Welshrogue

A computer hacker and game designer gets sucked into an electronic world where the games are played out for real and if you lose, you die.

Tron was one of the first movies to feature computer graphics to generate what is on the screen. The whole idea of there being a world inside of computers was very new in 1982 and a lot earlier than The Matrix. Having known computer games incorporated into the world was a gutsy move. The games themselves were pretty basic, especially compared to todays games, and yet, they work very well, especially the light cycles.

Jeff Bridges plays Flynn, a fired computer game designer who runs the local games arcade. He gets pulled into the system by a laser while trying to find proof that his games were stolen from him by Dillinger, played by David Warner. Flynn is surprised to find that in the computer world, the head honcho is also looks like Dillinger. Flynn is aided by Tron who is play by Bruce ‘bring them back alive’ Boxleitner and Yori who is played by Cindy ‘also bring them back alive’ Morgan.

In the computer world, programs that are written by a programmer, look like the programmer, so Tron looks like his programmer Alan and Yori looks like Lora. There are also colours inside the world. Blue are the good guys, red are the bad!

The main thing about Tron is the graphic style inside the computer which is almost black and white with added computer graphics. It is very distinctive and recognizable, even today. The world is very mathematical, not many curves.

Plot wise, its the small man against the system type of thing, with a twist. While our good guys fight against the MCP (Master Control Program) on the inside, Alan and Lora try to find the evidence of wrong doings on the outside. Throw into that a bit of religion with programs believing in ‘users’ who created them and praying to them.

Its a good movie, probably due to be remade with a lot better graphics but considering that this was made in 1982, its a pretty good effort. Still worth watching, if only so you can wonder what kind of world it would be if Lara Croft had been there.

These are movie soundtracks featuring songs, rather than original music written specifically for the movie. Obviously everyone will have a different opinion on which movies have great soundtracks and which songs should or should no be on a soundtrack. A recent trend in movies is to include either The Faces ‘Stay With Me’ or Lynyrd Skynyrd ‘Sweet Home Alabama’. Perhaps the originality that has become rare in movies is affecting the soundtracks as well?

Onto the movies, which are my own personal choices, in perverse order:

5) Risky Business (1983)

This is a great movie about a kid whose left alone as his parents go out of town and he decides to have some fun, which quickly escalates to mayhem and that classic line, “Which one of you is the U-boat commander”. The soundtrack is an excellent accompaniment to the movie, even if it does contain five tracks by Tangerine Dream written specifically for the movie.

Obviously, the song that most people associate with Risky Business is Bob Seger’s ‘Old Time Rock And Roll’ where Tom Cruise dances in underwear and shirt and socks to an imaginary crowd the first night he is home alone. I would be a liar if this scene didn’t hit home, having done the very same thing many times. When Cruise takes his dad’s Porsche (there is no substitute) out for a drive, the music pumping out is Jeff Beck’s ‘The Pump’ which even cuts out when the Porsche stalls. Tangerine Dream’s sublime music captures the night time feel of the movie along with some of the dream sequences.

1. Old Time Rock And Roll – Bob Seger
2. The Dream Is Always The Same – Tangerine Dream
3. No Future (Get Off The Babysitter) – Tangerine Dream
4. Guido The Killer Pimp – Tangerine Dream
5. Lana – Tangerine Dream
6. Mannish Boy (I Am A Man) – Muddy Waters
7. The Pump – Jeff Beck
8. D.M.S.R. – Prince
9. After The Fall – Journey
10. In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins
11. Love On A Real Train (Risky Business) – Tangerine Dream

4) The Full Monty (1997)

Six unemployed men in Sheffield, England grasp at straws to make some money. The straw is a male striptease act. They want to take it one step further than anyone else by doing The Full Monty.

This is such a funny, honest movie. If you have ever been unemployed for any length of time, you will appreciate the situation that the characters find themselves in and how they attempt to deal with it.

Relying on a lot of disco music, the movie’s memorable musical moment is when they main characters find themselves queuing in the unemployment office. To the background music of ‘Hot Stuff’ by Donna Summer, they start dancing provocatively, much to the shock of their fellow unemployed. Coming a close second is the brass band, who upon discovering that one of their members is going to do the strip start playing The Stripper. Its a fantastic moment in the movie.

1. The Zodiac – David Lindup
2. You Sexy Thing – Hot Chocolate
3. You Can Leave Your Hat On – Tom Jones
4. Moving On Up – M. People
5. Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) – Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
6. The Full Monty – Anne Dudley
7. The Lunchbox Has Landed – Anne Dudley
8. Land Of A 1,000 Dances – Wilson Pickett
9. Rock & Roll, Part 2 – Gary Glitter
10. Hot Stuff – Donna Summer
11. We Are Family – Sister Sledge
12. Flashdance…What A Feeling – Irene Cara
13. The Stripper – Joe Loss & His Orchestra

3) Blues Brothers (1980)

Freshly reunited after one is released from prison, Jake & Elwood attempt to raise enough money to save the home that they were raised in. To make the money they put together a band they once played in.

This movie alone is responsible for many movie goers being turned onto soul and blues music. Mixing crazy car chases with great songs The Blues Brothers is a permanent fixture on many a pub jukebox.

There are so many great moments from the movie, from Ray Charles singing `Shake A Tail Feather` as the passerby`s dance outside, to Cab Calloway singing his signature tune `Minnie The Moocher`.

1. She Caught The Katy – Jake
2. Peter Gunn Theme – Jake
3. Gimme Some Lovin’ – Jake
4. Shake A Tail Feather – Ray Charles/Jake & Elwood
5. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love – Jake & Elwood
6. The Old Landmark – James Brown/Rev. James Cleveland Choir
7. Think – Aretha Franklin/Brenda Corbet/Margaret Branch/Caroline Franklin
8. Theme From Rawhide – Elwood & Jake
9. Minnie The Moocher – Cab Calloway
10. Sweet Home Chicago – Elwood & Jake

2) Top Gun (1986)

The story of a US Navy pilot who goes to the `Top Gun` school to learn to be the best, where he will be tested beyond his limits.

Yes, I know this is more of an action movie than anything else but this is a movie where the action and the music have almost become one.

The start of the movie where the planes are taking off through the heat haze is backed up by the `Top Gun Anthem` performed by Harold `Axel` Faltermeyer and Steven Stevens. It is a perfect way to start an action packed movie. The most memorable musical scene unfortunately is the spit swapping love scene backed by `Take My Breath Away` by one hit wonder Berlin.

1. Danger Zone – Kenny Loggins
2. Mighty Wings – Cheap Trick
3. Playing With the Boys – Kenny Loggins
4. Lead Me On – Teena Marie
5. Take My Breath Away {Love Theme from “Top Gun”} – Berlin
6. Hot Summer Nights – Miami Sound Machine
7. Heaven in Your Eyes – Loverboy
8. Through the Fire – Larry Greene
9. Destination Unknown – Marietta
10. Top Gun Anthem – Harold Faltermeyer, Steve Stevens

1) Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

A Detroit cop goes to Beverly Hills to avenge the murder of his best friend and finds himself at odds with both the drug lord behind the murder and the Beverly Hills Police Department.

With the `Neutron Dance` by the Pointer Sisters blaring in the background, Beverly Hills Cop opens with a great car, or rather truck chase with the main character holding on in the back of the truck. Its the start you want for one of the biggest movies of the year. With the soundtrack filled with dance tracks, the music is pure 1980`s. Along with Glenn Frey`s `The heat is on`, the tune that was on every bodies lips that summer was of course, `Axel F` by Harold Faltermeyer. Infectious to the point of being annoying, `Axel F` was unavoidable for the next year on both sides of the Atlantic.

1. New Attitude – Patti LaBelle
2. Don’t Get Stopped in Beverly Hills – Shalamar
3. Do You Really (Want My Love?) – Junior
4. Emergency – Rockie Robbins
5. Neutron Dance – The Pointer Sisters
6. Heat Is On – Glenn Frey
7. Gratitude – Danny Elfman
8. Sitr It Up – Patti LaBelle
9. Rock & Roll Me Again – The System
10. Axel F. – Harold Faltermeyer