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The Burlesque Assassins is the first feature film of Canadian writer / director Jonathan Joffe, whose previous short films have earned him 20 awards and screened at over 50 festivals worldwide.

The Burlesque Assassins. Beautiful, deadly, and a vital weapon in the war against communism and tyranny that threaten our freedom.
Created during WWII by the lovers turned resistance fighters Johnny Valentine and Katarina Molotov, The Burlesque Assassins used the feminine charms of the dancehall to lure their way within killing distance of the top ranking members of the Nazi regime. Their mission, SEDUCE AND DESTROY.

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John Waters, one of my favorite film directors. I watched his version of Hairspray (1988), Cry Baby (1990) and A Dirty Shame (2004).

Cry baby has a very interesting cast: Johnny Depp, Ricki Lake (before she lost a lot of weight), Iggy Pop (we all know Iggy don’t we?), Traci Lords (she became infamous for appearing in pornographic films as a minor). Although it’s another wild boy and square girl fall in love story, John Waters gives it his own twist, by creating over the top caracters, like Cry baby’s sister, Pepper, who is pregnant tough girl, as well as her friend ‘Hatchet-Face’, the ugliest girl in town. Those creatures against the pretty soft eyed square girl Allison, who’s supposed to date the rich and educated guys. But she is intrigued by the motorcyclist Cry Baby and his rough crew.

Her jealous boyfriend arranges a riot, during a party of Cry Baby’s grand parents, so he ends up in jail and Pepper’s children are taken away from her. Of course all ends well, but in the meantime you can enjoy the music.

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What is it about the past that makes us want it more?

Is it the fact that we always look back on the romantic moments? It could be that listening to your grand parents or parents version of events make you smile. Even I find my self longing for my child hood once more, and i’m only 20!! Although that is because I have been recently thrown into the ‘real world’.

Lets face it, the past is the future!

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If you like hillbilly, bluegrass, blues or country music you should see this movie. If you like George Clooney, you should see this movie. If you like Alison Krauss,… oh what the h#… everyone should see this movie. Oh Brother where are thou, starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Goodman.

This movie from 2000 starts with three prisoners Everett, Delmar and Pete, escaping, while chained to eachother. Their goal is to find the 1,2 million that Everett stole and buried. On their way to that treasure they have some peculiar encounters. A blind man on a railroad vehicle, predicting their future with some strange details, like a cow on a roof.

They meet a young guitarist Tommy Johnson, with whom they record a song “I am a Man of constant sorrow” under the name of Soggy Bottom Boys. This song is written by T-Bone Burnett, who by the way also produced most of the songs on the soundtrack.
In a swamp like environment they get enchanted by the sweet voices of three sirens, singing “Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby”. Actually the sweet voices of Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch. Not the tempting ladies on the screen who turn one of them into a frog. Robbing a bank is part of their adventure too.

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Christina Aguilera and Cher are the leading ladies in this  movie about a Burlesque club. Smalltown girl Ali, leaving for California to make it bigtime. Bumping into a Burlesque club, which she thought was a stripclub. This art of dancing puts a spell on her, and immediately she wanted to climb on that stage as soon as she can, but it would take a lot of humiliation and hard work before she could even audition. So she started working as a waitress at the club of clubowner Tess (Cher).

The story contains all the classic drama, boy meets girl, can’t get girl, girl wants boy, they argue, make up and fall in love. And a bit of a feel good line too. So not too much to expect in here.

What I like about the movie are some songs very well sung bij Christina, like Etta James’ “Something’s got a hold on me”. I’m not a fan of Cher’s low voice, but the song: ” Welcome to Burlesque” really fits the movie. The music selection is a mixture between Jazz, Soul, Blues, and other classic styles, perfectly fit for Burlesque. But also pop songs. Somewhere at the end Tess/ Cher sings the song: “You haven’t seen the last of me”, to me it really was out of place in here. Intended to add drama into the scene where Tess hit rock bottom, probably, but the song itself was a bit too pop for me.

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Today, september 7th, would be Charles Hardin Holley’s 74th birthday. Charles who?
He is better known as…….Buddy Holly.

In 1978 a movie “The Buddy Holly story” had been released.
You’ll see Buddy Holly as an early teenager in Lubbock, Texas and how he rolls into the world of rock and roll with his good friends and bandmates, drummer Jesse Charles (Don Stroud) and bass player Ray Bob Simmons (Charles Martin Smith), soon to be known as The Crickets. They start to record in Nashville, Tennessee, but Buddy walks out when his musical ideas clash with the producer’s.

Eventually, he finds a more flexible producer, Ross Turner (Conrad Janis), who, after listening to their audition, allows Buddy and the Crickets to make music the way he wants.
While there, he meets Turner’s secretary, Maria Elena Santiago (Maria Richwine). His budding romance with her nearly ends before it can begin, when her aunt initially refuses to let her date him, but Buddy persuades her to change her mind. On their very first date, Maria accepts his marriage proposal and they are soon wed.
Watch part of the movie:

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Today we’re honoring the memory of the King.  So I’m going to start this review by saying that I’m a huge fan of Elvis.  Elvis’s music is a big part of why I’m involved in this scene.  I’ve been to Graceland three times and I’m playing on a fourth visit as soon as I can.  When I’m a good mood, the music I always find myself listening to is that of Elvis Aaron Presley.

Hail to the king baby!

Having said all that, my favorite “Elvis” movie is not a movie that Elvis actually starred in. It’s more of a movie about Elvis (and by extension fame) than an actual “Elvis movie” really.  I am, of course talking about Don Coscarelli film version of Joe R. Lansdale’s Bubba Ho-Tep.

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