JoeLumb's Favorite Movies from The 1970's

 This is not a full list of favorite movies of the 1970's just a specific detail of what entertained the hell out of me many years after that decade. 

In 1970 "Love Story" was the top grossing film of that year in America. I don't care too much for that,if you're a sucker for such romantic drama shit,not this was Tommy Lee Jones' film debut in a minor role. But the best movie from 1970 in my humble opinion happens to be "Patton" with George C.Scott. "Patton" is an epic biographical war film about General George S.Patton during World War II that movie won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. 

In 1971 There are four movies that I handpicked as my favorites of that year one of them was "The French Connection" with Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider directed by William Freidkin(remember that name,he'll pop up again later in this blog.) the story follows Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Hackman) after a drug lord named Alan "Frog One" Charnier (Fernando Rey) the film was based on the 1969 novel of the same name written by Robin Moore. "The French Connection" won an Academy Award for best picture too bad it wasn't the highest grossing film in the states of that year. Also in 1971 The dystopian crime film known as "A Clockwork Orange" written directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Anthony Burgess. Malcom McDowell plays his character of Alex in the movie like a violent sociopath that loves classical music,raping women and committing thievery. Then you add the neo-noir action thriller "Dirty Harry" with Clint Eastwood. That was one of the first of many Dirty Harry movies Eastwood would star in and get this the film drew upon the real life case of The Zodiac Killer. Eastwood's character Dirty Harry Callahan is an inspector for the San Francisco Police Department and he is on the hunt on a serial sniper named Scorpio and then you had the musical fantasy film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" if you're into cult classics even if it's a musical that movie is the one for you. 

1972 was a BIG YEAR Paramount Pictures brought us Mario Puzo's best selling novel into the big screen with "The Godfather" an epic crime flick directed by the legendary Francis Ford Coppola the highest grossing film of that time and earned an Academy Award for Best Picture and won several other awards.  Meanwhile Warner Bros. had released a Jason Boorman directed Thriller "Deliverance" now the screenplay for this film was adapted from James Dickey's 1970's novel of the same name. That film was best known for the dueling banjos scene,but it also had controversy  when there was a scene where a brutal depiction of a sodomous rape,before the victim is forced to squeal like a pig. 

Ah Here We Go 1973 the year of "The Exorcist" the most terrifying movie of all time. The highest grossing R Rated Horror film until "It" broke that record in 2017. The movie was directed by William Friedkin (the French Connection director) based on William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel of the same name. You also had the Dirty Harry Sequel "Magnum Force" this time Dirty Harry tracks down a motorcycle cop that's killing criminals getting off on technicalities. 

When we got to 1974 We got the sequel to "The Godather" in "The Godather Part II" now this film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards (Won Best Picture) and became a huge box office smash worldwide. Not only that but you had two Mel Brooks directed comedies like "Blazing Saddles" the funniest film of all time and "Young Frankenstein" but there was a film that became a cult classic that started the genre of the slasher films I'm talking about Tobe Hooper's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" That's when the moviegoers were introduced to LEATHERFACE. Then you get Charles Bronson in the mix with the first of five "Death Wish" films. 

In 1975 we were introduced to "JAWS" the king of all Shark movies. Directed by Steven Spielberg who would go on to direct as many blockbuster movies shortly after this one. Based on the Peter Benchley novel of the same name. Now Peter Benchley would go on to write another novel in the 90's called "The Beast"(a Giant Squid movie) You also had the psychological drama "One Flew over The Cuckoo's Nest" with Jack Nicholson the year earlier and I forgot to bring this up Nicholson was in the film "Chinatown" co starring Faye Dunaway and directed by Roman Polanski. 

Now we get to 1976 We get the third film of the Dirty Harry Franchise  in "The Enforcer" you had "Silver Streak" with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor,you had the supernatural horror film "The Omen",you also had the Stephen King adaptation of "Carrie" with John Travolta in a supporting role. But you also had Dino De Laurentis producing a remake of the 1933 classic monster movie in "King Kong" and then you had Sylvester Stallone become a star with "Rocky" a movie that would win him an Academy Award for Best Actor. 

in 1977 George Lucas brought an epic space opera to the silver screen with "Star Wars" and that film changed the game when it came to sci-fi movies and the whole science fiction genre as a whole. "Star Wars launched the careers of Mark Hamil,Carrie Fisher(may she Rest in Peace) and Harrison Ford. 1977 also brought us "Smokey and the Bandit" with Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason. You also had "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" another Steven Spielberg directed film and then you got "Saturday Night Fever" a film that launched the career of John Travolta. 

When we get to 1978 John Travolta would be in another hit movie a musical called "Grease" not really one of my favorite films of that year,but I can understand why it's such a popular film with generations of High Schoolers. You have "Jaws 2" which really wasn't a bad sequel (although the next two would take the cake) you also had a superhero film based on the DC Comic Superhero of the same name "Superman" with Christopher Reeve as the title character and Gene Hackman as his arch nemesis Lex Luthor. Four Years after Leatherface terrorized movie-goers with "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" John Carpernter brought another slasher icon to like in the form of "The Shape/Michael Myers" in the movie "Halloween" that movie became the highest grossing independent film of all time. But how could I forget about "National Lampoon's Animal House" with John Belushi,that movie became the highest grossing comedy film of all time.

We finally wrap the decade of with 1979 Nothing really special about that year except the fact you got "Rocky II" with Sylvester Stallone writing,directing and starring in the sequel to "Rocky" you got "Apocalypse Now" an epic war film once again directed by Francis Ford Coppola and then you had "Alien" with Sigourney Weaver battling a Xenomorph the movie would spark another franchise that would evolve for years to come.

JoeLumb's Album Review Guns N' Roses' "Appetite for Destruction" (1987)

 Today marks the 36th anniversary of Guns N' Roses' debut studio record "Appetite for Destruction" since it's release the album became the seventh best selling album of all time in the United States going 18 times Platinum(18 million sold in the States alone) with 12 million units sold in the rest of the world making it a combined 30 million records sold. 

The Backstory behind "Appetite" began shortly after Guns N' Roses formed their first recordings were planned for an EP in March of 1985. The songs they had set for that E.P. were "Don't Cry" a cover of Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" "Think bout You" and "Anything Goes" but plans went awry when Tracii Guns left and would be replaced by Slash. The classic GN'R line up was finalized,comprised of Singer Axl Rose,Bassist Duff McKagan,Drummer Steven Adler,Rhythm Guitarist Izzy Stradlin and Lead Guitarist Slash. After some heavy touring all over the Los Angeles club scene the group signed with Geffen Records in March of 1986 in December they released a four song E.P. called "Live ?!*@ Like A Suicide" and that was designed to keep the band's interest alive while the group withdrew from the club scene so that they can work in the studio,the release of "Like A Suicide" was also there to soothe the label which believed the band did not have enough material for a full length studio album. Axl Rose stated many of the songs like Don't Cry,You Could Be Mine,November Rain and Back Off Bitch were considered for "Appetite" but they would later be found on the next Guns N' Roses albums "Use Your Illusion I and II" respectively. The reason why "November Raim" wasn't considered on "Appetite" was that the band already had a ballad on there called "Sweet Child O' Mine". Spencer Proffer was hired to record Nighttrain and Sweet Child to test his chemistry,they recorded nine songs with Proffer during the sessions including "Heartbreak Hotel","Don't Cry","Welcome to the Jungle" and "Shadow of Your Love" in the latter half of 1986 demons were recorded with Nazareth Guitarist Manny Charlton. But the band initially considered haveing Kiss' Paul Stanley produce the album,but was soon rejected when he wanted to change Adler's drum set to the way Paul wanted. Robert John "Mutt" Lange (know for producing records for AC/DC and Def Leppard) was also considered,but Geffen refused to spend the extra cash on him. So they went with Mike Clink Mike Clink was known for producing many Triumph albums throughout the years.  "Appetite for Destruction" was done between January and June of 1987 in a number of studios like Daryl Dragon's Rumbo Studios in Canoga Park,Take One Studios in Burbank and The Record Plant in Los Angeles.

The album's original cover art was controversial. Robert Williams did a painting that he called "Appetite for Destruction" Depicting a Robot Rapist about to be punished by a metal avenger. Music retailer refused to use that as the album cover so they went with a different one a Celtic Cross and skulls representing all five band members with Izzy at the top,Axl in the center,Slash at the bottom,Steven on the left and Duff on the right. Billy White Jr a tattoo artist designed a tattoo with the cross and skulls which the album and artwork explained that it was Axl's idea. 

Anyway after "Appetite for Destruction" was released on July 21,1987 there was little mainstream attention. Radio Stations refuse to play their single "Welcome to the Jungle" MTV refused to air the video of "Welcome to the Jungle" However after much lobbying for months Geffen General Manager Al Coury  convinced MTV to play the video once a night for the next three nights. Next thing you know "Welcome to the Jungle" became the most requested song on MTV and on radio stations after Al Coury pitched that success to radio stations sending copies of Welcome to the Jungle,Sweet Child O' Mine and Paradise City. With music video and radio airplay and with a massive tour in support of "Appetite" on August 6,1988 (over a year after it's release) "Appetite for Destruction" went to #1 on the Billboard 200 album charts as far as where the singles "Welcome to the Jungle" it made it to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100,Sweet Child O' Mine" went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Paradise City" made it to #5. 

So what are my favorite tracks from "Appetite for Destruction" the three top 10 hits just mentioned along with "My Michelle" and the fan favorite at every GN'R show "Mr.Brownstone"  I ranked this album #5 on my favorite albums of 1987 even though I didn't start listening to them until 1989 mainly because Aerosmith had returned to form with "Permanent Vacation" Def Leppard was on the comeback trail with "Hysteria" and Whitesnake's 1987 record was getting alot of attention as well. 

JoeLumb's Album Review Queensryche's "The Warning"

 In 1982 Five gentlemen from the Pacific Northwest became Queensryche. They had released their self titled E.P. off an independent label 206 Records. The band were comprised of Singer Geoff Tate,Bassist Eddie Jackson,Guitarists Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton and Drummer Scott Rockenfield. The EP got rave reviews on the international market that it lead to EMI signing them in 1983 and the E.P was re-released in August of that year featuring their debut single "Queen of The Reich" there would be a 1988 reissue of that E.P. which featured a fifth song called Prophecy written by Chris DeGarmo. When Queensryche headed back into the studio to work on their first full length record. The songwriting Trio of Tate,Wilton and DeGarmo had started writing new material while on tour supporting their self titled E.P. The album was inspired by the world events and the 1949 novel George Orwell did called "Nineteen Eighty Four". The album would be called "The Warning" and it was recorded in multiple studios in London such as Angel Recording Studio,Abbey Road,Audio International Studio and Mayfair Studio and what's good is that the band got to work with producer James Guthrie who had produced a number of Pink Floyd albums. That was a plus because not many people realize it even though Queensryche's musical style is similar to british metal acts Judas Priest and Iron Maiden,but most of the band were heavilly influenced by Pink Floyd as well. 

Geoff Tate stated in an interview in 2013 about the band's dissatisfaction with the mixing of "The Warning" He stated that this was the only time the record label restricted their creative freedom during it's recording. They went over the $300,00 budget and the label took it out of their hands and gave it to somebody else to mix. Whoever mixed "The Warning" album had no frickin clue who Queensryche was?  That's how it is when you give someone the album to mix,even though he's never listened to their music. He went and mixed it according to how he thought Queensryche would sound. The band hated it. "The Warning" would be released on September 7,1984 and would go Gold even reaching #61 on the Billboard 200 charts here in the United States.

Ruthless Metal a youtuber I don't know where he's from my guess is he's from Sweden,but he ranks "The Warning" as his #1 Queensryche album. Personally speaking I ranked this album somewhere in the top 10 Queensryche albums. The only song worth listening to on "The Warning" is "Take Hold of The Flame" it became an international hit especially in Japan. In support of it's release Queensryche went on a world wide tour from August of 1984 to July of 1985 while opening up for Kiss on their Animalize tour,Iron Maiden on their World Slavery Tour,Dio on his Last in Line tour and German Metal Act Accept for their Metal Heart Tour. 

My Overall Rating for The Warning album is a 5/10 Now I haven't listened to alot of the songs off "The Warning" except for "Take Hold of the Flame" I should give the album a listen to before I comeback and give you a different review of it,but as it stands it's a 5/10

Zooming Shield of Doom