TIKI CULTURE

High Plains Drifter, 1973 with Clint Eastwood for Mod Movie Monday

I don’t usually swing with cowboy flicks, but there are a fist full of really kool Spaghetti Westerns that definitely make the cut. One such classic is

High Plains Drifter

from 1973, starring and directed by Clint Eastwood.

Now, I said Spaghetti Western, which isn’t entirely true. This flick was made right here in the good ole U.S. of A, not in the mountains of Italy. But…it certainly has the SW look and feel, except maybe for the lack of dubbing over Italian actors’ Italian dialogue.

This is one of those “man with no name comes into town, shows he’s a great gunslinger and gets hired to kill the bad guys” movies. With a twist. Eastwood’s character is so tough and mean, he’s got the whole town under his thumb in the first 10 minutes. You find out later that the stranger has a secret…as does the town…and thinks veer off slightly into the paranormal.

Yes, I said paranormal. Very subtly. I won’t give it away here.

There’s some heavy-duty violence in this one (still makes me cringe) so keep the kiddies away. The story is weird and keeps you guessing, even when you figure things out. This was Clint’s first time directing a western, and man, did he nail it.

If you’ve never seen this flick, there is one main part that you may have come across over the years: The Stranger paints the entire town red, and renames it Hell. It’s one hell of a tough image.

Food & Booze: There’s a scene in the movie where they’re having a dinner of fried chicken and French wine. Seriously. Add a side of home made mashed taters and some BBQ beans and yer all set, Stranger.

Here’s the original theatrical trailer for the film. Following it is a fan-made trailer, that IMHO is actually better. Check it out.

-Cowboy Chris reporting from the Tiki Saloon.
Don’t forget to visit StarDustMysteries.com!

Dark ’n’ Stormy: Your Weekend Tiki Cocktail, and A Flash of Noir

The Dark 'n' Stormy

This weekend I’m officially announcing the latest tome to my collection of books, A Flash of Noir. To go with it, I needed a noir-style cocktail…and what could be more noir than a classic

Dark and Stormy

Trademarked by Gosling’s in Bermuda, the Dark & Stormy uses Gosling’s Black Seal dark rum and ginger beer. It was invented just after WWI, and was a favorite among American sailors who picked it up in the Caribbean. A strong and simple to make tropical drink, it is certainly at home on any Tiki bar.

•    2 oz Gosling’s Black Seal rum
•    3 oz ginger beer
•    lime wedge

Pour the dark rum over ice in a highball glass or Tiki mug, then add the ginger beer. Stir lightly with a glass rod and add the lime wedge for garnish. Don’t squeeze the whole lime wedge in…taste it first, and add a little at a time until it’s the way you dig it.

Annnd…fade to black, bring up sepia lights to

A Flash of Noir

Just before you mix your Dark and Stormy, get out your Kindle (or iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC) and go to A Flash of Noir at the Kindle store. There you can download my latest book, A Flash of Noir for only 99¢! By the time you finish mixing the drink, the download will be complete and you can begin to read while you sip.

A Flash of Noir - Kindle version

Yes, only 99¢

…for 30+ short, short stories, flash fiction, beatnik poetry and kool photos, all authored by yours truly, Tiki Chris Pinto (or as I’m known on my author page, Christopher Pinto). It’s jam-packed with kool 60-second reads full of gumshoe detectives, sultry dames, ghosts, murderers, and monsters. There’s even a story made entirely of song titles…see if you can find them all!

From the book’s description: “From smokey bars in New York City to the tropical islands of the Florida keys, A Flash of Noir takes you for a spin through the seediest gin joints and darkest alleys. One minute you’re speeding down I-95 in a hot rod, the next you’re tasting cheap whiskey in a basement tap room where the women are heartless and the men are unforgiving. Gangsters, cops, private eyes, strippers, murderers, phantoms…plus a few comedy pieces to keep you from wanting to slit your wrists.”

A Flash of Noir - Print version coming soon. Cover model is Colleen Pinto.

Why only 99¢? Well, I can tell you it’s worth a lot more, entertainment-wise. But I’m hoping that a lot of you will give it a shot for a buck. If you dig it, I hope you’ll download one of my other books, Murder Behind the Closet Door: The Wildwood Paranormal Mystery or Murder on Tiki Island: A Noir Paranormal Mystery in the Florida Keys…and if you dig those, I hope you’ll tell your friends so they get em too. The idea is to become rich and famous. Ain’t that what most of us want?

I just realized…it’s beginning to thunder and lightning here at the Tiki Bar. Perfect for a Dark & Stormy!

– Tiki Chris reporting from the library at Tiki Lounge Talk, the Blounge for swingin’ retro kats and hip chicks.

Hotel, 1967 for Mod Movie Monday!

Here is one of those kool little movies lost in time, a slice of life from the late 1960s that takes a peak into the lives of people, from the lowly thief to a Duke and Duchess and everything in between, all trying to just get by.

Hotel, 1967

Starring Rod Taylor, Karl Malden, Melvin Douglass, Cathrine Spaak and Kevin McCarthy, and based on the novel Hotel by Arthur Hailey

The movie poster over there <— does a decent job of laying out what this flick is all about. Several different characters in different plot lines, all tied together by the Hotel Manager, Peter McDermott, played by the swank, sophisticated Rod Taylor. Talk about a real tight guy who had his act together, the Hotel Manager could take care of millionaire guests, handle the staff, help put together big-buck deals and swing with the craziest chick in the joint all with the finesse of a true gentleman…the only thing he couldn’t manage was to take a swallow of his drink.

Add in Karl Malden as down-on-his-luck petty crook, who’s specialty is lifting hotel keys from unsuspecting clients and burglarizing them while they sleep. Then pepper the works with a strange mystery, an age-old power play, a couple of hookers, some good ole’ fashioned racism (by the old guard, and how it’s totally uncool to the Manager) and a steamy romance. That’s Hotel.

The story takes place at the (then) 60+ year old St. Gregory Hotel in New Orleans (I’ve been trying to find out what hotel was used for the exteriors, but haven’t had any luck). The owner, Melvin Douglas, is facing a $2million loan payment that he just can’t meet, and will lose the hotel unless he gets either and injection of dough from the union (which he doesn’t want to deal with), or sells it to a real estate firm who will tear it down to build condos (sound familiar?). A third option presents itself when a rival hotel chain owner expresses a keen interest in buying the joint…but he has his own ideas how to manage the hotel, and that doesn’t sit so well with the owner…

Rod Taylor and Cathrine Spaak in Hotel, 1967

Parallel stories intertwine with the Duke and Duchess who are hiding a horrible secret, Karl Malden adding a little comic relief with is tip-toe snatch and run routine, and The Manager trying to keep tabs on everything at once. A couple of very swinging cameos by Carmen McRae singing in the lounge and a few scenes with Richard Conte (of Ocean’s 11 fame) add to the koolness of this flick. That and the fact that you’re watching a time capsule from 40+ years ago makes Hotel worth a watch.

Dinner & Booze: A swank hotel like this would no doubt have all the best on the menu -Waldorf salad, Delmonico steak, vichyssoise, and since it’s in New Orleans, catfish. Throughout the movie the Manager constantly tries to have a double whiskey at the bar, and is always called away before he can take a drink. You, however, can drink up!

Fun stuff: Karl Malden, after coming up short with his night stealing routine, says something along the lines of “Damned credit cards…nobody carries cash anymore!” Funny that 20 years later he would be doing those commercials for American Express cards…you know, “never leave home without it”!

Here’s a clip from Hotel:

-Tiki Chris reporting from the screening room over the beach at Tiki Lounge Talk, your web lounge for the koolest Mod Movie Mondays around.

Picnic, 1955: Mod Movie Monday for Memorial Day

Memorial Day is about remembering the brave men and women who fought and died for our freedom and for the our wonderful country. It’s also about the start of summer, and barbecues, and picnics. So for this Monday I though, what better movie to feature than

Picnic, 1955

starring Kim Novak, William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Rosalind Russel, Betty Field and Susan Strasberg. (Ok, this flick takes place on Labor Day weekend, but we’ll pretend it’s Memorial Day) Drifter Hal Carter (Holden) blows into town to visit his old frat buddy Alan (Robertson). Alan’s old man is the town’s rich guy, by the way. So Carter, one of those guys who is really full of himself but doesn’t have dime or a donut to show for it, charms his way into talking the old man into a job…but of course, he doesn’t want to start at the bottom, he wants to run the place from the start. Meanwhile, Carter meets Alan’s squeeze, the incomparable Madge (Kim Novak). Madge’s old lady has been poor all her life and insists Madge marry into money…but of course, Carter sweet talks her until…well, you get the basic picture. There are some great scenes in this flick, ranging from full drama to silly comedy. But the scene that it’s best known for is the dance between Kim Novak and William Holden, late night at the Picnic. The tension between the two characters has been building throughout the film, and finally comes to a head during one of the most impressive “fall in love during a two minute dance” scenes in film history. From way it’s filmed with the colored party lights in the background, to the “take me now” look on Novak’s face, the one of the greatest songs ever played in a movie, the scene is just perfect. Two songs, by the way…the dixieland party band playing throughout the picnic suddenly switches to a west-coast jazz version of the old standard “Moonglow”, then magically adds a string section when it sweeps in with “Picnic” to lay down the music bed for “The Theme From Picnic”, played in real life by Morris Stoloff, and written by George Duning and Steve Allan (Allan is credited for combining the two melodies into a perfectly-synced medley).

As far as this jazz kat is concerned, there are three defining versions of Moonglow: Goodman’s quartet version, Shaw’s orchestra version, and Stoloff’s jazz version. This was a pretty steamy scene for 1955, by the way…back in the days when open-mouthed kissing wasn’t allowed in movies, people could get excited over just the idea that two characters might be even thinking of sex…and that’s what this scene produces. The way Novak barely moves, the way Holden melts at the sight of her. And something uncommon in non-musical movies of the era…they are actually dancing to the song being played, choreographed (lightly) to fit with the tune. Dig it, I think you’ll agree…

Happy Memorial Day, kids. And thanks again to all the troops…remember the fallen, appreciate the active, respect the retired. -Tiki Chris reporting from the poolside BBQ at Tiki Lounge Talk, the B-Lounge for hep cats and swingers.

Glenn Miller’s Orchestra Wives and Sun Valley Serenade for Mod Movie Monday!

Since it’s nearly the end of Jazz Appreciation Month, I thought it would be kool to spotlight one of the swingin’ kats that helped make Jazz (and Big Band music) as popular as it is today. See, when most people think of Jazz today, they think of the small combo bands of the 50s like The Modern Jazz Quintet or Dave Brubeck’s band. They think of Bop players like Dizzie Gillespie and Charlie Parker, or smooth Jazzers like Stan Getz or modern swingers like Wynton Marsallis. Many people forget that these Jazz greats built on the styles that were created by early Jazz musicians including Duke Ellington, Fats Waller and Louis Armstrong…and that Jazz, as it evolved into the sounds of the Big Bands, was really made popular by the more commercial yet still fantastic legends of the era…Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller… So, here are both of Miller’s movies,  with plenty of 40s Jazz in its original Big Band form:

Orchestra Wives, 1942 and
Sun Valley Serenade, 1941

Orchestra wives is a funny little movie about…you guessed it…the wives of the guys in the band, and how they travel around with their musician husbands. The chicks are catty as hell, the music is hot and jokes are typical of the time, that is to say they’re good. The real actors include George Montgomery, Anne Rutherford, Harry Morgan and Cesar Romero. Songs include the original version of At Last, I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo, Serenade in Blue and Bugle Call Rag, among others. The plot is actually not bad for a movie made to showcase a band, and the added entertainment of The Modernaires and The Nicholas Brothers makes it a lot of fun to watch. What’s kind of funny is watching poor old Glenn Miller (his character’s name is Gene Morrison) try to act. He’s as stiff as a double bourbon.

Sun Valley Serenade

Sun Valley Serenade was the first of his two movies. This one features ice skater supreme Sonja Henie, John Payne and Milton Berle. The plot has something to do with the band taking on a Norwegian refugee as a publicity stunt…blah blah, watch it for the incredible music and fantastic dancing by Dorothy Dandridge and the Nicholas Brothers. In fact, this flick has the longest, swinginest ever performance of Chattanooga ever. In fact, it was this movie that song was written for…and became so popular it received the first Gold Record ever awarded. Additional songs include Sun Valley Jump, I Know Why and So Do You, and a very swingin’ version (better than the original in my opinion) of In the Mood.

What’s also great about these flicks is that all the music…for the first time for the Miller orchestra…was recorded on magnetic tape, not wax. So the sound is fantastic, full and vibrant, and all the songs from the movies are available on CD, sounding like they were recorded yesterday.

Orchestra Wives

Miller’s band was a big, swingin’, hard-hitting Jazz band that was almost never referred to as a Jazz band. His charts were made for dancing, and even sounded a little corny at times (on purpose…songs like “I want a hat with cherries”). But the real purpose of the band was to swing, and to do it in a very tight, very professional way, with plenty of open areas for soloists to show off their true Jazz chops.

Glenn Miller’s orchestra became, and remains, the most popular and well-loved band of the entire big band era. It’s Miller’s music you hear in any movie that harkens to the 1940s. Songs like In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade, Chattanooga Choo Choo (The world’s first million-selling gold record) and I’ve Got A Gal in Kalamazoo remain some of the most recognizable songs of the last 100 years.

Riding that wave of popularity, Glenn Miller was asked to do some movies in Hollywood, as was the custom at the time. Miller was able to make two full-length features before he signed up for military duty in World War Two. Unfortunately, his disappearance prevented any more movies with the Miller band to ever be made.

Here’s the full segment of Chattanooga Choo Choo, including the entire orchestra, Tex Beneke on vocals and solos sax, the Modernaires, plus Dorothy Dandridge and the Nicholas Brothers. A side note: It’s a credit to the movie’s producers and Miller that they had no problem with black and white performers in the same scene in a movie made in 1941. A number of southern states refused to show the film because of this, and only showed it after editing out the dance sequence themselves. Man, we’ve come a long way.