Jedi Council Forums - The Essentials: Hamlet/Hand of God/Happy Man/Hard Day's Night

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Author	Topic: The Essentials: Hamlet/Hand of God/Happy Man/Hard Day's Night
Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 2/25/06 10:06pm Subject: The Essentials: Hamlet/Hand of God/Happy Man/Hard Day's Night - Date Edited: 7/3/07 11:44am (136 edits total) Edited By: Rogue1-and-a-half
	Okay, so here's a new venture from me. I love lists of great artworks, but the more I see of them, the more I keep noticing that they're just really pathetic in that no one is truly inclusive across the board. Maybe the list leaves off classical music or maybe foreign cinema or maybe books in translation or whatever, but they do leave things off. So, here, for your perusal, the only all inclusive list. One requirement: it must be great! (And of course, I must have experienced it.) I'm 23 and my list is already over 1600 items and growing every day. Obviously, I'll be constantly adding things to this list, so don't be surprised if I hope back to the beginning from time to time to add things that I've either just experienced or moved do to an error in spelling in the title. And what makes them great: two things. Emotion and understanding. A work should make you feel emotion and begin to understand something about the human experience. These 1600+ artworks are the ones that do it for me and I truly think that, everyone shedding prejudices about style and genre and rating and content, they'll do it for you too. We'll do this the only way I know how: alphabetical order, five items a day. Things will be listed in the way in which they are viewed as artistic works . . . classical works will be listed as freestanding and classical compilations may also be listed. film scores will be listed for the year of the film with a note on the definitive release. Television series and the like will be listed as one work, while films, even those in a series, will be listed seperately. Works in translation will be listed with their original date and also with a note on the best translation. In short, we're listing artistic works here in the way they were released by the artist . . . a play is like an album is like a classical composition is like a movie is like a comic strip, etc. Stick close, it could get hairy. I think you guys follow me here, right? Okay, good, then let's get started and fast! 12 Angry Men (1957) - Sidney Lumet To call this cast brilliant is really to undersell it. A fantastic suspense drama, this one never loses its edge despite the fact that it all takes place in a single room. Intense, striking, at times funny, at times dramatic. Several actors give career best performances here. Maybe it raises social issues, but regardless of that, it's incredibly entertaining. 1812 Overture (1882) - Peter Ilyitc Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky himself looked down on this piece, considering it a potboiler. Well, a great composer maybe, but too hard on himself. The melodies are stunning, the arrangement is vibrant, the feeling is incredible. From the slower, beautiful string moments to the percussive and bombastic ending, this is orchestra at its best and most powerful. 1999 (1982) - Prince The album where isolationism finally took complete hold . . . it's all the man himself here with only a couple of exceptions. But the songs are fabulous and the music is sprawling and expansive, spanning genres as if there was no such thing as genre (and maybe he has something there). Bitter, raucous, lustful, profane, hopeful, swaggering: this solidifies legend status even if nothing else does. A moment of pure genius comes at one point when Prince, in the space of about thirty seconds, asks what we're going to do when we die, states that he believes in and loves God and then says that he intends to have fun the whole mother-****** night. Sprawling? Doesn't begin to cover it. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - Stanley Kubrick A film that defines modernity but spans to prehistory, a film about human evolution who's most memorable character is a computer, a film about soullessness that sings with beauty and transcendence. A beautiful film about human change and growth, this one never gets old. Truly magical, and ground shaking. Cinema would never be the same. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - Various Artists One of those moments when a compilation album becomes something more. Sampling from classical compositions as far afield as Also Sprach Zarathustra, On the Beautiful Blue Danube and the post modern compositions of Gyorgy Ligeti, this is truly an album for the ages. From romanticism to avant garde electronica in less than an hour. Can we say masterpiece? Yes, we can. Availability: 12 Angry Men and 2001 are both readily available on DVD and remember, Original Aspect Ratio only. The definitive recording of the 1812 Overture is by the Radio Symphony Orchestra Ljubljana, conducted by Anton Nanut. Tears the roof off and then burns the building down for good measure. If you have a friend who says classical music is boring, get this version of the 1812 and play it for them at top volume. They'll never say it again. The soundtrack of 2001 saw a rerelease in 1996 from Rhino, digitally remastered in brilliant sound and that's probably the one you want to track down. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 2/25/06 10:16pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Discussing 12 Angry Men, 1812 Overture, 1999, 2001: Space Odyssey)
	"Twelve Angry Men" is beautifully acted, but it's a bit formulaic and stagebound, IMO. "1812" Overture is brilliant--Russian nationalism as music. Prince is crazy, eccentric and hugely talented as both a performer and a songwriter. Like the music of "2001" better than I like the movie. It's typical Kubrick, brilliant, deliberately inexplicable, and chilly as hell. I think Hal the computer is the perfect Kubrick character.
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Mr44 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: May '02	Date Posted: 2/25/06 10:32pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Discussing 12 Angry Men, 1812 Overture, 1999, 2001: Space Odyssey)
	I actually saw the cable remake version of 12 Angry Men first, which strangely enough was directed by William Friedkin of Exorcist and French Connection fame. It was an alright endeavor, but it made me seek out the original 1957 version. Even though I agree that it's formula-based, the original is a classic. Again, maybe trite, but I liked how the characters were only identified by their jury numbers, but the viewer could piece together who they were by the attitudes they displayed. -----signature----- When you enter a room full of armed men, shoot the first person who makes a move- hostile or otherwise He has started to think and is therefore dangerous... -- Colonel "Paddy" Mayne, co-founder of the SAS
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TheBoogieMan Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Nov '01	Date Posted: 2/26/06 6:06am Subject: RE: The Essentials (Discussing 12 Angry Men, 1812 Overture, 1999, 2001: Space Odyssey)
	Fantastic thread, Rogue. 12 Angry Men is a great film. I really enjoyed it when I saw it, and would like to see it again. Superbly acted. The 1812 is also a fantastic work. Of course, it is popular mostly for being extremely, extremely loud, but it has excellent moments not related to its decibel meter as well. A thoroughly enjoyable work. 2001 the film is okay. It's highly overrated in my book, though. The score is fantastic, however, as with all Kubrick.
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General Kenobi Title: Administrator Emeritus Registered: Dec '98	Date Posted: 2/26/06 10:50am Subject: RE: The Essentials (Discussing 12 Angry Men, 1812 Overture, 1999, 2001: Space Odyssey)
	moved do to an error in spelling You mean due to an error? Anyhow, sounds like a very interesting project. Are we going to see all 1600+ on the list? Do we have to wait until the end for the complete list? I haven't seen 12 Angry Men. The 1812 Overture is probably my favorite piece of orchestral music. Yes, the quiter parts are just as wonderful as the loud parts. The contrast in the piece is delicious. I have about four or five versions, some featuring real cannons. I like the performance by the Boston Pops conducted by John Williams as much as any. I wonder if Prince's Purple Rain would be considered his more "essential" recording (unless you've also included it on your list). But 1999 is quite the album. Does the phallic number one on the cover give it away? "I was dreaming when I wrote this..." O RLY? Not sure if I'd include this on an "essentials" list, but I like it. I love 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is truly a work of art and not just a "movie". I agree that HAL is perhaps the best "Kubrick character".
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JediTrilobite Registered: Nov '99	Date Posted: 2/26/06 11:35am Subject: RE: The Essentials (Discussing 12 Angry Men, 1812 Overture, 1999, 2001: Space Odyssey)
	1812 Overture is amazing. I've always liked that song, and even more so when John Crichton was humming it incessently. 2001 A Space Odyssey is also one of my favorite SciFi films, just amazing. -----signature----- Ever wonder what happened during the clone wars? Visit: http://www.theclonewarz.net My Blogs: http://www.jeditrilobite.com , http://tk3220.wordpress.com TK-3220, NEG VT Rep
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 2/26/06 9:14pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. Close Encounters; Clueless; Cold Harbour; Collector's Series; Color Planes - Date Edited: 5/11/06 7:16pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Zaz
	General Kenobi posted: moved do to an error in spelling You mean due to an error? Oh, snap! That's pretty funny actually. General Kenobi posted: Anyhow, sounds like a very interesting project. Are we going to see all 1600+ on the list? Do we have to wait until the end for the complete list? I guess I could post it here or PM it to anyone who wants it . . . otherwise it's going to take a long time to get all the way through it. And, yeah, Purple Rain is definitely on the list . . . this is all inclusive. If an artist deserves to have their entire discography on the list, I'll put the entire thing on the list. Not than any do, but, you know, that's the theory. Next up: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) - Richard Fleischer Disney's live action films basically started here, but they would never be as good as this one. Lorre and Douglas are interesting as always and James Mason owns the film as Nemo. His Nemo has little in common with the book, but when it's James Mason, he can do what he wants and still be fascinating. Great film, exciting, funny, and Mason probably deserved an Oscar nom. 20 Southern Gospel Piano Favorites (1993) - Anthony Burger I have two friends, brothers, who play four hands on the piano. The two of them, playing together, can just about duplicate what Burger can do all by himself. Ironically, earlier this week, Burger died, at the terribly young age of 44, of a surprise heart attack . . . a tragic loss. This guy is easily the greatest pianist who ever lived. Easily. In a walk. Emoting credibly and also just tearing it up when the song called for it, the man could play anything better than anyone else. 20th Century Masters: The Millenium Collection: The Best of Joe Cocker (2000) - Joe Cocker A great starting point for the Joe Cocker novice. This fantastic compilation manages to crib most of his significant songs. Cocker was a master in his early days and if his later work, like Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong, seem a bit neutered compared to his growling and rambunctious early works, well, he's earned a rest, I guess. His stunning cover of Many Rivers to Cross alone makes this an essential. 20th Century Masters: The Millenium Collection: The Jackson 5 (1999) - The Jackson 5 Before disco set in, before everyone started trying to make them cute, before Michael lost his mind, these guys were brilliant. Energy is through the roof and their ability to sell incredibly mature songs is shocking. This is, and I stand by this, the only kid group ever that actually makes you forget you're listening to a kid group. 24 (2001 - ?) - Joel Surnow The concept seems doomed to failure. Real time television. But it works and works brilliantly. With a brilliant lead in the incredibly off kilter Kiefer Sutherland and a supporting cast that is both massive and, to a person, excellent (Haysbert, Berkely and Bernard deserve special mentions, I think), this show manages to transcend genres and origins to become a staggering work of art. Not only does this redefine suspense for a new generation, but it also serves as a great exploration of the human condition. How far can we go in 24 hours? You'll see. Availability: 20,000 Leagues under the Sea is available on DVD. 20 Southern Gospel Piano Favorites is a difficult album to get ahold on . . . myself, I only have it on cassette, unable to find it on CD, so that gives you some idea. The two 20th Century Masters albums are readily available on CD. The first four seasons of 24 are already out on DVD and you all need to pick them up. If ever a show was made for DVD it is this one. The fifth season is slated to be released fairly quickly, I think, in keeping with this show's philosophy of quick DVD releases to prepare for the new seasons. Next time, we'll actually, finish up the numbers, I think. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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somethingfamiliar Registered: Aug '03	Date Posted: 2/26/06 10:07pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 20,000 Leagues, 20 Piano Favorites, Joe Cocker, Jackson 5, 24
	Jackson 5 "I Want You Back" is awesome. -----signature----- I had all bases covered. I had the Hulkamaniacs watching DiBiase. I had Virgil in his place.
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TheBoogieMan Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Nov '01	Date Posted: 2/27/06 1:00am Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 20,000 Leagues, 20 Piano Favorites, Joe Cocker, Jackson 5, 24 - Date Edited: 2/27/06 1:01am (1 edits total) Edited By: TheBoogieMan
	General Kenobi posted: Anyhow, sounds like a very interesting project. Are we going to see all 1600+ on the list? Do we have to wait until the end for the complete list? Well, he's been going on another board for about a year now, and we are at about "D", last time I checked. Oh, and the first season of 24 was about the best TV series I think I've seen.
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Ive_Got_Two_Legs Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 2/27/06 9:30am Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 20,000 Leagues, 20 Piano Favorites, Joe Cocker, Jackson 5, 24
	20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - best Disney film, period. -----signature----- "Where's your sense of optimism?" "It opted out."
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Zaz Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre Registered: Oct '98	Date Posted: 2/27/06 1:17pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 20,000 Leagues, 20 Piano Favorites, Joe Cocker, Jackson 5, 24
	I've seen it recently, and yes, Nemo is perfectly cast and Ned Land is well-cast, but Paul Lukas and Peter Lorre are painfully miscast (way too old) as the Professor and Conseil. It has dated, and more than a bit. Joe Cocker, in the days prior to crappy power ballads, was a great rocker. The first Jackson 5 recordings had an incredible energy, escpecially "I Want You Back." And 24? I need the DVD.
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MystikalMaceWindu Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 2/27/06 1:21pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 20,000 Leagues, 20 Piano Favorites, Joe Cocker, Jackson 5, 24
	Yes, there's a handful of Jackson 5 recordings that are practically undeniable in terms of their entertaining nature. I recently did get the two-disc set, which earlier was called Anthology, and that's been out of print, and the new Gold compilation has the same exact songs.... but Jackson 5, for the most part, is a one-disc best-of at most.... the rest of the tracks on the two-disc are more curios and whatnot. It's like their actual best songs (ABC, Never Can Say Goodbye, Love you Save, etc.) with their "others." -----signature----- Yoda and Mace Windu in 2008! A Unifying Force!
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Darth_Banal Registered: Jul '02	Date Posted: 2/27/06 1:36pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 20,000 Leagues, 20 Piano Favorites, Joe Cocker, Jackson 5, 24 - Date Edited: 2/27/06 1:45pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Darth_Banal
	I've spoken of my love for 24 on several occassions. So I'll just make a general statement about it: It really resurrected my relationship with broadcast television. In the year or two leading up to the first season, I was content to watch syndicated re-runs more than any new shows that were offered. Until 24. It's the only show I know of where I don't want to miss an episode. And not just because of the linear nature of the show. Because it's that good. -----signature----- When the sea takes me like my mother's arms I will breathe free as any word of God
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Forcefire Registered: Jul '00	Date Posted: 2/27/06 1:53pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 20,000 Leagues, 20 Piano Favorites, Joe Cocker, Jackson 5, 24
	This is a ridiculously ambitious undertaking, Rogue. I'm both eager to see what will be on the list and angry with you for adding what I'm sure will be a lot of new works on my lists of things to get around to viewing, hearing, reading, etc. I'll be sure to stick with this, and maybe I'll have something to say about one of them one of these days. Not familiar enough with any of these to post coherently yet. -----signature----- "Dear Diary, today I was pompous and my sister was crazy. Today we were kidnapped by hillfolk, never to be seen again. It was the best day ever." Jayne Cobb, the Hero of Canton
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 2/27/06 2:17pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 20,000 Leagues, 20 Piano Favorites, Joe Cocker, Jackson 5, 24
	Thanks for the positive feedback, guys. I do hope you'll all stick around. The other website, I was posting ten a week. Here I'm posting five a day. So, a distinctly faster pace going on here. But I really don't want to post the entire thing here, mainly because it will absolutely kill the length of the thread and require you to scroll through an almost two-thousand item list every time you come in here. But I will PM it to anyone interested. CAVEAT: I am currently retooling the format of the list, so you'll have things on your list that I PM you that will be changing a bit. And on with the show. 40 Acres (1999) - Caedmon's Call Energetic and melancholy folk rock album that carries a tremendous emotional impact. Songs that deal with loss, fear, weakness, frailty, but through it all there runs a strong current of hope and faith. An album that is unabashedly nostalgic, about going back home, about working the soil, about digging through your memories, about finding redemption by admitting your frailty. Shattering. 40 Greatest Hits (1978) - Hank Williams There are those who say they don't like country. Perhaps that's because they've never heard REAL country. And this is pure country, mixed, of course, with folk, blues, and even elements that are definite precursors to rock and roll (what is Move On Over, but Rock Around the Clock with different lyrics and no drums?). This massive collection is probably Williams most accessible collection . . . no production noodling, no 'fake duets,' just the genius of Williams. The emotions are so full they're overflowing: grief, frustration, anger, joy, faith, hope, despair. One of those albums that truly touches on every aspect of the human experience and does so with brilliance. 8mm (1999) - Joel Shumacher The plot is an obvious one, of a private detective hired to find a girl who was killed in a snuff video. His original intent (prove the snuff video is a fake) falls by the wayside fairly quickly. Cage, always interesting, is on the pure edge of adrenaline here and his performance is one of his darkest. Joaquin Pheonix gives a brilliant performance as a morally uncompromised X-rated bookstore clerk. And the final moments are as queasy and nihlistic as cinema gets. What is perversion? Very simple . . . as one of the villians states at the conclusion: perversion is you and me. Between the dark streets of seamy sexual exploitation and violence and the daylight vistas of our 'normal' lives, there is but a step. 8 1/2 (1963) - Frederico Fellini One of my personal top ten films, this brilliant film tells the story of a popular film director who wrestles to write his next movie, come to grips with his past, find peace with the women in his life and deal with the politics of the film world. From the opening dream sequence to the frenetic climax, this remains the greatest film ever about art and the role it plays in the world. Marcello Mastroianni gives one of the performances that proves he is perhaps the finest actor who has ever lived and Fellini's direction is magical and stunning. Art and the real world? What happens when they meet? This movie, more than any other, answers that question. Essays deserve to be written on this film and I have written at least two myself . . . one paragraph is not nearly enough space to explain why this is one of the greatest films of all time. ABC (1970) - Jackson 5 Again with these guys . . . probably their only real essential album (aside from best of compilations, as noted above), this is an infusion of pure energy. The first four songs are one of the greatest highs of music history. The Love You Save and ABC are both so incredibly energetic and brilliant that its difficult to believe, even when you've heard it. The sizzling I'll Bet You, the resonant and heartfelt Don't Know Why I Love You . . . these are amazing songs in their own right. And if the title track doesn't make you just get up and dance, well, I just don't know. Availability: All of the albums I mentioned have been released on CD and none of them should give you much trouble. Both of the films have also been released on DVD. It should be noted that 8 1/2 has seen a couple of DVD releases. Insist on the greatest DVD release series of all time, the Criterion Collection. Next time, two musical works, two movies and a book. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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General Kenobi Title: Administrator Emeritus Registered: Dec '98	Date Posted: 2/27/06 7:04pm Subject: RE: The Essentials (Disc. 40 Acres, 40 Hank Williams Hits, 8MM, 8 1/2, ABC)
	I don't really have too many comments on the last ten. I don't like Country in general and I own a Hank Williams "best of" type cd. I can appreciate the pure simplicity of some of his songs.
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