Elvis....A 20th Century Icon

There's no denying that Elvis Presley was singularly the most successful selling pop

artist of the 20th century. And thanks to the recent release of Baz Luhrmaan's

'Epic...Elvis in Concert' film, it has brought back this legendary artist back into the

forefront of the entertainment world, as well as attracting a new generation of fans.

1956 was Elvis's big breakout year marking his rise to international stardom in a

year that many claim was the birth of a new youth culture. Even John Lennon once

said that 'Before Elvis there was nothing.'

Sadly Elvis died at the young age of 42 in August 1977.

In the video above is what was originally the opening title scenes of Elvis's 1970

concert film 'That's The Way It Is' so it's quite a novelty to see this without the screen

titles plastered all over it. And many fans would agree that 1969/70 was a high point

in Elvis's career having just returned to live performing after a break of nine years

after ending his Hollywood movie commitments.

Video kindly uploaded to youtube by

The Elvis Factory

Raimondi is Spectacular as Scarpia.

It's often been said that operatic baritone Tito Gobbi was the ultimate anti hero in Puccini's

famous opera Tosca, playing the role of Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police. But for me it

would have to be Italian bass baritone Ruggero Raimondi. It was a role that he was born to play.

In this short clip above in a powerful climax at the end of Act 1 we see Raimondi contorting

his face with anger, passion, jealousy and revenge. It's clear now that Raimondi as Scarpia

is going to have Floria Tosca's lover Mario executed so that he can have Tosca for himself,

crying out his final words at the end of Act 1, 'Tosca you make me forget my God.'

Raimondi is spectacular in this closing scene.

Video kindly uploaded to youtube by

melmoth

Remembering Ryuichi

 

Remembering the extraordinary Japanese musician and occasional actor Ryuichi Sakamoto

who sadly passed away three years ago at the end of March 2023, although news of his death

didn't reach us until early April that year.

In 2014 Sakamoto was diagnosed with throat cancer, eventually gaining remission in 2021,

announcing online at the same time that he had succumbed to colon cancer which sadly took

his life two years later in 2023.

I always get a lump in my throat when I hear of colon cancer victims as I was diagnosed

with the very same thing in 2012, taking a year out from blogging while undergoing a six

year treatment and a recovery program, finally gaining remission around 2018.

Along with many of his awards for his film music compositions Sakamoto will undoubtedly

be remembered for his haunting music from the 1983 film 'Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence' 

a film directed by Nagisa Oshima. The film was based on the wartime experiences of  Sir

Laurens van der Post, portrayed in the film by actor Tom Conti starring alongside David Bowie.

Above video cleverly put together by

Chi-Walking Young

At Long Last It's Summertime

So at long last we can say that it's now officially British Summertime. And what a long

wait it was this Winter, with a January that I'm never likely to forget.

I guess that the period from October to the end of the year is okay, what with the Autumn

season and the long build up to Christmas. But it's the two months of January and February

that I dislike so much.

So hopefully very soon things will warm up and then we can say Summer really is here.

The Beachside Plant Container All Lit Up

My newly made Beachside plant container looks a treat all lit up in the evening.

There's even a flashing light in the lighthouse.