Tag Archive: Disney


Mercury Rev: How does that old song go?

MERCURY REV live at Teatro Moderna,

Savignano sul Rubicone, Italy 13th September 2018

Mercury_RevThis is one of a limited series of concerts to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mercury Rev’s breakthrough album ‘Deserter’s Songs’.

At the time of release, this band from Buffalo, New York were at the point of imploding due to rapidly depleting sales. The songs were therefore composed with no real expectation that they would reach a wider audience and there was even some doubt that they’d even find a record label to put them out. Continue reading

The 3D magic of The Wizard Of Oz

THE WIZARD OF OZ directed by Victor Fleming (USA, 1939)

the-wizard-of-oz-posterI first saw The Wizard Of Oz in a fleapit cinema in my home town in the English Midlands when I was around 10 years old. The contrast between the rundown movie house and the glimmering images on-screen were striking.

Seeing it now for the umpteenth time in a lovingly restored 3D version brought back all the magic.

As a pre-teen in the 1960s, Disney was the dominant force for young adult films. The Love Bug, Jungle Book and Blackbeard’s Ghost were among my favorites at that time. I expected Oz to be a cartoon so it was a big shock to be confronted by a live action musical. And how was I supposed to categorize this movie?

On one hand it’s in the classic fairy tale tradition but the good versus evil themes were presented in a manner I hadn’t seen before and have rarely encountered since. Continue reading

PIRATE TEACHES MORALS

BLACKBEARD’S GHOST directed by Robert Stevenson  (USA, 1968)

blackbeard

What was your favourite movie when you were 10?

At that age, my tastes were strongly dictated by Disney so mine would have been a toss-up between Jungle Book and Blackbeard’s Ghost. The latter would probably have narrowly won by a hair of the dread pirate’s ragged whiskers.

Watching it again now, I can guess that one of main appeals was the way it pitched underdog outsiders against crooks and jocks.

It is based very loosely on real life 18th century pirate Edward Teach and a novel by Ben Stahl.

Blackbeard’s spirit has been wandering in limbo following a curse put on him by his aggrieved wife Aldetha as she was being burnt at the stake as a witch. Continue reading

DUMBO’S DOWN

Banksy in the USA

Banksy in the USA

War is hell!

Inspirational street artist Bansky has now scooped Wikileaks to bring you the exclusive video of Syrian soldiers targeting Disney’s favorite flying elephant.

Somebody call Colonel Hathi.

MICKEY MOUSE DOESN’T PLAY FAIR

If Joy Division had chosen an image of Mickey Mouse for the cover of their debut album, Disney’s corporate lawyers would have been on their backs as fast as you could say “globalized economic and commercial interests”.

So what is the difference when Peter Saville’s artwork for Unknown Pleasures is appropriated by the ubiquitous cartoon rodent for a T-shirt design?

This is not a ‘rock homage’ but a blatant rip-off and a sacrilegious one at that.

Sue the bastards I say!