The Night Of The Hunter

Sometimes you finally get around to watching what you've heard is a great film and end up disappointed.  This happened to us last year viewing The Rules of the Game (1939) by Jean Renoir, a movie on many Top Ten greatest film lists.  It was boring, pretentious, and way too obvious in its themes.

And then there is The Night of the Hunter, which we viewed last night and one of the finest films I've ever seen.  Released in 1955 and the only movie directed by actor Charles Laughton, The Night of the Hunter stars Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish, the great silent film star, in one of her few sound picture appearances.

Set in West Virginia during the Depression, Mitchum plays an itinerant preacher who has devised his own religion, based on a twisted interpretation of Christianity, while marrying widows, killing them and stealing their money.  With L-O-V-E tattooed on the knuckles of his right hand and H-A-T-E on the left he charms small town folk and mesmerizes his intended victims.  In this case, he plans to shake loose the secret location of a hidden $10,000 from the two young children of his newest wife (played by Shelly Winters with much more restraint than usual).  After murdering the woman he sets off to track down the children who have fled.  Lillian Gish plays the children's protector, a deeply religious woman who represents love in the struggle against hate.

This is an eerie and terrifying movie.  As AO Scott remarks in the video below, "While you're watching this movie you are like a child in the grip of a nightmare".  Mitchum is frightening whether charming, threatening, or both at the same time.  The film is shot using techniques from German expressionist films of the silent era, giving it a dreamlike quality.  The scenes and images from this film will stay with you for a long time.

A unique and unforgettable film, it was a commercial failure at the time and Laughton never directed another movie.  You can watch the cast and crew talk about the making of the film here.

When The Drums Stop

Jonathan Winters used to do a routine about the old movies of primitive tribes drumming in the background and one of the characters shouting "I can't take it anymore!  Those drums, drums, drums!  They're making me crazy!" and another character saying quietly "It's when the drums stop that we should worry."

From Assistant Village Idiot

Going Up The Country

In the late 1960s, Canned Heat became popular playing blues based songs - I saw them at Woodstock.  Their most popular was Going Up The Country.  Other hits were On The Road Again and Let's Work Together.  Like so many bands of that era they could not resist the temptation of drugs and the two founders, Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, both died of overdoses.

Though I knew their songs were based on older blues, until recently I'd not heard the song that inspired Going Up The Country.  It was Bull Doze Blues by Henry Thomas and Canned Heat closely followed the original musically, though Wilson rewrote the lyrics.  Thomas, born in 1874 to parents who were formerly slaves, was a hobo and itinerant singer who recorded 24 songs between 1927 and 1929.  Along with Bull Doze Blues, Thomas also recorded Honey Won't You Allow Me One More Chance (later adapted and recorded by Bob Dylan; this is Declan O'Connell performing the Dylan version) and Fishin' Blues, which THC featured in a post on Taj Mahal last fall, though I didn't know Thomas was the composer at the time.

Thomas is believed to have died in 1930 though no one knows for certain.

 

Reading For Pleasure

Until sometime in the 1980s there was only one library in Shanghai containing "forbidden" books; those that contravened Party doctrine and were unsuitable or even dangerous for the masses to be exposed to.  Access was limited to a small group authorized by the government.  Books could be taken out by those authorized though they were carefully tracked to ensure return.  If you knew one of that favored group, and they were willing to take a little risk, they could pass on a "forbidden" book to you to read and then return to them for return to the library.

If you wanted to reread the book and since there were no copy machines, you had one option - make a handwritten copy for yourself.  

Told this by a friend who lived there and read some of those books.

Something to keep in mind as we look at the future.

It Makes No Difference

Well, I love you so much
That it's all I can do
Just to keep myself from telling you
That I never felt so alone before 

The saddest of love songs from The Band.  Composed by Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko on the plaintive lead vocal, and Garth Hudson on the little saxophone. 

 

 

Rockin' The Rest

 From 1990 on, the last part of the My Concert series (I'll continue to update this):

 

November 14, 1997

U2

Smashmouth

Pro Player Stadium

Miami, FL

 

Took the THC daughter and two of her friends. Although we were quite a way from the stage our seats were directly in line with the speakers and it was incredibly loud (and I like loud music).  My ears were full of static for several days after.

 

August 20, 2001

Crosby, Stills and Nash

Oakdale Theater

Wallingford, CT

 

Talked into going to this by my sister.  Thought CSN would sound outdated and they had this reputation back in their heyday of not sounding good in concert.  I went and I was wrong. Very good show.  Their harmonies were tight and David Crosby's tenor was strong and beautiful.  Suite: Judy Blue Eyes was about 10 times better than the recorded version.

 

June 15, 2002

Elvis Costello & The Imposters

Oakdale Theater

Wallingford, CT

 

When I Was Cruel tour.  The Imposters were The Attractions without bassist Bruce Thomas, who'd been fired by Elvis. Another terrific Costello concert with three encores, the final one ending with Lipstick Vogue followed by I Want You, which is a very, very creepy ballad and a very, very odd, but Elvis-like choice, to end a concert.

 

September 10, 2003

Steely Dan

Oakdale Theater

Wallingford, CT 

Good, solid but not great show by one of my favorite bands.

July 14, 2007

Los Lonely Boys

New Haven Green

New Haven, CT

An outdoor, free concert on the Green in downtown New Haven on a balmy summer evening, sitting on the grass and listening to Henry, JoJo and Ringo Garza, the brothers of Los Lonely Boys.  Guitar-driven improvising, climaxed with a 20+ minute version of Onda.  Felt like I was back in 1971.  Very underrated band that was not as popular as it should have been.

 

April 15, 2008

Elvis Costello

Tony Bennett

Saturday Night Live Studio

NBC 30 Rock

New York City 

In 2008-9, Elvis filmed 20 shows for Spectacle TV in which he interviewed other musicians and then they performed separately and together.  Filming was done in the Saturday Night Live Studio, which was cordoned off into a smaller area with seating for about 250-300 people.  At the time, I worked for GE which owned NBC and a couple of people at 30 Rock knew I was an Elvis fan and got me tickets so I took Mrs THC and two close friends.  Tony Bennett was immensely cool.  He sang The Way You Look Tonight.  His voice was no longer what it once was, but he sang that song so beautifully I teared up. Elvis is a fine interviewer and the conversation was lively.  Diana Krall, Elvis' wife was seated in front of us (we were three rows from the stage) and Tony impulsively went out into the audience and pulled her up to perform a song with him.  A memorable evening.

May 28, 2009

Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Tarrytown Music Hall

Tarrytown NY

Robert Randolph is a unique entertainer and along with The Family Band one of the best club and party acts you will ever see.  Everyone in the audience was standing for the entire show.  Randolph plays pedal steel like lead guitar.

 

June 10, 2009

Elvis Costello

Beacon Theater

New York City

The Sulphur to Sugarcane tour with Elvis supported by a country band with no drummer.  Excellent, as usual.  32 songs, including encores.  Highlight was The Delivery Man.

 

March 5, 2014

Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Crescent Ballroom

Phoenix, AZ

Mrs THC and I raised the average age in the club by several years.  Awesome show by the awesome Robert Randolph.  Here's a clip from that show.

June 15, 2014

Kenny Wayne Shepherd featuring Robert Randolph

Ridgefield Playhouse

Ridgefield, CT

Ace guitarist Shepherd and ace pedal steel player Randolph, a dynamite combo.

August 14, 2014

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Simsbury Meadows

Simsbury CT

Susan Tedeschi's voice and Derek Truck, master of the slide guitar, are a perfect pair, as husband and wife and musicians.  Unexpectedly started off with a creative cover of Traffic's Who Knows What Tomorrow Will Bring.

 

April 8, 2016

Elvis Costello

Larkin Poe
Mesa Arts Center

Mesa, AZ

Mostly an Elvis solo show, with occasional backing by Larkin Poe and Nils Lofgren.  Heavy media with clips of Elvis' musician dad and Elvis in his early days.  Reimagined versions of songs from his huge catalogue.  This venue was designed for concerts and the sound quality was amazing.  We were in the last row of the 4th balcony and the sound was crystal clear.

 

September 2017

Los Lobos

Criterion Theatre

Bar Harbor, Maine

 

A fun time in a small venue (several hundred seats).  Thirty years after first seeing them the band still sounded fine and David Hidalgo's voice had held up well. 

November 2017

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Orpheum Theater

Phoenix, AZ

 

As good as the last time around. 

November 16, 2019

The Black Keys

Talking Stick Resort Arena

Phoenix AZ

This was one fine rock n roll show.  The sound quality was clear and crisp, particularly for large arena.

November 5, 2021

Tommy Emmanuel

Mesa Arts Center

Mesa AZ

Back to live music!  What a great guitarist and showman.

November 10, 2021

Elvis Costello & The Imposters

Federal Theater

Phoenix AZ

 

Elvis once again.  No opening act.  Played for 2 1/2 hours.  New stuff, old stuff, in between stuff.  His voice is not what it once was, but still a fine show.  Played half the songs I heard at his first concert in 1977. 

May 17, 2023

Billy Strings

Financial Theater

Phoenix AZ

Had wanted to see Billy since discovering him in the fall of 2021.  Outstanding show.  Nearly three hours highlighted by a 30 minute combo of several songs including Hide and Seek.  Incredible guitarist and the players in his band (banjo, fiddle, upright bass, mandolin) are just as good.

 

April 15, 2024

Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain

Casa de Christo Lutheran Church

Scottsdale AZ 

 

Been a fan for years. Good musicians with a great sense of musical humor.  Covered everything from ZZ Top to Robert Palmer, The Clash, Willie Nelson, a medley of Live on Mars/My Way/For Once in My Life/Substitute/Born Free, The Muppet Show Theme, the Bond movie theme, to Black Sabbath's Paranoid intertwined with Dance of the Sugar Plum Fair.  Also a straight and gorgeous version of Dreams by The Cranberries and closed with Kiss' God Gave Rock n Roll to You. 

 

May 28, 2024

Molly Tuttle

Musical Instruments Museum Theater

Phoenix AZ

 

Molly is part of the new bluegrass thing along with Billy Strings and Sierra Hull.  A terrific show with a mixture of originals, bluegrass (lovely version of Shady Grove), and rock covers featuring She's A Rainbow by the Stones and Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit.  None of the covers were straight; all introduced unique elements. 

 

March 5, 2025

Chicago

Celebrity Theater

Phoenix AZ

 

A last minute invite from a friend; had not known they were still touring. A fun show though the sound balance could have been better.  Played their hits (of which there were many) and most popular cuts off their albums.  Musically, they miss their phenomenal original guitarist (Terry Kath) and drummer (Danny Seraphine) but still enjoyable.  Only three of the original members are still with the band.  

 

March 16, 2025

Taj Mahal

Musical Instruments Museum Theater

Phoenix AZ 

 

I first heard Taj in the late 60s but had never seen him perform.  He's now almost 82 and moving a lot slower than he used to but his voice and playing was as strong as ever.  Played electric, acoustic, and steel guitar, ukelele, banjo, and keyboards.  An eclectic mix of country blues, roots music, reggae and even Hawaiian music.  A fun show.

 

December 10, 2025

Billy Strings

BOK Center

Tulsa OK

 

Fantastic long show by Billy and the boys.  Only knew about 1/3 of the songs but it did not make any difference.  Next morning visited the Bob Dylan Center.