by Sam Juliano
I can already hear the piano billowing forth with the all-too-familiar strains of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance this evening at the Cliffside Park High School gymnasium where my middle child Danny will be graduating in an indoor venue now being utilized because of the expected heavy rain expected tonight. Three down and two to go!
The Television countdown has really taken off in a huge way, and I for one am so thrilled at the enthusiasm from the many writers who are gearing up for the massive project set to launch now on Wednesday, June 28th, and to finish on Saturday, September 23rd. There will be a brief hiatus from August 4th till August 12th, when my family and I will be at a Carolina seashore condo. In order to properly administer this project I need to break for that roughly one-week juncture, but it actually will help in one sense to allow for a writing regroup, falling as it does close to the halfway point. The results have been announced by Voting Tabulator Extraordinaire Angelo A. D’Arminio Jr., and have been released to the e mail chain of voters and writers, but will only be reported here peace meal in the traditional reverse countdown order. Nearly all the writing assignments have been claimed to this point. I am proud to announce that the opening essay (#80) will be written by our beloved Allan (Our Hitler), on that opening Wednesday, which will be featuring his favorite television miniseries/film of the 1980’s.
Lucille and I saw three cult classic at the Quad this past week, one of them an unquestioned stylistic and thematic masterpiece, two others well done for their genres:
Funeral Parade of Roses (1969; Japan) ***** (Wednesday) Quad
Lust in the Dust (1985) *** (Saturday) Quad
The Delta (1996) **** (Friday) Quad
Click on names for archives
Writers/Founders
Wonders in the Dark 
The last 10 films I’ve seen
1.Lydia (Julien Duvivier, 1941)
2. In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950)
3. Having a Wild Weekend (John Boorman, 1965) In his directorial debut, Boorman takes a crack at making a Richard Lester picture (A Hard Day’s Night was released the year before) and for the most part he succeeds, though as performers the Dave Clark Five lack the anarchic energy of the Beatles.
4. Phantom Lady (Robert Siodmak, 1944) Somehow Elisha Cook, Jr.’s cream-your-jeans drum solo made it past the censors.
5. The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966) In the late sixties Pontecorvo’s agitprop was used for recruitment and training by the Black Panthers. A disturbing precursor to contemporary ISIS terror tactics, including vehicular mass murder. This fictional recreation of history is a great, inflammatory work.
6. Desire (Frank Borzage, 1936) Sub Henry James, as aw-shucks Americanism collides with European jadedness. The sexual chemistry between Dietrich and Cooper scorches the screen, as it did in Morocco.
7. Play It As It Lays (Frank Perry, 1972) My impression of Perry is that he’s a hack, an ambitious one with a yen for dabbling in “deep” themes: mental disorders, rape, the miseries of the rich. Amid all the film’s coruscating angst, only Tuesday Weld, who’s never looked more glamorously deracinated, escapes unscathed.
8. He Ran All the Way (John Berry, 1951) A decent family under siege by a psychopath. No waste, no flab, short and taut (77 minutes) and sweatily claustrophobic. John Garfield’s last performance and one of his finest.
9. and 10. Umberto D (1952) and The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1971) Early and late De Sica masterpieces. Dominique Sanda takes my breath away every time I see her.
I’ve never seen Lust in the Dust, Sam. Was this Divine’s first film without John Waters?
Ah, Having a Wild Weekend, is really something worth tracking down. It some ways it’s a better film than A Hard Days Night, it just doesn’t have the magnetic attracting at the center—the Beatles are more immanently watchable than Dave and company, but elsewhere the film seems fresher and a bit more slyly subversive. Granted, it’s hard to remove a film from the subject matter at its center.
Also worth tracking down? Albums by the Dave Clark Five beyond mere greatest hits compilations. One gets the impression that Dave knew it was all a phony lark, thus he never took his craft or fame that seriously. The records don’t really show it, I’ve always been OK with the idea that the Dave Clark Five are in the running for greatest underrated 60’s bands. They were really that superlative.
Ah Mark, this is quite a sensational comment/report, one I am most appreciative to receive here my friend. And Jamie’s response on “Having A Wild Weekend” is also terrific!
Great that you saw that excellent Duvivier work! He was one of the greats from the French Golden Age and is really starting to win some well deserved appreciation.
Oh I must address your question before I forget. LUST IN THE DUST was indeed his first non-Waters film aside from a documentary, though he later made two others without his famed mentor, one a neo-noir helmed by Alan Rudolph.
UMBERTO D in my view is one of the greatest films of all time, and I also adore GARDEN OF THE FINZI CONTINIS. So, you calling them both masterpieces is dead on for sure!
If PLAY IT AS IT LAYS was Perry’s only film (though I like it more than you do) I could understand him being framed as a hack. But in my estimation he made four truly great films -DAVID AND LISA; DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE, THE SWIMMER and LAST SUMMER. Yes he made some duds too -a few which I recent saw at the Perry Festival- but with the Big Four his glowing reputation (for me) is assured. Nonetheless, I respect and understand your position.
I like Siodmak’s PHANTOM LADY quite a bit and consider THE BATTLES OF ALGIERS and IN A LONELY PLACE as supreme masterpieces.
I do like HAVING A WILD WEEKEND, but agree with Jamie the subject can’t compare with the Beatles’ presentation and for my taste neither with Lester’s spirited film making. But a wonderful film for sure.
Your terrific capsule of DESIRE is one I fully agree with. The players did indeed scorch the screen!
Have a great week my friend!
I was sorta hoping that someone wouldn’t come away from my comment as a slag on the Dave Clark Five or that very underrated film.
Jamie, I didn’t come away with that perception remotely. I stated flatly that your comment was “terrific” and voiced full agreement with the first part of your scene-specific assertion:
it just doesn’t have the magnetic attracting at the center—the Beatles are more immanently watchable than Dave and company……..
I also thought the second part of your comment made your case glowingly clear and I don’t at all dispute it, and I am a huge fan of the Dave Clark Five. For me overall, A HARD DAY’S NIGHT is a greater film than HAVING A WILD WEEKEND, or least the one I personally favor, but I can watch either anytime, anywhere. 🙂
Fabulous!!!!
Ha! The press always loved building up a “rivalry” between the groups:
Yeah, they were on the surface pretty similar, but in pure pop terms very different. If you love Motown as much as I do, you start to narrow the ‘gap’ that most see between the too groups. Dave Clark Five has a soul edge that the Merseybeat didn’t, not good not bad, just a fact. Then as the Beatles progressed that got even less soulful and more a pure intellectual European art act. Meanwhile, the Five were still laying down four on the floor near Motown stompers. Again, you have to go beyond mere hits packages:
That’s like English Four Tops essentially. Tremendous. Hell, even when they decided to approach a more arty side, they soul just oozed out in a different way;
Again, just a tremendously underrated act.
If you love Motown as much as I do…
Oh I do, I do. I am a lifelong Motown fanatic, though I am surely in a crowded room. And I fully agree with your addition here that the Dave Clark Five are far more than just greatest hits. They are one group I did follow fanatically back in the day, and through the years I’ve continued to explore them.
Well, there’s loving Motown and then there’s owning the entire 12 volume Complete Singles box (which is 45 cds worth of tracks)….
Regrettably I do not own that box (would love to get it at an affordable price) but I have amassed box sets and individual CDs of the most prominent Motown alumni as well as those artists associated with the label by way of form or subsidiaries like Tamla and Gordy. I do have comprehensive holdings of Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Michael Jackson, The Jackson Five, Martha and the Vandellas, The Isley Brothers, Edwin Starr, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Billy Preston, Tammi Terrell, Jimmy Ruffin, The Chi-Lites, The Commodores, Otis Redding, Al Green and Mary Wells and have some shorter collections. But that box set you feature is mighty alluring!
a few of these acts weren’t on Motown, but yeah, I share a love of most of them.
I own the set. I wouldn’t part for it for any price!
Thanks for accepting my ballot Sam. I am excited to follow the countdown and plan to add my two cents as much as possible.
Funeral parade eh? That’s a great film!
Congratulations to your son and the family!
Thanks so much Bill! Much appreciate the ballot and your promised attention for the countdown! Also appreciate the kind words for Danny and am thrilled we agree on FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES! Have an excellent week my friend!
Best Wishes Daniel!
Sam, I am sorry I couldn’t take you up on your offer to write a review for the countdown. But happy to hear you have everything under control. I am greatly looking forward to the festivities.
Karen, I completely understand. Getting your ballot was a treat! Thanks for the nice words for Dan! Have a wonderful week my friend!
Hey Sam!
Congrats to Daniel on his big achievement! I’m sure it’s been a fun time for all with the graduation festivities. We have been very busy with end of school things here as everything wrapped up last week. Now horse camp has commenced this week and then next week we head to Seattle/Olympic National Park/Mount Rainier for our summer vacation. We are all looking forward to it. I’ve been busy in the garden trying to keep everything watered. We’ve been very dry the last 3-4 weeks with some very hot weather. Finally cooling down now and hoping for rain. All the flowers and vegetables seem to be doing okay as I’ve been watering though.
Additionally, I’m really looking forward to this countdown. Catching up with television series is a very daunting task but I’m sure I’ll find a few series through this countdown that I want to tackle. Should be fun stuff and glad to be participating with a few essays of my own.
I caught this recently:
Hidden Figures: 3/4 = Good story and very good acting by the whole cast. Not any real surprises but it was entertaining.
Hope you have a great week Sam!
Thanks so much Jon, and sorry for not responding sooner. I thought I had by only discovered this morning I had not! Ugh. I am with you on HIDDEN FIGURES. Well enough done, entertaining but ultimately rather forgettable. Wow, that is some summer vacation for your family in the Pacific Northwest! I’m sure you all will have the most fabulous of times there, and I look forward to hearing all about it! Sorry to hear about that dry spell, though it seems all under control now. And thrilled to again have you aboard for yet another worthy countdown at the site. The enthusiasm has been quite a blessing, and the launch is practically sorted out now. Have a great week and best to you all!
All the best to Dan! Such a promising and talented young man! Have my eyes peeled on the tv countdown!
Thanks as ever Frank for your continuing support and kind words my great friend!
Sam — A great big HUGE congratulations to Danny. Two down and three to go. How cool is that?!
Aye Laurie, we have in one fell swoop on an unusually waterlogged June evening passed the half way point in our family’s graduation dynamic! Thanks ever so much fro the very kind words my great friend!
A hearty congratulations to Big Dan! Best wishes with whatever you decide on.
Thanks so very much Peter!! Much appreciated my friend!