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in A.V. Club
by
Jason Heller, 13 May 2008
Heller discusses the early years of James Brown, back before he perfected "that recipe of ego, testosterone, pride, vulnerability, and superhuman showmanship that would one day become his cartoonish public image," and before he was making funk; when his music was still "pure, four-on-the-floor, beat-the-fuck-out-of-your-instruments R&B." Though the article sprawls in places, it's the Rolling Stone-esque style and eye for descriptive detail (excerpted here) that makes it an engaging read.
Posted 5:07, 14 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Andy Jones
and edited by Brijit.
in A.V. Club
by
Steven Hyden, 12 May 2008
In bands with multiple lead singers, things can get complicated. Hyden briefly explores how groups operate when the microphone is shared. From those who have tended to give the lead to whoever writes the song, like The Beatles or Drive-By Truckers, to more communal vocal groups like The Band or the Beach Boys, to bands with a recognizable leader but other prominent vocalists like Fugazi or Grateful Dead, there's a lot going on behind the music. Brief as the exploration is, it's a reasonable thesis for some future, extended study.
Posted 2:46, 13 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Greg DeSantis
and edited by Brijit.
in A.V. Club
by
Tasha Robinson, 9 May 2008
Robinson writes a tribute to the teen sex comedy genre -- particularly those of the 1980s, the final decade before it was marred by pie coitus. Fast Times has an honesty to it and explores the dichotomous nature of young adulthood in a "charming" way: "With boobs." Even the nudity and sex, Robinson convincingly asserts, is treated positively and naturally, not exploited as in raunchy modern derivations. It's a smart appreciation for teenage characters who seek sex for its simple pleasures, rather than its power.
Posted 4:05, 12 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Brehm
and edited by Brijit.
in A.V. Club
by
Sean O'Neal, 8 May 2008
For 30 years, Lloyd Kaufman has run Troma Entertainment, producing ridiculously low-budget blood and excrement-splattered films that include the Toxic Avenger series and his latest, Poultrygeist, a "musical" devoted to the horrors of fast food consumption. While his films have never won any major awards, his admirers include the likes of directors Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino along with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. O'Neal's interview with Kaufman is laugh-out-loud funny in parts, revealing a complex, relentlessly lowbrow filmmaker who never takes himself too seriously.
Posted 9:40, 11 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Elliot Feldman
and edited by Brijit.
in A.V. Club
by
Josh Modell, 6 May 2008
Taste Test is not for the squeamish this time around. Fishy snack treats such as sesame-seed eel spines, dried sardines with disturbing facial expressions, and potato chip squid are all on the menu. Volunteers are difficult to find, but the courageous nibblers find the squid the least disgusting, packing a satisfying crunch. The sardines smell horrible, and their faces suggest that they died screaming, with mouths agape. The least fishy are the eel spines, though they are sharp enough to cut your throat on the way down. Lucky readers get not only funny descriptions but even color pictures for your enjoyment.
Posted 4:51, 8 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Lonnette Harrell
and edited by Brijit.
in A.V. Club
by
David Wolinsky, 7 May 2008
On paper, it sounds great: A consistently witty and underappreciated comedian is the featured interview of a satirical weekly that has a knack of getting the best out of its interview subjects. Yet for the majority of Wolinsky's Q&A with Amy Sedaris, it's like watching the back story develop on-screen in a critically acclaimed comedy when all you really want are a few good punch lines. The laughs never really come, but Sedaris does discuss the quirks of interview pal David Letterman as well as the possibility of reviving her cult show Strangers With Candy, making it a somewhat interesting piece.
Posted 4:35, 8 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Scott Heisel
and edited by Brijit.
in A.V. Club
by
Noel Murray, 5 May 2008
In the latest Popless, Murray tackles some musical big guns. The Grateful Dead, Grandmaster Flash, and Guns N' Roses are among those dusted off for a reappraisal, but it's his revised opinion of the initially dismissed Guided by Voices and the reasoning behind it that raise the most interesting ideas. Those who've been following Murray's endeavor since the beginning might be alarmed that the concept -- alphabetically only up to G -- is already feeling a little tired, however the passionate and knowledgeable writing manages to keep it afloat, for now.
Posted 9:47, 8 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Stuart Millard
and edited by Brijit.
in A.V. Club
by
Tasha Robinson, 4 May 2008
Spanning decades, countries, and the spectrum of high and low culture, this all-encompassing list shows that no matter where you look, you can find controversial film directors. As the list makes clear, these artists' way of life is intertwined with their art -- while many use shock value to get attention, most of them don't even see their perspective as shocking. Whether their work is political (Michael Moore, Oliver Stone), sexual (John Waters, Catherine Breillat) or just awful (the notorious Uwe Boll), they believe provocative is the only way to be.
Posted 3:54, 6 May 2008
This abstract was written by
David Arey
and edited by Brijit.
Judging by the fact that Ryan hasn't seen a single Star Trek film or a minute of Battlestar Galactica, it's not that strange that he never saw Alien. For the purposes of the feature though, he invested in the Alien Quadrilogy box set and was not disappointed, describing Alien as "a terrifying, brilliant film," from the cast to the score. Ryan particularly enjoys the lack of unnecessary exposition, noting that the film simply "starts, keeps you uneasy, then ends." In addition to offering some insightful impressions of the film, this entertaining feature also includes two video clips so readers can enjoy a bit of Alien themselves.
Posted 10:53, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in A.V. Club
by
Scott Tobias, 1 May 2008
Tobias offers an entertaining analysis of I Am Cuba, a 1964 Communist propaganda film that was "the strange, beautiful, misbegotten lovechild that resulted from the marriage" of Soviet and Cuban interests. While the film, which portrays greedy Westerners taking advantage of oppressed Cubans, flopped when it was initially released, Tobias hails the cinematographers, who made the most of the virtually unlimited resources provided to produce it. The film is awash with experiments with wide-angle lenses as well as "whooshing camera moves." However, not much else can be praised about the film, as its "politics are naïve at best, and more often just laughable."
Posted 2:45, 2 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.