CRITICS Staying Alive : 1970’s MUSIC RECOMMENDATION Defining the 70s music scene is a massive and arduous task for anyone – in a time when artists took the standard pop conventions of the time and not only threw it out of the window but whilst doing so set the punk subculture on them for good measure.
Some of you may be familiar with a really underground movie called Saturday Night Fever… it’s really not that popular at all… and for a movie that pretty much defined the 70s, it’s only right to take a look at its soundtrack.
reviews
FOUL PLAY: 1970’s FILM RECOMMENDATION
There is a plot: a plot to murder the Pope. Ruthless criminals are behind it and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
I recommend Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees – there’s something about that iconic funky bassline, the fouron-the-floor beat and the strings that can make one feel like they are transcending into the beyond. At its core the song is for everyone facing hard times and struggling to stay alive, whilst also showing that we’re not alone and encouraging us to dance the pain away. I must say, that’s what the 70s and disco is all about!
During a time when rock was getting simultaneously harder and softer, completely new forms of music were being created… and, for me? It’s all about the funk/disco scene.
Too few people have heard of the 1978 gem of a film that is Foul Play. Starring the wonderful Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase, this is one of those movies where I honestly got to the end and felt disappointed that it was over.
By Rachael Proud
By Hannah Walton-Hughes
Gloria Mundy (Hawn) is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time; who knew that a packet of cigarettes handed to her by a relative stranger would put a target on her back?
There is also a sweet romance between Gloria and Tony (Chase), the policeman assigned to protect her. The dynamic between these two characters is perfectly balanced.
Despite the intensity of the film, it is sprinkled with truly hilarious moments. Even some of the action sequences are perfectly choreographed in a way that inspires laughter. The film will have you chuckling one minute and jumping out of your skin the next.
I could not recommend Foul Play enough. A gripping storyline, a love story you can root for, Barry Manilow serenading the opening sequence...what else could you ask for?
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas :1970’s BOOK RECOMMENDATION By Natalie Howarth A transgressive roman à clef based on the real life experiences of the father of Gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a highly subversive and surreal piece of hazy, drug-induced writing.
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It follows journalist Raoul and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo who are driving to the Mint 400 Motorcycle Race: the journey is more important than the destination in this novel. On this journey, they take several drugs, including large doses of acid and LSD.
A timeless classic from a foreign perspective of an addict, Hunter S. Thompson will forever be an irreverent figure for his experimental and unique journalistic style.
