Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains

Just watched it on dvd - had been years and years since I'd seen it on late night tv while switching back and forth between it and the 3 Stooges. It's a movie that manages to be very great while not actually being any good at all. Which is appropriate, as that describes the titular band.

The story is pretty ridiculous, at least as presented (as near as I could tell, the Stains become huge stars in about a day and a half while touring tiny bars in Pennsylvania or Ohio or somewhere, all the while having their every move breathlessly reported by a newscaster who apparently has too much time on her hands and then SPOILER ALERT are undone by one not very convincing speech from Ray Winstone to their adoring fans), but the atmosphere and the bands themselves seem exactly right. Even though Diane Lane somehow manages to come up with her signature look - including dyed & styled hair and meticulously applied makeup - and shock her bandmates on stage, who were just in the dressing room with her 30 seconds earlier, where she had looked perfectly normal.

Funny, I just watched that last month - Diane Lane was certainly sassy, but in spite of the excellent pro-feminist attitude overall (way ahead of itself for that), it is a painful movie and best left to the fanboys. You know it's bad when listening to Lane & Dern on the commentary track is more interesting than the film itself.

Time Square is somewhat similar and much better although still flawed - and great soundtrack. Lots liked Smithereens but I didn't feel the same about that one. If you really want a wild trip, try to track Forbidden Zone down - that actually hits the mark for me on several fronts, and the best Danny Elfman non-soundtrack, soundtrack ever [the missing first Oingo Boingo album]. I really wanted more from Suburbia but that brings us full-circle back to The Stains...

Just in case someone hasn't seen these, all are manditory viewing: Urgh! (fantastic soundtrack obviously), Decline of Western Civilization , Decline of Western Civilization II (scene with Ozzy making eggs still kills me), part III didn't deliver though.

for us pupa's out there, will the soundtrack of shrek substitute instead of your mandatory adult films?

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for us pupa's out there, will the soundtrack of shrek substitute instead of your mandatory adult films?

adults? those are fun for the whole family - any under 5's I've seen those with enjoyed them; show me a kid that doesn't love watching adults act crazy.

But if you're really looking for something more kid friendly, I can HIGHLY recommend The Singing, Ringing Tree, Gimme Gimme Octopus or maybe something more recent like Nocturna.

"those with" and are not acting, but actually R crazy, say thanks!

p.s. nice command of the semicolon.



Post Edited (10-08-08 18:38)

Is now available to stream on Netflix...