Bradley's Buzz

Boobies, Boobies, Boobies

Well, what a frickin' week - thanx to that crazy ass Global Warming, everyone in the country seems to be frying and imagine even LA is feeling it. That's right, every day I wake up, drink coffee, take a cold shower and immediately start to sweat. Then I go to work where the air conditioning blows and blows and yet I still can't get comfortable. With all this heat it's been one loooong week of doing almost nothing. Every time I try to record new vocals, I end up losing my voice by the end of the song due to the air conditioner by day and the hot sweltering heat of being locked up in the Hancock Studio with windows closed, doors shut and etc. So I opted to sit in the air conditioned living room and veg with some DVDs ...

and today's big celebrated DVD is the camp classic Valley Of The Dolls from 1967. Just released as a two disc collection this DVD has a ton and ton of extras plus the 2 hour movie featuring Patty Duke as the over the top Neely O'Hara, Barbara Parkins as Anne Welles, and beautiful Sharon Tate as Jennifer North - the gal with no talent but a body to get her ahead. Why I've never seen this is beyond me - oh wait, I know why, because in 1981 there was a TV version of the film and in it Lisa Hartman played Neely; and to me that is the Valley I remember.



However, knowing this original film released shortly after the infamous book spent umpteen months at #1 on the Bestseller list, I was curious to know what the fuss was all about. Let me tell you, it is great. The songs are pretty sucky, the dialogue fairly cliched, and Patty's performance so over the top I'm surprised the scenery didn't come crashing down. Boobies, boobies, boobies! is just one classic line shooting forth from La Duke's pouty lips. I mean, she totally makes the movie, and mixed in with Barbara's classy Anne and Sharon's very subtle Jennifer, this is one classic flick.

Patty, up until just recently has complete disdain for this movie and hardly talks about it, but I am here to tell you that she rocks it. Screaming and p0uting, laughing, crying and taking those dolls she has the meatiest role in the film.

I've met Patty a few times when I lived in Idaho and she was always really cool and pleasant but to see her on the screen in this film gives me a whole new kudos for her. My pal just did her website and I can't wait to tell him to run and run until he finds his copy of this film because he's going to love it.

Now I have to go back and watch my 1981 version again and see if Lisa's Neely is anywhere near as over the top as Duke's. I hope so, I really can't remember. I do know that the 1981 version is supposedly closer to the original book than the movie (which Jacqueline Susann walked out of declaring, "You've ruined my book!") but the ending scene of the original with Patty and pretty much every scene with Neely is a complete riot. I'll have to get back to you on how it compares with my girl - if anything I can say that Lisa's songs are much more interesting than Patty's but what can you do.

In short, rent it, buy it, love it and laugh!

In other news,

• Benji and Donyelle made it through last week's So You Think You Can Dance and though so did Spike and Legs, my girl Legs got a little bad news from Nigel who feels she lost her "magic." And poor Irene Cara, Dimitri's latest partner was given the boot. But in all fairness, of the last three ladies left to "dance for their life" she was just outshined by Natalie's crazy pop dance and Legs, well, legs. So tonight is our weekly look at the show, where we watch yesterday's performances and tonight's "who gets the boot" part. Unfortunetly, the show has changed now and the only votes that matter are the votes of the American public and not the judges, plus they all get new partners. I'm not sure how I'll feel, but I'll of course let you know.
• The Swivek album is still working working, with about 9 songs fully completed and a few more in the works. Some stuff from Patrick of Orange Television should be on its way any day now as well, so it's looking good. I think a September release seems to be a realistic drop date.
• Janet Jackson is calling to her fans to create the cover art for her new album and you bet your rhythm nation I'm entering the contest. I'll let you all know as soon as I have my entry up. You can vote on your favorites, which of course will be mine but ultimately it's up to Janet to pick it. This could be my big CD cover break.
• and of course all my other projects are still going strong - the notes on the final three Carlton Heights episodes are taking up more paper than the original scripts, My pal Luther is going to shoot the cover to the Swivek CD very soon, I'm working on new bubbatunes compilations and I'm watching the final two discs of Police Woman - Season One. Oh, how I love the Hollywood life.

posted by swivek @ 10:20 AM