet Desperation, Chris Goodwin plays Nick D'Amico's Northshore friend. As a member of NERO (New England Roleplaying Organization), Chris spends his time acting out role playing games in the woods. He is also the frontman of a Viking-inspired metal band.

Quiet D Episode 22- "NERO"

The Northshore

Viking Metal

Summer

Quiet Desperation #8, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007): A Great Film from a Classic Novel

     Ron Hansen's brilliant novel about the events leading up to Jesse James' murder is brought to the big screen in this great adaptation of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007). An all-star cast (Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck) fleshes out the characters and beautiful cinematography captures the majestic 19th Century atmosphere. Tense and true to history, the film holds tight and focuses on humanity rather than sensationalism. Not just a great western, but a powerful work of art, it is an essential view.

     Jesse James' robbery career has reached the point where most of his old trusted friends are either dead or in jail. Still eager to plunder, he now must recruit a group of unknown roustabouts to help him with a train robbery... 

     Among the men are the Ford brothers, Charlie and Robert (Bob). After the heist, the two stay on to assist Jesse. During this time Jesse takes a liking to Bob, but begins to get leery of him as time goes along, due to Bob's fan-like obsession with Jesse's biography and exploits (and Bob's desire to become famous himself)... 

     For Jesse, the mistrust grows into paranoia as Bob's behavior is getting more suspicious... 

     Bob can sense that Jesse suspects him of disloyalty, and the inevitable occurs...

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford- movie trailer

Ron Hansen, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Dark Shadows (2012): Another Great Tim Burton/ Johnny Depp Collaboration

     The late 1960s - early 1970s television show is given the Tim Burton film treatment in Dark Shadows (2012). Everything Burton and Johnny Depp have created together has proven to be entertaining, quirky, stylish and worthwhile, and this is no exception. Depp is great, as always, and a solid supporting cast rounds out the film nicely, including Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass, Hugo).

     Barnabas Collins, having been cursed by a witch who is infatuated with him, and turned into a vampire in the 1700s, is buried, but then dug up two centuries later in 1971... 

     His family business (he holds Family sacred above all else) is in trouble, financially and otherwise. The witch, still around Collinsport, has driven his family interests to ruin over the many years he was gone, and his new distant relatives haven't done so well in keeping up the legacy... 

     Barnabas vows to restore the Collins name to prominence and ensure the survival of his family... 

     All the while, of course, he is killing, doing what vampires do, and has fallen for the new Governess who eerily reminds him of a long lost love... 

     He must destroy the witch (who still has the hots for him), and if possible, reverse the curse so that all might be as it should for the Collins Family...

Dark Shadows- movie trailer

Chloe Moretz has a great role in Dark Shadows

Happy Birthday, George Carlin!

     Happy B-Day to George Carlin! The wise old man would've been 75 years old today. It's too bad he didn't reach the 3/4 century milestone. However, the wit, humor, genuine observations and critiques he crammed into his 71 years still ring true and will always be relevant... a lasting legacy. Here are a few gems:

The Seven Words

Religion is Bullshit

Stuff

I Don't Vote

Fat People

The Ten Commandments

The American Dream

CLOSE UP: Sugar Dish

Sugar Dish, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

Sugar Dish performs to "Toxic"

photographs by Travis Simpkins

For more info, visit: http://babesinboinkland.com/Babes_in_Boinkland.html

Tommy Ramone: Profiles from the Illustrations

Tommy Ramone, 2012. By Travis Simpkins

     Tommy Ramone has had a long journey. His birth name was Erdelyi Tamas. He was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1952 to Jewish parents who had survived the Holocaust by hiding from the Nazis with neighbors during the war. The family moved to New York City and he changed his name to Thomas Erdelyi. Forming a series of smaller bands, it was apparent Thomas had a talent for managing and producing music. In 1970, he was hired as assistant producer on Jimi Hendrix's album, Band of Gypsys.

Tommy Ramone- "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend/Blitzkrieg Bop"

     In 1974, Thomas became the manager of a Punk Rock group he formed with friends Johnny, Joey and Dee Dee called the Ramones. Originally, Joey was the drummer, but he couldn't keep up with the fast tempo, so Thomas became the drummer adopting the stage name, Tommy Ramone. Dee Dee was later quoted as saying, "Tommy was supposed to be the manager, finally he sat behind the drums because no one else wanted to." Tommy penned a lot of their early hits including "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" and "Blitzkrieg Bop." 

Ramones- "Blitzkrieg Bop" circa 1976

The Ramones

     In the 1980s, Tommy started to get back into producing, working on albums by artists such as The Replacements and Talking Heads. Most recently, he has formed an old-timey Bluegrass duo with his musical partner, Claudia Tienan called Uncle Monk. They perform all over and with Tommy being the last surviving member of the Ramones, he always finds time to pay tribute to his former bandmates.

Uncle Monk- "Round the Bend"

Tommy Ramone and others- "I Wanna Be Sedated"

Uncle Monk- "I Fought the Law"

For more info, visit: http://www.unclemonk.com/home.html

CLOSE UP: Rob Potylo

Rob Potylo, 2011. By Travis Simpkins

Rob Potylo- "She-ra"

Interview with Rob Potylo for ABC's Chronicle

For more info, visit: http://robpotylo.com/