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Paul Simon - One Trick Pony (the film)

Discussion in 'Music to Your Ears' started by srblue5, Oct 23, 2020.

  1. Oct 23, 2020 #1
    srblue5

    srblue5 Tele-Meister

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    Anybody else seen Paul Simon's 1980 film, One Trick Pony? If so, what do/did you think of it?

    For years, I resisted the temptation to see it (for the longest time, it was OOP). As a teenager channel surfing while bored, I made the mistake of seeing an Art Garfunkel film that turned out to be a little on the soft-core side. I'm a diehard S&G fan (Paul Simon is the reason I first became interested in music) but I didn't listen to their music for a year after that.

    Finally, I saw the film a few years ago. I have to say, I like it a lot. Granted, it does have a vanity project vibe to it (though maybe not as much as another Paul's Give My Regards To Broad Street, and don't even get me started on the infamous Sgt. Pepper's film) and Paul Simon isn't a very good actor, but as a fairly candid view of the darker side of the music industry (including the ennui of life on the road, the aftermath of being a one-hit wonder, the toll that such a career trajectory can take on one's personal life, and dealing with shady music biz types), it is quite well done.

    It's also worth the price of admission (to me, anyway) to see members of Stuff ("the infamous Richard Tee", Steve Gadd, and Eric Gale) as well as Tony Levin with brief speaking roles as Paul's backing band in the film. Also, Lou Reed as the schmaltzy music producer was priceless!

    "We're trying to make a ballsy record here and we don't want it to be lush."
    "I want to make a ballsy record too. River Deep Mountain High, eh? That was a ballsy record, wouldn't you say, with the strings on it?"
     
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  2. Oct 23, 2020 #2
    4 Cat Slim

    4 Cat Slim Friend of Leo's

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    The ennui of life on the road is depicted so well in this film, in scenes like the one when
    the guys in the van are talking about how various musicians died until somebody decides it's too depressing...
     
  3. Oct 23, 2020 #3
    brookdalebill

    brookdalebill Tele Axpert Ad Free Member

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    I loved it!
    Of course, I love PS, and the Lovin’ Spoonful.
     
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  4. Oct 23, 2020 #4
    Bassman8

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    I haven't seen that film in ages but I remember it as being quite good.
     
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  5. Oct 23, 2020 #5
    Sparky2

    Sparky2 Friend of Leo's

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    Exactly.

    And it features bassist Tony Levin.

    So it's automatically-great.

    :)
     
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  6. Oct 23, 2020 #6
    Flip G

    Flip G Tele-Meister

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    Was the soft-core film you saw Bad Timing? Pete Townshend talked about it in his biography (he had the hots for Theresa Russell at the time) and I keep meaning to track it down, but even though Nicholas Roeg has made some fantastic movies -- Walkabout, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Don't Look Now, Performance -- I'm not sure I'm willing to buy Art Garfunkel as a sex therapist. :(

    Bad Timing is a 1980 British psychological drama film directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring Art Garfunkel, Theresa Russell, Harvey Keitel and Denholm Elliott. The plot focuses on an American woman and a psychology professor living in Vienna, and, largely told through nonlinear flashbacks, examines the details of their turbulent relationship as uncovered by a detective investigating her apparent suicide attempt.

    The film was controversial upon its release, being branded "a sick film made by sick people for sick people" by its own distributor, the Rank Organisation, and was given an X rating in the United States. The film was also shown under the title Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession before being shelved by the distributor. It went unreleased on home video.

    [​IMG]
     
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  7. Oct 23, 2020 #7
    srblue5

    srblue5 Tele-Meister

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    I think that was it. *shudder*
     
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  8. Oct 23, 2020 #8
    24 track

    24 track Doctor of Teleocity Silver Supporter

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    Ive never seen the film but I love this tune from the sound track

     
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  9. Oct 23, 2020 #9
    srblue5

    srblue5 Tele-Meister

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    One of my all time favourite songs.

    When I was a toddler, my parents taped the Simon & Garfunkel Central Park concert off the TV and when they watched it, I used to drum along to the version of "Late In The Evening" from that concert using pens or toothbrushes. I always loved how the band came out and did a reprise version of it at the end of the concert that was even more energetic. That concert video was one of two things that inspired me to become a musician at 3 years of age.
     
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