Five Bullets 7.26.24
The Third Man, The London Souls, Ripley & more
Good Morning & Happy Friday!
It’s a beautiful mild morning here in New York City. I hope you are all enjoying your summer! This week I watched classic film The Third Man, revisited the music of The London Souls which I spent a lot of time with about 10 years ago (it still holds up!) and really enjoyed reading a piece looking at how drumming could extend your life!
What are you reading, hearing and seeing lately?
Bullets this week:
Movies: The Third Man. Writer Holly Martins arrives in post-war Vienna to meet his friend Harry Lime, only to discover Lime has died. This 1949 film noir starring Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles and Alida Valli, takes viewers on a confusing journey through the bombed-out streets and dark sewers of the city’s criminal underground as Martins attempts to figure out what happened to Lime. Directed by Carol Reed, The Third Man is a classic example of the use of dutch angles and draws from film noir and german expressionism to create a confusing web of deceit. Graham Green’s screenplay is solid. The film’s music theme features the zither playing of Anton Karas.
Music: The London Souls. This week I’ve been revisiting the music of Brooklyn rock band The London Souls, a band I saw all over Brooklyn and Manhattan back in the early 2010s. Guitarist Tash Neal and drummer Chris St. Hilaire’s trademark rock/blues/soul music features blazing guitars, piercing vocals, and inventive drumming. The band opened for touring acts including Tedeschi Trucks Band and The Who. Lately, the band appears to be on hiatus while Neal performs in guitarist Slash’s band and St. Hilaire provides percussion for The Black Keys. I’m still enjoying the band’s energetic 60s-inspired rock and strong songwriting. Hoping for some new music someday soon!
NYC: New York Historical Society’s current exhibit Lost New York explores forgotten features of the city’s history including photos, artifacts, oral history interviews and more. Here’s some photos and history of the original Penn Station. I’m looking forward to checking this exhibit out.
TV: Ripley. This noir thriller series set in the 1950s, based on Patricia Highsmith’s book The Talented Mr. Ripley, is methodical. It takes it’s time but doesn’t waste a moment, unlike the protagonist Tom Ripley, a psychopathic con-man. Starring Andrew Scott as Ripley, Dakota Fanning as Marge Sherwood and Johnny Flynn as Dickie Greenleaf, this series had me on the edge of my seat. But amidst the trickery and violence, the cinematography beautifully captures Italian cities Atrani, Napoli, and Rome.
Substack: Do Drummers Live Longer?
Ted Goia takes a look at jazz drummer Roy Haynes’s longevity and the cardiovascular and healing benefits of drumming. I can say that drumming always makes me feel calmer, more focused and happier. I think there’s something to the rhythms too, because they get so deep in my chest it’s meditative. There’s nothing like playing a solid groove with a band or exploring the endless sounds of the drum set. Drumming is just plain fun!
That’s all for this week! I sure love getting this weekly list together. It gives me something to work on, to explore my interests, to learn more and share it with you.
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