Retro Crimbo 2023: George’s gigantic festive photo archive
So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Plastering NYC – and other global metropolises – with billboards carrying an unfettered pro-peace message was what John and Yoko did in December ’69
Christmas may come but once a year, yet it’s rather a regular occurrence on this blog – must get back to some less itinerant blogging in 2024 (you might even call it a New Year’s resolution!).
Anyhoo, what better way to see out this year than with a truly bumper-bumper pictorial celebration of seasonal goodwill, featuring the great and the glamorous, the funny and the dramatic, the melodic and the pugilistic, the beautiful and the brilliant, and the cute and the cuddly of yesteryear?
All the very best of what remains of the season and a very happy and peaceful new year to all of you out there in Internetland…!
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RIGHT-CLICK on images and open them in a new tab to enlarge them (on Desktop)
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Gimme some peace: as with the posters and billboards erected in other global cities (including Berlin, Tokyo and Toronto), those in NYC went up on December 15th 1969, as part of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s ‘Peace Movement’ response to the ongoing Vietnam War, which would also include that year’s infamous ‘bed in’ and the 1971 single (Happy Christmas) War Is Over, and would rope in the support of famous friends like George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Keith Moon (tl), and Mary Hopkin (br)
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Snow angels: Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe enjoy lots of winter fun in the white stuff (middle), while Anna Karina beams with pride as she proudly shows off her skies (top and bottom)
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Toys for girls and boys: the now both too-soon-departed Kirsty MacColl and Shane MacGowan promote the original release of The Pogues’ greatly loved Christmas hit Fairytale of New York in 1987
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Bows, wreaths and trimmed trees: Much-loved Hollywood starlets of yesteryear – original ‘It Girl’ Clara Bow (top left), King Kong’s Fay Wray (top right), Mildred Pierce’s Ann Blyth (bottom left) and triple threat-and-a-half Ann-Margret (bottom right) – pose in some seasonal cheesecake shots
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Laughs and scarfs: legends of British festive TV – Morecambe and Wise in a portrait from a Radio Times article, Ann and Vicki Michelle delighting Ronnie Barker in a promotional shot for a Porridge Christmas special and David Bowie in an on-set snap while filming his intro for The Snowman
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Melody makers: The Beach Boys (l) and Blondie’s Chris Stein and Debbie Harry (r) pose with pines
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Back to the Christmas future: before they were famous, Lea Thompson, Elisabeth Shue and a pint-sized Sarah Michelle Gellar feature in an ad for Burger King, which screened on US TV in 1982
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Winter warmer: Claudia Cardinale puts on a brave face (and a glorious smile) in three snowy snaps
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Hosts of Christmas presents: Terry Wogan bearing gifts (left) and Ted Rogers, Dusty Bin and Caroline Munro promoting a Christmas special of unfathomable game show 3-2-1 in TV Times magazine (right)
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Mills and balloons: Hayley Mills promoting the 1966 film Sky West And Crooked (top), a 1969 stage production of Peter Pan (middle) and volunteering in a charity Christmas card shop in 1967 (bottom)
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Delightful duos: a Santa-suited pairing of Danny Kaye and Nat King Cole, Kermit and Miss Piggy in The Muppet Christmas Carol and a very merry then-husband-and-wife Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh
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Tree-mendous: a 1970s Dick Van Dyke posing for a TV special in front of a Christmas tree on then permanent display at Harold Lloyd’s Beverly Hills mansion (left), Lloyd himself touching up the tree, which featured thousands of ornaments sourced from across globe (middle), and Cynthia Myers literally lit-up like a Christmas tree on the cover of the Playboy December 1968 issue (right)
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Fur-ly well wrapped-up: Mick Jagger, Pattie Boyd and Boney M. opt for furry outerwear to stave off the winter cold, the latter while promoting their single Rasputin in Moscow’s Red Square in 1978
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Santa’s leggy helpers: film noir’s Jane Greer pens a letter to St. Nick, Joan Collins greets the gift-giver, Elizabeth Montgomery does a spot of Santa Claus-ing and Debbie Reynolds flirts with a snowman
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Simply having a wonderful Christmastime: Paul McCartney films the video for his 1979 festive hit
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Especially for yule: Kylie Minogue proves nobody holds a candle to her in the Crimbo cuteness stakes
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Who’s behind you! Frank Bruno, Stephanie Lawrence and Sooty promote their early ’90s pantomime in Woking (top left), as do Britt Ekland and Gladiators’ Wolf for 1993’s Aladdin at the Birmingham Hippodrome (top right), while in the mid-’80s, then-husband-and-wife Peter Davison and Sandra Dickinson publicise their production of Cinderella (middle), and Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and Mary Tamm do likewise for their John Nathan-Turner-produced pantomime in Southampton (bottom)
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North Pole stars: Roger Moore is snapped as he dresses up as Santa (rosy cheeks and all), while Colonel Tom Parker dons the coat, boots and beard for Elvis Presley’s 1965 Christmas card to fans
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New year cheerleaders: Buster Keaton and Debbie Reynolds (top ), Judy Garland and Olivia de Havilland (middle), and model Karen Jensen (bottom) ring out the old and ring in the new
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That’s right, the blog post directly preceding this one, which claimed to be this year’s Christmas playlist, was telling a tiny-weeny festive fib – because it wasn’t the only one. As a bit of a bonus, this one’s an awesome seasonal playlist, too.
Indeed, what better way to follow up a post celebrating the best ever UK Christmas Number 1 singles than with one chock-full of more merry-tasting treats – specifically, the finest tunes ever to hit Blighty’s Number 2 slot come Christmas Day?
And, although, none of these 17 ditties managed to make it to the top of the, er, Christmas tree in their original year of release, collectively they maybe make for a more diverse and even better combo of British chart classics than those listed here 48 short hours ago.
So, with just one more sleep to go until the big day, why not drift away into Crimbo dreamland by giving a listen to a few of the following tracks? You’re bound to be humming one, two, three, four or more of them tomorrow. Cue Bill Haley’s talking clock…!
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CLICK on the track titles to hear them
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Bill Haley & The Comets ~ Rock Around The Clock (1955)¹
Lord Rockingham’s XI ~ Hoots Mon (1958)¹
The Beatles ~ She Loves You (1963)¹²
Petula Clark ~ Downtown (1964)
The Foundations ~ Build Me Up Buttercup (1968)
Kenny Rogers and The First Edition ~ Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town (1969)
Bachman-Turner Overdrive ~ You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet (1974)
Greg Lake ~ I Believe In Father Christmas (1975)
The Village People ~ Y.M.C.A. (1978)¹
ABBA ~ I Have A Dream (1979)
John Lennon ~ (Just Like) Starting Over (1980)¹
The Housemartins ~ Caravan Of Love (1986)¹
Kylie Minogue featuring Jason Donovan ~ Especially For You (1988)¹
Vanilla Ice ~ Ice Ice Baby (1990)¹
Mariah Carey ~ All I Want For Christmas (1994/ 2020)
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars ~ Uptown Funk (2014)¹
The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl ~ Fairytale Of New York (1987)³
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¹ Managed to chart at Number 1 on the UK singles charts either in the run up to or after Christmas in the year of its release, but not actually over the yuletide itself
² Along with the top-spot-hitting I Want To Hold Your Hand, this absolutely Fab-tastic Beatles hit ensured the latter secured both the UK Christmas Number 1 and 2 in 1963; a feat that’s been repeated three times since (by The Beatles again in 1967, George Michael in 1984, and Ed Sheeran and Elton John in 2021)
³ Following the terribly untimely loss of Kirsty MacColl just prior to Christmas 2000, The Pogues’ brilliantly bibulous frontman Shane MacGowan passed away in late November this year.
Rest in peace, indeed – and a very merry Christmas to everybody out there in Internetland…!
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Yes, believe it or not, it’s the welcome (?) return of this blog’s annual seasonal playlist, only it’s looking and, especially, sounding a little different this year.
For what follows isn’t a stocking stuffed full of festive-themed tunes but the finest songs to have achieved one of the finest honours in UK music – making it to the summit of the British singles charts in time for Christmas Day.
So, why not sit back, sip a glass of mulled wine, munch on a mince pie and listen away? Oh, and if you enjoy what you hear here, keep your, er, mince pies peeled for another, nay, very similar blog post wending your way very, very soon…
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CLICK on the track titles to hear them (number of weeks each single spent at Number 1 is in brackets)
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Al Martino ~ Here In My Heart (1952)¹ (9 weeks)
The Beatles ~ Day Tripper/ We Can Work It Out (1965)² (5 weeks)
Tom Jones ~ Green, Green Grass Of Home (1966) (7 weeks)
The Scaffold ~ Lily The Pink (1968)³ (4 weeks)
Benny Hill ~ Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West) (1971) (4 weeks)
Queen ~ Bohemian Rhapsody (1975/ 1991)4 (9 weeks/ 5 weeks)
Boney M. ~ Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord (1978)5 (4 weeks)
Pink Floyd ~ Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) (1979) (5 weeks)
The Human League ~ Don’t You Want Me (1981) (5 weeks)
The Flying Pickets ~ Only You (1983) (5 weeks)
Band Aid ~ Do They Know It’s Christmas? (1984/ 1989/ 2004) (5 weeks/ 3 weeks/ 4 weeks)
Jackie Wilson ~ Reet Petite (1986)6 (4 weeks)
Whitney Houston ~ I Will Always Love You (1992) (10 weeks)
East 17 ~ Stay Another Day (1994) (5 weeks)
Spice Girls ~ Too Much (1997)7 (2 weeks)
Wham! ~ Last Christmas (2023)8 (2 weeks?)
Slade ~ Merry Xmas Everybody (1973)9 (5 weeks)
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¹ Not only was this too-little-recalled hit ballad the first ever UK Christmas Number 1 single, it was also the first ever UK Number 1 single, hitting the top spot (for the first time) on November 14th 1952
² Before Trussell-Trust-backing LadBaby achieved the feat of five consecutive Christmas Number 1s in 2022, the Fabs held the record of most festive top spot finishes with four; three of them consecutive, including I Want To Hold Your Hand in 1963 and I Feel Fine in 1964, before Hello, Goodbye in 1967
³ This novelty hit wasn’t entirely the dreamed-up-on-the-spot late ’60s nonsense it may sound, being an updated version of old folk tune The Ballad Of Lydia Pinkham; the Liverpudian-derived Scaffold’s members included celebrated children’s poet-to-be Roger McGough and one Mike McCartney, younger brother of Paul, while backing vocalists on the record were Graham Nash, Tim Rice and Reg Dwight (very soon to become Elton John), and bass guitar was played by Cream’s Jack Bruce
4 Queen’s mock-opera opus that wowed the world back in ’75 topped the UK Crimbo charts again when it was re-released 16 years later (as a double A-side with These Are The Days Of Our Lives), following the untimely loss of Freddie Mercury to AIDS in November 1991; proceeds from the re-release went to the Terrence Higgins Trust
5 Featuring the voices of Marcia Bennett, Liz Mitchell and Maizie Williams (along with Bobby Farrell), this disco-tastic take on the Harry Belafonte-sung 1956 original holds the distinction of being the first UK Christmas Number 1 to feature one or more women on lead vocals
6 Originally released way back in 1957, when it hit Number 6 on the UK charts and its financial success helped fund the setting up of Berry Gordy’s legendary Motown Records, Wilson’s signature song topped the Crimbo charts almost three decades later following its use as the backing to a claymation video from an edition of the BBC Arena documentary series
7 This was the second of the ‘Girl Power’-promoting five-piece’s three consecutive UK Christmas 1s, the other two being 2 Become 1 (1996) and Goodbye (1998)
8 Yes, finally, the Whamsters have done it and surely the ‘Whameggedon’ game is over for everyone for another year (at least, here in the UK), because the near-unavoidable bittersweet seasonal ballad has at last scaled the summit of Blighty’s yuletide charts; on original release in 1984 (as a double A-side with Everything She Wants), it finished runner-up to Band Aid and then did so again just, er, last Christmas – so, after four decades, it’s finally third time lucky, eh?
9 With Wulv’r’amptun’s Finest – and, indeed, all their fans – celebrating the 50th anniversary of the original, chart-topping release of the forever festive-foot-stomper, here’s a very special video tribute to the tune, featuring the talents and charms of the Top Of The Pops dance troupes that were Pan’s People and Leg’s & Co.
Plus, as a seasonal bonus, check out Noddy Holder and the lads perform the tune on 1973’s Top Of The Pops (or at least in a video edited together from two separate performances that holiday season), complete with a gonk, a camera rig laden with Christmas lights and a cream pie in Noddy’s face, here.
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Retro Crimbo: Attaboy, Clarence! It’s A Wonderful Life hits 75
You want the moon? It’s A Wonderful Life has been delivering its marvellous movie magic to generations of film fans for 75 years – all with an irresistible sprinkling of festive goodwill and joy
As, for many of us, this year’s festive season draws to a close, we’re left to reflect on another twelve months that, while compromised for many millions of us, may well, too, have featured many highs and many lows. At times like this, then, and at any time of the year, frankly, during this unsettling, pandemic-wracked era, it’s definitely good for us all to seek some solace and comfort.
And how better to do that than with an utterly heartwarming, undeniably brilliant flick? It’s A Wonderful Life, every single time you give it a watch, ticks all those boxes. And has done so now for 75 years. Yes, Frank Capra’s much-loved festive-fest of frothily-fun-cum-dark-cum-cheery genius has been around for three-quarters of a century. Reason, indeed, methinks for a celebratory post on this blog – featuring behind-the-scenes facts and pics. I can’t say giving it a read will ensure an angel gets its wings, but who knows? It just might… so, go on, why not give it a go…
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CLICK on the images for full size
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It’s A Wonderful Life is based on a 1943 short story, The Greatest Gift, written by Philip Van Doren. Curiously, Van Doren struggled to interest publishers in his story, so instead printed 200 copies of it and, as a Christmas gift, gave them to friends, to relatives and – in a genius move – to his Hollywood agent.
Impressed, the agent sold the story’s rights to the RKO film studio, where a producer was impressed enough to share it with Cary Grant, whom, in turn, was impressed enough to want to make it and play the lead character, George Bailey.
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Perfect pairing: Capra and Stewart shooting the breeze on set (l & r); the latter checking his script (m)
Eventually, the story was discovered by top-tier producer-director Frank Capra, whom bought the rights from RKO for his then new studio, Liberty Films. Obviously, Cary Grant didn’t end up as George Bailey; James Stewart did (whom had previously collaborated with Capra on 1938’s You Can’t Take It with You and 1939’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington). But why?
In his autobiography, Capra wrote: “Of all actors’ roles, I believe the most difficult is the role of a Good Sam who doesn’t know that he is a Good Sam. I knew one man who could play it … James Stewart. … I spoke to Lew Wasserman, the MCA agent who handled Jimmy, told him I wanted to tell Jimmy the story. Wasserman said Stewart would gladly play the part without hearing the story”.
Cast as Mary Hatch, George Bailey’s irresistibly lovely love-interest and eventual wife, was the irresistibly lovely Donna Reed. Now, through her Hollywood roles, Reed had nurtured a girl-next-door persona, but had actually grown up on an Iowa farm. Apparently, thesping great Lionel Barrymore (cast as the Scrooge-like local tycoon-cum-villain Mr Potter) found the juxtaposition of Reed’s image and background unlikely, so in a $50-bet he challenged her to milk a cow.
Reed would go on to claim that, in her long, distinguished career, it was the easiest $50 she ever earned.
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Talking of Potter appearing to be a thinly veiled version of Dickens’ most famous creation, an FBI memo dated May 26th 1947 actually suggests the Feds were concerned about the film’s supposed ‘Communist’ content. The memo read: “It’s A Wonderful Life represented rather obvious attempts to discredit bankers by casting Lionel Barrymore as a ‘Scrooge-type’ so that he would be the most hated man in the picture. This … is a common trick used by Communists”.
Crazy as the Feds’ fears may seem today, perhaps they were on to something because Dalton Trumbo (whom, years later, famously ended up blacklisted because he wouldn’t ‘name names’ to the House on Un-American Activities Committee) was one of several uncredited writers whom Capra collaborated with on the script. Another of the uncredited scribes was Dorothy Parker.
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Marriage and wonderful strife: the movie’s two stars posing together in a colour publicity shot
Constructed in eight weeks in Encino, California, the movie’s exterior sets (for the fictitious upstate New York town Bedford Falls) were among the largest built by Hollywood up until that point. They featured more than 75 buildings scattered across four acres and included the now iconic 300-yard-long main street and 20 fully-grown oak trees.
Elsewhere, one of the movie’s biggest interior locations, the high school gym, was actually Beverly Hills High School. Its retractable floor, under which lies a 75-foot-long swimming pool, made for an unforgettable sequence, of course, when the floor’s opened by a revenge-seeking would-be paramour of Mary; his attentions having been thwarted by George. The facility exists to this day – it’s affectionately referred to as the ‘Swim Gym’.
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Strictly gym dancing: Stewart and Reed learning and rehearsing their dance steps for the gym scene
Despite its decades-and-decades-long association with Christmas (owing to the time of year when its conclusion takes place), It’s A Wonderful Life was shot during a scorching hot Californian summer. Indeed, conditions got so hot and sticky that production had to be halted more than once. In fact, that’s not melted snowflakes on Stewart’s face during the legendary bridge scene; it’s sweat – temperatures exceeded 30°C on that day of filming.
When it did come to the on-screen snow, though, It’s A Wonderful Life broke new ground. Artificial (of course!), what features in the movie was a brand new, more authentic-looking creation; a mixture of sugar, shaved ice, soapy water and Foamite (which is commonly used in fire extinguishers). As much as 6,000 gallons of the stuff was blown about to blanket the Bedford Falls set.
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Groundbreaking snow and sweat-covered pros: surprisingly filmed at the height of summer, It’s A Wonderful Life’s shoot generated several unexpected challenges for Capra, his cast and his crew
During filming – and maybe surprisingly – the wholesomeness that Reed imbued Mary with rather threw Stewart, whom hadn’t felt she was right for the role. So much so that shooting the passionate kissing scene between the two characters was put off for two weeks.
When asked later, Stewart claimed of the scene’s eventual filming: “I was so nervous. There was real electricity in the air. I asked Donna if she wanted to rehearse and she said, ‘Why don’t we just do it?’ and Capra, knowing what was going on, agreed. So there we were, cheek to cheek, no rehearsals, hormones out of control, and Capra says: ‘Action!’ Well, we did it in one take. One of the best things I’ve ever done”.
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Legendary comic actor, W.C. Fields was initially considered for the role of George’s loveable but forgetful Uncle Billy, whose critical mistake of misplacing the bank’s envelope of money sets in motion the events of the movie’s third act (including, of course, the intervention of Clarence the trainee angel and the George-less alternate, dystopian reality). Cast in the part instead was Thomas Mitchell, famous for playing the father of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind (1939).
Meanwhile, for Bedford Falls’ good-time girl Violet Bick, Capra had wanted an actress who could play ‘a good bad girl’. Gloria Grahame won the role and, like Donna Reed, would eventually go on to win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar (for 1952’s The Bad And The Beautiful; Reed won hers a year later for her performance in From Here To Eternity).
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Classic cast and golden Grahame: the movie’s thesps in a full-cast, in-character group-shot (right) and the glorious Gloria Grahame in action as irrepressible but good-hearted Violet Bick (left)
Returning to that iconic-for-all-times scene on the bridge, George recognises he’s alive and back in his own reality again when he feels and extracts from his pocket Zuzu’s petals – the petals that had fallen off Zuzu’s flower, to her disappointment, so he’d pretended to reattach them but slyly put them in his pocket. Today, both a flower shop in NYC’s Brooklyn and a Minneapolis rock band go by the name ‘Zuzu’s Petals’.
Inexplicably, though, the one-time child actor Karolyn Grimes, whom played Zuzu, had to wait until 1979 to first see the film, later explaining: “I never saw movies I was in because my mom told me that would be prideful, being stuck on yourself”.
Another influence on pop culture the movie can proudly claim involves, yes, Muppets – or at least their very near cousins. To wit, the much-adored Sesame Street ‘couple’ that’s Bert and Ernie were named after George Bailey’s friends, Bert the policeman (Ward Bond) and Ernie the taxi driver (Frank Faylen).
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From Bedford Falls to Sesame Street: sb1991 on devianart’s brilliant Bert and Ernie fan art mash-up
However, in one of oh-so many cases of Oscar getting it wrong, It’s a Wonderful Life was nominated for six Academy Awards (including Best Picture, Director and Actor) but didn’t win any. In a year that also saw the release of the awesome Bogart-Bacall film noir The Big Sleep, the Best Picture Oscar went to WWII-era drama The Best Years Of Our Lives. Its director (William Wyler) and lead actor (Frederic March) won in their respective Oscar categories, too.
In fact, despite its enormous popularity in recent decades, It’s A Wonderful Life wasn’t even a convincing hit following its release (December 20th 1946). With a budget of $2.3 million, expensive for its time, it required bumper business to be deemed successful, but by raking in just $3.3 million from its theatrical run, Liberty Films managed to lose $525,000 on the film.
All that’s long forgotten today, though. Indeed, following its emergence as the pre-eminent classic Christmas flick, it’s now made in excess of $70 million in DVD sales, as well as generating ever-growing profits from modern-day merchandise. Not that any of that’s compensation for Liberty Films – the company was sold to Paramount Pictures in 1947.
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George Bailey goes global: the movie’s original French, Italian and Spanish posters (left to right)
Yet, the film wasn’t actually intended to be released in time for Christmas, let alone become regarded as a ‘Christmas movie’ (if such a notion existed back in 1946). Initially, its release was scheduled for January 1947 but was pushed forward due to buzz around its obvious quality so it might qualify for the 1946 Oscars.
In the final analysis, though, if It’s A Wonderful Life is about and encompasses anything then it’s surely the ideals of doing good, putting things right and, ultimately, destiny. Just like Clarence getting his wings, the film was destined to and eventually did become an all-time Hollywod Holidays classic – not least because that basically happened due to a mistake.
In 1974, nearly 30 years after its theatrical release, the film’s copyright wasn’t renewed, which meant that, over the next two decades, It’s A Wonderful Life wasn’t owned by anyone and happily drifted about in the public domain, meaning TV channels across the United States (and overseas) could freely broadcast it as much as they wanted, every December – and ensure the whole world embraced it and claimed it for themselves.
That’s a Hollywood fairy tale ending, right there. Attaboy, Clarence!
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Playlist: Listen, my eager-eared Ebenezers! Christmas 2021
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In the words of Moby Grape… listen, my friends! Yes, it’s the (hopefully) monthly playlist presented by George’s Journal just for you good people.
There may be one or two classics to be found here dotted in among different tunes you’re unfamiliar with or never heard before – or, of course, you may’ve heard them all before. All the same, why not sit back, sip a glass of mulled wine, munch on a mince pie and listen away; for in the words of Noddy Holder, ittttttt’s… well, I’m sure you know what comes next…
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CLICK on the track titles to hear them
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James Stewart ~ I Want To Live Again! (1946)1
Leonard Bernstein, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra ~ The Twelve Days of Christmas (1963)
Doris Day ~ Snowfall (1964)
John Lennon and Peter Cook ~ London’s Most Fashionable Lavatory Spot (1966)2
Laura Nyro ~ Christmas Is In My Soul (1970)
Elton John ~ Ho! Ho! Ho! (Who’d Be A Turkey At Christmas?) (1973)3
Donna Summer ~ Winter Melody (1976)
Kiri Te Kanawa ~ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (1986)
Electric Mayhem ~ Jingle Bell Rock (1987)4
Sarah Vaughan ~ Happy Holidays/ White Christmas (1988)
Sarah Brightman ~ Make Believe (1989)5
David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst ~ Del Boy Goes Jet-Skiing (1991)6
Simon Callow ~ The Cratchit’s Dinner (from A Christmas Carol) (2018)
Felicity Kendal ~ ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas (2020)
Nat King Cole ~ The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) (1961)7
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¹ Hollywood’s Christmas classic for all-time, It’s A Wonderful Life, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year
² A sketch featuring the then mop-topped Beatle from the Christmas special of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore’s BBC comedy show Not Only… But Also (1964-70), originally broadcast on December 26th 1966
³ The little known, even rarer played-on-radio, B-side to Elton’s iconic festive glamrock hit Step Into Christmas (1973)
4 As featured in the wonderful seasonal TV special A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
5 The closing theme from UK TV Channel 4’s animated special Granpa (originally broadcast on December 31st 1989) and made by the team behind the legendary The Snowman (1982) and Father Christmas (1991)
6 From ‘Miami Twice’, the feature-length (and audience-laughter-free) 1991 Christmas special of Only Fools And Horses
7 This version of the classic Robert Wells and Mel Tormé Christmas tune – its most-played and so most iconic recording – celebrates its 60th anniversary this festive season.
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Retro Crimbo 2020: a festive photo bonanza
Put one foot in front of the other: Kris Kringle and Winter Warlock go for a snowy stroll in Rankin/ Bass’s classic Holiday special, the 50th-anniversary-celebrating Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town
Whichever way you slice it, 2020 has been a year unlike any other. And, for far too many of us around the world, it certainly hasn’t been anything like an oh-so sliceable, oh-so tasty chocolate Yule log. Plus, like it or not, the festive season hasn’t been immune from the ongoing disruption of this pandemic-afflicted annus horribilis; millions and millions of us are locked-down and spending the Holidays away from at least some of our nearest and dearest.
However, its not all bad news. Christmas is still Christmas, with its unbeatable spirit and all its terrific traditions, tinsel and razzmatazz. And speaking of traditions, this very blog’s playing its part, too, with this very post. Yes, it’s yet another seasonal celebration of the great and the good, the brilliant and the beautiful, the iconic and the unforgettable of lore, all snapped in festive scenarios and merry moments. So, if this post can provide you just a little comfort, peace and goodwill this Yuletide, then it – and George’s Journal – will have served its purpose as 2020 comes to a close.
Take care, keep safe and all the very best to all of you and yours…
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CLICK ON the images for full-size
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Christmas crooner: Nat King Cole poses with his daughter and superstar-singer-to-be Natalie
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Leading ladies: Ava Gardner, Claudette Colbert and Bette Davis pose, hit the slopes and gather gifts
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Jimmy and Mammy: James Stewart bears gifts and Hattie McDaniel decorates the tree
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Fiddle-de-dee! Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman merrily get together in rom-com Indiscreet (1958)
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Euro-ho-ho: Sophia Loren with her friends and family and Brigitte Bardot with snapping paps
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Sitting pretty: Janet Leigh and Shirley Jones advertise the many merits of Christmas decorations
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Festive fashionista: Audrey Hepburn pauses during the Alpine shoot of hit thriller Charade (1963)
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Eight Holidays a Week: The Beatles snapped in Eskimo garb on December 23rd 1964 at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, where they’re performing their showcase ‘Another Beatles Christmas Show’
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Leggy Christmas: Yvonne ‘Batgirl’ Craig braves the cold as she licks her ice lolly while sitting on ice cubes (top), while South Pacific’s Mitzi Gaynor demonstrates her boots are made for posin’ (bottom)
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Yule Britannia: George Best graces the cover of the January 1st 1972 edition of Shoot! magazine, while Faye Dunaway and Simon Dee switch on the Carnaby Street Christmas lights in November 1967
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The Happy-ning Christmas: Florence Ballard, Diana Ross and Mary Wilson looking ‘supreme’
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Thrifty at fifty: Albert Finney, as A Christmas Carol’s legendary anti-hero, leads a bunch of Victorian kids in song in the musical movie adaptation Scrooge, also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year
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Tree-fic Tiffany: Jill St. John, in costume as ditsy but luscious leading lady Tiffany Case, promotes the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, which opened in cinemas on December 28th 1971
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Joy-lie to the world: Julie Andrews in promotional shots for her 1972 and ’73 Christmas TV specials
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Twiggy and Kelly on telly: Twiggy in 1977’s Bing’s Merrie Olde Christmas (left) and Princess Grace of Monaco reading the Nativity for Yorkshire TV’s 1973-broadcast The Glories of Christmas (left)
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Merry melody makers: awesome pop foursome ABBA enjoy Christmas in a funky Swedish manner
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Seasonal angels: French screen siren Catherine Deneuve on the set of 1964’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and star of US TV’s Charlies Angels, Farrah Fawcett, adds glamour to a ‘white’ Christmas
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The funny and the furry: Carry On’s Sid James and Barbara Windsor (RIP) get into character for a 1973 TV Times shoot, while Sooty, Orville the Duck, Emu and Hacker T. Dog get the party going
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Do they know its Christmas? George Michael, Bob Geldof, Sting, Simon Le Bon (top), Jodi Watley, Francis Rossi and Banarama (bottom) pose to promote 1984’s iconic Band Aid charity single
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Do you see what I see? Mick ‘Santa Claus’ Jagger delivers models Iman and Paul van Ravenstein in his sack (left) and Jack Nicholson enjoys a devilishly good snowball fight (right)… probably
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Merry menaces: the Dennis and Gnasher story from the December 23rd 1989 edition of The Beano
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Venkman-tlers: Amy Adams and Bill Murray featuring in festive shots from Vanity Fair magazine
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And finally… happy Christmas (Star Wars is Over?): R2D2, C3P0 and (Santa) Yoda wish you all a…
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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A
HAPPY, HOPEFUL AND HEALTHY 2021!
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Playlist: Listen, my figgy pudding pals ~ Christmas 2020
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In the words of Moby Grape… listen, my friends! Yes, it’s the (hopefully) monthly playlist presented by George’s Journal just for you good people.
There may be one or two classics to be found here dotted in among different tunes you’re unfamiliar with or never heard before – or, of course, you may’ve heard them all before. All the same, why not sit back, sip a glass of mulled wine, munch on a mince pie and listen away; for in the words of Noddy Holder, ittttttt’s… well, I’m sure you know what comes next…
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CLICK on the track titles to hear them
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Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra ~ A Christmas Festival (1959)
Peggy Lee ~ Christmas Carousel (1960)
Sarah Vaughan ~ Snowbound (1963)
Barbra Streisand ~ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (1967)
Bob Hope and Raquel Welch ~ You Make Me Feel So Young (1967)¹
He 5 ~ Silent Night (1969)
José Feliciano ~ Feliz Navidad (1970)
Morecambe and Wise, Pan’s People and Brenda Arnau ~ Big Spender (1970)²
Kate Bush ~ December Will Be Magic Again (Bongo Mix) (1979)
Slade ~ Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1985)
ALF ~ ALF’s Christmas presents (1986)³
Only Fools And Horses ~ The Shooting Party Gatecrasher (1986)4
Dick Van Dyke ~ T’was The Night Before Christmas (2008)
Annie Lennox ~ God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (2010)
Donald and Daisy Duck ~ Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (2012)
Sophie Ellis-Bextor ~ My Favourite Things (2020)
Basil Brush ~ White Christmas (2018)
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¹ From a 1967 Bob Hope-fronted United Services Organizations (USO) performance for American troops serving in Vietnam and originally broadcast in Hope’s Christmas TV special of that year
² As featured in Eric and Ernie’s December 25th-broadcast, 1975 BBC Christmas show; you may recognise singer Brenda (or B. J.) Arnau – and her voice – from a scene in 1973 James Bond film Live And Let Die, in which she serenades Roger Moore with the title tune, before his chair, yes, drops through a trapdoor in the floor
³ From ‘Oh, Tannerbaum’ , the first-season seasonal episode of furry-alien-living-with-an-American-family sitcom ALF (1986-90), first broadcast on December 22nd 1986
4 An unforgettable sequence from ‘A Royal Flush’, one of the many classic Christmas specials of (surely) Britain’s most popular sitcom, originally broadcast by the BBC on December 25th 1986.
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It’s nigh-on impossible to think back to the 1980s – especially its latter half – and not instantly have images and sounds flash through your mind of Americana. The visuality of TV gems like Miami Vice, Cheers, Cagney And Lacey and The Refrigerator winning the Super Bowl. In addition to über-macho movies like Die Hard, Top Gun, Lethal Weapon and Batman (as well as, of course, the feminist yuppie fairy tale that’s Working Girl). All of it joined by a soundtrack driven by Madonna, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Guns N’ Roses and the exciting, emerging hip hop of Public Enemy and Beastie Boys. And yet, that’s far from the whole story…
In this then, the latest in a long line of long posts, each charting this blogger’s choices of the very best tunes and films from a semi-dectet of times past (check out here the posts covering 1950-54, 1955-59, 1960-64, 1965-69, 1970-74, 1975-79 and 1980-84), we cast our eyes and ears back to 1985-89. A loud, florid, varied five years punctuated by Reaganism and Thatcherism, the rise (and, to some extent, fall) of the yuppie, the build-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the humble-ish beginnings of the mobile phone, Oprah, The Simpsons and ‘satellite TV’ coming to Blighty.
For, yes, ’85-’89 wasn’t just about Americana. After all, it also saw the rise of the biggest rock band of the last 30 years – hailing from Ireland – as well as a particular purple patch for Euro cinema (fuelled by the Provence-picture-postcard-perfect Jean de Florette/ Manon des Sources and the sweatily sexy Betty Blue) and Australian soaps beguiling British TV viewers. All right, in retrospect, maybe we could have lived without that last one.
All the same, there was a heck of a lot going on – so, why don’t we start, each and every one of us, by throwing our headphones on, slamming down our Walkman’s ‘play’ button and skateboarding our way back into 1985…?
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CLICK
on the film and song titles for video clips…
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1985
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Gorbachev becomes Soviet premier; Live Aid rocks; hole in ozone layer found;
Rainbow Warrior is sunk; Titanic is located; tragedy at Brussels’ Heysel Stadium;
EastEnders and Neighbours debut; UK mobile networks launch; New Coke hiccup
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Film:
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Directed by: Robert Zemeckis/ Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd,
Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson/ Country: USA/
Running time: 116 minutes/ (Sci-fi-teen-comedy-adventure-drama)
What George says: An impossible-to-resist slice of entertainment, this is an expertly executed, much-loved ’80s classic that perfectly blends Hollywood teen comedy with time-travel adventuring, thereby masquerading as an inevitable blockbuster. But it inevitably became a blockbuster because of its quality; its smart, witty script, pitch-perfect comedy, tone, score and direction are all spot-on. This was the movie that sent Michael J. Fox stratospheric, made Johnny B. Goode essential all over again and almost rescued the DeLorean’s reputation – all by delivering unadulterated joy to audiences everywhere.
What the critics say: “It’s every kid’s fantasy come true, and Zemeckis exploits its possibilities with delicious abandon, deriving considerable humor from the [narrative] situation’s unseen generation gap. There’s even shades of an Oedipal It’s a Wonderful Life … From its uproarious, Rube Goldberg-esque opening sight gag to its race-against-time finale, Back to the Future remains a trip worth returning to.” ~ Kirk Ellis
Oscar count: 1
Oscar’s Best Picture pick this year: Out Of Africa
The public’s pick this year: Back To The Future (global box-office #1)
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Read about the making of the Back To The Future trilogy here
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George’s runners-up: 2. Witness; 3. Brazil; 4. 乱 (Ran); 5. The Color Purple
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And the rest: After Hours; The Breakfast Club; Desperately Seeking Susan; The Emerald Forest; Fletch; The Goonies; Insignificance; Kiss Of The Spider Woman; Mitt Liv Som Hund (My Life As A Dog); My Beautiful Launderette; Out Of Africa; Pale Rider; The Purple Rose Of Cairo; Prizzi’s Honor; Shoah
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Song:
Everybody Wants To Rule The World ~
Tears For Fears
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Writers: Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes/ Released: March 1985
What George says: Is there a better proponent of ’80s pop than this classic? So flushed with über-synthesised goodness is it, it features a real drumbeat on top of a drum machine and so richly studio-polished breezily bouncy, with its shoe-shuffle-like shamble, it makes even the bluest-sky of blue-sky, summer days better. ’80s politically fashionble, its lyrics also make vague counterpoint sideswipes at excess and authoritarianism. In the end, then, it’s a stylistic masterpiece that’s a bit fatuous – ensuring it’s such a slice of ’80s gloriousness, it totally deserves to have ruled the world’s airwaves for 35 years.
What the critics say: “Tears For Fears synthesise … intricacy, romance, psychology, and politics … on … Everybody Wants to Rule the World. … The song [was put] together in a week, astonishing because the track has so many components … the genius of [it] is how it escalates, how each part increasingly amplifies the passion of the music.” ~ Tal Rosenberg
Chart record: US #1/ UK #2
Recognition: Ranked #15 for 1985, #232 for the 1980s and #1,477 for ‘all-time’ on acclaimedmusic.net’s cumulatively ranked ‘top songs’ lists/ won ‘Best Single’ at the 1986 Brit Awards
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George’s runners-up: 2. Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush)/
3. Into The Groove (Madonna)/ 4. Head Over Heels (Tears For Fears)/
5. There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) (Eurhythmics)
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And the rest: And Dream Of Sleep; The Big Sky; Brazil; Cloudbusting (Kate Bush)/ Alive And Kicking; Don’t You (Forget About Me) (Simple Minds)/ All You Zombies (The Hooters)/ Back In Time; The Power Of Love (Huey Lewis and The News)/ Back To The Future Overture (The Outatime Orchestra)/ Bad Boy (Miami Sound Machine)/ Bit By Bit (Theme From Fletch) (Stephanie Mills)/ The Boy With The Thorn In His Side; How Soon Is Now (The Smiths)/ Broken Wings; Kyrie (Mr Mister)/ Brothers In Arms; Money For Nothing; So Far Away; Walk Of Life (Dire Straits)/ Building The Barn; Witness (Main Theme) (Maurice Jarre)/ Can’t Fight This Feeling (REO Speedwagon)/ Close To Me; In Between Days (The Cure)/ Crazy For You; Material Girl (Madonna)/ Cry (Godley & Creme)/ Don’t Bang The Drum; Old England; Spirit; The Pan Within; This Is The Sea; The Whole Of The Moon (The Waterboys)/ Easy Lover; One More Night; Sussudio (Phil Collins)/ The Edge Of Forever; Life In A Northern Town (The Dream Academy)/ Everytime You Go Away (Paul Young)/ Fletch, Get Outta Town (Dan Hartman)/ Fletch Theme (Harold Faltermeyer)/ Glory Days; Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (Bruce Springsteen)/ A Good Heart (Fergal Sharkey)/ The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough (Cyndi Lauper)/ Heaven; Summer Of ’69 (Bryan Adams)/ Heaven Is One Step Away (Eric Clapton)/ Holding Back The Years; Money’s Too Tight (To Mention) (Simply Red)/ I Believe (Tears For Fears)/ I Know Him So Well (Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson)/ I Want To Know What Love Is (Foreigner)/ I’m Your Man (Wham)/ It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back); When Tomorrow Comes; Would I Lie To You? (The Eurythmics)/ It’s Christmas (All Over The World) (Sheena Easton)/ Johnny B. Goode (Marty McFly with The Starlighters)/ Johnny Come Home (Fine Young Cannibals)/ Just Like Honey (The Jesus and Mary Chain)/ Kayleigh (Marillion)/ Lay Your Hands On Me (Thompson Twins)/ Lean On Me (Ah-Li-Ayo) (Red Box)/ Live Is Life (Opus)/ Loving The Alien (David Bowie)/ Main Title (I Had A Farm In Africa) (John Barry)/ Miami Vice Theme (Jan Hammer)/ Move Closer (Phyllis Nelson)/ Nightshift (Commodores)/ Nikita (Elton John)/ 19 (Paul Hardcastle)/ Oh Yeah (Yello)/ One Night In Bangkok (Murray Head)/ One Vision (Queen)/ Part-Time Lover (Stevie Wonder)/ People Are People; Shake The Disease (Depeche Mood)/ The Power Of Love (Jennifer Rush)/ Rhythm Of The Night (Debarge)/ Road To Nowhere (Talking Heads)/ Rock Me Amadeus (Falco)/ Saving All My Love For You (Whitney Houston)/ See The Day (Dee C. Lee)/ She Sells Sanctuary (The Cult)/ Sisters Are Doin’ For Themselves (Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin)/ Slave To Love (Bryan Ferry)/ Smalltown Boy (Bronski Beat)/ Some Like It Hot (The Power Station)/ Something About You (Level 42)/ St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion) (John Parr)/ Take On Me (a-ha)/ That Ole Devil Called Love (Alison Moyet)/ Theme From The Goonies (Dave Grusin)/ Time Bomb Town (Lindsey Buckingham)/ A View To A Kill (Duran Duran)/ Voices Carry (’Til Tuesday)/ Walls Come Tumbling Down! (The Style Council)/ We Close Our Eyes (Go West)/ We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) (Tina Turner)/ Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Frankie Goes To Hollywood)/ Who’s Zoomin’ Who (Aretha Franklin)/ Wide Boy (Nik Kershaw)
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1986
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Glastnost and Perestroika; Challenger space shuttle disaster; Chernobyl;
London’s ‘Big Bang’; Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’; Oprah on TV; Hailey’s Comet;
Chicago Bears and ‘The Refrigerator’ win Super Bowl XX; Channel Tunnel gets go-ahead
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Film:
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Directed by: David Lynch/ Starring: Kyle MacLachlan,
Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern and Dean Stockwell/
Country: USA/ Running time: 120 minutes/ (Neo-noir mystery-psychological horror)
What George says: In one of the weirdest and, arguably, most visceral and violent of 1980s movies to have come out of the US (or, frankly, anywhere), David Lynch does here what Tim Burton would do in a few years’ time (in the likes of Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands), in peeling back the veneer of respectable, vanilla America to reveal the darkness and ugliness beneath; only in a full-throttled, adults-only manner. At times visually beautiful, at others utterly vulgar, Blue Velvet’s like a Hitchcockian thriller as dreamt after a cheese feast – and it’s full of unforgettable moments and iconic images.
What the critics say: “Watched again over 25 years later, Blue Velvet looks even more bizarre than ever, a disorientating palimpsest of moods and eras and genres. It’s an intensely ’80s film in many ways… [yet] … the rest of the time it could, of course, be a Forties noir … but there is something in the infectious and mesmeric weirdness of David Lynch which makes it feel all right.”
~ David Bradshaw (writing in 2012)
Oscar count: 0
Oscar’s Best Picture pick this year: Platoon
The public’s pick this year: Top Gun (global box-office #1)
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George’s runners-up: 2. Platoon;
3. Jean de Florette/ Manon des Sources; 4. Aliens; 5. The Color Of Money
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And the rest: Children Of A Lesser God; Crocodile Dundee; Ferris Bueller’s Day Off; The Fly; Hannah And Her Sisters; Labyrinth; Little Shop Of Horrors; Manhunter; The Mission; The Money Pit; The Name Of The Rose; Peggy Sue Got Married; Stand By Me; 37°2 le Matin (Betty Blue); When The Wind Blows
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Song:
Hounds Of Love ~ Kate Bush
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Writer: Kate Bush/ Released: February 1986
What George says: Ever felt anxious, even afraid by the sudden, onrushing, overpowering emotion that’s love? No? Many haven’t, but some have and, for them, Hounds Of Love could very well be a hymn. A daring, irresistible pop song of a hymn, that is. Throwing together the catchy symbolism of being hunted through woods (with its decidedly Hammer Horror-inspired gothic vibe), a pulsating, barreling synth drive and searingly impassioned vocals, the Queen of Art Rock delivers, here, simply one hell of a title tune for one hell of an album – indeed, maybe the greatest to have been crafted in its entire decade.
What the critics say: “The song married mythic themes with modern concerns [of accepting love]. The building ethereal atmosphere created by the Fairlight synth makes for a mental diorama where you could visualise the internal battle taking place. Bush’s vocal delivery is explosive, climatic and bombastic and serves the piece perfectly.” ~ Lori Gava
Chart record: UK #18
Recognition: Ranked #10 for 1985, #183 for the 1980s and #1,226 for ‘all-time’ on acclaimedmusic.net’s cumulatively ranked ‘top songs’ lists
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George’s runners-up: 2. Don’t Dream It’s Over (Crowded House)/
3. Live To Tell (Madonna)/ 4. Always The Sun (The Stranglers)/
5. The Way It Is (Bruce Hornsby and the Range)
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And the rest: Absolute Beginners; As The World Falls Down; Magic Dance; Underground (David Bowie)/ Addicted To Love (Robert Palmer)/ All I Need Is A Miracle; Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) (Mike + The Mechanics)/ Ask; Bigmouth Strikes Again; Panic (The Smiths)/ Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order)/ Big Time; In Your Eyes; Sledgehammer; Red Rain (Peter Gabriel)/ Breakout (Swing Out Sister)/ Burning Heart (Survivor)/ Caravan Of Love; Happy Hour; Think For A Minute (The Housemartins)/ The Chicken Song (Spitting Image)/ Coming Around Again (Carly Simon)/ Dancing On The Ceiling (Lionel Richie)/ Danger Zone; Playing With The Boys (Kenny Loggins)/ A Different Corner (George Michael)/ Don’t Get Me Wrong (The Pretenders)/ Don’t Give Up (Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush)/ Don’t Leave Me This Way (The Communards)/ E=MC² (Big Audio Dynamite)/ The Final Countdown (Europe)/ Friends Will Be Friends; A Kind Of Magic; Who Wants To Live Forever (Queen)/ The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades (Timbuk3)/ Gabriel’s Oboe; The Mission (Ennio Morricone)/ Going Down To Liverpool; If She Knew What She Wants; Manic Monday (The Bangles)/ Graceland; You Can Call Me Al (Paul Simon)/ Greatest Love Of All; How Will I Know (Whitney Houston)/ Higher Love (Steve Winwood)/ Hip To Be Square; Stuck With You (Huey Lewis and The News)/ Human (The Human League)/ Hunting High And Low; The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (a-ha)/ (I Just) Died In Your Arms (Cutting Crew)/ If You Leave (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark)/ Invisible Touch; Land Of Confusion (Genesis)/ Is This Love? (Alison Moyet)/ Lessons In Love (Level 42)/ Jean de Florette (Jean-Claude Petit)/ Life’s What You Make It (Talk Talk)/ Main Title Theme (Robbie Robertson)/ The Miracle Of Love; Thorn In My Side; When Tomorrow Comes (Eurthythmics)/ My Favourite Waste Of Time (Owen Paul)/ Oh L’amour; Sometimes (Erasure)/ Open Your Heart; Papa Don’t Preach; True Blue (Madonna)/ Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money); Suburbia (Pet Shop Boys)/ Pretty In Pink (The Psychedelic Furs)/ Somewhere Out There (Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram)/ Sweet Freedom (Michael McDonald)/ Take My Breath Away (Berlin)/ These Dreams (Heart)/ Through The Barricades (Spandau Ballet)/ Top Gun Anthem (Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens)/ Theme from The Krypton Factor (The Art Of Noise)/ True Colors (Cyndi Lauper)/ Venus (Bananarama)/ (Waiting For) The Ghost Train (Madness)/ When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going (Billy Ocean)
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1987
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Thatcher makes it three in a row; Black Monday; Reagan: ‘Tear down this wall’;
Michael Fish left red-faced; Terry Waite kidnapped; Iran-Contra Affair; King’s Cross Fire;
New Zealand win inaugural Rugby World Cup; Michael Jackson is ‘Bad’; The Simpsons debut
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Film:
Der Himmel Über Berlin (Wings Of Desire)
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Directed by: Wim Wenders/ Starring: Bruno Ganz, Solveig Donmartin, Otto Sander,
Curt Bois and Peter Falk/ Country: West Germany/ France/ Running time: 127 minutes/
(Human-social-fantasy drama)
What George says: Probably a film unlike any you’ve seen before, Wings Of Desire’s as much an exercise in atmosphere as it is a plot-driven movie. After all, there isn’t much plot (a male angel falls for a lonely woman and wishes to be with her), allowing the viewer to join this angel and another observing Berliners’ lives. Is this a movie commenting on the beauty of human experience and companionship? Probably. Is it a tad too indulgent for its own good? Perhaps. Either way, it’s a languid, melancholic, quirky, mainly monochrome, beautiful one-off that (best of all?) features Peter Falk as… Peter Falk.
What the critics say: “[It] evokes a mood of reverie, elegy and meditation. It doesn’t rush headlong into plot, but has the patience of its angels. It suggests what it would be like to see everything but not participate in it … [it] is one of those films movie critics are accused of liking because it’s esoteric and difficult …[but] For me, [it’s] like music or a landscape: it clears a space in my mind, and in that space I can consider questions.’” ~ Roger Ebert
Oscar count: 0 (but did win Best Director at 1987’s Cannes Film Festival)
Oscar’s Best Picture pick this year: The Last Emperor
The public’s pick this year: Fatal Attraction (global box-office #1)
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George’s runners-up: 2. Au Revoir Les Enfants (Goodbye, Children);
3. The Last Emperor; 4. Hope And Glory; 5. No Way Out
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And the rest: Angel Heart; Babettes Gæstebud (Babette’s Feast); Empire Of The Sun; Full Metal Jacket; Innerspace; Lethal Weapon; The Lost Boys; Pelle Erövraren (Pelle The Conqueror); Planes, Trains And Automobiles; The Princess Bride; Raising Arizona; The Untouchables; Wall Street; Withnail & I
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Song:
With Or Without You ~ U2
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Writers: U2/ Released: March 1987
What George says: U2 are the rock monoliths everybody seems to love to hate, yet while I’m sympathetic to many of the reasons why, this brilliant ballad has to be one of the best tunes of the ’80s. Making full use of The Edge’s (later, lazily overused, but then brand new) echoey guitar sound to great effect, along with Adam Clayton’s deep baseline, it creates a richly soulful sonic space, in which Bono’s plaintive vocals are allowed to build and rise with the song to a crescendo of passion and vulnerability. Apparently not a love song at all, it’s nonetheless one of the most romantic rock tracks ever recorded.
What the critics say: “With or Without You has Bono unleashing all his vocal power, moving from a soft, subtle intro and middle to an explosive burst of unyielding energy toward the end … the tune’s discerning air sounds almost church-like as it slowly unravels.” ~ Mike DeGagne
Chart record: US #1/ UK #2
Recognition: Ranked #6 for 1987, #47 for the 1980s and #345 for ‘all-time’ on acclaimedmusic.net’s cumulatively ranked ‘top songs’ lists/ ranked #132 of Rolling Stone’s ‘The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time’ list
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George’s runners-up: 2. I Wanna Dance (With Somebody) (Whitney Houston)/
3. Where The Streets Have No Name (U2)/ 4. Luka (Suzanne Vega)/
5. Got My Mind Set On You (George Harrison)
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And the rest: Always On My Mind; It’s A Sin (Pet Shop Boys)/ Angel Eyes (Home And Away); Sweet Little Mystery; Wishing I Was Lucky (Wet Wet Wet)/ Bad; I Just Can’t Stop Loving You; The Way You Make Me Feel (Michael Jackson)/ La Bamba (Los Lobos)/ Beds Are Burning (Midnight Oil)/ Big Love; Little Lies; Seven Wonders; Tango In The Night (Fleetwood Mac)/ The Boy In The Bubble; Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes; Under African Skies (Paul Simon)/ Bridge To Your Heart (Wax)/ Build; Me And The Farmer (The Housemartins)/ Bullet The Blue Sky; I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (U2)/ China In Your Hand; Heart And Soul (T’Pau)/ Crazy Crazy Nights (Kiss)/ Criticize (Alexander O’Neal)/ Crockett’s Theme (Jan Hammer)/ Didn’t We Almost Have It All; So Emotional (Whitney Houston)/ Dude (Looks Like A Lady) (Aerosmith)/ Fairytale Of New York (The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl)/ Faith (George Michael)/ Gazebo; 3 Themes; Water Fountain (David Foster)/ Heaven Is A Place On Earth (Belinda Carlisle)/ Hungry Eyes (Eric Carmen)/ I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (Aretha Franklin and George Michael)/ I Think We’re Alone Now (Tiffany)/ If There Was A Man (The Pretenders)/ (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life (Bill Medley and Jennifer Warns)/ La Isla Bonita; Who’s That Girl (Madonna)/ It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (R.E.M.)/ Jacob’s Ladder (Huey Lewis and the News)/ Just Like Heaven (The Cure)/ Labour Of Love (Hue and Cry)/ Let’s Wait Awhile (Janet Jackson)/ Letter From America (The Proclaimers)/ The Living Daylights (a-ha)/ Living In A Box (Living in a Box)/ Love In The First Degree (Bananarama)/ Mary’s Prayer (Danny Wilson)/ Moonlighting (Al Jarreau)/ Need You Tonight (INXS)/ Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley)/ Never Let Me Down Again (Depeche Mode)/ Once Upon A Long Ago (Paul McCartney)/ The Price Of Love (Roger Daltrey)/ Pump Up The Volume (MARRS)/ Respectable (Mel and Kim)/ Rhythm Is Gonna Get You (Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine)/ Run With Us (Lisa Lougheed)/ Running In The Family (Level 42)/ Sally Cinnamon (The Stone Roses)/ The Secret Of My Success (Night Ranger)/ She’s Like The Wind (Patrick Swayze)/ Sign O’ The Times; U Got The Look (Prince)/ Someone Like You (Van Morrison)/ Sometimes The Good Guys Finish First (Pat Benatar)/ Toy Planes, Home And Hearth (John Williams)/ True Faith (New Order)/ Turn Back The Clock (Johnny Hates Jazz)/ Twistin’ The Night Away (Rod Stewart)/ The Untouchables (End Title) (Ennio Morricone)/ Valerie (Steve Winwood)/ Walk Like An Egyptian (The Bangles)/ Walk The Dinsosaur Was (Not Was)/ Weak In The Presence Of Beauty (Alison Moyet)/ When Smokey Sings (ABC)/ (You’ve Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!) (Beastie Boys) .
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1988
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George H. W. Bush elected in US, Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan; Lockerbie air bombing;
Ben Johnson cheats his way to gold; Piper Alpha disaster; USSR out of Afghanistan;
Bruce Willis ‘Dies Hard’; Eddie ‘The Eagle’ comes last – but becomes national hero
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Film:
Spoorloos (The Vanishing)
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Directed by: George Sluizer/ Starring: Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Gene Bervoets,
Johanna ter Steege and Gwen Eckhaus/ Country: Netherlands/ France/
Running time: 107 minutes (Psychological thriller-horror)
What George says: Knowledge is power, so the saying goes, and so the viewer assumes in this slow-burn, all-too-real-feeling thriller, yet the more we – and an ever-obsessive protagonist, trying to figure out what happened to his missing girlfriend – learn, the less sure and more unsettling and compelling things become. And that’s due to how well constructed and executed this slice of satisfying (and very accessible) arthouse is. With masterly tone-shifting from Sluizer, a fine turn from the eerie Donnadieu and a truly devastating climax, it’s a low-budget masterpiece that ought to be worth a billion Euros.
What the critics say: “Mr Sluizer, whose direction has the spooky precision of non-fiction crime-writing and whose matter-of-factness makes the characters seem quite real, builds a disturbing horror story from seemingly modest beginnings.” ~ Janet Maslin
Oscar count: 0
Oscar’s Best Picture pick this year: Rain Man
The public’s pick this year: Rain Man (global box-office #1)
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George’s runners-up: 2. Die Hard; 3. Rain Man; 4. Dangerous Liaisons; 5. Dead Ringers
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And the rest: Big; The Big Blue; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Distant Voices, Still Lives; A Fish Called Wanda; Frantic; Krótki Film O Miłości (A Short Film About Love); Krótki Film O Zabijaniu (A Short Film About Killing); Midnight Run; Mississippi Burning; Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown); They Live; The Unbearable Lightness Of Being; Who Framed Roger Rabbit; Working Girl
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Song:
Somewhere In My Heart ~ Aztec Camera
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Writer: Roddy Frame/ Released: April 1988
What George says: Despite long believing it a throwaway effort whose popularity he never got his head around, Roddy Frame crafted here a perfect pop tune that bounces along from verse to chorus and back again, in irresistible manner. But maybe what makes it so special is that, lyrically, it’s willfully an everyman’s love song; its sense of place (“A star above the city in the northern chill / A baby being born to the overkill”) crucial for its universal message – whoever you are, wherever you’re from, love is for you, too (“Ambition and love wearing boxing gloves / And singing hearts and flowers”). Hear, hear!
What the artist says: “I didn’t really get it until I was being driven down Ladbroke Grove one day and the sun was shining and someone was in a convertible and I heard it blaring out on their radio. It’s one of those songs.” ~ Roddy Frame
Chart record: UK #3
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George’s runners-up: 2. Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses)/
3. Fast Car (Tracy Chapman)/ 4. Englishman In New York (Sting)/
5. The King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll (Prefab Sprout)
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And the rest: Anything For You; 1-2-3 (Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine)/ Angel Of Harlem; Desire (U2)/ Baby Can I Hold You; Talkin’ Bout A Revolution (Tracy Chapman)/ Back When We Was Fab (George Harrison)/ Big Area (Then Jericho)/ Broken Land (The Adventures)/ Buffalo Stance (Neneh Cherry)/ Cars And Girls; Hey Manhattan! (Prefab Sprout)/ Chocolate Girl; Real Gone Kid (Deacon Blue)/ Circle In The Sand (Belinda Carlisle)/ Coming To America (The System)/ Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin)/ Devil Inside; New Sensation; Never Tear Us Apart (INXS)/ Dressed For Success; Listen To Your Heart (Roxette)/ Especially For You (Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan)/ Everyday Is Like Sunday (Morrisey)/ Find My Love; Perfect (Fairground Attraction)/ Fisherman’s Blues/ You And The Sky (The Waterboys)/ Good Life (Inner City)/ A Groovy Kind Of Love; Two Hearts (Phil Collins)/ A Hazy Shade Of Winter; In Your Room (The Bangles)/ Heart; Left To My Own Devices (Pet Shop Boys)/ I Should Be So Lucky (Kylie Minogue)/ I Think We’re Alone Now (Tiffany)/ I Want Your Love (Transvision Vamp)/ I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) (The Proclaimers)/ It’s The End Of The World (And I Feel Fine); Orange Crush (R.E.M.)/ John Kettley Is A Weatherman (A Tribe Of Toffs)/ The King’s Motorcade (Nile Rodgers)/ A Little Respect; Stop! (Erasure)/ Loadsamoney (Harry Enfield)/ Loco In Acapulco (The Four Tops)/ Love And Mercy (Brian Wilson)/ Man In The Mirror; Smooth Criminal (Michael Jackson)/ Mary’s Prayer (Danny Wilson)/ One Moment In Time; Where Do Broken Hearts Go (Whitney Houston)/ The Only Way Is Up (Yazz And The Plastic Population)/ Orinoco Flow (Enya)/ Piano In The Dark (Brenda Russell)/ The Race (Yello)/ Rush Hour (Jane Wiedlin)/ Sign Your Name; Wishing Well (Terence Trent Darby)/ Simply Irresistible (Robert Palmer)/ Straight Up (Paula Abdul)/ Teardrops (Womack & Womack)/ Tema Finale; Totò e Alfredo (Ennio Morricone) / Theme from S-Express (S’Express)/ Twist In My Sobriety (Tanika Tikaram)/ Waiting For A Star To Fall (Boy Meets Girl)
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1989
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Berlin Wall falls, Eastern Bloc revolutions; Tiananmen Square protests; Hillsborough disaster;
Salman Rushdie into hiding; Guildford Four are released; Exxon Valdez oil spill; Tyson vs. Bruno;
Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web; Sky TV launches; Doctor Who ends after 26 years
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Film:
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Directed by: Giuseppe Tornatore/ Starring: Philippe Noiret, Salvatore Cascio,
Marco Leonardi, Jacques Perrin, Antonella Attili and Agnese Nano/ Country: Italy/
Running time: 155 minutes (Human-social drama)
What George says: One of cinema’s greatest love-letters to itself, this unashamedly sentimental delight (with its lusciously romantic score from the late, great Ennio Morricone) is just as much an examination of friendship between a scallywag ankle-biter and his irascible father-figure, a doomed first love affair and a poor yet idyllic Sicilian town with all its idiosyncratic characters – and its glorious picture house. Its a long, indulgent film that, while high on nostalgia, doesn’t shy away from the other side of that coin – regret and the forgotten. Never has movie melancholia been quite so mellifluous.
What the critics say: “Not a false note is struck among the sunkissed Sicilian locations, gentle, humorous performances, and tinkling soundtrack. Assembled with a wide-eyed, childlike wonder, Tornatore taps themes of bonding, nostalgia, community, history and the power of film to transport man into a world of dreams.” ~ Ian Nathan
Oscar count: 1 (Best Foreign Language Film, 1989; also won the 1989
BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
and the Grand Prix du Jury award at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival)
Oscar’s Best Picture pick this year: Driving Miss Daisy
The public’s pick this year: Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (global box-office #1)
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Read why Cinema Paradiso is one of cinema’s ultimate romances here
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George’s runners-up: 2. Do The Right Thing;
3. When Harry Met Sally…; 4. Henry V; 5. My Left Foot
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And the rest: Batman; Born On The Fourth Of July; The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover; Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure; Dead Calm; Dead Poet’s Society; Dekalog (The Decalogue); Drugstore Cowboy; Field Of Dreams; Glory; Heathers; Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade; Mystery Train; Say Anything; sex, lies and videotape
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Song:
I Am The Resurrection ~ The Stone Roses
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Writers: Ian Brown and John Squire/ Released: April 1989 (on the album The Stone Roses)
What George says: For a brief, shining moment at the end of the ’80s, brilliant, ’60s-informed British guitar music made a swashbuckling return, thanks (pretty much entirely) to Manchester’s Stone Roses and their eponymous debut album, full of swaggering, psychedelic-tinged, jangly, jaunty tunes; the epitome of which was this eight-minute-plus opus (the latter half of which is a bold instrumental outro). Its lyrics in the glorious chorus may err on the side of Messianic grandiosity, yet the uplifting melody and banging percussion drive the whole thing along perfectly – and ensure it’s irresistible.
What the critics say: “Certainly it was [John] Squire who took the band into essentially ‘freak-out’ territory, especially on the wah-wah’n’drum work out at the end … there’s [also] that unmistakeable swagger and defiance that was to prove such a template for Oasis a few years later.” ~ Chris Jones
Chart record: UK #33 (1992)
Recognition: Ranked #27 for 1989, #286 for the 1980s and #1,810 for ‘all-time’ on acclaimedmusic.net’s cumulatively ranked ‘top songs’ lists/ ranked #8 on NME magazine‘s ‘50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever’ list/ ranked #10 on Q magazine’s ‘100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever’ list (2005)
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George’s runners-up: 2. Like A Prayer (Madonna)/ 3. Let The River Run (Carly Simon)/
4. Sowing The Seeds Of Love (Tears for Fears)/ 5. We Didn’t Start The Fire (Billy Joel)
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And the rest: All Around The World (Lisa Stansfield)/ All I Want; Pure (The Lightning Seeds)/ Another Day In Paradise (Phil Collins)/ Baby I Don’t Care (Transvision Vamp)/ Back To Life (How Do You Want Me); Keep On Moving (Soul II Soul)/ Belfast Child (Simple Minds)/ Birdhouse In Your Soul (They Might Be Giants)/ Breakthru; I Want It All (Queen)/ Can’t Be Sure (The Sundays)/ Cheer Down (George Harrison)/ Cherish; Express Yourself; Oh Father (Madonna)/ Dangerous; Listen To Your Heart; The Look (Roxette)/ Days (Kirsty MacColl)/ The End Of Innocence (Don Henley)/ End Of The Line (Travelling Wilburys)/ Eternal Flame (The Bangles)/ Fergus Sings The Blues (Deacon Blue)/ Fight The Power (Public Enemy)/ Fools Gold; She Bangs The Drums (The Stone Roses)/ Free Fallin’; I Won’t Back Down (Tom Petty)/ Get On Your Feet (Gloria Estefan)/ Getting Away With It (Electronic)/ Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison)/ I Don’t Want A Lover (Texas)/ I Drove All Night (Cyndi Lauper)/ If We Hold On Together (Diana Ross)/ If You Asked Me To (Patti LaBelle)/ If You Don’t Know Me By Now; A New Flame (Simply Red)/ I’ll Sail This Ship Alone; Song For Whoever; You Keep It All In (The Beautiful South)/ It Had To Be You (Harry Connick Jr.)/ Leningrad (Billy Joel)/ The Living Years (Mike + The Mechanics)/ Love Changes Everything (Michael Ball)/ Love In An Elevator (Aerosmith)/ Love Shack (The B-52s)/ Makin’ Whoopee (Michelle Pfeiffer)/ Mixed Emotions (The Rolling Stones)/ Pacific (State) (808 State)/ Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode)/ Pump Up The Jam (Techtronic)/ Ride On Time (Black Box)/ The Road To Hell (Chris Rea)/ Rockin’ In The Free World (Neil Young)/ Rooms On Fire (Stevie Nicks)/ The Sensual World; This Woman’s Work (Kate Bush)/ She Makes My Day (Robert Palmer)/ (Simply) The Best (Tina Turner)/ Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart (Marc Almond)/ Stand (R.E.M.)/ Sweet Surrender (Wet Wet Wet)/ This Time I Know It’s For Real (Donna Summer/ Toy Soldiers (Martika)/ When Love Comes To Town (U2 and B. B. King)/ Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)/ Woman In Chains (Tears for Fears)/ You Got It (Roy Orbison)
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And coming up…
George’s pick of the flicks
and top of the pops ~ 1990-94
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Playlist: Listen, my lockdowned friends!
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In the words of Moby Grape… listen, my friends! Yes, it’s the official lockdown playlist presented by George’s Journal just for you good people.
Wherever you may be in the world, there’s a decent chance that, right now, you’re in lockdown – to shield you and your fellow man (and woman) from the unprecedented threat that’s Coronavirus. These, then, are strange, uncertain times we’re living through, but to help ease the experience, here’s this very blog’s lockdown-themed playlist – featuring a collection of tracks that’s been playfully, thoughtfully and just a wee, little bit provocatively chosen.
So then, pause those home-working-chores or that box-set bingeathon, sit back, listen away and enjoy…
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CLICK on the song titles to hear them
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Roy Orbison ~ Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel) (1960)
Dusty Springfield ~ I Only Want To Be With You (1963)
The McCoys ~ Fever (1965)
Petula Clark ~ Games People Play (1969)
The Doors ~ Break On Through (To The Other Side) (Live) (1970)¹
Crosby, Stills and Nash ~ Our House (1970)
Ron Grainer ~ The Omega Man Theme (1971)
Isaac Hayes ~ (They Long To Be) Close To You (1971)
Harry Nilsson ~ Without You (Featuring Pan’s People) (1972)²
John Lennon ~ Watching The Wheels (1981)
Dudley Moore, Lily Tomlin and The Muppets ~ We’ll Meet Again (1981)³
Queen ~ I Want To Break Free (1984)
Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush ~ Don’t Give Up (1986)
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¹ Recorded live at the Isle of Wight Festival on 29 August 1970; the last of the three consecutive, original Isle of Wight Festivals, this one achieved an attendance of up to 700,000 people, greater than that of the previous summer’s gathering at Woodstock
² As featured in an episode of the BBC’s Top Of The Pops chart programme, first broadcast on 28 December 1972
³ From the ABC TV movie The Muppets Go To The Movies; broadcast on 20 May 1981 and featuring guest-starring spoof scenes of Hollywood cinema, it was intended to promote that years feature film The Muppets Take Manhattan.
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The spirit of Christmases past: George’s retro Crimbo photo overload
Old meets new: the season’s master music-man welcomes the decade’s golden boy to his ‘London home’ as David Bowie legendarily guest-stars on Bing Crosby’s final, UK-filmed television special in 1977
Ah yes, the end of another year brings with it the opportunity to pause for reflection – and that’s quite some reflection this year, being it marks the end of a decade, too, and serves as the eve of a brand new one. But what about decades past? And, in particular, the decades that this very blog (which, yes, like it or not, is back from the dead!) concerns itself with?
Well, at this most atmospheric, colourful, cheery and, frankly, red, green and baubly time of year, times past and the great and good, who so entertained and defined them, go together like it’s Crimbo kismet. It’s easy as (a mince) pie, via a little digging, to unearth a rather special seasonal pic of one’s favourite stars of yesteryear. So, here then, is a choice selection of snaps of oh-so many big and little screen-stars, Rat Packers, Bonds and music-men and -women, all of them making merry and seeing out a year (whichever it may be) in fine style. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (and new decade) to you all…!
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HOVER OVER, CLICK ON or OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW the images for information
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Silver (screen) belles and bello-s – Part One
Party with these festive peeps if you could,
Audrey, Monroe, Bardot, Natalie Wood?
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Rat Pack unwrapped
Sing a seasonal tune with Dean and Frank,
And Sammy doing ads – money in the bank
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Jingle Bonds
Connery with Morecambe & Wise,
Moore and Lazenby, super spies
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Dreaming of a White House Christmas
JFK decorates the Camelot tree,
Ford, Reagan and Carter with the family
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Silver (screen) belles and bello-s – Part Two
Welch in Vietnam, Deneuve, Cardinale;
Dudley Moore, Gremlins, Muppets and E.T.
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Merry Music Makers
The Fabs, The Monkees and Jimi have a jam,
Bing, Dusty and Slade make the party go Wham!
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Festive TV faves
Only Fools, the Two Ronnies make us laugh and cry,
Happy Days, ALF and Mr T hit the telly Bullseye
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George's Journal 