Monday, August 25, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Top Ten Skimpiest Superheroine Costumes
A staple of all superhero movies is the scene of the hero suiting up–pulling on his mask and gloves, stepping into his boots, affixing his cape and buckling his utility belt. But for a lot of superheroines, instead of suiting up, they have to strip down to get ready for action. From Mary Marvel to Wonder Woman, Power Girl to Storm, superwomen tend to have smaller, more revealing costumes than supermen. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. (And people wonder why there are so many more male superhero comics readers than female ones.)
10. The Savage She-Hulk
Not the She-Hulk we've come to know and love over the last, oh, 20 years or so, the one who would become a member of the Fantastic Four and the Avengers; the one who would come to be able to control her transformations and keep her sharp, lawyer's mind even while all hulked-out. That She-Hulk has long ago taken to wearing a sort of one-piece bathing suit costume that fits her like a body glove. Form-fitting yes, but hardly skimpy enough to land a place on this list.
No, I'm talking about the Shulkie in her original appearances, in the late '70s, 25-issue series The Savage She-Hulk (The one collected in the Essential Savage She-Hulk trade). This Shulkie was a lot more like her cousin Bruce Banner, whose gamma-irradiated blood, given to her in an emergency transfusion, was responsible for her turning into a female Hulk. Unable to control her metamorphous, Jen Walters would explode out of whatever outfit she happened to be wearing at the time, one that was several sizes too small.
Just as Banner always seemed to be wearing purple pants that tore at the knees when he hulked out, Jen was always wearing white tank tops, which tore along the sleeves, and hem the exact same way each time, giving her a plunging a neckline and just managing to cover most of her butt (presumably, whatever was underneath her rags was the first to be busted out of, but they never really got into that).
9. Supergirl
There have been at least half dozen Supergirls since Superman's cousin from Krypton first appeared back in the Silver Age (her first appearance is collected in Showcase Presents: Superman Vol. 1). As time has progressed, her outfits have grown progressively skimpy: The first Supergirl looked like a bobbysoxer, with a knee length skirt. By the '70s, she was rocking a miniskirt and a v-neck jersey. In the 90's, it was a belly-exposing ringer t-shirt. When Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner reintroduced a new version of her in Superman/Batman in the '00s, she was wearing her tiniest outfit ever. She retained the midriff-baring top, and her skirt had shrunk to a micro-mini, smaller than Batman's utility belt (Seeing as how she flies around in that tiny skirt, high above the heads and telephoto lenses of the paparazzi, one imagines the Internet in the DC Universe is loaded with up-skirt shots of the Girl of Steel).
Ironically, though she has one of the smaller costumes in the DC Universe this side of Starfire, she also has the biggest, longest cape. You think her prudish cousin would make her dress a little more conservatively, and cut a few inches off that cape to add to her skirt.
8. Fire
This former Justice Leaguer, currently co-starring in DC espionage series Checkmate, has had a variety of costumes over the years, most of them rather dated and lame-looking. But when she activates her superpower, whatever she's wearing disappears, burned off by the green flame from which she gets her power. Like a green female version of Marvel's Human Torch, she appears as a flying, naked figure, flames obscuring the details you'd only be able to see if she had a Vertigo book. On Cartoon Network's animated Justice League Unlimited series, the producers gave her a slightly more modest costume—when she turned her flame on, flaming pasties and panties appeared around her erogenous zones. Either way, it's a pretty hot look.
7. The Engineer
The Authority's resident scientist and communications officer traded in her blood for nine pints of nanotechnology, which coats her naked body and can shape-shift into a variety of weapons and tools, giving her impressive super-powers. Not to mention the appearance of a naked metal lady. In a sense, you could say she's one of the least skimpily dressed superheroines, as she's technically covered head to toe in a sheath of metal, but the metal's apparently so thin and form-fitting that the result looks like she's not wearing anything at all. The amount of detail readers see of her body depends on the artist drawing her.
6. Tigra
This former Avenger is probably the Marvel superhero most loved by the Furries in the reading audience. A woman with tiger-like powers—agility, speed and, um, stripes?—she wears perhaps the smallest costume in the Marvel Universe (not counting Namor, The Sub-Mariner, of course). It looks like she simply pulled a black string bikini off the rack, threw it on, and went to
Avengers Mansion. Oh well, when you've got striped-skin, I guess you want to show off as much of it as possible.
5. Shanna the She-Devil
Like Tigra, this Marvel heroine's costume consists simply of a bikini (Shanna’s is made of brown fur, however, since she's a jungle-woman who hangs out in the
Savage Land). So why is she one place ahead of Tigra on the list? Thank Frank Cho, the writer/artist responsible for the Marvel Knights Shanna the She-Devil miniseries. Like all of Cho's women, Shanna was so full-figured it seemed like her costume could explode at any second and, apparently, in his original pencils for the series, the costume did explode now and then, as well as slipping off. Rumors that Marvel will eventually release a Max version of the series, including occasional nudity, have long circulated, but is apparently still under consideration.
4. Red Sonja
Originally created for the comics as a Conan with boobs, this barbarian woman has seen a creative renaissance of late, thanks to Dynamite Entertainment's acquisition of the licensing rights and publication of a well-regarded monthly series and scads of miniseries and one-shots. Dynamite changed a lot about the character from her old days as a Marvel heroine, but not her costume—she still wears "armor" that, as a villain recently told her, barely protects her modesty, let alone her body. Consisting simply of a bikini made of widely-spaced chain-mail, it looks like she was wearing a glue bikini to a casino when she won the jackpot on a slot machine. She also wears a shoulder pad, so all together, about three-percent of her body is protected by armor.
3. Witchblade
Detective Sara Pezinni acquired a magical weapon known as the Witchblade, and apparently lost her shirt in the process. As well as her pants, socks, bra and panties. The 'blade can morph and shift into a variety of arrangements, making it the ideal weapon/costume combo. Particularly if the bearer of the 'blade wants to work on her tan while fighting evil, as in the Top Cow comics, Pezinni's Witchblade is like a morphing metal set of pasties and panties, with a knife attached (On the TNT TV adaptation, she wore a more concealing costume, perhaps because it's harder to skirt the laws of gravity in live action that it is on the comics page.
2. Vampirella
Sure, her costume may cover more surface area than some of the ladies higher on the list, but when it comes to scantily clad superheroines, Vampirella is a classic. She was wearing her strange, red bathing suit (like a bikini bottom with strategically positioned suspenders to hold it up) long before it was fashionable for superheroines to be exploding out of tiny costumes, and has been featured in more pin-ups than Bettie Page by this point. Like most superwomen, her costume has gotten smaller and smaller over the years, but unlike most of them, hers started out really small–way back in 1969. The skimpiness of her costume is accentuated by her accessories, too. In addition to the big, black boots, which cover more of her than the rest of her costume does, she has a little white, pointed, Dracula-like collar comically attached to the top. Hey, she wouldn't be a vampire if she didn't have a pointed collar, now would she?
1. War Woman
The star of writer Chuck Austen and artists Tom Derenick and Norm Rapmund's short-lived and controversial title Worldwatch was War Woman, a thinly veiled, more thinly garbed analogue of Wonder Woman. Like The Authority, which Austen often compared the book to (Saying it was like The Authority, only with more sex), most of the characters on the team were analogues of Justice Leaguers and Avengers. War Woman discusses her ever shrinking costume with a peer, noting that ever since one of their tops came off in a battle, they've all decided to wear less and less in the way of clothes (One of her teammates, Sgt. Mercury, is a speedster who runs around topless at superspeed). War Woman's costume is barely there, a pair of panties and pasties with some random chunks of armor here and there around her extremities, but unlike the other ladies on this list, she's often seen lounging around in various states of undress. Despite all the naked super-people and sex scenes, the title only lasted three issues. I guess comic readers like having something left to their imagination after all.
10. The Savage She-Hulk
Not the She-Hulk we've come to know and love over the last, oh, 20 years or so, the one who would become a member of the Fantastic Four and the Avengers; the one who would come to be able to control her transformations and keep her sharp, lawyer's mind even while all hulked-out. That She-Hulk has long ago taken to wearing a sort of one-piece bathing suit costume that fits her like a body glove. Form-fitting yes, but hardly skimpy enough to land a place on this list.
No, I'm talking about the Shulkie in her original appearances, in the late '70s, 25-issue series The Savage She-Hulk (The one collected in the Essential Savage She-Hulk trade). This Shulkie was a lot more like her cousin Bruce Banner, whose gamma-irradiated blood, given to her in an emergency transfusion, was responsible for her turning into a female Hulk. Unable to control her metamorphous, Jen Walters would explode out of whatever outfit she happened to be wearing at the time, one that was several sizes too small.
Just as Banner always seemed to be wearing purple pants that tore at the knees when he hulked out, Jen was always wearing white tank tops, which tore along the sleeves, and hem the exact same way each time, giving her a plunging a neckline and just managing to cover most of her butt (presumably, whatever was underneath her rags was the first to be busted out of, but they never really got into that).
9. Supergirl
There have been at least half dozen Supergirls since Superman's cousin from Krypton first appeared back in the Silver Age (her first appearance is collected in Showcase Presents: Superman Vol. 1). As time has progressed, her outfits have grown progressively skimpy: The first Supergirl looked like a bobbysoxer, with a knee length skirt. By the '70s, she was rocking a miniskirt and a v-neck jersey. In the 90's, it was a belly-exposing ringer t-shirt. When Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner reintroduced a new version of her in Superman/Batman in the '00s, she was wearing her tiniest outfit ever. She retained the midriff-baring top, and her skirt had shrunk to a micro-mini, smaller than Batman's utility belt (Seeing as how she flies around in that tiny skirt, high above the heads and telephoto lenses of the paparazzi, one imagines the Internet in the DC Universe is loaded with up-skirt shots of the Girl of Steel).
Ironically, though she has one of the smaller costumes in the DC Universe this side of Starfire, she also has the biggest, longest cape. You think her prudish cousin would make her dress a little more conservatively, and cut a few inches off that cape to add to her skirt.
8. Fire
This former Justice Leaguer, currently co-starring in DC espionage series Checkmate, has had a variety of costumes over the years, most of them rather dated and lame-looking. But when she activates her superpower, whatever she's wearing disappears, burned off by the green flame from which she gets her power. Like a green female version of Marvel's Human Torch, she appears as a flying, naked figure, flames obscuring the details you'd only be able to see if she had a Vertigo book. On Cartoon Network's animated Justice League Unlimited series, the producers gave her a slightly more modest costume—when she turned her flame on, flaming pasties and panties appeared around her erogenous zones. Either way, it's a pretty hot look.
7. The Engineer
The Authority's resident scientist and communications officer traded in her blood for nine pints of nanotechnology, which coats her naked body and can shape-shift into a variety of weapons and tools, giving her impressive super-powers. Not to mention the appearance of a naked metal lady. In a sense, you could say she's one of the least skimpily dressed superheroines, as she's technically covered head to toe in a sheath of metal, but the metal's apparently so thin and form-fitting that the result looks like she's not wearing anything at all. The amount of detail readers see of her body depends on the artist drawing her.
6. Tigra
This former Avenger is probably the Marvel superhero most loved by the Furries in the reading audience. A woman with tiger-like powers—agility, speed and, um, stripes?—she wears perhaps the smallest costume in the Marvel Universe (not counting Namor, The Sub-Mariner, of course). It looks like she simply pulled a black string bikini off the rack, threw it on, and went to
Avengers Mansion. Oh well, when you've got striped-skin, I guess you want to show off as much of it as possible.
5. Shanna the She-Devil
Like Tigra, this Marvel heroine's costume consists simply of a bikini (Shanna’s is made of brown fur, however, since she's a jungle-woman who hangs out in the
Savage Land). So why is she one place ahead of Tigra on the list? Thank Frank Cho, the writer/artist responsible for the Marvel Knights Shanna the She-Devil miniseries. Like all of Cho's women, Shanna was so full-figured it seemed like her costume could explode at any second and, apparently, in his original pencils for the series, the costume did explode now and then, as well as slipping off. Rumors that Marvel will eventually release a Max version of the series, including occasional nudity, have long circulated, but is apparently still under consideration.
4. Red Sonja
Originally created for the comics as a Conan with boobs, this barbarian woman has seen a creative renaissance of late, thanks to Dynamite Entertainment's acquisition of the licensing rights and publication of a well-regarded monthly series and scads of miniseries and one-shots. Dynamite changed a lot about the character from her old days as a Marvel heroine, but not her costume—she still wears "armor" that, as a villain recently told her, barely protects her modesty, let alone her body. Consisting simply of a bikini made of widely-spaced chain-mail, it looks like she was wearing a glue bikini to a casino when she won the jackpot on a slot machine. She also wears a shoulder pad, so all together, about three-percent of her body is protected by armor.
3. Witchblade
Detective Sara Pezinni acquired a magical weapon known as the Witchblade, and apparently lost her shirt in the process. As well as her pants, socks, bra and panties. The 'blade can morph and shift into a variety of arrangements, making it the ideal weapon/costume combo. Particularly if the bearer of the 'blade wants to work on her tan while fighting evil, as in the Top Cow comics, Pezinni's Witchblade is like a morphing metal set of pasties and panties, with a knife attached (On the TNT TV adaptation, she wore a more concealing costume, perhaps because it's harder to skirt the laws of gravity in live action that it is on the comics page.
2. Vampirella
Sure, her costume may cover more surface area than some of the ladies higher on the list, but when it comes to scantily clad superheroines, Vampirella is a classic. She was wearing her strange, red bathing suit (like a bikini bottom with strategically positioned suspenders to hold it up) long before it was fashionable for superheroines to be exploding out of tiny costumes, and has been featured in more pin-ups than Bettie Page by this point. Like most superwomen, her costume has gotten smaller and smaller over the years, but unlike most of them, hers started out really small–way back in 1969. The skimpiness of her costume is accentuated by her accessories, too. In addition to the big, black boots, which cover more of her than the rest of her costume does, she has a little white, pointed, Dracula-like collar comically attached to the top. Hey, she wouldn't be a vampire if she didn't have a pointed collar, now would she?
1. War Woman
The star of writer Chuck Austen and artists Tom Derenick and Norm Rapmund's short-lived and controversial title Worldwatch was War Woman, a thinly veiled, more thinly garbed analogue of Wonder Woman. Like The Authority, which Austen often compared the book to (Saying it was like The Authority, only with more sex), most of the characters on the team were analogues of Justice Leaguers and Avengers. War Woman discusses her ever shrinking costume with a peer, noting that ever since one of their tops came off in a battle, they've all decided to wear less and less in the way of clothes (One of her teammates, Sgt. Mercury, is a speedster who runs around topless at superspeed). War Woman's costume is barely there, a pair of panties and pasties with some random chunks of armor here and there around her extremities, but unlike the other ladies on this list, she's often seen lounging around in various states of undress. Despite all the naked super-people and sex scenes, the title only lasted three issues. I guess comic readers like having something left to their imagination after all.
Top 10 Songs Over 10 Minutes Long
Until Bob Dylan released “Like a Rolling Stone” in 1965, there’s was basically a hard and fast rule that pop songs had to be easily digestible nuggets that clocked in at only a few minutes long. The industry lived and died by singles that could get ample radio airplay. “Like a Rolling Stone” shattered this barrier and expanded the palette an artist could use to create music. This was, of course, a blessing and a curse, because not just any musician had the ability to create extended works that worked. The following is a list of my PERSONAL FAVORITE Top 10 Songs Over 10 Minutes Long. P.S. Just so you know, JAZZ & LIVE VERSIONS NOT INCLUDED (that wouldn’t really be fair).
#10 “Angola Anthem” by Dr. John (17:35)
A heady stew of bayou rhythms and voodoo chants, “Angola Anthem” is the quintessential headphones romp. You can practically feel the heat simmering from the swamp as Dr. John, in full Night Tripper mode, leads the charge for a spine-tingling workout over 17 minutes long.
#9 “Svefn-G-Englar” by Sigur Ros (10:04)
Greeted by pings of sonar, “Svefn-G-Englar” is what I imagine a humpback whale sounds like as it swims the dark waters of the North Atlantic. The Icelandic quartet makes music of another world. Put this on and float away.
#8 “Babe, I’m on Fire” by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (14:45)
Possessed by the spirit of desire, and with all the passion and drama of a Pentecostal preacher, Nick Cave leads his Bad Seeds through over 14 minutes of organ squeals, guitar freakouts and a musical sermon that’ll leave you sweating, exhausted, and speaking in tongues.
#7 “Fun House [Take 3]” by The Stooges (11:29)
This is cheating just a bit, but I couldn’t stop myself from including an alternate take of “Fun House” from the Stooges classic 1970 album of the same name. Iggy is in top form here, grunting, screaming and strutting his way through over 11 minutes of raw power. Ron Asheton’s blistering guitar work and the brutal rhythm laid down by drummer Scott Asheton and bassist Dave Alexander makes this a high point in the Stooges short, but brilliant, career.
#6 “Maggot Brain” by Funkadelic (10:19)
Other than a righteous opening monologue, “Maggot Brain” is a tour-de-force showcase for guitarist Eddie Hazel, recorded in only one take. According to legend, George Clinton, under the influence of LSD, told Hazel to play the song like his mother had just died.
#5 “Mother Sky” by Can (14:29)
Taken from Soundtracks, a collection of film music released in 1970, “Mother Sky” features Can’s new vocalist, Damo Suzuki. Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit lay down a repetitive chugging rhythm with inspired jazz inflected drumming. Add to that Michael Karoli’s improvised guitar, Irmin Schmidt’s keyboard noodling, and Suzuki’s incomparable vocal twists and you have pure Krautrock bliss!
#4 “Marquee Moon” by Television (10:40)
Combining the instrumental prowess of 1960s jam bands with the attitude and snarl of punk, Television’s Marquee Moon is one of the best records of the 1970s. The epic title track is a sprawling guitar workout that features the twin attack of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. Simply sublime.
#3 “Echoes” by Pink Floyd (23:28)
Filled with extended instrumental passages and other worldly sound effects, “Echoes” is a side long 23 minute sonic exploration that stands one of the most diverse and ambitious compositions of the Floyd’s storied career. You can hear a similar underwater vibe that Sigur Ros admirably recreated on its 1999 album, Ágætis byrjun (see #9 above).
#2 “Voodoo Chile” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience (15:05)
An extended blues featuring a landmark Hendrix guitar solo and soulful Hammond B3 by guest, Steve Winwood. Joe Satriani puts it best, “It’s just the greatest piece of electric guitar work ever recorded. In fact, the whole song could be considered the holy grail of guitar expression and technique. It is a beacon of humanity.”
#1 “Desolation Row” by Bob Dylan (11:21)
Dylan practically invented the long form rock song and “Desolation Row,” from 1965’s Highway 61 Revisited, is perhaps his crowning achievement of this niche genre. Featuring sublime Spanish-style acoustic guitar (by Charlie McCoy) and surreal poetry influenced by Jack Kerouac, T.S. Eliot, and John Steinbeck, “Desolation Row,” finds Dylan using (as scholar David Tuffley notes) “a rich set of cultural and religious stereotypes as metaphors to describe the lunacy of mainstream 1960’s American society.”
#10 “Angola Anthem” by Dr. John (17:35)
A heady stew of bayou rhythms and voodoo chants, “Angola Anthem” is the quintessential headphones romp. You can practically feel the heat simmering from the swamp as Dr. John, in full Night Tripper mode, leads the charge for a spine-tingling workout over 17 minutes long.
#9 “Svefn-G-Englar” by Sigur Ros (10:04)
Greeted by pings of sonar, “Svefn-G-Englar” is what I imagine a humpback whale sounds like as it swims the dark waters of the North Atlantic. The Icelandic quartet makes music of another world. Put this on and float away.
#8 “Babe, I’m on Fire” by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (14:45)
Possessed by the spirit of desire, and with all the passion and drama of a Pentecostal preacher, Nick Cave leads his Bad Seeds through over 14 minutes of organ squeals, guitar freakouts and a musical sermon that’ll leave you sweating, exhausted, and speaking in tongues.
#7 “Fun House [Take 3]” by The Stooges (11:29)
This is cheating just a bit, but I couldn’t stop myself from including an alternate take of “Fun House” from the Stooges classic 1970 album of the same name. Iggy is in top form here, grunting, screaming and strutting his way through over 11 minutes of raw power. Ron Asheton’s blistering guitar work and the brutal rhythm laid down by drummer Scott Asheton and bassist Dave Alexander makes this a high point in the Stooges short, but brilliant, career.
#6 “Maggot Brain” by Funkadelic (10:19)
Other than a righteous opening monologue, “Maggot Brain” is a tour-de-force showcase for guitarist Eddie Hazel, recorded in only one take. According to legend, George Clinton, under the influence of LSD, told Hazel to play the song like his mother had just died.
#5 “Mother Sky” by Can (14:29)
Taken from Soundtracks, a collection of film music released in 1970, “Mother Sky” features Can’s new vocalist, Damo Suzuki. Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit lay down a repetitive chugging rhythm with inspired jazz inflected drumming. Add to that Michael Karoli’s improvised guitar, Irmin Schmidt’s keyboard noodling, and Suzuki’s incomparable vocal twists and you have pure Krautrock bliss!
#4 “Marquee Moon” by Television (10:40)
Combining the instrumental prowess of 1960s jam bands with the attitude and snarl of punk, Television’s Marquee Moon is one of the best records of the 1970s. The epic title track is a sprawling guitar workout that features the twin attack of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. Simply sublime.
#3 “Echoes” by Pink Floyd (23:28)
Filled with extended instrumental passages and other worldly sound effects, “Echoes” is a side long 23 minute sonic exploration that stands one of the most diverse and ambitious compositions of the Floyd’s storied career. You can hear a similar underwater vibe that Sigur Ros admirably recreated on its 1999 album, Ágætis byrjun (see #9 above).
#2 “Voodoo Chile” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience (15:05)
An extended blues featuring a landmark Hendrix guitar solo and soulful Hammond B3 by guest, Steve Winwood. Joe Satriani puts it best, “It’s just the greatest piece of electric guitar work ever recorded. In fact, the whole song could be considered the holy grail of guitar expression and technique. It is a beacon of humanity.”
#1 “Desolation Row” by Bob Dylan (11:21)
Dylan practically invented the long form rock song and “Desolation Row,” from 1965’s Highway 61 Revisited, is perhaps his crowning achievement of this niche genre. Featuring sublime Spanish-style acoustic guitar (by Charlie McCoy) and surreal poetry influenced by Jack Kerouac, T.S. Eliot, and John Steinbeck, “Desolation Row,” finds Dylan using (as scholar David Tuffley notes) “a rich set of cultural and religious stereotypes as metaphors to describe the lunacy of mainstream 1960’s American society.”
Sunday, August 17, 2008
De Niro vs. Pacino: Their Ten Most Badass Roles
What constitutes a badass performance? Complete immersion into the role of the character? Sure. Perfect delivery of the dialogue handed to you? No question. The answer “Pretty much anything Robert De Niro and Al Pacino do” also would be acceptable.
These two pop culture icons have left us with some of the greatest one-liners ever, and are the Jordan and Pippen of film, destined to be paired up, as evidenced by the fact that both went to the same performing arts school. But to argue who is better of the two is a matter of taste. Pacino fans will claim that there is no more intense personality on-screen, an actor you truly can’t take your eyes off of. De Niro lovers will point to his versatility, which is on display in films like Meet the Parents and Casino. You can’t go wrong choosing either one.
So, in honor of their third on-screen pairing, Righteous Kill, FSR is proud to offer up ten badass roles from two men who wrote the book on being badass.
Al Pacino
Having studied under the great acting coach Lee Strasburg, it’s no wonder why the man has been nominated eight times for an Oscar, with a surprising single win. Pacino chews up screen like Jaws and is one of the most influential actors of the past 40 years, giving perhaps the most memorable monologues in movie history. What makes him even better is that he has no problem shining as the second fiddle to other actors, a consummate team player. Milan Kundera once said “There are no small parts, only small actors,” and the fiery Italian proves that sentiment true time and again by sacrificing both on and off-screen for his craft.
Michael Corleone, Godfather I and II
The first two films of The Godfather trilogy stand as my first choice when asked the question “Name the best original film and sequel” (Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back being right there as well), and that is mainly to the credit of Pacino’s flawless turn as mob boss Michael Corleone. The evolution of Corleone is unparalleled, stripping away the layer of innocence in favor of a ruthless and rising young power. Many critics say it is the greatest character of all-time and it is hard to argue against it. There are standout performances by Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, and company, but Pacino is the heart and soul of The Godfather saga.
Lt. Colonel Frank Slade, Scent of a Woman
Hoo-ah! When one thinks of stellar character acting they should look to Pacino’s role as a blind and depressed military man. The fact that this film gave Pacino his first Oscar win stands as one of the greatest travesties since Gigli, but it displayed a more tender side of the actor. His tango with Kimberly Williams made men want to learn how to dance, and just when you thought the man had gone soft, he is happy to remind you “I’m just getting warmed up!” in the climactic monologue that surely won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. Plus, he actually made Chris O’Donnell look like he can act, a feat in itself.
Frank Serpico, Serpico
Very few crime dramas can stand up to this film, and Pacino handles the weight of a cop thrown into the depths of corruption with ease. His role is the textbook case of being careful what you wish for, and you root for Serpico completely as he fights to oppose the indifference of the law system, eventually turning his back on it. You get the feeling that the writers of The Departed might have taken notes on the film.
I can just see Pacino pulling Ethan Hawke aside at the Training Day premiere and saying “You think you got it rough in that film? I fucking got shot in the face when I played a cop,” before turning to Denzel and yelling “King Kong ain’t got shit on you? I’m what happens when the Wolfman and Bride of Frankenstein got it on, you fucking cockroach!”
Sonny Wortzik, Dog Day Afternoon
Sometimes you have to rob a bank to get your partner money for a sex change operation, right? Maybe not, but damn it if Pacino didn’t make us sympathize with his plight. His take on the former Vietnam veteran transcends opinions of gay rights, while also perfectly reflecting the despair of the common man during that time period. Chalk it up to another Academy Award nominating performance for Pacino, and a one-word quote that had me screaming “Attica! Attica!” when my friend told me he was moving to New York.
Tony Montana, Scarface
The ultimate tale of the rise and fall of the gangster, Scarface is a film that sits in probably every man’s DVD collection. I sure as hell know every hip-hop star on MTV’s “Cribs” has it. It also certainly serves as the inspiration for games like Grand Theft Auto. In a film that has often been criticized for its graphic violence, he somehow finds a way to skip back and forth in emotions, whether he’s mocking Michelle Pfeiffer as he watches pelicans fly on TV, or making it crystal clear to Manny that his sister is off-limits. Montana is a Cuban refugee trapped in a modern-day greek tragedy , and Pacino delivers it so convincingly that by the end when you see him lying in front of a statue that says “The World is Mine,” you honestly believe it almost was.
Honorable Mentions: John Milton, The Devil’s Advocate
Robert De Niro
Any guy that is Martin Scorcese’s golden boy has to be a badass. The ultimate method actor, Robert De Niro seems to be able to handle any role you throw at him. You want him to be an athlete in the twilight of his life? He did it in Bang the Drum Slowly. Need a heartbreaking tale of a medical patient? De Niro knocked it out of the park in Awakenings. And gangster? Shiiitt, Bobby can play that part in his sleep. Watch The Untouchables, Casino, and The Godfather II if you dare doubt. The golden age of De Niro’s career might be the most impressive of any we’ve seen, and it would be unwise to bet against the man to add to his 6 Academy Award nominations.
Jake LaMotta, Raging Bull
The raw physicality De Niro brings to the role of the self-destructive fighter never ceases to amaze me. It’s as if you can literally see the character fighting within himself as he struggles with issues of trust, ultimately destroying the relationships around him. Combine that with the physical transformation De Niro underwent from the beginning of the film to the end (gaining 60 pounds for the part), and you have one of the greatest examples of method acting ever. De Niro also gets points for serving as the inspiration to Martin Scorcese in this film, who fought off a cocaine addiction to get Raging Bull done. And let’s not forget that he lived out my personal dream by beating the shit out of the loud-mouthed midget, Joe Pesci.
Michael Vronsky, The Deer Hunter
Tragic is the only way to describe the outcome of events that happen to De Niro’s character. Torn between his love for a woman and the friendship to the man married to her, the character is a classic cautionary tale that would later spark the term “bros before hos.” The Russian roulette scene, where we watch De Niro fight to save his forgotten friend’s life, is one of the most intense scenes to grace the screen, one that gets my heart racing every time. It also showcases an incredible young cast with the likes of Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken (back when he tried to act), and De Niro stands toe to toe with all of them.
Max Cady, Cape Fear
“Counselor! Come out, come out, wherever you are!” There was nothing funnier to me walking into my high school guidance counselor’s office yelling that, and I can thank De Niro for that. His Academy Award nominated performance as an relentless ex-convict set on terrorizing the public defender responsible for his imprisonment goes down as one of the creepiest roles ever. It’s the type of character you could see trolling Myspace at three in the morning and certainly serves notice that nobody should mess with De Niro. His acting also set the standard for suspense films like Se7en, where the killer is as psychologically threatening as they are physically. On a sidenote, apparently there is a Cape Fear Counseling Center. Who the hell would ever want to go to that?
Jimmy Conway, Goodfellas
In my opinion, you have two types of classic gangsters. There’s the psychopathic loose cannons like Joe Pesci, a guy who shows you his hand as soon as it’s dealt. Then there’s the guy who speaks softly but carries a big fucking Louisville Slugger, like De Niro’s approach to Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas. Conway and his posse are the type of guys who make you think twice about getting involved with the wrong characters. It also solidified his role as a student of the craft, as De Niro went deep into research with Nicholas Pileggi. Pileggi was author of Wiseguys, the inspiration for the film. His role as a young Vito Corleone is equally impressive, but Conway gets the nod because it was a bigger part.
Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver
Arguably De Niro’s greatest performance ever, Bickle is a Vietnam vet who strives to find meaning in an otherwise pointless existence. The ultimate anti-hero, De Niro brings us the unraveling of a man dangerously close to the edge from the beginning, and it has to be one of the top 10 acting performances ever. Bickle stands as one of the most shockingly real examples of a lonely and depressed man who exacts those feelings onto a society he feels is responsible. The scene where Bickle sits on the couch as he repeatedly mimics shooting his brains out is undeniably haunting. The role also serves as a reference note for Heath Ledger fans, as De Niro lost the Academy Award to recently deceased Peter Finch, who got the award for his role in Network.
Honorable Mentions: Leonard Lowe, Awakenings
Original: here
These two pop culture icons have left us with some of the greatest one-liners ever, and are the Jordan and Pippen of film, destined to be paired up, as evidenced by the fact that both went to the same performing arts school. But to argue who is better of the two is a matter of taste. Pacino fans will claim that there is no more intense personality on-screen, an actor you truly can’t take your eyes off of. De Niro lovers will point to his versatility, which is on display in films like Meet the Parents and Casino. You can’t go wrong choosing either one.
So, in honor of their third on-screen pairing, Righteous Kill, FSR is proud to offer up ten badass roles from two men who wrote the book on being badass.
Al Pacino
Having studied under the great acting coach Lee Strasburg, it’s no wonder why the man has been nominated eight times for an Oscar, with a surprising single win. Pacino chews up screen like Jaws and is one of the most influential actors of the past 40 years, giving perhaps the most memorable monologues in movie history. What makes him even better is that he has no problem shining as the second fiddle to other actors, a consummate team player. Milan Kundera once said “There are no small parts, only small actors,” and the fiery Italian proves that sentiment true time and again by sacrificing both on and off-screen for his craft.
Michael Corleone, Godfather I and II
The first two films of The Godfather trilogy stand as my first choice when asked the question “Name the best original film and sequel” (Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back being right there as well), and that is mainly to the credit of Pacino’s flawless turn as mob boss Michael Corleone. The evolution of Corleone is unparalleled, stripping away the layer of innocence in favor of a ruthless and rising young power. Many critics say it is the greatest character of all-time and it is hard to argue against it. There are standout performances by Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, and company, but Pacino is the heart and soul of The Godfather saga.
Lt. Colonel Frank Slade, Scent of a Woman
Hoo-ah! When one thinks of stellar character acting they should look to Pacino’s role as a blind and depressed military man. The fact that this film gave Pacino his first Oscar win stands as one of the greatest travesties since Gigli, but it displayed a more tender side of the actor. His tango with Kimberly Williams made men want to learn how to dance, and just when you thought the man had gone soft, he is happy to remind you “I’m just getting warmed up!” in the climactic monologue that surely won him the Academy Award for Best Actor. Plus, he actually made Chris O’Donnell look like he can act, a feat in itself.
Frank Serpico, Serpico
Very few crime dramas can stand up to this film, and Pacino handles the weight of a cop thrown into the depths of corruption with ease. His role is the textbook case of being careful what you wish for, and you root for Serpico completely as he fights to oppose the indifference of the law system, eventually turning his back on it. You get the feeling that the writers of The Departed might have taken notes on the film.
I can just see Pacino pulling Ethan Hawke aside at the Training Day premiere and saying “You think you got it rough in that film? I fucking got shot in the face when I played a cop,” before turning to Denzel and yelling “King Kong ain’t got shit on you? I’m what happens when the Wolfman and Bride of Frankenstein got it on, you fucking cockroach!”
Sonny Wortzik, Dog Day Afternoon
Sometimes you have to rob a bank to get your partner money for a sex change operation, right? Maybe not, but damn it if Pacino didn’t make us sympathize with his plight. His take on the former Vietnam veteran transcends opinions of gay rights, while also perfectly reflecting the despair of the common man during that time period. Chalk it up to another Academy Award nominating performance for Pacino, and a one-word quote that had me screaming “Attica! Attica!” when my friend told me he was moving to New York.
Tony Montana, Scarface
The ultimate tale of the rise and fall of the gangster, Scarface is a film that sits in probably every man’s DVD collection. I sure as hell know every hip-hop star on MTV’s “Cribs” has it. It also certainly serves as the inspiration for games like Grand Theft Auto. In a film that has often been criticized for its graphic violence, he somehow finds a way to skip back and forth in emotions, whether he’s mocking Michelle Pfeiffer as he watches pelicans fly on TV, or making it crystal clear to Manny that his sister is off-limits. Montana is a Cuban refugee trapped in a modern-day greek tragedy , and Pacino delivers it so convincingly that by the end when you see him lying in front of a statue that says “The World is Mine,” you honestly believe it almost was.
Honorable Mentions: John Milton, The Devil’s Advocate
Robert De Niro
Any guy that is Martin Scorcese’s golden boy has to be a badass. The ultimate method actor, Robert De Niro seems to be able to handle any role you throw at him. You want him to be an athlete in the twilight of his life? He did it in Bang the Drum Slowly. Need a heartbreaking tale of a medical patient? De Niro knocked it out of the park in Awakenings. And gangster? Shiiitt, Bobby can play that part in his sleep. Watch The Untouchables, Casino, and The Godfather II if you dare doubt. The golden age of De Niro’s career might be the most impressive of any we’ve seen, and it would be unwise to bet against the man to add to his 6 Academy Award nominations.
Jake LaMotta, Raging Bull
The raw physicality De Niro brings to the role of the self-destructive fighter never ceases to amaze me. It’s as if you can literally see the character fighting within himself as he struggles with issues of trust, ultimately destroying the relationships around him. Combine that with the physical transformation De Niro underwent from the beginning of the film to the end (gaining 60 pounds for the part), and you have one of the greatest examples of method acting ever. De Niro also gets points for serving as the inspiration to Martin Scorcese in this film, who fought off a cocaine addiction to get Raging Bull done. And let’s not forget that he lived out my personal dream by beating the shit out of the loud-mouthed midget, Joe Pesci.
Michael Vronsky, The Deer Hunter
Tragic is the only way to describe the outcome of events that happen to De Niro’s character. Torn between his love for a woman and the friendship to the man married to her, the character is a classic cautionary tale that would later spark the term “bros before hos.” The Russian roulette scene, where we watch De Niro fight to save his forgotten friend’s life, is one of the most intense scenes to grace the screen, one that gets my heart racing every time. It also showcases an incredible young cast with the likes of Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken (back when he tried to act), and De Niro stands toe to toe with all of them.
Max Cady, Cape Fear
“Counselor! Come out, come out, wherever you are!” There was nothing funnier to me walking into my high school guidance counselor’s office yelling that, and I can thank De Niro for that. His Academy Award nominated performance as an relentless ex-convict set on terrorizing the public defender responsible for his imprisonment goes down as one of the creepiest roles ever. It’s the type of character you could see trolling Myspace at three in the morning and certainly serves notice that nobody should mess with De Niro. His acting also set the standard for suspense films like Se7en, where the killer is as psychologically threatening as they are physically. On a sidenote, apparently there is a Cape Fear Counseling Center. Who the hell would ever want to go to that?
Jimmy Conway, Goodfellas
In my opinion, you have two types of classic gangsters. There’s the psychopathic loose cannons like Joe Pesci, a guy who shows you his hand as soon as it’s dealt. Then there’s the guy who speaks softly but carries a big fucking Louisville Slugger, like De Niro’s approach to Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas. Conway and his posse are the type of guys who make you think twice about getting involved with the wrong characters. It also solidified his role as a student of the craft, as De Niro went deep into research with Nicholas Pileggi. Pileggi was author of Wiseguys, the inspiration for the film. His role as a young Vito Corleone is equally impressive, but Conway gets the nod because it was a bigger part.
Travis Bickle, Taxi Driver
Arguably De Niro’s greatest performance ever, Bickle is a Vietnam vet who strives to find meaning in an otherwise pointless existence. The ultimate anti-hero, De Niro brings us the unraveling of a man dangerously close to the edge from the beginning, and it has to be one of the top 10 acting performances ever. Bickle stands as one of the most shockingly real examples of a lonely and depressed man who exacts those feelings onto a society he feels is responsible. The scene where Bickle sits on the couch as he repeatedly mimics shooting his brains out is undeniably haunting. The role also serves as a reference note for Heath Ledger fans, as De Niro lost the Academy Award to recently deceased Peter Finch, who got the award for his role in Network.
Honorable Mentions: Leonard Lowe, Awakenings
Original: here
Apple's iTunes Store pays tribute to Isaac Hayes
When Isaac Hayes died last week, the world lost an iconic figure of African American culture. Perhaps best known as his music for Shaft, Hayes also played a pivotal role in the success of Stax Records, what many consider to be one of the two original major Soul record labels. Naturally, he also played the character of Chef in the TV show South Park.
It is because of his past accomplishments that it should come as no surprise that Apple has created a "Remembering Isaac Hayes 1942-2008" page of the iTunes Store. While you can't rent Shaft, you can download a songs from any of the twenty albums present on the store, a music video for Thing For You, rent the South Park movie, purchase Hustle & Flow, or take a look at his Celebrity Playlist.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Field Guide To 10 Common Frontman Styles
Fronting a band is no easy feat, and once you've 'hit the bigtime' you have to decide which role (and essentially, game) you want to play. Do you want to use your powers of fame for good by spreading the gospel of philanthropy and fierce fashion? Or spiral out of control and make headlines by acting mouthy and unpredictable? Or maybe you want to forge a genuinely deep connection with your fans night after night? I mean, some singers defy classification or bleed from one category to another (Liam Gallagher's both a Pseudo Diva AND a Stoic), but you can pretty much lump most leading men (and ladies!) into one of these categories. Allow me to present you with The Field Guide To The 10 Most Common Frontman Styles.
1. THE MESS
When "The Mess" is at the helm of a band you never know if you'll get your money's worth at a show (if anything at all). These volatile and unpredictable future Betty Ford Clinic patients seemingly spend their nights (and days!) partying hard, performing impromptu 'Home Improvement'-esque renovations of their hotel rooms, and having their JD & coke-induced asses poured into limos by music label dinks. By the time their scheduled show rolls around, they're either too tired or too hungover to perform properly, or they're so cranky that it takes some major publicist coaxing and damage control to prevent a major meltdown. Guns 'N Roses' Axl Rose demanding a sitdown roast beef dinner before eventually coming out to perform hours behind schedule is just the kind of behaviour you'd expect from The Mess.
Other Messes: Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty, Courtney Love
2. THE SPAZ
Thank goodness a drummer like Dave Grohl stepped out from behind the drum kit after his tenure in Nirvana, because the dude's got an incredible amount of energy that was begging to be unleashed. We're talking nuclear fusion energy on a cosmic spaz level that Foo Fighters fans get to enjoy at every single show and interview appearance. Like Dave, "The Spaz" is known for having boundless energy on stage, bouncing around like an ADD sufferer on a Ritalin withdrawal and thrashing about like the gender bender from 'Silence of the Lambs' ('it rubs the lotion on its skin') with his genitals clamped between his thighs, which, by the way, is not an easy thing to do. It's exhausting just watching them, and you wonder how the f**k they do it night after night without collapsing mid-set.
Other Spazzes: Gerard Way, Andrew WK
3. THE ECCENTRIC
"The Eccentric" is a fashion mogul of sorts, but, far from being a trendsetter, his or her regalia is so over-the-top outrageous that it appears to hail from a parallel earth where the history of the world progressed such that Elton John circa 1973 represented the pinnacle of cultural evolution. The Eccentric has oodles of confidence and panache and is in no way body conscious or introverted, which can be a boon or a hindrance depending how you look at it. Think skintight paisley bodysuits a la Lovefoxx (CSS), Bjork's floral facial accessories or Patrick Wolf's knee socks, body glitter and angel wings. Every public appearance is like a Kinder Surprise Egg, except with better chocolate and sometimes, the toy is kind of questionable.
Other Eccentrics: Sabina Sciubba (Brazilian Girls), Cher
4. THE PSEUDO DIVA
The Diva isn't as as outrageous and demanding as, say, an actual diva (like Mary J. Blige with her gold toilet seat or Mariah Carey with her requests for Throat Coat tea and bendy straws or Jamie Foxx with his demands to be treated like a serious actor), but they've got enough idiosynchracies to irritate you. Take, for instance, The Killers' request for 'no questions about facial hair' or Brand New's Jesse Lacey, who notoriously prohibits the use of ANY camera at shows, complete with camera valet service and prominent signage. God forbid your performance be captured on film and posted on YouTube. Newsflash: You're an entertainer in the 21st century. You get the feeling that even the tiniest infraction will result in a volcanic eruption not seen since the days of Pompeii or the last Britney public freakout.
Other Pseudo Divas: Rivers Cuomo, Kanye West
5. THE STOIC
When "The Stoic" takes the stage you almost feel like he's somewhat annoyed to be there, uh, doing the job HE signed up for in the first place. Almost as if he'd rather just call in the performance. Next to no crowd interaction, no song introductions - basically the least talkative and emotive person ever. While Arctic Monkeys somehow manage to give a blistering performance time and again, they stick to the task at hand (rocking your socks off) with frontman Alex Turner supplying zero witty banter or emotion. You wonder if The Stoic's got stage fright, is really in the 'zone', or just wishes they could get the performance over with so they can go back to chilling with their best mates back at the hotel.
Other Stoics: Thom Yorke, Liam Gallagher
6. THE COMMANDER
If someone like Dave Gahan tells you to raise your fists and pump them rhythmically throughout the bridge of a song, then goddammit you WILL listen and follow his lead for as long as he says so. The Commander has an impressive grasp of the audience's attention and can compel them to play along with the evening's performance - waving cell phones, singing along to certain verses of songs, helping out with drumbeats, clucking like chickens, whatever. The Commander is an awesome leader, and basks in the respect and adoration of every mesmerized fan.
Other Commanders: Josh Homme, Trent Reznor, Richard Ashcroft
7. THE POLITICO
Many band leaders take the politico route because it's such an obvious way to reach an enormous audience, and no one's perfected the 'art' of musical humanitarianism better than U2's Bono. His political agenda goes beyond his band's lyrics and music - he's made it his personal mission to spread the gospel on everything from the AIDS epidemic to third world hunger to the plight of people who get itchy when wearing gym socks. The Politico encourages fans to support the underprivileged in their own neighbourhoods, which isn't such a bad idea per se, but consider the fact that forking out the money needed to actually score a ticket to SEE Senor Politico perform (upwards of $300 last time we checked) is enough to dip your funds below the poverty line in the first place. Some people wish the politico would just STFU and play music, while others promise to join in the efforts that they stand behind.
Other Politicos: Chris Martin, Zack de la Rocha, Thom Yorke
8. THE TRENDSETTING FASHIONISTA
Unlike "The Eccentric", who sports completely unwearable outfits, The Trendsetting Fashionista manages to be super well-dressed in all the latest (or as yet untapped) fashion trends at every show. Think of all the trends that Gwen Stefani's succesfully "pioneered" - the bindi, dramatic winged eyeliner, the bare midriff and short shorts, and all this before her clothing line L.A.M.B. was even conceived. In doing so, The Trendsetting Fashionista can influence a legion of look-a-likes, from fans to other bands, and eventually, the mall (by which time the trend has most certainly passed).
Other Trendsetting Fashionistas: Alex Kapranos, The Kooks, Jarvis Cocker
9. THE STUNTMAN
Like The Spaz, The Stuntman is an enthusiastic performer who takes his passion and prowess to the next level with Olympic-worthy physical stunts like highkicks, double axels, running jumps and various other martial arts moves. They climb on equipment, storm into the audience at full force and pepper their performance with other unpredictable behaviour. Ricky Wilson of Kaiser Chiefs can often be seen hightailing it across the stage, crowdsurfing and otherwise endangering his physical well-being while performing. And everybody knows that physical endangerment is usually the most entertaining spectacle of all.
Other Stuntmen: Rou Reynolds, Pete Wentz
10. THE CHATTERBOX
The Chatterbox, polar opposite to The Stoic, reaches out to his fans and aims to perfectly set the groundwork and context for every song he performs. Expect a setlist littered with anecdotes and diatribes, fan interaction and the feeling that you're getting a personalized show in the privacy of your living room. The Chatterbox will say things like "[your city] is my favourite town to perform in", but actually means it and has the evidence to back it up. The Chatterbox is most likely to take audience requests or do an audience Q&A while he tunes his guitar or waits for someone to grab him another beer from the bar.
Other Chatterboxes: John Mayer, Gary Lightbody, Dallas Green
We're only speaking from our own eyewitness accounts and experiences here - what sorts of erratic (or touching) behaviour have your favourite artists displayed? And where the hell does Michael Jackson fit in all of this?
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