Directors need to Get over the Ratings System
In response to the film This Film is Not Yet Rated and its critique of the ratings system of the film industry, I think that there are elements of it that are necessary to the well-being of the film industry as a whole, but that there are elements of it that are disturbing to me personally. For one thing, it has been in the hands of the same man for the past several decades, and he holds his employees to strict secrecy. To me this seems to suggest that something is being hidden which isn’t meant to be revealed, at least by the people in charge of film ratings
As for the ratings system itself, I think that it is necessary to the industry to ensure that the film’s audience is restricted as much as possible to an audience that can handle the content of the film. You wouldn’t want your five year old, for example, to watch Superbad. The system itself is flawed, though, in that DVD releases and the internet enable underage children to gain access to content they shouldn’t have access to. As for the directors who produce these NC-17 movies and then complain that they get the rating, all I really see are directors trying to push the envelope of the system and complain for the sake of complaining. In most cases, the movies border on pornographic; do we really need that kind of image even in a mature audience? Is it really necessary to the overall quality of the film to see 40 “pelvic thrusts” as This Film is Not Yet Rated describes them? Get over it. Showing racy content to portray a particular emotion or feeling in the movie is one thing, but most NC-17 films go too far from what I’ve seen. In addition, look at the amount of R Rated films these days – the numbers and amount of violence is going up. 300 for example showed plenty of artistic, slow-motion shots of decapitations, severed limbs, and more blood than a slaughterhouse. Do we really need this amount of violence? Look at Rome – they watched live killings at the Coliseum, and their empire fell apart. Are we becoming so desensitized to sex and violence? I can’t answer that, but the gratuity in which it’s portrayed in today’s world can’t help, and I think that it’s important we have the ratings systems to help control who views what films. I believe it’s important that directors be able to make a film exactly how they want to make it, and maybe some marketing pressure could be taken off of NC-17 films, but I share the opinion of one of the interviewees on This Film is Not Yet Rated in that a ratings system will not stop people from seeing a good movie, and it will not draw people to a bad movie; if the film is good, pople will come; if it’s not, they won’t.
Libertad = Rock and Roll Liberation
When Velvet Revolver released its debut album, Contraband, few would have guessed, given the short longevity of super-groups in today’s industry, that Libertad would not even be made. Not only was it made, but it shows a new degree of musical sophistication above its predecessor. Velvet Revolver’s sophomore album picks up where the first left off with a refreshing, in-your-face hard rock opus.
The first track, “Let it Roll,” kicks the album into high gear right from the start, utilizing a hard-hitting riff that will leave you feeling like you’re in the middle of a 1000mph tailspin straight for the ground. “Get out the Door” shakes all the lead out at the beginning of the album, Scott Weiland’s choppy vocals bringing a sassy, almost Aerosmith-like sound. “She Builds Quick Machines” turns it up another notch; break out the air guitars and crank it up, because this hard-rocker will leave you floored. There’s something about it that is almost reminiscent of being in an old muscle car, mashing the pedal, and listening as the engine pounds harder and harder.
With “The Last Fight,” Velvet Revolver shows its Guns N Roses roots with a power ballad. It lacks the power of “Fall to Pieces” off Contraband, but still displays the musical versatility of VR, one of the reasons they have lasted. Perhaps one of the best tracks on the album, though, is a remake of Electric Light Orchestra’s “Can’t Get it Out Of My Head.” Scott Weiland’s amazing vocal range shines through on this piece. It takes a soft ballad, and with a little innovation, hardens the sound without losing the power. In fact, I personally would call it stronger than the original. The final track, “Gravedancer,” ends the album on a soft note, in a style very reminiscent of Weiland’s days as lead vocalist of Stone Temple Pilots.
Libertad without a doubt shows a great deal of musical genius on Velvet Revolver’s part. In the face of the much punk-based, screamer/emo rock that dominates the airwaves these days, it’s good to see that some true masters of the business can still rock, and produce an album worth listening to.
Iraq War Pictures
My class material reaction for this week is on the picture of American caskets from the class blog site, and the government’s right to censor war images and media in general.
The picture in question shows several rows of caskets loaded on what appears to be a cargo aircraft, maybe a C-130, each of them covered by American flags. American soldiers are scanning over each, making sure that the flags are in place. In my personal opinion, images like this are vital to the American media. Personally, I’ve been against the war in Iraq from the very beginning, and I think that it’s important images like this are shown to the public – that this is the consequence of America going to war. Maybe it will make us think a little harder before blindly giving support to a war with no foundation or purpose. While I admire the fact that our troops have gone to Iraq with the intent to help the people there, I think that our president’s motives are a great deal different than liberating the Iraqis, and I have believed since the Iraqi invasion began that Bush’s professed “War on Terror” is a war that will never be won. Some might argue that these images should not be shown because they are too graphic for the public. But I ask, then, what is your reality? This is real. To not show them would be giving the public a false sense of what the Iraq war, and war in general is really like. This war is the center of a great deal of controversy any way it is approached, but one thing that should not change is whether or not it is portrayed exactly as it is.
April 5, 1994: The Day the Music Really Died
Seattle, Washington is known for many things: The Space Needle, The Seahawks, and Starbucks to name just a few. To rock and roll, however, it was the cradle of the grunge movement. The music of this time moved away from the teary-eyed power ballads and synthesizer-driven “glam metal” of the 1980’s, digging into the social issues that plagued American society, and doing so intimately and unapologetically.
At the helm of this musical revolution was Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. Growing up in Washington, Cobain saw through his own two eyes a darker side of America – he himself was raised in a broken home and a heavy heroin user. Through his experiences, though, he developed a unique perspective on the world that translated into his music. What made Cobain’s music so influential is that he was among the first to touch on a darker side of the world, dealing with issues such as isolation, religion, and abortion to name a few. Though the lyrics of many Nirvana songs are vague at best, it is this poetic obscurity that somehow makes the message all the clearer: America itself was confused about where it stood socially. Kurt may have been branded a spokesman for “Generation X,” but a chronicler of the social face of America may have been a better description. One can hear the almost sick sarcasm in Cobain’s lyrics. “You Know You’re Right,” features, for instance, the lines “Things have never been so swell, and I have never felt this well.” Ironically, this was Nirvana’s last single, recorded just months before Cobain’s (supposed) suicide. The chorus in “All Apologies” reads “In the sun / In the sun I feel as one / in the sun / in the sun / I’m married / buried” also conveying a contradicting sarcasm of sorts.
All that changed on April 8, 1994, when Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home, the cause of death a (supposedly) self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head – the date of death was placed at April 5, 1994. Whether or not his demise was murder or suicide still remains the subject of a great deal of controversy, but it seems that with Cobain’s death, the grunge movement began moving in different directions. While groups like Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains still carried on a critical eye in their music, the foundation fell unstable, and soon began to give way to a softer period both lyrically and musically speaking. Groups like Foo Fighters (featuring Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl on lead vocals and guitar) and Stone Temple Pilots still held to their grunge roots, but took on a more radio-friendly sound that has only continued to grow more and more watered down over time. There were still screamers, there were still heavy beats, and even the punk groups Nirvana drew inspiration from came back into style. Some groups such as Rise Against show promise by still holding a magnifying glass to society, but in general the flair had left. The spark had faded. Grunge had become alternative, alternative into another animal completely.
Every once in a blue moon, a great person is put on this earth to make waves. Kurt Cobain, a hero to the questioning young teenager, and demon to the overbearing parent, was one such man of charisma, and though his life was cut short, his music and his legacy will live on well into the future.
The Decline of the Newspaper?
The newspaper; there’s something sophisticated and refined in scrolling through a volume of thin, gray newsprint. Though years ago this form of media may have been highly popular and informative, the 21st century, it seems, has other plans in store. From its earliest origins in ancient China, to modern issues featuring Paris Hilton on a daily basis, the newspaper has evolved into a useful tool in finding the news of the day, and yet, its future is also in question.
One of the biggest threats to the future of the American newspaper was the advent of the computer. With access to news AND internet chess just a click away, many are now resorting to online sources to get their information, whether it be an online newspaper, or otherwise. Free of charge, a their fingertips, is a newspaper in a more agreeable format.
The growing distrust of the sensationalism of the media may be another attributing factor to the declining newspaper industry. Sensationalism, however, is nothing new to the profession. It can be both entertaining, and/or a stretch on the truth. Yellow Journalism in the 1890’s led to American involvement in the Spanish-American War. Because of the spin that Joseph Pulitzer and Randolph Hearst placed on their material, the public was perhaps led to believe that the situation in Cuba was worse than it really was. Similarly, the attention placed on today’s pop-culture icons draws both appeal and discouragement in the public eye.
The newspaper itself may never really die out as a form of media, but the prospect of it declining is certainly possible, and also unfortunate. The American newspaper today is not the same as it was during its advent, though whether or not it still functions as a tool worthy of keeping around is something only the readers can decide.
How the West Was Won
On September 25, 1980, John Bonham was found dead, putting to an end one of the greatest bands in the history of rock and roll. Led Zeppelin was no more. With a reemerging interest in classic rock (and, consequently, Led Zeppelin) among the nation’s youth, it is disappointing that this younger generation will never be able to enjoy Led Zeppelin live in their prime. However, a 3-disc compilation of live tracks from several 1972 west coast shows allows a new breed of Zeppelin fans to get as close to the real thing as possible. How The West Was Won shows how Led Zeppelin truly won the hearts of its fans, by being masters of the live performance.
What is immediately striking in the opening tracks “LA Drone/Immigrant Song” is how heavy the band sounds live. The studio version of “Immigrant Song” pales in comparison. Jon Bonham’s thundering drums, paired with guitar virtuoso Jimmy Page’s driving guitar instantly stuns the listener, begging for more. If “Immigrant Song” was heavy, the blues-driven “Heartbreaker” takes it one step further, it’s main riff dragging like a sack of lead. Of course, to have a Led Zeppelin compilation without “Stairway to Heaven” is an unforgivable sin. Break out the lighters, for this album delivers, Robert Plant’s soft crooning and Page’s guitar pairing for a song that still holds its potency over thirty years later.
Disc 2 opens up with a Led Zeppelin fan’s dream, a 25-minute rendition of “Dazed and Confused.” This bluesy-groove shows how Zeppelin’s song writing prowess enabled them to create a song that reflects emotion not only lyrically, but musically. The slow, pondering mood of the song fits the title perfectly. In contrast, “Dancing Days” pays homage to the hippie days, but still shows an undying musical genius. Disc 2 ends with an extended version of “Moby Dick,” an instrumental piece showcasing nearly twenty minutes of John Bonham’s drumming prowess, and why he was such an integral part of the band’s longevity.
Disc 3 features the hard-driving “Rock and Roll,” only ten times louder and heavier than any studio version. Page’s guitar cuts through riff after riff like a saw-blade, John Bonham and John Paul Jones keeping beat in flawless perfection. A 9-minute version of “Bring it on Home” ends the album with the listener begging for more.
In the end, nothing can truly replace hearing Robert Plant’s shrill scream live, but How The West Was Won does the next best thing by bringing a set of amazing lost tracks to the ears of a new generation of Zeppelin fans.
