Mr. Holland's Opus

Mr. Holland's Opus ~ One of the treats on board the Disney Magic on the TCM Classic Cruise was seeing films on the big screen, and having it introduced and discussed by its star. Such was the case one early morning after breakfast with Richard Dreyfuss and Mr. Holland's Opus.

It's amazing to me, while waiting in a huge line forty-five minutes early, how many people are similarly amazed, but for a completely different reason. Everyone says this is their favorite film, yet they can't believe anyone else is here. What? It can't be someone else's favorite film? That's how most folks were waiting for Mr. Holland's Opus. It was their favorite film, but were stunned that anyone else felt the same way. I guess everyone thinks it's a secret.

Speaking of favorite films, this is one of The Bride's favorites, right up there with The Princess Bride and Frozen. And as I mentioned, well over a couple hundred folks agreed. So a chance to see Mr. Holland's Opus on the big screen (again) and especially introduced by the star of the film himself could not be missed.

Richard Dreyfuss loved this film and reflected on its origins, as he was interviewed by actress/director/film historian Ileana Douglas. Written in just two weeks after the screenwriter was confronted by a teachers strike and deciding that teachers are real heroes - Mr. Holland's Opus is a tribute to teachers who make a difference. In that case I'd want to thank Mrs. Pfleger, Mr. Stewart, and Mr. Lee who, much like Mr. Holland, made a difference in my life at what passed for a high school back in the day.

We watch in loose episodic vignettes as Holland, a frustrated musician and composer takes a teaching job as a last resort, a temporary measure, and stays for several decades as he raises a deaf son, and changes the lives of many students along the way, to the music of the times. It's an uplifting teacher story in a decade where uplifting teacher stories were in vogue, but it's special, it has heart, it has realism, as opposed to being overly sentimental or emotionally manipulative like lesser, but still amazing, films like Stand and Deliver or Lean on Me. This one feels real, and if you're not in tears at the end, you're heartless.

Dreyfuss in various and subtle stages of age and make-up gives the performance of his life, and co-stars Glenne Headley, Olympia Dukakis, William H. Macy, Terrence Howard, and even Jay Thomas follow suit. It's powerful, emotional, educational, and even funny. It affects me the same way every time I see it, and I have to watch it every time I see it's on. This is a must see film.

Flash Vs. Arrow - Part Two

For the second part of the CW's big Flash Vs. Arrow crossover television event, you can read my review of the Arrow half here at Biff Bam Pop!. You can read part one here, and over at Biff Bam Pop!, yesterday.

Flash Vs. Arrow - Part One

For the first part of the CW's big Flash Vs. Arrow crossover television event, you can read my review of the Flash half here at Biff Bam Pop!. Check back here, and at Biff Bam Pop!, tomorrow for part two.

Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie!

I was never a big fan of the Cheech & Chong movies (or stoner movies in general, not being a stoner I guess), but by the time I was old enough to get most of the jokes, I was already well versed in their comedy routines. In the Philadelphia area, Cheech & Chong were staples of Sunday nights on Dr. Demento and WYSP's Comedy Hour.

One of my favorites was "Earache My Eye," a skit that included a song by 'Alice Bowie' that I always wished was longer. Much like the Richard Pryor "Wanted" album, the first three Steve Martin albums, and all the words to Monty Python and the Holy Grail - these routines were committed to memory by myself and my friends, and composed probably forty percent of our total junior high school conversations.

Such is the legacy of Cheech & Chong. These days Cheech Marin is more known for his acting, especially his tour de force in From Dusk Till Dawn, and Chong is probably known better as poor Tommy Chong, because of his run-ins with the US legal system, as opposed to his recent fame on "Dancing with the Stars." This feature, Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie!, is a throwback to those simpler, funnier times back in junior high.

This feature is a pretty simple concept, old Cheech & Chong comedy routines animated. At first it reminds me of the Cokelogic animations of Opie & Anthony radio bits, but these are better and much funnier. All the classics are here like "Let's Make a Dope Deal," "Ralph and Herbie," "Dave's Not Here," "Sister Mary Elephant," and even Alice Bowie. Fun and nostalgic, bring your own munchies.

Lost Hits of the New Wave #35

"Twilight Zone" by Golden Earring

One of the reasons I started this Lost Hits of the New Wave series on my blog was to rail against the concept of the one-hit wonder, because they rarely are. For instance, neither "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats nor "Take on Me" by a-ha are one-hit wonders, much to the horror of many a VH-1 special. But Golden Earring is that rare but elusive true two-hit wonder.

Golden Earring's first hit, an FM radio staple in the 1970s, "Radar Love," in the days before the internet, was also the subject of many misheard lyrics discussions. How can it be 'radar love'? What the hell does that mean? Surely they must mean 'red hot love,' at least that makes sense. The haunting song, as much about driving as about telepathy, with the mysterious lyrics was released in 1973.

The Dutch band had been around since 1961, first known as the Golden Earrings, and are still active today, having scored dozens of hits in their homeland of The Netherlands in their long and distinguished career. They had to wait more than a decade for their second international hit however after "Radar Love."



From the 1982 album Cut featuring the iconic image of a playing card being shredded by a bullet, Golden Earring released the single "Twilight Zone." Fledgling music video network MTV picked it up almost immediately, although showing an edited version of the video, sans nudity.



While the obvious assumption is that the song is about the Rod Serling 1960s TV series of the same name, it's not. Sure, the pop culture reference is there, but listen to the lyrics, it's about something else. The song is about Robert Ludlum's novel "The Bourne Identity" that decades later became a successful movie franchise.


Rated R version

In their day Golden Earring toured the States often, notorious for their sometimes half-hour jam cover of "Eight Miles High" and the drummer catapulting into the audience at the climax of solos. Notably they were so big at one time that both KISS and Aerosmith opened for them during tours. After a Great Adventure concert ended in a fire tragedy in 1984 however, the band tended to stay away from the States and stick to smaller venues.