'Off The Wall' & 'Thriller' & 'Bad'

If getting me to dance is your end, laying down some Off the Wall-era Michael Jackson is a very good starting point. Nothing makes me shake awkwardly and just behind the beat like that album.

I first heard the song "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" in high school when I was at my mother's house and she had VH1 and they played the video. I thought it was probably the perfect dance song. The whole album is like this.

Most musicians would kill for two straight albums of the caliber of Off the Wall and then Thriller. Most would kill for Thriller. There's little doubt that it's a fantastic album and the best pop album ever. I can't imagine there being anything like it ever again. How do you feel about that hyperbole?

Bad is when everything went ... bad.

In 1984, Jackson was severely injured during the filming of that Pepsi commercial. Thus the spiral began, little did most know. This was the turning point in Jackson's life. Trace everythign back to this incident all the way to his unfortunate death in 2009.

The comestic surgeries started. Then the rumors of his anorexia and other ailments. He bought a monkey and tried to buy the bones of the Elephant Man. He did Captain EO. He kind of went off the deep end.

Bad resulted. It was released in 1987. It's when the excessive use of the high-pitched "woo-hoo" and various other intonations. At times, his singing voice is barely discernible. Bad was no Thriller and Jackson would never approach that level of success again.

The resulting 20 years would prove disastrous. The child molesting junk. The theme park and becoming a recluse. Danging babies from windows. Then his death.

There's a whole generation of people that don't really know what Jackson was all about. Surely by now they've heard "Thriller" and other singles, but generally they don't realize what a cultural phenomenom he was. There was no one bigger.

A little Bad anecdote: In elementary school, we'd line up in the gymnasium and would first warm-up and the lesbian physical education teacher would push "PLAY" on the cassette boombox. There were five songs that were in the rotation. One was "The Way You Make Me Feel." I liked it, but at seven I didn't know who it was by.

However, I was always entertained when my friend, Andre, would pantomime the lyrics along with the back-up singers.

'Here's Little Richard'

Richard Wayne Penniman was born in 1932. He was the grandson of a preacher and a son of a bootlegger.

By 10, he was a faith healer. By 13, he was touring and performing. By 19, he was recording rock and roll music and changing the world.

Six years after that -- at the absolute heighth of his career with 20+ hit songs -- he saw a vision of angels holding his airplane and then he witnessed the landing Sputnik, thinking it a ball of fire. He found God and rededicated his life to the Lord. He began doing gospel tunes.

The line between gospel, the most racuous rock and roll in history and The Beatles is paper thin. Gospel would fuel Little Richard and Little Richard would soon fuel John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Penniman would forever battle his inner demons ... or, more accurately, his inner need to be a Christian, this biting need to make his family happy and probably this very real desire to have a relationship with God.

His father ostrasized him ealry on due to Penniman's mannerisms although his father was shot just when he was 19 outside of a bar. Notoriously sexual, he was rumored to be involved in orgies. Even after his rededication to Christianity, he'd forever struggle with the pleasures of this world.

Typical for a man famous for making music that made you want to shake your ass.

'La Vie En Rose'

If you read enough books, watch enough films or listen to enough records, you start to realize that all of this shit had already all existed. You see it, most times, in other films, books and records.

It's referenced and all these allusions -- had you not seen, read or heard them -- fly right over your head. You pretend to understand or you just ignore it.

It shocks me how many times Edith Piaf is referenced, especially in films. It's also shocking seeing Marion Cotillard in a number of roles, rarely are they ever as good as her portrayal as Piaf.

It's hard to properly put in context Piaf's influence and meaning to the country of France. I can't put it in persepective.

I would say it's kind of like what Barbara Streisand means to the United States, but that doesn't really capture Piaf's impact on France. There's too much that infatuates Americans especially in the past 20 years.

When Piaf was at her absolute peak, Piaf was everything to France, a country that had been ripped to shreds by World War I and then by the Nazis. It also probably gives meaning that Piaf died relatively early whereas someone like Streisand will probably go into her 90s.

This is a fantastic film on the brink of being an epic about this woman's erratic, destructive and fast-paced life. Cotillard deserve every award she received.

'An Affair To Remember'

It is said that "Hollywood has run out of ideas" concerning the propensity for producers to "re-make" old films or old TV shows.

Often, people ask why they would re-make something that was already good.

This, apparently, is not a new phenomenom.

An Affair to Remember, starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr was released in 1957. It was a huge hit under the direction of Leo McCarey.

The thing is, it was a re-make. It was a re-make of a McCarey film titled Love Affair released in 1939.

Someone in 1957, despite the star-studdedness of Grant and Kerr, might have asked why they would re-make something that was good the first time. Love Affair was nominated for six Academy Awards. An Affair to Remember was nominated for just four. Losers.

An Affair to Remember does address one of the ongoing themes in old films: the cruise.

In a number of films it's the event or circumstance in which the film revolves. This is what people did between the 1930s and 1960s. When you think about it, I guess it makes sense. It's structured, they're typically long and you get to wine and dine for weeks on end visiting these far-out and exotic locales all around the world. It's romantic.

It is a call back to a simpler, more patient and slower age. When things were just about the destination, but just as much about the journey.

'Out Of Step'

I was at a friend's house recently. This friend was a bit of a middle-aged punk: A guy that lived through the so-called "punk" movement and, naturally, looked fondly upon that time in his life so much so that he hangs on it still a bit too much.

He decided to put a record on the turntable. It was apparently punk rock from a country in Asia. China, maybe.

About 30 seconds in, it was clear that we weren't feeling it.

Punk has its place: In the bedroom of a 16-year-old kid.

Sorry Ian MacKaye. Time to grow up.

'Parallel Lines'

At some point, humanity's going to have to come together and decide that Blondie's "Heart of Glass" is one of the damnedest badass songs in the history of sound.

Never thought much of it. Thought it a disco song. Then if you really listen to it and listen to Blondie as a whole (and Parallel Lines is a brilliant place to start) and understand what they were doing musically, then you get "Heart of Glass."

It's the jam.

Although it made Blondie incredibly popular and Parallel Lines a well-sold album, "Heart of Glass" as a disco song was a point of controversy. For one, the band was well aware of what it sounded like and the sped-up second version gave it a rock edge. Once it was the released, the punks that went to see Blondie at CBGBs in New York weren't too pleased.

That doesn't make it a bad song. Although it might make Blondie sell outs and punks horrible purveyors of popular music.

'Freedom For Us'

One of my favorite discoveries doing this project is 1930s French films. Like Freedom For Us and The Million, these were jaunty, yet meaningful, well-done films that aptly straddle the ridiculous with an over-arching commentary on modern society.

Like Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times, Freedom For Us takes on the vast and growing world of high industry enveloping Europe and the United States, especially after World War I.

There was a feeling that humans -- especially the lower class -- were becoming automatons -- mindless lemmings marching to and fro from the assembly line acting robotically when the factory whistle blew like Pavlov's dogs. These are the same themes addressed by Jacques Tati two decades later.

Chaplin's Modern Times has a bit of connection with Freedom For Us. The former was released five years latre and it details Chaplin's character working in a large factory. One scene involves Chaplin frantically trying to keep up with the assembly line by himself, a scene not unlike one in Freedom For Us.

Freedom For Us' production company was German and they sued. Remember, this is 1936 or 1937. The Nazis were in power and it was thought that this was just a means of "discrediting" Chaplin, whatever end that would produce. An out-of-court settlement was reached a decade later, after World War II.

'The Color Of Pomegranates'

I'm glad I don't live in a foreign country so I can avoid films like these.

'Requiem For A Dream' & 'Requiem For A Dream'

If there's ever an example of the film being better than the book, it's here with Hubert Selby Jr.'s Requiem for a Dream.

I don't think Selby Jr. is very good, but he's good enough. What I love about the novel over the film is the intensity in which he details Harry and Marion's dream of opening the coffee shop and Marion pursuing her art, all of which is only briefly touched upon in the film. It gave the characters quite a bit more depth as more than just junkies, but people with dreams and intentions. It was not always about getting the next hit. They had a plan. A very poor plan, but it was a plan.

Otherwise, the film knocks the socks off the book. Not as much because of the book, but the filmmaker (Darren Aronofsky) and the actors (Ellen Burstyn and Jared Leto, especially).

Aronofsky's style is perfect for Requiem for a Dream. The close ups, the short cuts of when the characters ingest their drugs. The first-person point of view camera angle in which we see the world from the eyes of the character. Then the time-lapse method when Burstyn takes the extra speed and begins cleaning the whole house.

Any other director gets a hold of this film and we're singing the praises of the book and the film may not ever see this list.

It's a well-written book taken over by the perfect director, which could mean the world (stylistically).

'The Accidental Tourist'

An extremely odd movie. It's awful. Let's just start there. By far the worst movie I've seen in quite some time. Maybe ever.

It has no vision.

William Hurt -- who is hit or miss as an actor -- is the writer of travel guides for businessmen call "The Accidental Tourist."

He is the husband to Kathleen Turner. As it turns out, they had a son who was senselessly murdered in a hold up. Unable to recapture the magic they once had (after they conspired to kill Turner's husband ... hold on, wrong movie) they separate and we are subject to Hurt dealing with an old creaky house and an emotionally-drained dog.

Which brings us to Geena Davis, the entrepreneur of a dog-sitting, training business who helps Hurt with the mischievous dog and his own broken heart.

Hold on. Hurt has a family. Yes. It was largely ignored the first half of the film, but we soon learn that Hurt's brother, sister and father all live in the old house. The sister is the "mother," keeping everything organized and clean. The other two work. All three are clearly nuts. Hurt's not far behind.

Davis and Hurt are together and become quite serious until Turner shows back up wanting to reignite the flame. It works until the all inexplicably go to Paris (Hurt for work, Turner to take care of him and Davis to be obnoxious) where Hurt realizes he should be with Davis.

Now, for one, this film is held back by the 1980s. The 1980s sitcom music and the campy film poster tends to suggest a comedy. There is no laughter here, friends.

On the other hand, the dead son is rarely discussed, the behavior of the dog is unexplained, Turner's mindset during the separation and her reasoning to get back together are unexplained. The family's not funny. In fact, they're weird.

In one part, Hurt and his father are for some reason in a car going somewhere. The father asks Hurt where he thinks the relationship with Geena Davis is going and starts trashing the Davis character.

Next thing, a new scene and the father's mistrust in Davis and/or her intentions or his son's ability to take care of himself is never hit upon again.

It's almost as if the film was just poorly edited. Like they shot four hours of footage, carved it down to two hours; however, they failed to keep in important, plot-moving scenes and left in innocuous, nonsensical scenes.

And why Bill Pullman was even in the film is a complete and utter mystery.

'Gladiator'

One of the few films I saw twice. Once I guess with some ol' gal and a second time with my brother-in-law.

Realizing what kind of a douchebag Russell Crowe is, the film doesn't hold up very well. Apparently, Crowe was a total asshole during the filming, forcing untold rewrites of the script. Even allegedly stating that he was the greatest actor in the world and he'd make garbage dialogue sound good.

It also features Joaquin Phoenix in the one role that I first remember him in. I thought he was really good even if a lot of the other performances were pretty uninspired.

This film sells for one reason: Violence. The bloodier, the more primitive the better. We love this stuff. You might assume that people of other centuries were more blood thirsty or even more brutal. This may or may not be true.

I do think they did not regard life as highly as we do now. There was a greater gap between the ultra-rich and the sublimely poor. You had Rome sacking everything in sight.

More than anything, death was just too primitive and the way people were killed were no where near as sophisticated. We didn't know how to kill properly. Warfare is the prime example. It was brutal. If it wasn't a bloody mess of a death, but was most certainly bloody and drawn out for possible hours. Whereas a bullet to the head would kill you instantly, that wasn't possible then.

Still, we like gladiators battling each other and tigers. We also like that it was entertainment. Secretly, we'd like the same. It doesn't make Romans in the first century barbarians nor does it modern day humanity. It does make us all kind of weird.

'There's Something About Mary'

I wish I had some historical (relatively speaking, of course) context for There's Something About Mary.

I'm going to be honest, I don't remember what I thought this film was. I did not see it in theaters, which is odd. It was released the summer after I graduated high school.

At the time, I was flush with money and I went to an obscene amount of films. I must have thought this was a chick flick. I wasn't one to read reviews so if I made a very shallow evaluation about the film as being one thing, I never learned it was another. Therefore, I can't place it within the right context.

I do remember it being very popular and making a ton of money. Watching it now, I can't believe there was a comedy such as There's Something About Mary. I can't imagine there being a more irreverent film. Nor do I remember something with so much physical humor.

When Warren goes bananas and attacks Ben Stiller during hte prom scene it is an example of the funniest physical humor in quite a long time.

I also remember it being Cameron Diaz' coming-out party. At least for me, she was in The Mask in addition to some lower-budget films. However, I remember Diaz from There's Something About Mary.

Nowadays, I can't stand her. Does nothing for me. Then, she was one of the hottest women on the planet. With that little haircut and those little outfits. Cripes. She was gorgeous.

'The Dark Side Of The Moon'

The Dark Side of the Moon was Pink Floyd's eighth album and there's a really good chance that most rock and roll fans can name any of the first seven.

Imagine The Beatles becoming famous from Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Pink Floyd had their muse. It was Syd Barrett. They're former frontman, who went crazy and left the band some five years earlier in the late 1960s. Roger Waters and Co. could not get over the loss of their bandmate.

One of the overarching elements of The Dark Side of the Moon are the snippets of spoken word sprinkled throughout the album, over and between the music. They recruited random people, visitors and staff to look at flash cards and answer right off the top of their head and record these answers.

Questions included the person's favorite food, color, their tendency for violence and more. Whatever got the most outrageous or darkest answers.

Generally, the answers should match the mood of the album that mirrored the ramblings and mindsets of a mental patient. Cut intos segments, these answers sounded quite disturbing and literally insane.

'After The Gold Rush'

Three years ago, I made a New Year's resolution: I would understand Neil Young. I had liked rock and roll music and I had liked rock and roll music from the 1960s.

So it was clearly inexplicable why I hadn't delved into the man's catalog before.

I just didn't understand why so many people liked the guy's music so much. Instead of sitting in ignorance, crossing my arms and just saying that he sucks, I made a concerted effort to get to know Neil Young. I started with After the Gold Rush. I don't know why.

I went to the record shop and it was there for a reasonable price. Thus I began my journey with Neil Young.

I don't know if I could have picked a better album. It's so countrified and crisp. The acoustic guitars and piano just rang from the turntable's needle. It was stripped down. His third solo album, he had worked out any kinks into what would become his earnest and bare sound, long before he started adding those obnoxious electric guitars and full band.

This go round, my turntable recently broke. I was forced to find this on compact disc and it does not sound nearly as good as it did on vinyl.

Funny thing, I wound up getting all of his album on vinyl and I love a vast, vast majority of them.

Amazing things happen when you open yourself up to them.

'Natty Dread' & 'Catch A Fire'

I'm reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth book of the famous teens with magic book series.

In it, the bumbling best friend Ron Weasley is named the prefect during their fifth year at the magic school. This perplexes everyong, especially Harry. During one scene, he battles his inner thoughts of jealousy because it was assumed that Harry would be named the prefect due to his previous histrionics at the school and battling evildoers.

He was the one that battled all of these powerful wizards and powers. Not Ron. Why is Ron the prefect?

This is interesting because for the first four books, Potter battles endlessly and to little avail to prevent his reputation from preceding him and downplaying his own celebrity.

Finally, he realizes that Ron is no better than him and that Ron didn't ask for the prefect's badge and didn't really want it. So, why be mad at him?

I feel this way about Bob Marley: Marley being Ron. I'm still not a huge fan of Marley's by any means. However, I can listen to his records and feeling pretty good about. And who was I to judge an artist based almost solely on his fandom -- the ussless, dumb public and the college kids that align him with marijuana.

Thanks to Harry Potter, I know understand Bob Marley.

'Born In The U.S.A.'

The great money grab. When Bruce Springsteen became the boss. The album that overshadowed every good to great album Springsteen had done the previous decade.

I have nothing against someone making a living even if that "living" is a lot of money that allows them to never really work again.

So, Springsteen going from Nebraska (his previous album that wouldn't have a radio single if it tried) to Born in the U.S.A. that teemed with pop overtures and radio-friendly hooks seems like his payday.

But it also seems like selling out. Now, Springsteen has a very faithful following and I doubt anyone's really took him to task for this blatant lunge for more money. At the time, it was heralded as an album that "spoke to the people." It's a darker album without the jingoist lean as you might guess from the album cover and singles.

Springsteen wrote his songs with the intention on selling a lot of records. To do this, he had to incorporate the hand-clap snare intros and the synthesizers. Ultimately, I think this did more harm to his album than anything else. I feels dated and very "1980s." Whereas, Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born to Run feel no more 1970s than they do 2000s.

Although his themes didn't change, the sound did and I think it did a lot more harm than good, even if more people listened to it.

'Slaughterhouse-Five' & 'Cat's Cradle'

Kurt Vonnegut -- like jazz and baseball -- was something America got right.

The difference being Vonnegut was a pest, an itch that couldn't be scratched. He was the irritable underbelly of the United States. A ballsy and heady midwesterner, with all the common sense and know-how of a pig farmer and the worldly knowledge and jaded view of someone who has seen a ghost.

Vonnegut, in short, was everything that America was not when he was publishing his mix of science fiction, absurdity and black comedy. He had the sensibilities and the hope. However, he was not deluded enough to think this world, this life was a rosy and sweet as most everyone wishes it was.

Vonnegut was our Jiminy Cricket. He was our conscience. He had fought on World War II and witnessed one of the greatest tragedies in modern warfare (the fire bombing of Dresden). Vonnegut had seen all the hardships and death that any one human could take. He put them into his stories. These crazy characters are all apart of Vonnegut's past, the ghosts in his closet. Some are real and others imagined. Either way, they represent all of the irrational, violent and insane thoughts and actions that course through our veins and throughout our lives.

Vonnegut was beauty. Despite all the darkness and seeming lack of faith in humanity, he actually had an undying and relenting faith that people could be good and that we could all get along, if we really tried. I may not feel the same. And in some dark recess of Vonnegut's heart he might have had some mixed feelings ... because that was kind of the point. Vonnegut doesn't want us turn our back on one another. He also doesn't want us to just blindly walk down the dark alley or follow without raising some objections or questions. He wanted us all -- if nothing else to be skeptics.

My copy of Slaughterhouse-Five I received from a professor in college. I was taking a class with the man. He also taught an entire course on Vonnegut. I went to his office and as I was leaving, he gave me a copy from his shelves.

My copy of Cat's Cradle I got when my wife was cleaning out her deceased grandmother's house. In it were shelves and shelves of old science fiction, textbooks, Boy Scout manuals and an old copy of Cat's Cradle.