Will the Ultra-Cool The Playboy Club Find Its Audience?

The new fall TV season is here and I'm watching a bunch of new shows like Whitney, Two Broke Girls, How To Be A Gentleman, Pan Am, and probably my favorite debuting series, NBC's The Playboy Club.

In a nutshell, it's Mad Men, meets American Dreams with a smattering of The House Bunny.

Like Mad Men, The Playboy Club features an ensemble cast, and is set in the early sixties in a workplace where all of the male characters are unapologetically misogynistic. The lead character, Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian) channels the cool, suave persona of Don Draper and like Draper, has a mysterious and shady past.

The American Dreams comparison refers to the plotlines of that show (which also took place during the 1960s) being set against the backdrop of real life events. American Dreams, for those who don't remember the overlooked but critically acclaimed series, traced the lives of a Philadelphia family as they experienced the tumultuous culture shifts of the 1960's. The JFK assassination, 1964 Philadelphia riots, Vietnam War, and American Bandstand TV show (produced in Philadelphia at the time) were just a few of the many real-life events incorporated into show episodes.

The Playboy Club is set to travel this same historically accurate route, teasing storylines that include the infamous Chicago mob, the Civil Rights Movement, and even the Mattachine Society, one of the country's earliest pro-homosexual organizations.

And there's a lot more going on in The Playboy Club, like the ongoing murder/coverup/investigation of a mafia kingpin, and (also like American Dreams) spot-on recreations of actual musical performances. The premiere episode featured Ike and Tina Turner performing at both The Playboy Club and at Hugh Hefner's Chicago Playboy Mansion. There's also a healthy dose of workplace romance and lots of sexual tension between Cibrian and Laura Benanti who plays Carol, the club's resident den mother (hence, the "House Bunny" comparison.)

But if the primary reason you think you might be interested in this show is for the titillation factor, then you won't be disappointed. There are plenty of sexy, rabbit-eared, cotton-tailed bunnies flitting around. (Hey, you know you've got a sexy show when Jenna Dewan is only the third most attractive female cast member.) The clear standout, however, is the gorgeous Amber Heard as Maureen.

I first noticed Heard in 2008's Never Back Down and since then, she has taken on a series of curious roles in a number of offbeat films (Pineapple Express, Zombieland, The Joneses) presumably waiting for that breakthrough role that will make her a household name. Maybe the upcoming The Rum Diary, in which she co-stars with Johnny Depp, will serve that purpose. But on the other hand, maybe television is where she'll wind up -- at least for awhile.

In any case, there's an awful lot to like about The Playboy Club but you have to wonder if it will last. As a period piece with a large cast, it's an expensive show and will need to garner good ratings in order to survive. How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men have helped CBS own Mondays for years, making it more difficult for The Playboy Club to draw the viewers it needs to stay afloat. The debut scored a disappointing 1.6 rating (in the key demographic of 18-49 year olds) and yesterday's episode did slightly worse. Clearly, the show is being hurt by WWE Raw and (on the east coast) Monday Night Football, which combine to siphon off a huge share of male viewers.

Too bad, because The Playboy Club is a quality show. Guess I'll enjoy it for as long as I can.

The Beatles at Candlestick

Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Beatles' final concert performance -- Candlestick Park, San Francisco, August 29th, 1966. The band did of course famously perform on the roof of Apple Studios in London in 1969, but that wasn't so much an authentic concert as a short, staged jam session -- sort of a final public performance for the band (and goodbye to the fans) as the group was in the process of disintegrating.

The Candlestick show was the final engagement on a 14-stop tour that criss-crossed the US and Canada. The short set list includes a nice mix of early Beatles tracks ("Rock and Roll Music", "I Wanna Be Your Man") along with cuts from the 1966 album Rubber Soul ("Nowhere Man", "If I Needed Someone".)

There's a great article with more details about the concert here and if you'd like to download all the tracks, just click this link. A word of warning though -- although this is one of the Beatles most popular bootlegs, the audio quality is pretty terrible; it's almost painful to listen to. If you'd like a better quality concert, try this one from 1964, recorded at Convention Hall in Philadelphia.

Defining Films of the Decades - The 60's

Continuing the "Defining Films of the Decades" series I started some time ago, here are the selections for the 1960's. As a reminder, these films were chosen based on popularity, excellence, timelessness, and relevancy as it pertains to the decade in which it was released. This means it should in some way reveal or reflect the decades' current events, social issues, trends, tastes, mores, creative sensibilities and artistic styles.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Gregory Peck gives the performance of the decade as Atticus Finch, whom the American Film Institute named as the single greatest American movie hero of all-time. This film opened the eyes of many to what the power of dignity, principles, and forthrightness can accomplish in the face of oppression, ignorance and racism. In this regard, To Kill a Mockingbird provided inspiration for the American Civil Rights Movement that was moving toward critical mass at the time.

Dr. Strangelove Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

The Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, and high command of the US political and military infrastructure, all perfectly satirized by Stanley Kubrick and Peter Sellers.

The Sound of Music (1965)

With perhaps the most cinematic opening shots ever, The Sound of Music is the third highest grossing film of all-time (after adjusting for inflation) thanks largely to its sweeping, majestic photography, Julie Andrews angelic singing voice, and the masterful songwriting of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Goldfinger (1964)

There were two earlier screen adaptations of Ian Fleming spy novels (Dr. No and From Russia with Love) but Goldfinger was the first to really zero in on the formula for a successful James Bond film -- girls, guns and gadgets. The result: a huge hit at the box office (the fifth highest grossing film of the decade) that propelled the popularity of the 007 character to all-time highs. Gert Frobe as Auric Goldfinger remains one of the most memorable villains in film history and Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore is still the ultimate “Bond Girl”.

THE Defining Film of the 1960s:

The Graduate (1967)

The sixties saw the rise of counter-culture and railing against traditional thinking, lifestyles and conventions. Films like Easy Rider, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Bonnie and Clyde celebrated this and perpetuated the idea of the antihero. But in its own, more subtle way, The Graduate also had a lot to say about bucking prevailing mores and rejecting America’s “plastic” society. 

Related Posts:
Defining Films of the Decades - The 50's
Defining Films of the Decades - The 40's
Defining Films of the Decades - The 30's

Shout Out to: Lippy the Lion

One of the most overlooked characters on the Hanna-Barbera roster, Lippy the Lion was a cartoon short that served as one-third of The Hanna-Barbera New Cartoon Series that premiered in 1962. (The other two shorts comprising the show were Touche' Turtle, and the slightly better known Wally Gator.)

Lippy the Lion was significant because it was one of a handful of animated series that featured voice characterizations by arguably the two greatest cartoon voice actors of all time -- Daws Butler (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Woody Woodpecker) as well as Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all the other Warner Brothers favorites.)

Lippy the Lion is also memorable for having perhaps the most comedically ironic sidekick ever -- Hardy Har Har, a laughing hyena suffering from depression. Now I don't know if he was ever clinically diagnosed, but I do remember Hardy being constantly dreary and pessimistic, and having this sort of general, neverending malaise. Perhaps they should have done one of those "very special" episodes of Lippy, where Hardy tries to kill himself, then finally agrees to see a shrink and gets a Zoloft prescription.

On a side note, Lippy the Lion was yet another one of those cartoon characters that never wore pants. Seems like animators love to have cartoon animals wearing clothing, as long as it's not pants. Think about it...


Lippy the Lion - Hat, no pants.

Donald Duck - Shirt, no pants.

Bugs Bunny - Classy white gloves... but no pants.

Quick Draw McGraw - Hat?... Check... Neckerchief?... Check... Gun holster?... Check... Pants?... Nope.

Top Cat has a much snazzier hat and vest than Lippy... but still no pants.

Huckleberry Hound has a hat and a tie (but no collar or shirt to go with the tie)... and no pants.

And Hardy Har Har somehow has a collar but no shirt... and of course, no pants.

What the hell?... Is there something inherently difficult about drawing pants?... Or did everyone just cut class the day they taught it in animation school?

Anyway, as I check YouTube, I see the old Lippy and Hardy intro. Glad to see that they've finally been given their due.



Related Posts:
Shout Out to: The Sorels
Shout Out to: Dara Torres
Shout Out to: "The Payback"
Shout Out to: Found Item Clothing
Shout Out to: Force M.D.'sShout Out to: Dian Parkinson
Shout Out to: Sidney "Woim" Kibrick

Beatles Rock Band is Best at E3

Hello PopCultureFiend readers! Oh wait, I almost forgot, NO ONE READS THIS BLOG. 

But on the off chance that there is someone out there who may be wondering why I was only able to get one blog post up last week, it's because, well... I ran out of gas. I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car! There was an earthquake... A terrible flood!... Locusts!... IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!!!! 

 No seriously, I was preoccupied with E3 and other miscellaneous crap. And speaking of E3, with all due respect to Microsoft's motion sensing controls, the PSP redesign, and the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMOG, the news and game that created the most excitement at E3 was when Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr made a brief appearance to plug The Beatles: Rock Band. 

By all accounts, the game offers much more than simply adding Beatles music to the Rock Band franchise (although that in and of itself would more than satisfy many.) Gamers will get brand new Rock Band graphics and menus, incredibly detailed 3D avatars of the Fab 4 that change their look and dress based on the era (mop top, psychedelic, Abbey Road, etc.), and even new instruments, including replicas of John Lennon's Rickenbacker guitar and Paul's Hofner bass. Beatles: Rock Band will also be the first game of its type to allow more than one singer at a time, thereby giving players the chance to imitate the band's signature rich, intricate harmonies. 

 Judging from the opening cinematic and gameplay trailer (below), the game's look is absolutely stunning. Plus, Beatles Rock Band was created with cooperation and input from Paul, Ringo, and John Lennon's and George Harrison's widows, which should give an indication of what to expect from the game in terms of quality since the four have been notoriously protective about how the Beatles' music, likenesses and brand are used. 

Songs from the Beatles' catalog that will be part of the game include "I Saw Her Standing There", "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "Day Tripper", "Octopus’s Garden", and "Here Comes The Sun" (with the rest of the Abbey Road album to follow shortly after the game's release), plus 40 more tunes. Personally, I'm crossing my fingers for "Helter Skelter", "Nowhere Man", "And I Love Her", "You Won't See Me", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and "Yer Blues".

In anticipation of the game's September 9th release, I've create this official Beatles: Rock Band countdown clock. 

Related Posts:

The Beatles at Candlestick

Happy Anniversary Leaping Winged Horse

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Where the Boys Are '84, which was a remake of a popular 1960 beach comedy featuring Dolores Hart, Paula Prentiss, George Hamilton, Frank Gorshin (best known as The Riddler from TV’s Batman series) and Connie Francis, who also sang the hugely successful title track. 

Where the Boys Are '84 had an equally eclectic cast that featured actress turned country singer Lisa Hartman, figure skater turned actress Lynn Holly Johnson, Lorna Luft (daughter of Judy Garland), Wendy Schaal (now the voice of Francine on American Dad), and Christopher MacDonald (Shooter McGavin from Happy Gilmour.) The film wasn’t nearly as successful as its predecessor but will forever have a place in cinema history as the very first theatrical release from Tri-Star Pictures. 

Tri-Star was a joint film production and distribution company formed in 1982 by HBO, CBS, and Columbia Pictures. The company went on to produce and/or distribute a number of successful (Rambo: First Blood, Part II, Glory, Sleepless in Seattle, My Best Friend’s Wedding) and not so successful (Meatballs 2, Night of the Creeps, Nothing in Common, Jawbreaker) features before it was eventually folded into Columbia (and later into Columbia's parent company Sony Pictures.) And though Tri-Star’s still around today, it’s a much smaller player than it used to be. 

 

Related Links:

Where the Boys Are '84 at IMDb

The Music of The Flintstones

Before Family Guy, before South Park, before The Simpsons, the first prime time animated series was The Flintstones, which ran from 1960 to 1966 on ABC. I watched the reruns every day after school for years. Then suddenly, about ten years ago, I couldn't find the show anywhere on the dial. Come to find that the series' broadcasting rights in the U.S. had been acquired by Boomerang.

The Flintstones was groundbreaking in many ways. Among other things, it was the first cartoon series to include a laugh track and story arcs (e.g., Wilma's pregnancy.) The show was also revolutionary for its regular inclusion of guest star voices (Tony Curtis, Hoagy Carmichael, Elizabeth Montgomery, and James Darren, among others) and for its acknowledgement of and spoofs of pop culture icons and personalities. These included people like Alfred Hitchcock ("Alvin Brickrock") and Ed Sullivan ("Ed Sullystone") as well as TV and movie characters like James Bond ("James Bondrock") and Perry Mason ("Perry Masonary".) 

The Flintstones also made a point to recognize and sometimes parody various pop culture phenomena taking place during the 60s, such as the British Invasion ("The Way Outs" and "Bug Music"), the beatnik movement, the country's space program, surfing craze, and even "The Twist" ("Twitch".)

One of the most unforgettable things about The Flintstones is its music, which incorporated everything from vaudeville tunes, to commercial jingles, to modern pop music. Around the time the first Flintstones movie was released in 1994 (and by the way, how badly did they miss the mark on that one -- thirty-two different writers and that's the best they could do?) I wandered into a long since defunct music store called The Wall and picked up The Flintstones: Modern Stone Age Melodies, which featured many of the most memorable songs from the show's six year run. The best of these include "Rockin' Bird" (from the episode where Fred becomes singing idol "Hi-Fye") and "Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sunshine In" (which was later covered by Frente'.) 

As a bonus, the album also includes lots of dialog from the show, extra tracks consisting of instrumentals used for the show's transition and chase scenes, and background music.

I only wish Modern Stage Age Melodies included the two songs Ann-Margret performed when she appeared on the show in 1963 (the same year her breakthrough movie Bye Bye Birdie was released) -- "I Ain't Gonna Be Your Fool No More" and "The Littlest Lamb". 

Margret was on Phil Donahue's show many years ago and she fondly recalled her appearance on The Flintstones. A woman in the studio audience then remarked on what a beautiful song "The Littlest Lamb" was and asked Margret to sing it, but she politely declined.)

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

Maureen McCormick ("Marcia" from The Brady Bunch) has a new autobiography in bookstores now. Here’s the Story (great title by the way) details McCormick’s battles with depression, an eating disorder, weight gain, and a lifetime trying to live up to the image of her perfect alter-ego. Among the startling revelations in her tell-all:

• She had sex in a pool with TV brother and co-star Barry Williams.

• Her mother and grandmother both suffered from syphilis, causing Maureen to have a decades-long fear that she too had the disease and that it would someday cause her insanity and eventual death.

• She was drug addict who was once so coked up, she blew an interview with Steven Spielberg and a role in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Damn... Who knew America's most clean-cut TV family had so many real-life skeletons in their closet? Mike Brady was gay; Greg wanted to date his mom (Florence Henderson); Marcia was a druggie… What’ll we learn next?... The family mutt "Tiger" was part of a dog-fighting ring?... Or that guy who played Sam the Butcher went Sweeney Todd and tried to grind Alice into mincemeat?

Well anyway, I was digging on Marcia a little bit during that last season of TBB so needed to check out her book.