Easy Kill

Starring:Frank Stallone, Jane Badler, Cameron Mitchell, Shayne Leith, Elliot Frantz, Deon Stewardson, Rick Skidmore, J. Everett Leck, Mark Lancaster (IV), Hal Orlandini, Tom Aigner, Philippa Vernon, Jay (VIII)
Director: Josh Spencer
Studio: Madacy Records
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Document of Late Great Band and Songwriter
Miles Kurosky: The Man, The Myth, The Motion Picture or Bloated Pop Songs and Prince Jack Ass
$13.45??? Un-freaking-real!!!
An important documentary chronicling the last tour of a great band
This dvd is pure genius

Beulah - A Good Band Is Easy To Kill
Starring: Beulah
Manufacturer: Mvd Visual
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Lo-Fi | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Music Video & Concerts | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0009KQOIS
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Product Description

GOOD BAND IS EASY TO KILL,A (BEULAH)

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Document of Late Great Band and Songwriter.......2006-02-24

It's sad when a review is nothing more than a personal attack. Maybe Miles forgot to tip coug after ordering a latte? That said, some facts need to be established in a world of cougian slander and inaccuracies.

Miles probably authorized this DVD because he thought it was funny, which it is, unless wit, charm and sarcasm are foreign to you. Self absorbed? Hardly. He's just tough on himself and the band after bad shows, and he demands perfection from those he works with...and thank God for that. Otherwise Beulah would've actually just been a lame local band from San Francisco. Without Miles there is no Beulah. Basically you'd have a band that could pull off a 10 minute concert and a mediocre EP. From what I've heard, all the other members of Beulah have been in other bands, made solo records, or performed on other people's records. I've heard a few of these selections as well Yuji Oniki, For Stars, John Vanderlice and I can say I didn't hear fiery flourishes or musical majesty. I'm not saying that Beulah wasn't talented, because they were an amazing band, one of the best indie bands ever. However, to dismiss Miles Kurosky as a hack is not only wrong, it's just plain dumb, and speaks volumes about the reviewer and not Mr. Kurosky.

All of Beulah's songs do not sound the same as those found on HWS unless you LITERALLY think a two piece band consisting of guitar and drums with no vocal harmonies recorded on a cassette sounds the same as a 20 piece orchestra filled with tablas, flute, French horn, trumpet, sitar, piano, vibes, organ, tubular bells, harp etc. recorded on a 16 track. That's not cookie cutter songwriting and production, that's called innovation and evolution. It's true HWS doesn't compare to either Yoko, Heartstrings or Coast, but that was Kurosky's point in the film...not many bands have ever gone through such a progression or metamorphosis, and that's not just his opinion, that's a fact. Most bands make the same record over and over again, Beulah never made the same record twice.

Kurosky built his own band's hype? Yeah, sure...and maybe he also wrote for Magnet, Spin, Entertainment Weekly, NME, NPR, Mojo, among so many others. I wonder if John Peel at the BBC or Conan O'Brien knew this when they booked Beulah for their shows? All I can tell you is that I and the 1,500 people who waited in line at NYC's Battery Park in August 2004 (in the rain no less) believe that Miles and Beulah were something very special and we're glad that their greatness was documented. Personally I cannot understand why anyone would watch a DVD of a band they consider to be sub-par and then give an unfair and personally vindictive review. It's absolutely mystifying. Viva Beulah indeed.

Miles Kurosky: The Man, The Myth, The Motion Picture or Bloated Pop Songs and Prince Jack Ass.......2005-12-15

It's hard to believe that Miles Kurosky had authorized this DVD to be viewed by the public seeing as how the guy is portrayed as a completely self absorbed blowhard who's too focused on his image rather than evolving as an artist or a human being.

It's sad to see the other members of the band essentially treated as though they should be grateful for the opportunity to work with such a schlocky frontman who rarely proves to be more than a one trick pony in the realm of song writing.

Though one could site perhaps a dozen selections from the catalog of this band (who were always essentially little more that just a `Frisco favorite) that were a slight cut above the average output of the average inde-rock pop outfit it's hard to find two of those selections that differ much from the super-glazed doughnut formula that Miles stuck with since the Handsome Western States release.

Some would say it's unfair to judge a writer based on earlier works. That's utter hogwash. It is true that judgment is not always necessary in art but when an artist touts himself to be such a large section of the bee's knees he should expect a thorough review of all of his work and the work simply does not meet up to the hype that he builds all around it and himself. This is unfortunate when you consider the times when as the listener you'll notice a glimpse of input from other writers but these moments don't flourish as they should. Instead control over Tina is once again reigned in by Ike, who though talented in his own rite, is paltry in comparison the majesty of such a fiery and soulful but beat-down lapdog.

One can only hope that in the future the rest of Beulah will be able to take Miles to court, let him keep his songs, but keep their name in order to stage a comeback and dominate the 80's pop charts. Probably not likely though.

$13.45??? Un-freaking-real!!!.......2005-08-08

I can't tell you how much I love Beulah. They've been my favorite band for the past few years. From every cd I ever bought (four) to every show I ever saw (three) they were never anything short of amazing. And so I bought this dvd with high expectations and they were definitely exceeded. If only for the included seventeen-song concert, this dvd should be on everybody's must-have list. And at only $13.45, you should be arrested because it's like stealing.

An important documentary chronicling the last tour of a great band.......2005-07-15

For those of us who regret the break up of Beulah, the best line in this documentary comes from near the end, where Miles Kurosky states that it might turn out that the guys all miss each other and feel that they have to get together and make another album. We can only hope. The last three albums by Beulah are about as good as any put out by any American band in the past several years and Mile Kurosky as good a songwriter as you can find. One wonders in vain why they didn't manage to be more popular or most successful than they were. Awesome music for some reason just isn't always enough, a fact in part brought home by the band honored by the T-Shirt that Miles wears through much of the film: Big Star. Although Big Star made two albums that are now packaged into what is arguably the greatest disc by an American band ever released (though I am given to hyperbole, that is not an instance of it), #1 RECORD/RADIO CITY, to this day the album has never racked up big sales. Why do these bands fail to make it? I don't want to disrespect Green Day, because they aren't a bad band, but would anyone who really knows music prefer any Green Day album Big Star's classic? I would be stunned if the members of Green Day claimed to be as good a band. And yet, has Big Star sold even one thousandth as many records as Green Day? Something doesn't add up

I have to emphasize that this is a documentary, not a mere collection of live performances. There is a substantial amount of concert footage, but the focus isn't the concerts so much as the entire experience of being on the road. The film follows the San Francisco indie band Beulah's on its last tour. There are several documentaries that chronicle super groups, but very few that covers the host of indie bands that actually provide a majority of the live acts to be found across the country on any given night. Focus of the film is very much on the road itself, and all the tiny irritations and disasters that make being on the road a drag. Absolutely no one, after seeing this, will wonder why any band would break up. What one might wonder is why any band would stay together. Though the collection of film footage of the boys on the road is entertaining, it is crystal clear that actually being on the road is akin to an ingenious form of torture. Anyone interested in alternative or indie music should see this documentary if for no other reason than to get a vivid picture of what life on the road is like.

But though I consider this a must-see for indie fans, I had a couple of complaints with the album. First, unless you already have some sense of who Beulah was, this is going to be a pretty confusing video. Who are these guys? What kind of music do they play? How did they come together? How many albums have they done and how were they received? What kind of following do they have? In other words, the film needed to establish the background, but really didn't manage to do so. I have a few complaints about the scenes actually contained in the movie. But a lot is left out that is simply screaming for inclusion.

My second complaint is that although the primary focus of the film isn't on the performances so much as the band being on the road, there was a lot of music, but music that wasn't very well recorded. Actually, it pretty much sounded like it sounds when you are at a live performance. The truth is that in most clubs the sound is pretty bad in most of the places you can stand in the club. On an autobiographical note this is a major issue for me because at age 12 a neighborhood jerk kid threw a firecracker at me that exploded a couple of inches behind my head, resulting in a traumatic hearing loss in the upper registers. There is a trick to finding the best place in a club to enjoy the sound. Instead of crowding near the stage with the rest of the folks, go stand as close to the sound mixing board as possible. The guy with his hands on the volume is going to balance it for him. But I digress. The point is that most places are not good, and for many of the numbers it seems that the mike recorded the band from spots where the sound didn't balance, so that you can hear all the instruments, but no vocals, or drums and bass, but no guitar. The recording used in the film has more of a you-are-there effect, but it doesn't do the music justice. Only on a few numbers in the film is the utter brilliance of Beulah revealed. For the most part, it sounds like a band with a somewhat muddied sound. Anyone who knows their albums knows that nothing in the world could be further from the truth. These guys formed a very, very tight band with an exceptionally clean sound. This doesn't come across in the film except on rare occasions, one of them being the song that provided the inspiration for the title of the film, "A Good Man is Easy to Kill." That. Number provides some of the most exciting visuals of the entire film. I'm not sure that the film is going to make a lot of people go out and explore their music, though I could be wrong about this. I think it will, however, go over well with people familiar with the band and their music. As extras a number of performances, not all of which were utilized in the film, are included. The sound is not much better for these, but it will provide a better picture of what a super band this is.

I strongly recommend this for anyone who is interested in alternative music. At the end, the vivid picture of how tough it is being on the road will probably lead one to wonder why any band undergoing such an ordeal would stay together. But one will also be grateful that Beulah was able to share with their fans these images from their last tour. Though we can all hope that Miles's pondering from near the end will come to pass. We can indeed hope.

This dvd is pure genius.......2005-07-15

The movie starts off fast with a beautiful rant by Miles, the much-discussed "F--K Bob Dylan" moment. I played this back ten times at least. I'm certain that he's not so much talking about Bob Dylan the man, but Bob Dylan the icon. To believe that Dylan can do no wrong is maddening. To believe that Radiohead can do no wrong is maddening. To believe that John Lennon can do no wrong is maddening. Star worship is maddening. So F--K 'em all. Get it?

There's so much to love about Beulah and about this dvd. Yeah, there's the bonus 17 songs of Beulah concert. Yeah, there's almost half a movie's worth of deleted scenes. But the movie itself is incredible. While Miles does steal the show with his pontificating, everybody shines.

Case in point: when the t-shirt guy lists all the things he does on tour I was laughing so hard I nearly choked. Later, when he shows off everything he owns I again nearly died. But when their roadie poses the question of which member of the Vanderslice band they'd all like to sleep with, that is the funniest thing I've ever seen.

Miles' melancholic statement that closes the movie seals the deal. These bands that we love so much do leave us much too quickly. It's up to us to sieze the day and make sure that we appreciate them--and all beautiful, fleeting things--while they are still here.

Average customer rating:

decent, low-budget, direct-to-video, noir thriller

Easy Kill
Starring: Frank Stallone , Jane Badler , Cameron Mitchell , Shayne Leith , and Elliot Frantz
Director: Josh Spencer
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

V - The Final Battle
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ASIN: B0001A79PI
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Customer Reviews:

decent, low-budget, direct-to-video, noir thriller.......2006-02-26

The release of AMERICAN GIGOLO in 1980 resurrected interest in the 1940s noir style, leaving BLADE RUNNER and MIAMI VICE in its wake, as well as a flood of cheaper, direct-to-video films that were shot throughout the 1980s.

EASY KILL (1989) is a typical example, reasonably entertaining, not much better or worse than any of the other low-budgeters. It's got the usual tiny cast and few sparse sets, all to keep the cost down.

I bought EASY KILL because it stars Jane Badler, best known as the evil alien in V. Others may get it for Frank Stallone (Sly's brother). Cameron Mitchell (THE TOOLBOX MURDERS) has a small role as a bartender. You may wish to see this film if you're a fan of any of these actors, but there's not much here otherwise.

Story concerns ex-cop Frank Stallone, who owns a bar. One night a beautiful but troubled woman enters (the requisite femme fatale, played by Jane Badler). Stallone tries to learn what's bothering her. She claims her husband wants to kill her. Well, being a femme fatale, of course she's lying. She ensares Stallone in a plot that involves drugs and murder and betrayals.

This is a real low-budget effort. The house is nice, but not a rich person's house. Ever notice that in these direct-to-video efforts, they often shoot in some middle class house that we're supposed to believe is in a real expensive neighborhood? And it doesn't look it.

Noir films are noted for their hyper-stylized dialogue (to the point of parody in the noirish and excellent STREETS OF FIRE), but EASY KILL's dialogue is remarkably bland. And they keep repeating the same bland remarks. I lost count of how many times Stallone begins a sentence with "Look."

"Look, don't worry."

"But I am worried. I'm sorry I got you into this."

"Hey, don't be sorry."

"But I am sorry."

"Look, it's all right."

Another oddity: the film seems to have been shot silent, then dubbed in afterwards. All the dialogue sounds disembodied, without ambient sound, as if it was all shot in a sound studio. Doesn't matter if the location is inside a moving car, in an alley, or in a house, the dialogue has that same clear, bland quality, unaffected by surroundings. The lips are mostly in sync, although once Badler's lips are grossly out of sync.

I'm guessing they shot the entire film silent to save costs, then had the actors dub all their lines in a sound stage over a few days.

The story is reasonably entertaining if you like the actors, but nothing special.

This DVD is full screen. No special features, apart from a few trailers.

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