WILD HOGS

Written by Musgo Del Jefe

"RIDE HARD OR STAY HOME"

The mid-life crisis has come a long way. In 1991, Billy Crystal (43), Bruno Kirby (42) and Daniel Stern (34) set out on a cattle-driving adventure in City Slickers. In a memorable opening, we quickly set the mid-life problems and malaise of the characters before moving to the Western sets. After a few comic sets dealing with these city men out of their element, we settle in for the "lesson". Our city slickers lead the cattle back to the ranch. Through these tribulations, each character learns to find the passion for things in life that really matter and return home changed men.

In 2007, the mid-life crisis is a little older. Doug (Tim Allen - 55) is a bored dentist, Woody (John Travolta - 54) is generic formerly rich/now divorcing businessman, Bobby (Martin Lawrence - 43) is a wife-nagged, would-be writer/plumber, and Dudley (William H. Macy - 58) is generic computer guy who can't get a girlfriend. We get this all in brief intros to each character that covers the first ten minutes of the movie. No explanation of the history of their relationships or how they even know each other except that we see them riding together. They claim to be from Cincinnati, but the scenes could place this in any mid-sized city east of the Mississippi.

The first thing you notice is that Harley must have stipulated that every time the group takes off on their Hogs, a classic rock song must be playing. All the expected cuts are here - "Slow Ride", "Highway To Hell," and "Who Do Ya Love" among at least eight such scenes I counted. I will say that the film didn't turn into the 100-minute commercial for Harley that I feared I was in store for.

Twenty minutes in, we've established nothing other than the boys have decided for no real specific reason to go on their road trip to see the Pacific Ocean. Only Woody seems to have a reason to leave town (escaping his impending divorce), the others are a little more dubious including a trumped-up "stress induced panic attack" for Doug. The others seem to just be along for the ride. Speaking of being along for the ride, this seems to be a good point to mention how out of place that Martin Lawrence looks and feels in this film. He's over ten years younger than the rest of the Hogs and his humor is really nothing along the lines of what the others have done. It ends up singling him out to such an extent that he feels like "token African-American" in the script. Someone closer to their age like Denzel Washington (53) could've filled the role without calling attention to it.

For the next twenty minutes, we see where the director had a hard time finding the audience for this film. Sandwiched between broad humor scenes of bagged poop, burning tents, and awkward skinny-dipping is a completely off-color, full-of-gay-sex-innuendo scene with the brilliant John C. McGinley (here with the oddest blonde wig). The tamer scenes were just what my tweens expected when they saw that this movie had "that Disney film guy" (Allen) and "that Hairspray guy" (Travolta). Guys falling off their motorcycles, eating too hot chili and slapping a bull on the butt were the heart of this film but few and far between.

Forty minutes into the film, the Second Act started with the Hogs entering a "real" biker bar in New Mexico. As Jack, the leader of the Del Fuegos, Ray Liotta (53) plays a mere shadow of his Something Wild character. For the remaining portion of the movie, the Hogs must stand up to the Del Fuegos and protect the city of Madrid, New Mexico from their bullying. The two least-developed characters, Bobby and Dudley, overcome their "problems" without any real effort. And at seventy-five minutes, we start Act Three with the Wild Hogs deciding to finally stand up to the bullies.

And here was the chance to save this movie. The four are going to stand up to the big, bad guys to defend the town. Could each pull upon their "expertise" to defeat the enemy? Doug would use some dental knowledge, Bobby would draw upon his plumbing experience, Dudley would work with the computers, and Woody would have to come up with something because we don't know much about him. And they'd work together, reinforcing their friendship and find the passion for things in life that really matter and return home changed men?

Nope.

Of course, it's a positive ending but it's out of the blue and it involves Peter Fonda showing up out of nowhere. And they do get to see the Pacific Ocean. In fact, the best laughs of the film might be the Extreme Makeover parody that rolls over the final credits. Great shots of beautiful motorcycles, scenic New Mexico vistas, and great acting jobs by Stephen Tobolowsky as the sheriff and Jason Sklar as one of his deputies couldn't save the film. Not slick enough, no real lessons learned. They should have just stayed home.

LAST HURRAH FOR CHIVALRY

Written by Fantasma el Rey

John Woo’s Last Hurrah For Chivalry is a tour de force of kung-fu swordplay that will have you on the edge of your seat. A roller coaster ride of a masterpiece. Simply riveting.

Now that all the played-out major press descriptions are out of my system let me tell you a quick thing or two about the film. Released in 1979, it is a well-spun tale of revenge and betrayal. Unlike many of this nature that simply use the kung-fu swordplay to mask a thin plot, Woo’s film has a story that twists like a reed in a tornado.

The plot has a lot to do with friendship and betrayal. A young baron, Kao, seeks revenge against a local warlord, Pai, for the destruction of his family’s land and lives. After being informed that true masters of the sword don’t accept payment, Kao enlist his “new friend” Chang the Magic Sword, to aid in his cause. They don’t call Chang “The Magic Sword” for nothing; he’s the best swordsman around. Along the way, Chang befriends the local heavy-drinking assassin known only as Green, who is also master with the sword. Together they agree to avenge the wrong done to Kao by Pai. The viewer finds out that Kao is the mastermind who uses people to his advantage and pits friend against friend, setting up one hell of a finale. People get killed all over the place while the suspense swirls around betrayal and the bonds of friendship.

The kung-fu sword action plays out like an arcade game with its many levels of bosses that our two young heroes must face before they get to Master Pai. I’m reminded of the video games Double Dragon and Kung-Fu and the action is just as good. We get to see many different villains, including a wandering swordsman trying to make a name for himself and a narcoleptic master swordsman, know as The Sleeping Wizard.

Chang and Green face off against countless ninjas while in Pai’s stronghold. There are ninjas everywhere, in trees, popping out of coffins and even rising from the ground like the living dead. (Yes, I know ninjas are Japanese but they’re in this picture and some historians suggest ties to China. And besides how can John Woo be wrong?) The fight with The Sleeping Wizard is a good idea but is a tad drawn out even though it is the first time our guys encounter a foe that they must defeat together.

The best is the fight with Master Pai. Surrounded by candles in what appears to be a dungeon, the two youngsters must use their wits as well as their weapons to beat this Guan Dao (a large broad sword attached to a long wooden poll) wielding fiend. Woo brings the candles into play wonderfully in this scene, mixing them right into the action. Another display of Woo’s genius is the final fight scene against Kao. After a long battle with blood all over the place and including the traditional Chinese flying master, it’s the final stroke that you want to keep your eyes open for.

Last Hurrah For Chivalry is a greatly entertaining film packed with awesome fight scenes. The film moves along at a good pace even if some these fight scenes are a bit overdrawn. Woo doesn’t need to hide his plot, it holds up on its own. Then again, part of the point in making this movie was the fighting, but Woo is able to bring something all his own to the table and makes a memorable, entertaining movie. The special collector’s edition contains some good interviews and a highly informative featurette on the legendary weapons china, hosted by Hong Kong Cinema expert Bey Logan. For fans of the more recent epics of China, such as House Of Flying Daggers, do yourself a favor and turn back the hands of time to revisit the early work of an action-film master.

PERFECT CREATURE

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Set in Nuovo Zelandia, an alternate New Zealand, Perfect Creature is a highly imaginative vampire tale with some good elements and a good concept but falls a bit short of being a truly good vampire film. Vampires and humans now live side by side in peace and understanding. The movies plot revolves around two brothers, one good (Silas) and one on the loose and gone crazy, (Edgar) preying on humans for the elixir of life. The story becomes one of good vs. evil and the search for the renegade Nosferatu. Good brother, Silas, joins forces with the local police, who think they are looking for a serial killer, to try and keep them from killing Edgar. Both brothers happen to fall for the same strong willed female detective and the film continues down the beaten path of the suspense/horror thriller.

Yet these are not your average bloodsuckers, for you see they were the by-product of a long ago alchemist’s search for eternal life. These day walkers can be best described as the keepers of science and knowledge. Not some scary monsters that creep into the bed chambers of sexy young women trying to steal their blood. No, these perfect creatures are more like angels. They protect the innocents of the weaker human race. The vampire society, which is all male and known as The Brotherhood, can be seen as the church. People adore and celebrate them by going to mass and donating their blood.

As the film progresses I couldn’t help but notice similarities to characters of The Bible. The rebellious brother gone mad makes statements that reflect the story of Lucifer’s envy at being a superior being whose purpose is to serve a weaker one. The good brother is a church all-star and is to take over as head vampire one day but he too rebels after discovering the evil truth and dirty secrets of the ‘hood. His dedication to righteousness and protecting humans is unshakable and it isn’t too much of a stretch to see Jesus here. This biblical aspect makes an interesting twist to vampire lore but the story overall is dull and could have been better and the film itself could have had more pop.

The special effects are good as far as the fictional city is concerned, which is best described as Victorian era meets post-World War II England with modern technology thrown in for kicks. As for the vampires themselves, their movements in action scenes and during fights seem Matrix-esque and somewhat cartoonish, especially as they climb walls in super-fast motion. This trick really just comes across as if the film was speed up. What is interesting though is the sound that’s made when a vampire bites his victim. It’s a sound very much the same as when the cap is twisted off the top of a refreshing carbonated beverage.

I simply felt that the film fell short of it potential. If it told more of the Brotherhood’s past and secrets or truly bordered the realm of horror and science fiction as it wanted to, it would have been worlds more exciting and enjoyable. Who knows perhaps the sequel will be better? Because oh yeah they left it wide open for more. So keep your eyes to the sky, ghoulies ‘cause some killer vampire/angel gone nuts may be buzzing around trying to get to you.

Posada Carriles - Terrorism Made in USA

Written by Fumo Verde

On October 6, 1976, a passenger plane with 73 people aboard crashed into the ocean just near Barbados. Two explosions brought the airliner down, four men, CIA trained, were responsible for this heinous act. Two of them sit behind bars; the other two roam free amongst us still touting the line that they will never surrender.

Terrorism Made in USA gives us a chance to hear the other side of the story about Latin America and what dealings the U.S. had going on south of the border. Posada Carriles is the man this documentary revolves around. He was trained by the CIA on taxpayer money to keep governments of Latin America in line with U. S. interests. Carriles, along with others such as Orlando Bosch, have become in the eyes of many Latin Americans terrorists equal to Bin Laden himself.

After the Second World War the fear of communism spread further than the revolution itself. This fear and the ideas behind it worked its way to Central and South America, prompting the U.S. to secure its backyard anyway it could. Back in the early '50s the fear was all too real with Khrushchev pounding his fist and threatening, "We will bury you!" Bomb shelters were the latest home accessories next to televisions. There was a "Red" behind every banana leaf and they were out to invade the U.S. starting with Cuba.

This is where Mr. Posada Carriles was from. Coming from a poor upbringing, he joined Fulgencio Batista's secret police force. Batista was the de facto ruler of Cuba from the early '40s until the overthrow of his government on January 1, 1959. Fidel Castro's peasant-led revolution, "26th of July Movement," had taken over and the communist revolution sat on the back porch of the U.S. homeland. Cubans who had worked with the Batista administration and American business were terrified that they would face severe consequences for their actions as the communists took control.

Landing on American shores, they angrily gathered on the east coast of Florida, in cities such as Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. A melting pot of hatred towards Castro brewed in the packed Latino sections of these cities, a prime incubator for soldiers of the "cold war." Here the CIA went looking for those who wanted to fight back against Castro and his ilk. Posada Carriles was one of those men. After being trained by the CIA he was tested on the beaches of the Bay of Pigs, then he went to Venezuela where he formed that country's police force, the notorious DISIP. Murder and torture was his trademark, and he brought this wherever he went.

With interviews from eyewitnesses and survivors of the tortures and pains inflected by Carriles, director Angel Palacios explores the horrors left in the wake of men like this who proudly exclaim what they have done, reminding us that they will not stop until Castro and his commie buddies are all eliminated. Palacios doesn't have to uncover anything because these people think they are doing the right thing. Even if it means killing innocent people who truly have nothing to do with this political chess game. The viewer will see how people such as Carriles and Bosh operated and grew like a small army and extended hand of the United States and how the Department of Commerce created a division called the "Global Deceives," whose sole purpose was to find out what countries were working with Castro's Cuba financially and to undermine them.

This documentary holds nothing back, and you hear directly from the perpetrators of these crimes in their own words as they were interviewed back when they were first apprehended. This movie will get you asking questions about what our role was in the world back in the '50s and '60s and what are role is and should be today. Watching this you see how true the old saying is about one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist.

Posada Carriles - Terrorism Made in USA is one for any fan of history. Facts and truths are clearly given and there is no dispute about the evils these men have done. The fact that Castro is a bastard and has killed thousands shouldn't mean that we have to stoop to his level to defeat him. Hugo Chavez is now taking Castro's place on the world stage and South American countries have started going socialist on us. So, these "black ops" plans for change south of the border really haven't produced what our government actually wanted. And what happens if we start talks with Chavez and Castro, will these so called freedom fighters that we have trained and supplied turn on us? Do we have to fear another Oklahoma City bombing? Blowback is a bitch and this movie will show you where it could come from if we open up relations with Cuba again. If you are interested on how we do things in the shadow world, Terrorism Made in USA is worth watching.

Side note: Guess where Orlando Bosch was on the day J.F.K was killed? Sitting on a curb in Dealey Plaza waiting for the President's car to come by, and Mr. Bosch was no fan of President Kennedy by any means. Hmmm....interesting.

THE SECRETS OF ISIS

Written by Hombre Divertido

Billed as Saturday morning’s first live-action super-heroine, Isis ran around stopping crimes and saving lives in a mini-skirt and go-go boots on The Secrets of Isis as part of the Shazam/Isis Hour on CBS.

As in most Saturday morning shows, the premise of the show and/or origin of the hero, or in this case heroine, was explained in the opening. Here, we are informed that science teacher Andrea Thomas (Joanna Cameron) unearthed a lost treasure on an archeological dig; she found that the mystical amulet endowed her with the powers given by the ancient Egyptian Goddess, Isis! Able to keep her secret identity hidden due to the fact that she went to the same optometrist as Clark Kent, Andrea Thomas was a hip high school teacher who just happened to be able to command the elements and posses the abilities of animals when needed. In most cases she used her powers to help the high school kids out of perilous situations while teaching them valuable lessons, occasionally with the help of her fellow hero Captain Marvel.

These twenty-two episodes will certainly thrust you back to 1975 when Isis first appeared, and make you realize that what seemed so amazing back then appears quite simple now. Though that can be disappointing, the trip down memory lane is till a pleasant one. Simple is the word here as the writing is very blunt and there is a huge formage factor and queso quotient here.

In most episodes Andrea found herself dealing with a new student who just didn’t quite fit in. From a class clown to an overly ambitious cheerleader or a kid that was too short, each would manage to get themselves into trouble often pulling Andreas friends fellow teacher Rick Mason (Brian Cutler) and students/aides (Never clearly defined) Cindy Lee (Joanna Pang-Season 1) and Rennie Carol (Ronalda Douglas-Season 2) into danger with them. Luckily, Andrea would manage to find a way to slip away so that Isis could appear and save the day.

Bill Cosby set the tone in the seventies with his cartoon show where each episode would contain an epilogue with a moral lesson for the kids. Though the Isis show originally contained similar moral epilogues, they are missing from these twenty-two episodes. Many can be found in a segment of the extras in this DVD set with a far-too-brief explanation that they were removed from the segments in the nineteen nineties. When watching them in the extras, one can’t help but wonder as to what the motivation would have been to remove such valuable content.

Those moral messages are only a section of extras that abound in this set. From a DVD-ROM containing all the scripts, to extensive photo galleries, and intensive, if not painfully long, interviews with the cast and crew, there is plenty of entertaining and informative stuff here to fill your brain with the meat you are looking for after watching the episodes. Noticeably absent is and interview with Isis herself; Joanna Cameron.

Recommendation: Children’s entertainment has come along way since Isis, and unfortunately, these shows may not be entertaining to kids now, but for the adults who grew up in that era; this set contains enough extra information to make it worth a look.

NO END IN SIGHT

Written by Fumo Verde

It is now the summer of 2007 and by most accounts the Iraq War isn’t turning out the way the Bush administration had planned, or at least that’s what Democrats, the mainstream media, returning vets, the late great Pat Tillman and, by most polls, 68% of the U.S. public say. The few dissenting voices before the invasion stated that winning the war would be easy; it’s winning the peace that really counts. So, what was the Bush Plan? Was it like the Marshal Plan?

In No End In Sight, Charles Ferguson brings us the people who were there to start the rebuilding of that war-torn country after their government had fell. General Paul Hughes was in charge of the total reconstruction. He still can’t believe how poorly and how deliberately the Bush administration took care of its promise to bring peace and democracy. Get ready for the real shock and awe.

Ferguson opens us up with a speech by Donald Rumsfeld where he thanks Pres. Bush for understanding what most Americans didn’t about this “not well known, not well understood, and very complex war.” To think he was talking about the American public. No End In Sight will open your eyes to see how badly the administration handled post-war Iraq and how that relates to the problems we have today.

When invading another country you would like the civilian population to be on your side. To this, humanitarian relief and aid are needed, referred to as “winning the hearts and minds.” During WWII, the allies had planned for the occupation of Germany two years prior to the invasion of Europe. The Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Aid (ORHA) was set up by the Bush administration and were given sixty days to come up with a plan to reconstruct Iraq. Sixty days, that’s what you give your landlord when you’re going to move out of an apartment.

We hear from over a dozen people, civilians and officials, who give first-hand accounts about how they were recruited by the White House to help with the occupation but were then removed when their voices spoke out about how the situation on the ground was truly being handled. Ret. Gen. Jay Garner, who in the first Gulf War was in command of the humanitarian aide and was put in charge of ORHA this time around. He tells of the complete ineptitude the administration had towards ORHA and those who were there to help the Iraqi people. Richard Armitage, then Deputy Secretary of State tells us of the struggle he and his boss, Secretary of State Colin Powell, had with Rumsfeld and others about the troop levels needed for an occupation. Amazingly, Armitage and Powell were the only ones in the Bush administration who had ever seen combat, yet the dogs of war held those battle vets at bay.

We come to understand that the real problems started when the U.S. let the looting begin. Rumsfeld joked that the news channels were showing the same vase being stolen over and over again, and things like this happen even during riots in America. Marines and others on the ground tell a different story, one not of people stealing diapers and food or televisions and golf clubs, but of people stealing heavy machinery parts from power plants and other industrial facilities. It was said people were chipping away at concrete walls to take out the rebar. This isn’t your every day looting, and it actually showed the world this administration didn’t care about the Iraqi people. A report just this month shows that more than half of Iraqis are without clean water, food, and medical aid—all which a devastated nation needs to get back on its feet.

No End In Sight shows what those first voices of dissent were saying, which was this administration had no plan for post-war Iraq. They were called naysayers and far-left Bush haters, but as this quagmire goes on we now see through the bullshit the White House, along with its mouthpiece the Fox Opinion Channel, throws at us, and we don’t believe it anymore. This documentary connects the dots from the end of Desert Strom right up to the Surge, which we know is like a kid putting his finger in a dike as other leaks spout all around him. Those who had the gut instinct to speak out against the “plan” this administration had for Iraq will see this and say, “I knew it all along.” Those on the side of the President will push this aside as leftist propaganda, but for the ones still on the fence, the people who don’t watch the news or don’t want to get involved, this might sway your opinion.

The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina was a mirror reflection of how the Bush administration and the Republican Congress dropped the ball when it came to being the world’s leader. If we are supposed to be bringing truth and justice to people, it would be beneficial to us along with those who we are helping, to protect them from chaos and instill some type of law and order, to have a plan to stabilize the infrastructure, and aid those in need. When invading a country, this looks good on a resume, you know. If this flick had come out back in 2004 things might be different, but as it stands right now, we are stuck between a rock and a hard place and with the lack of any leadership coming from the White House.

The first war of the twenty first century today, still has no end in sight.

Robert Gordon and Chris Spedding: It’s Now Or Never

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Have you heard the news! There’s good rockin’ tonight and it’s coming from the return of Rockabilly legends Robert Gordon and Chris Spedding. Vocalist Gordon and guitarist Spedding pay tribute to Elvis Presley with their new release, It’s Now Or Never. These gentlemen are joined by the King’s backing vocalists The Jordanaires on fifteen tracks that range from the well known to the obscure. The CD is perfectly timed to hit shelves on the thirty-year anniversary of Elvis’ passing,

These two first teamed up when Spedding became guitarist for Gordon’s backing band The WildCats by replacing guitar hero/master Link Wray. Producing some good albums and ripping live venues apart, these kats scored with a cover of the classic “Red Hot” and Bruce Springsteen’s gift to Gordon, “Fire.” After spending twenty years apart, the voice and the guitar tear it up again with this collection of tunes first made popular by “the hillbilly kat,” Mr. Elvis Presley.

From reeling and rockin’ to slow and low Gordon has chosen tracks that represent the power and emotion that Elvis could convey when he wasn’t singing about crap such as clam bakes or luaus. Gordon’s vocals are as strong as ever on ballads where he pleads “Don’t Leave Me Now,” “Love Me,” and the swinging title track “It’s Now Or Never.” On the latter Gordon shows off the power in his baritone voice as The Jordanaires recreate their smooth group harmony behind him. Gordon’s voice is reminiscent of Elvis’ but is deeper and more gruff, giving him a sound all his own.

Spedding begins to cut his way and be heard on some of the King’s bluesy sides, turning tunes like “A Mess Of Blues,” “Trying To Get to You,” and “It Feels So Right” into grittier, mean-sounding gems from an after-hour’s juke joint. The original session guitarist had the vibe but its Spedding’s talent and feelings pushing these songs further, reminding us that with the right guitar slinger these songs are street level, greasy blues tunes.

The two rockabilly titans are strongest on the up-tempo numbers. It’s here that Spedding swings his ax with a style that adds to the original arrangements while showcasing Gordon’s fierce vocals. Songs like “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone,” and “Too Much” are given new life and jump just as much as the previous versions. “My Baby Left Me” hits hard and fast, leaving you asking for more, which our heroes gladly supply by tackling one of the holiest of Elvis’ tunes, “Don’t Be Cruel.” Many consider this song untouchable and would rather it be left alone, but bravely they step and rock it almost as well as the King himself. Gordon’s mature vocals conjure up images of an older Elvis performing in his ’68 comeback prime as Spedding gives the tune more of a country slant

The track that pulls it all together is “I Beg Of You.” Gordon asserts himself as an older, wiser vocalist. Spedding’s picking and strumming jives well with The Jordanaires whose peppy backing chores shine as bright as one of the King’s pinky rings. And no true Elvis tribute can be complete with out the spiritual that the King loved so much, “Peace In The Valley;” which is given a fine treatment by this talented group of performers.

In It’s Now Or Never you’ll get a fresh take on a few Elvis tunes that jump and swing with a life of their own. The rockabilly world is thankful that Gordon ditched his punk band the Tuff Darts to pursue his love of 1950s rock ‘n’ roll. He carried the torch for music that might have died with Elvis.

There are plenty of good rockabilly bands making the scene now but Gordon hit at a time when this brand of rock was at a low point. Elvis himself shied away from it at the end of his career, focusing more on being a jumpsuit-wearing entertainer. Gordon appeared and stripped this music back to its roots and drawing from the energy of his punk rock beginnings was able to breathe fire and attitude back into the rebellious music known as Rockabilly, the punk rock of the 1950s. So it’s now or never, ghoulies. Enjoy the coming month because it’s not often that Elvis and rockabilly will be celebrated as much as it will be this August.

Space Ghost & Dino Boy: The Complete Series

Written by Hombre Divertido

Presented in its original form of three segments per episode, this classic set contains 20 episodes of which most contain two Space Ghost adventures and one installment of Dino Boy.

At first glance one can see why this series has been so popular with children for such a long time. The artwork was ahead of its time, the sound effects and music enhance each story perfectly, the vocal talents involved are nothing short of legendary, and the heroes are all one would want and expect. The characters are clearly defined, the stories easy to follow, and the good guys always win.

Just seeing the packaging and cuing up the first episode to the classic sound of Gary Owens' narration will entice the young viewer, and thrust the older viewers back to 1966 and a desire for a bowl of cereal.

At second glance after viewing one or two episodes, one can’t help but immediately notice the similarities in the stories between our heroes. Perhaps it was not as noticeable forty years ago when we would view one episode a week, but having all of them together makes it painfully obvious. There was only one basic story for all the episodes including the Dino Boy segments. That may be disappointing for some, but given the time limitations of each segment, there was little time to tell too detailed of a story. One might also notice the crossover in vocal talent, or that the music used in the epilogues of both Space Ghost and Dino Boy is the same.

So there are both pros and cons here: If you can appreciate how ahead of its time Space Ghost was from a production standpoint, you will certainly enjoy the look back. If you are looking for more than just the cartoons from the sixties, there is not much here. The packaging is colorful but a little skimpy and the two disks in the set are not even marked. As for extras: Only a lengthy, vague, and overly dramatic feature length profile of artist Alex Toth is included. Mr. Toth obviously was a talented artist who played a significant role in the development of Space Ghost, but how significant is not remotely covered in this long-winded documentary.

Noticeably missing from this set is a Space Ghost Origin segment. As in most cartoons of that era, Dino Boy episodes open with the brief explanation of how he came to be where he is. No such information is provided for Space Ghost, Jan and Jace (The Twins that don’t look alike) or Blip.

The highlight of the set has to be the six-part Space Ghost episode in which our heroes not only face the Council of Doom (An obvious inspiration for the Legion of Doom who would later battle The Super Friends) but also meet up with several other members of the Hanna Barbera stable of cartoon heroes including Mightor, The Herculoids, Moby Dick, and Shazzan. Only second to that would be the vocal talents of the legendary Gary Owens, Don Messick, Ted Cassidy, and others who are amazing to hear in these classics.

Recommendation: Young children will enjoy the quality and simplicity. Older fans looking for a trip down memory lane should watch it in doses. Looking for more than just the cartoons? Look elsewhere.

Pearl Jam: Live at the Gorge 05/06

Written by Fumo Verde

Hey, gang, last month Pearl Jam came out with a seven disc set that contained recordings of three separate concerts performed live at the Gorge Amphitheater in Eastern Washington. The concert dates were 9/01/05, 7/22 & 23/06, and my buddy Smitty, who follows PJ like the FBI followed Lennon, confirmed to me that these were fantastic shows. Pearl Jam has become one of the cornerstones of modern rock n’ roll and they don’t disappoint when it comes to live shows.

I was given a sample disc of twelve tracks ranging from the three concerts. It had songs like “Alone”, “Army Reserve”, and “Given to Fly” along with “World Wide Suicide”. From the flavor of this disc, I feel this set will sound just as clean. With each song you can hear the crowd in the background as they become immersed in the moment of the show. The crowd sounds do not infringe on the music at all. The complete seven-disc set also includes unreleased material, cover songs, and of course crowd favorites, of which I truly don’t know because I have yet to attend a Pearl Jam concert, though I would like to.

Everything I have seen online regarding this set and from what I’ve heard off of the sample disc lead me to believe this is a great set to have, unless you already have these shows live. This is where I have a problem with the record industry as they slowly release music with a couple of extras here and there to keep the fan buying songs they might already have. Smitty told me he would still buy the set although he already had a copy of the 7/22 show. He didn’t tell me where he got it or if that show had been released on its own earlier. True fans like Smitty will gobble this up just because it came from Pearl Jam, kind of like me when it comes to the Dead or Miles Davis.

No CD or DVD compares to being at a live show, especially a Pearl Jam show, so I’m told, but as technology improves, the sounds coming out of your entertainment center, PC, or i-Pod get better thus bringing you closer to the show while sitting in your home. This little disc packed a real punch and I would assume the seven CDs will kick your ass. Given the power of the music Pearl Jam plays, I’m impressed they captured it on only seven discs.

Widespread Panic: Choice Cuts (The Capricorn Years 1991 – 1999)

Written by Fumo Verde

Unlike other compilation discs you have heard me whine about, Choice Cuts, which covers Widespread Panic’s time on Capricorn from 1991–1999, takes a different view on what to put on such discs. Listing to the evolution of a band who has kept their dream alive by playing the way they want can have interesting twists and turns and WSP is no different. Choice Cuts chronicles the small drop of history that has helped shape a band’s ever-expanding following.

The first two tracks are from a time just before they signed on with Capricorn. “Travelin’ Light” (written by J. J. Cale) and “Chilly Water” off their debut Space Wrangler introduce you to their blend of Southern Jam Rock. Picking up where the Dead left off and adding a hard Lynyrd Skynyrd edge to the instrumental jamming is how WSP carved its niche into the music biz. Though these two tracks were recorded around the same time in 1988, they have distinctly different sounds.

Switching up the vocals between guitarist John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, and keyboardist John “JoJo” Hermann, who joined the band in 1992, gives the band a different texture to each song. The Jimmy Pagesque guitar playing by Michael Houser and Bell brings a deeper and more complex musical drive. This can be heard in “Rebirtha” off of Bombs and Butterflies. It has a ragtime swing along with some powerful guitar work. This tune, which last a good seven minutes and twenty seconds, has become my favorite one so far. The instrumental section is full of passion and soul; this draws you into the lyrics that become as complex as the melodies.

Each track on Choice Cuts is like a snowflake in the sense that each song has a different vibe to it, though the root of Southern Jam holds it all together. “Blue Indian” which keeps the ragtime beat along with piano, adds the western swing sound of the slide guitar. This track is totally different than the one that follows, “Climb To Saftey”. There we feel more of the Southern Rock as the guitars scream and fly through the melody the bass and drums are pounding out. “Weight of the World” is a funky dance number driven by Memphis horns and “Papa's Home” starts as wonderful slow blues before taking off for parts unknown. The disc closes with two tracks from their first live album Light Fuse Get Away, including “Pickin' Up The Pieces” when they were joined by saxophonist Branford Marsalis.

WSP is one of the few rock bands out there that can take you on a heavy trip and still bring you back in one piece. If you are new to WSP like me, this is a great CD to have, because it gives you a window into the sound of a band and it reflects the feelings they have expressed over the past decade or so. A very enjoyable disc, one I would suggest for those who appreciate fine rock that opens itself to other attributes of different musical genres. This compilation is a must-have. This time I have to thank the record companies. Ugh, I think I just threw up in my mouth.

See you in the parking lot.