March 31, 2023

Blood on the Tracks Episode 63: The Vanity of it All.

59 minutes

Sometimes the cinematic vanity project (a film that is usually some combo of a single person writing, directing, producing and acting in a film) can be an artistic vision that's a masterpiece that stands the test of time. A good example would be Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane". Most times, however, vanity projects are created by total outsiders who have the money but no talent, but their drive and their delusions push the project through, for better or for worse. This time out Lee has put together a playlist covering some notable, and in some cases just unknown, vanity projects. This will no doubt be a thread picked up in future episodes, as there's a ton of these to cover.

--World's Greatest Sinner from "The World's Greatest Sinner" (1962) --Frank Zappa

--Come on Feet from "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" (1971) --Melvin Van Peebles

--Schlock Boogie from "Schlock" (1973) -- Ian Kranitz & Albin Konopka

--Rage from "Stone" (1974) --Billy Green

--I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time & Open Your Heart from "Massacre Mafia Style" (1974) --Duke Mitchell

--Enuff is Enuff from "One Down, Two to Go" (1982) --Rodney Franklin

--To Survive; Girl Crazy & Take it Off from "The Life and Loves of a Male Stripper" (1987) --Rafael Bethencort

--Shimmy Slide from "Champagne and Bullets" (1993) --John De Hart

--The Ninja from "New York Ninja" (2021) --Voyag3r

Opening and closing music: Summertime Killer from "Summertime Killer" by Luis Bacalov, and Santa Maria from "Raiders of Atlantis" by Oliver Onions.

...more

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By Lee Russell

4.5

1515 ratings