I like music and I like movies. Therefore it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that I like music movies. Either movies which star musicians, or which feature music prominently. Best though are the movies which give you healthy doses of both - say “Jailhouse Rock” or “A Hard Day’s Night”.
Obviously not all music movies appeal to me. The genre has for instance produced very little of any substance over the past two decades or so. Unless, that is, the likes of “Glitter” (2001) or “Crossroads” (2002) happen to tickle you fancy. But like the stars whose riches and fame they were supposed to further, they leave me completely cold. I must admit though, that I have a soft spot for “Spiceworld – The Movie” (1997) - if only for its sheer and utter camp silliness.
A music movie doesn’t have to be “good” in the conventional sense - if there is such a thing - for one to get some sort of enjoyment out of it. Neither, for that matter, does the music. For example, one of my all-time favourite music movies happens to be “Can’t Stop the Music” (1980), starring the otherwise awful Village People, whose music I am not a fan of - and that’s putting it mildly…unless it’s accompanied by the surreal visual entertainment which this movie certainly is.
I think I am not a film snob…at least not in the traditional sense. “Oscar nominated” is a turn-off term as far as I’m concerned, and the mere sight of the name “Steven Spielberg” in the credits produces nothing but a bored yawn from yours truly.
Furthermore, “production values” aren’t high on my list of priorities when it comes to films – any kind of films – and most of the best music movies made, in my opinion, have been fairly “low budget”. From some of Elvis’ early films in the late ‘50s to the Ramones’ “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School
From time to time in the foreseeable future, if my interest and stamina in this blog persist, I plan to write about some of the music movies which fuel my fire. But here and now I am going to begin with a couple of my absolute all-time favourites; the aforementioned “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” (1979), a long-time popular cult favourite, and the much lesser known “Get Crazy” (1983) – both of which were directed by veteran director Allan Arkush, who was also kind enough to answer few of my stupid questions via e-mail regarding both of these films as well as his career. Be sure to check that out later on in this piece.
“Rock ‘n’ Roll High School
Starring: P.J. Soles, Vincent Van Patten, Clint Howard, Dey Young, Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Dick Miller, The Ramones.
Riff Randell (Soles), a student at Vince Lombardi High, is the self-proclaimed “Number one Ramones fan”. And, to make a long story short, much to the dismay of hard-ass principal Miss Togar (Woronov), she states a student rebellion with no little help from the Ramones themselves.
The sub-plot centres round Kate’s (Young) and Tom’s (Van Patten) awkward romance orchestrated by resident student entrepreneur, cum match-maker Eaglebauer (Howard).
On paper, it’s classic and silly teen movie cliché, but the execution is an effortless and enjoyable romp which doesn’t take itself too seriously nor tries too hard.
But the icing on the cake is an excellent concert scene showing the Ramones at the top of their game. Although you don’t have to be a Ramones fan to enjoy this film, it helps…
As well as including some classic, top notch Ramones music (“Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Teenage Lobotomy”, “Pinhead”, the title tune), the soundtrack also contains the likes of Devo, Nick Lowe, Eddie and the Hot Rods, and Brian Eno.
Favourite quote: “These Ramones are peculiar; they’re ugly, ugly people” (Miss Togar).
“Get Crazy” (1983)
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Daniel Stern, Allen Garfield, Gail Edwards, Ed Begley Jr., Anna Bjorn, Lou Reed, Lee Ving, John Densemore, Howard Kaylan, Bobby Sherman, Fabian Forte, Dick Miller, Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Clint Howard.
What a cast! With a “slightly” bigger budget than “R&RHS”, Arkush assembles the ultimate cast of cult figures and musicians from all across the spectrum. Although reportedly, he had to make some compromises. Tom Hanks instead of Daniel Stern ? Well, that would’ve been an altogether different movie…
An homage to Arkush’s days as an usher at the legendary Fillmore East theatre in New York City around 1970, the movie is set on New Year’s Eve 1982, when small-time promoter Max Wolfe (Garfield
The plot also involves slick big-time promoter Colin Beverly (Begley), who wants Max’s business.
Meanwhile, the romantic angle comes in the form of Neil’s (Stern), Max’s assistant and stage manager, and Willie’s (Edwards), the former stage manager, over-the-top-love-at-first-sight, instant attraction to one another.
Needless to say, this being an Allan Arkush movie, there’s plenty of silliness here as well with Bartel, Ving (then the singer of notorious L.A.
The excellent soundtrack contains exclusive original songs by Sparks
Sadly, this film is largely forgotten nowadays - due in no small part to its unavailability on DVD - a situation not very likely to be rectified any time soon, according to Arkush himself, “due to issues with the sound elements” (Source: Wikipedia.org).
Favourite quote: “Ég hef aldrei séð annað eins!” (Anna Bjorn as Countess Chantamina)
Icelandic newspaper ad for "Get Crazy", featuring Icelandic actress/model Anna Bjorn. An oddly interesting sidenote: Whitey in exile.
Allan Arkush
Born April 30, 1948 in Jersey City, New Jersey. Reportedly while a student at the New York University, he studied under Martin Scorcese.
In the film industry, he got his start in the trailer department of Roger Corman’s New World Pictures in the early ‘70s. Co-directed his first film, the Corman-produced “Hollywood Boulevard” in 1976 with trailer dept. colleague Joe Dante (“Gremlins”). Be sure to check out “Trailers from Hell”, which feature both Arkush and Dante, on YouTube.
Another Corman-production, “Deathsport” (1978) was his first lone-directed feature. Starring David Carradine (“Death Race 2000” , TV’s “Kung-Fu”) and Claudia Jennings (Playboy’s Playmate of the Year 1970, “Unholy Rollers”. She sadly died a year later in an auto accident), “Deathsport” was an obvious knock-off of “Death Race 2000” (1975. Also starring Carradine as well as a certain Sylvester Stallone – a year before “Rocky”).
However, Arkush’s main claim to fame was also filmed in 1978: “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” (1979), featuring the almighty Ramones.
Arguably, in retrospect, one of the best music movies of all time. But at the time reviews were mixed and extranaous efforts were made to distance The Ramones from the burgeoning backlash to the Punk movement. After all – inspite of having inspired both the Clash and the Sex Pistols – the Ramones were “just” a pop group; the Beach Boys and the Bay City Rollers via Iggy & the Stooges. But New Wave was a way safer term than Punk in ’79.
For his next feature, Arkush opted for something completely different. “Heartbeeps” (1981) was a love story. About robots. The late Andy Kaufman starred along with the always alluring Bernadette Peters. Randy Quaid was in there somewhere too. And Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov and Dick Miller as well. A pattern was starting to materialize. Nonetheless, the critics and the public alike were left unimpressed.
“Get Crazy” (1983) was yet another commercial and critical flop. However, the sheer zany quality of this film still shines through (see above).
It seems that after the all-around failure of “Get Crazy”, Arkush moved towards TV work in a big way. And so, except for the fatal feature side-step “Caddyshack II” in 1988, since the mid-‘80s he’s been involved, either as a director or as a producer (or both - in some cases), in practically every sort of episodic television show, from “Fame” to “Heroes” - taking in the excellent “Ally McBeal” (the “dancing baby” episode, no less) and “Moonlighting” (the Ray Charles episode, no lesser) along the way.
In between, he’s had time to do music videos as well. Famously, he’s directed everyone from Joey Ramone to Frank Sinatra. Or the other way round.
His latest music movie was a TV-take on “The Temptations” (1998). It’s about time, then...
And Now: The Allan Arkush e-mail Interview:
“Rock & Roll High School”Q: Initially, according to producer Roger Corman, “Rock & Roll High School” started life as a disco exploitation film. What made you take such a U-turn?
Allan Arkush: I NEVER WANTED TO DO A DISCO MOVIE BUT WE FIGURED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT MADE WAS TO AGREE WITH ROGER. THEN WE STARTED A REWRITE AND PREP. AT AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT, WHEN IT CAME TIME TO PICK THE MUSIC WE EXPLAINED TO ROGER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISCO & ROCK MUSICALLY & CULTURALLY. HE IS A VERY SMART MAN & UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE MOVIE WAS TRYING TO SAY MUSICALLY & STORYWISE AND HOW THEY HAD TO GO HAND IN HAND. ROCK IS THE MUSIC OF REBELLION NOT DISCO.
Allan Arkush: I NEVER WANTED TO DO A DISCO MOVIE BUT WE FIGURED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT MADE WAS TO AGREE WITH ROGER. THEN WE STARTED A REWRITE AND PREP. AT AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT, WHEN IT CAME TIME TO PICK THE MUSIC WE EXPLAINED TO ROGER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISCO & ROCK MUSICALLY & CULTURALLY. HE IS A VERY SMART MAN & UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE MOVIE WAS TRYING TO SAY MUSICALLY & STORYWISE AND HOW THEY HAD TO GO HAND IN HAND. ROCK IS THE MUSIC OF REBELLION NOT DISCO.
Q: Were you aware of the Ramones beforehand? Were you a fan? Were they then always intended as the main objective? What was it like working with them? Their legendary status has certainly grown…
AA: I WAS AWARE OF THE RAMONES FROM HEIR FIRST LP. I LIKED THEM BUT DIDN’T LOVE THEM UNTIL THE THIRD LP ROCKET TO RUSSIA. THEY WERE ONE OF SEVERAL BANDS BEING CONSIDERED. THE MORE I FOUND OUT ABOUT THEM AND THEIR SURROUNDING CULTURE VIA MAGAZINES LIKE “PUNK” THE MORE THEY SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT CHOICE. SIRE RECORDS & THEIR MANAGEMENT REALLY HELPED A LOT. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT IDEA TO PUT THEM IN THE MOVIE.
I WISH I COULD SAY THAT I KNEW HOW SIGNIFICANT THEIR LEGACY WHOULD BE. BUT I CAN’T. I JUST LOVED THEIR MUSIC AND IMAGE. IT WAS RIGHT FOR OUR STORY & ADDED BOTH HUMOR & TRUTH. JOEY AND I BECAME LIFELONG FRIENDS DURING & AFTER THE SHOOTING. MARKY & JOHNNY WERE GUYS I COULD TALK TO & HANG WITH. JOHNNY HAD AN ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF HORROR & SCI FI FILMS, SO WE SHARED A LOT. THEY DIDN’T LIKE ALL THE WAITING AROUND WHILE SHOOTING BUT WHEN THE CAMERAS ROLLED THEY GAVE IT THEIR ALL. I LOVE THEM IN “DO YOU WANNA DANCE”. AND THEY WERE HEROES ON THE CONCERT DAY, IT WAS ALMOST 2O HOURS OF PLAYING AND THEY NEVER COMPLAINED, THEY JUST ROCKED IT ALL DAY LONG
I WISH I COULD SAY THAT I KNEW HOW SIGNIFICANT THEIR LEGACY WHOULD BE. BUT I CAN’T. I JUST LOVED THEIR MUSIC AND IMAGE. IT WAS RIGHT FOR OUR STORY & ADDED BOTH HUMOR & TRUTH. JOEY AND I BECAME LIFELONG FRIENDS DURING & AFTER THE SHOOTING. MARKY & JOHNNY WERE GUYS I COULD TALK TO & HANG WITH. JOHNNY HAD AN ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF HORROR & SCI FI FILMS, SO WE SHARED A LOT. THEY DIDN’T LIKE ALL THE WAITING AROUND WHILE SHOOTING BUT WHEN THE CAMERAS ROLLED THEY GAVE IT THEIR ALL. I LOVE THEM IN “DO YOU WANNA DANCE”. AND THEY WERE HEROES ON THE CONCERT DAY, IT WAS ALMOST 2O HOURS OF PLAYING AND THEY NEVER COMPLAINED, THEY JUST ROCKED IT ALL DAY LONG
Q: L.A. scenester Rodney Bingenheimer has a brief cameo as the Ramones’ driver. I seem to recall hearing/reading someplace that “Eaglebauer” (played brilliantly by the very underrated Clint Howard) was based loosely on him. Any truth in that?
AA: NO TRUTH TO THAT. THE CHARACTER WAS BASED ON YOSSARIAN IN JOSEPH HELLER’S “CATCH 22” & TONY CURTIS’S CHARACTER IN BLAKE EDWARDS “OPERATION PETTICOAT.” WE AT FIRST WANTED AN ACTOR NAMED EDDIE DEEZAN WHO WAS VERY NERDY. HIS AGENT SAID NO, WE WENT TO CLINT WHO I KNEW FROM WORKING WITH HIM ON “GRAND THEFT AUTO.” CLINT WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE, I CAN’T CONCIEVE OF ANOTHER EAGLEBAUER. THE NAME IS TAKEN FROM A CHARACTER IN ERNST LUBITSCH’S “DESIGN FOR LIVING.”
"The Girl Can't Help it" (1956) and "Shake, Rattle and Rock!" (1956) reportedly both influenced the writing of "Rock 'n' Roll High School".
“Get Crazy”
Q: Lou Reed has often been perceived as notoriously “difficult”. Was he? His performance certainly seems relaxed…
Q: Lou Reed has often been perceived as notoriously “difficult”. Was he? His performance certainly seems relaxed…
AA: LOU HAD STRONG OPINONS, DIDN’T WANT TO APPEAR SILLY WHICH IS A VERY REASONABLE POINT OF VIEW BUT HE WAS ALSO AWARE OF THE SATIRICAL ASPECTS OF HIS CHARACTER. HIS IDEAS AND TASTE SHAPED THE CHARACTER IN VERY POSITIVE WAYS & STOPPED AUDEN FROM BEING CORNY IN ANY WAY. LOU IS NEVER CORNY OR SENTIMENTAL. HE DIDN’T LIKE BEING ON THE SET BUT VERY FEW SINGERS DO. HE WROTE US AN EXCELLENT SONG WITH A BEAUTIFUL GUITAR SOLO AND FOR THAT I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. HE AND I HAVE HAD MANY NICE ENCOUNTERS OVER THE YEARS. HE IS A ROCK GOD. THE MAN WHO HELPED MAKE ROCK GROW UP AND DEAL WITH ADULT THEMES. I HAVE EVERY ALBUM HE AS EVER RECORDED. HE IS A GENIUS.
Q: Ex-teen idols Fabian (Forte) and Bobby Sherman were brilliantly cast as Ed Begley Jr.’s lackies, which were basically extensions of the hall monitors in R&RHS. Were they good sports about the whole thing?
Q: Ex-teen idols Fabian (Forte) and Bobby Sherman were brilliantly cast as Ed Begley Jr.’s lackies, which were basically extensions of the hall monitors in R&RHS. Were they good sports about the whole thing?
AA: GREAT SPORTS & SO MUCH FUN TO WORK WITH. THOSE COMIC RHYTHMS ARE NOT EASY & THEY REHEARSED TO GET THEM JUST RIGHT. HADN’T THOUGHT ABOUT THE CONNECTION TO THE HALL MONITORS, BUT MAYBE SO.
Q: Visually, Daniel Stern resembles – no offense! - a younger Allan Arkush. Yet another reference to the Fillmore East days?
Q: Visually, Daniel Stern resembles – no offense! - a younger Allan Arkush. Yet another reference to the Fillmore East days?
AA: YES ABSOLUTELY BUT NOT BECAUSE OF ANY PHYSICAL REEMBELENCE. IT WAS IN THE STORY. THE WHOLE MOVIE IS A BROAD COMEDIC SHOUT OUT TO THE FILLMORE EAST.
Q: For personal reasons: Anna Bjorn. Elaborate…
Q: For personal reasons: Anna Bjorn. Elaborate…
AA: I LIKED HER IN AMERICAN GRAFITTI 2 AND WHEN SHE READ FOR THE PART SHE BROUGHT A LOT TO IT. SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL, EXOTIC & SEEMED ROYAL, RICH & POILED - THE PRINCESS CHANTIMEA, IS AN HOMMAGE TO PRESTON STURGES’S “THE PALM BEACH STORY”. SAME CHARACTER NAME. SHE’S VERY FUNNY & WE BECAME FRIENDS.BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN HER IN 20 YEARS
Generally…
Q: Roger Corman. Your thoughts.
Generally…
Q: Roger Corman. Your thoughts.
AA: HE GAVE ME MY CAREER BY BELIEVING IN MY TALENTS AND GIVING ME A CHANCE. I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL. I WISH THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM IN THE BUSINESS TODAY. IT WAS GREAT TO WORK FOR A REAL FILM MAKER WHO COULD ARTICULTE WHAT HE WANTED TECHNICALLY, & IN A LARGER SENSE. A RARE COMBINATION OF FINANCIAL ACUITY & ARTISTIC VISION. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. MY FAVORITE MOVIES THAT HE DIRECTED ARE BUCKET OF BLOOD, THE TRIP, AND MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH.
AA: DYLAN, GRATEFUL DEAD, DUKE ELLINGTON, MILES DAVIS, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, LOU REED, ELLA FITZGERALD, RUTH BROWN, THE STAX-VOLT SOUND, THE WHO, HENDRIX, MONK, IGGY POP, NATURALLY THE BEATLES & THE STONES, LOUIS ARMSTRONG, CURTIS MAYFIELD, JONI MITCHELL, TALKING HEADS, DOO WOP MUSIC, THE R&B OF ATLANTIC RECORDS, THE TEMPTATIONS, DARLENE LOVE, NEIL YOUNG, JAMES BROWN, CHRISSIE HYNDE, THE KINKS, DION, MUDDY WATERS, HOWLIN’ WOLF, GARAGE ROCK, JONI MITCHELL………………THE RAMONES
Q: The casting in your films is always so inspired. From Lee Ving and John Doe to Dick Miller, via Moronov & Bartel. Discuss.
AA: MOST OF THESE PEOPLE YOU MENTIONED ARE BOTH FRIENDS & ACTORS, SO THERE S A LOT OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION INVOLVED, A SHORT HAND. I MISS PAUL BARTEL A LOT, HE WAS A LOVELY MAN. MARY WORONOV IS A RENNAISANCE WOMAN. DICK MILLER IS A PART OF FILM HISTORY.
CASTING IS SOMETIMES EVERYTHING. YOU CAST A PERSON BECAUSE THEY ARE THE CHARACTER & THEN YOU HAVE DONE THE BULK OF YOUR DIRECTING. WHEN I FIRST STARTED DIRECTING IN THE MID-70’S ROGER CORMAN SENT ME TO JEFF COREY’S ACTING CLASSES TO LEARN ABOUT WORKING WITH ACTORS. WHAT I LEARNED THERE WAS INVALUABLE ESPECIALLY THE BASIC’S OF METHOD ACTING. MUCH OF MY TELEVISION WORK IS DEPENDENT ON WHAT I LEARNED FROM JEFF. TRUST THE ACTOR, MEET THEM HALF WAY. I LIKE WORKING WITH ACTORS, THE BEST ONES MAKE ME LOOK GOOD.
Q: The Temptations TV-movie caused some controversy. Did that make you in any way apprehensive? Believe me, the “music movie” is your forte…
AA: I WASN’T AWARE OF ANY CONTROVERSY OTHER THAN EVERYBODY REMEMBERS THE PAST DIFFERENTLY & HAS THEIR OWN VERSION OF PAST EVENTS.
I LOVE DOING MUSIC MOVIES.
Very special thanks to Allan Arkush for his time, effort, talent and films!
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