Pop stuff: American Hustle: Beatles - Tune In Expanded

What I've been watching, reading, hearing, etc.

 
American Hustle. This caper film starts off with a gem of a scene as we see aging con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) assemble what has to be -- next to Donald Trump's -- one of the world's most elaborate comb overs. It's sure to be a classic clip in years to come, and it gets American Hustle off to a promising start.

And there's other fun stuff to like: Some great 70s music and garish outfits to match, some humorous conflict between Irving and FBI man Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), who has enlisted Irving's help in an undercover sting operation. But the energy and pacing soon flags.

Director David O. Russell, also at the helm for last year's overrated "Silver Linings Playbook" just can't seem to keep things clipping along. In a film like this, where the audience should constantly be kept guessing who's conning who. But there are moments when things here nearly grind to a halt and our minds are left to wander and dwell on what we see. Which, sometimes, just seems like a bunch of actors standing around in silly wigs and clothes.

It's not until the fantastic Jennifer Lawrence turns up well into the film that things pick up again. Lawrence is endearing and hilarious as Irving's eccentric and unpredictable wife, Rosalyn, who throws all sorts of wrenches into his, and everyone else's, plans. She livens up every scene she's in, and isn't in nearly enough of them.

The film works in fits and starts and there are some great performances, too, by Louis C.K. as Richie's beleaguered boss at the Bureau and Jeremy Renner as a young mayor unknowingly pulled into operation. And Bale reveals himself as a great comic actor.

Amy Adams, as Irving's moll Sydney, unfortunately, is left with little to do other than to prance around in provocative outfits throughout, though she and Lawrence throw off some nice sparks in the one scene in which they're brought together.

Not a bad film by any means, and often fun, but it would've been better with some trimming and sharpening up.

 
The Beatles: All These Years - Volume 1: Tune In Special Expanded Edition. I'm 350-some pages into this behemoth biography by Beatles scholar Mark Lewisohn, and John Lennon has just met Paul McCartney. Notice that I didn't use the word "finally," because, long read that it is, this book is not a slog. Not for me, anyhow.

That's a good thing, since I have a lot more reading to do. The extended version of Lewisohn's book is actually collected in two parts, both hefty hardcovers, and totals 1,728 pages, including notes and index. I've been reading all the notes, too, so I'm really getting the full meal deal.

As the New Yorker mentioned in its review of the short version of Lewisohn's Tune In (a mere 944 pages) must be "the most granular" biography ever written about a non-politician, and, indeed, it's incredibly detailed. But it's not dull.

Lewisohn is a good and engaging writer who is taking the time to build a world around the Beatles. This book isn't about what John Lennon ate for breakfast on a particular day, or that time Paul McCartney had a runny nose -- though Lewisohn probably knows that stuff, too. What it's about is where the Beatles came from and what makes/made them tick. I worried that early chapters would be mind-numbingly boring, going back a couple generations to learn about the band's great grandparents, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Lewisohn tours the family trees, but in entertaining fashion. We see characteristics in these forebears that shaped their famous offspring. We also learn much about the history and character of Liverpool and why the Beatles could have come from no place else. And we see how the second World War and its effects on the Beatles' hometown and British society also contributed to the environment that helped, or made, the Beatles happen.

Instead of reading one big book, it's a little like reading four or five biographies at once (Lewisohn also tells the story of Beatles' manager Brian Epstein in great detail), with a few additional reference books -- about Liverpool, the war, the history of rock'n'roll -- on the side.

Lewisohn brings all these pieces together and his research and sourcing is nigh-impeccable. As I mentioned, I'm (only) 350 pages in, and a few myths have been already been convincingly exploded. The story of how John Lennon was forced into choosing between living with his father or mother, for one, and even whether that first meeting between Paul and John was the first meeting. 

There are two more volumes to go in Lewisohn's epic biography. This one ends in 1962, with the Beatles on the cusp of fame. I figured if I was going to read something so detailed, I might as well go with this expanded edition -- available via Amazon UK -- rather than the single, shorter book, though I'm sure it's a fine alternative for those a tad less obsessive than myself. Looking forward to a lot more reading in the weeks to come, though it's going much quicker than expected.



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